Houses In Pretty Boxcars

I was doing some research on the history of the style of house that our recent purchase of a Foursquare house. I stumbled upon an old 1920's ad for a "kit model" for this style of home. I was also amused to find out that Sears and Roebuck used to offer these types of homes as a build-by-number building system kit. Yes, each piece of lumber was numbered, making it easy for the layman to build their own home! I read that if I looked hard enough in our attic, we might be able to spot a number or stamp on the beams (I'm definitely running up there later to check!)

In our neighborhood, a lot of these homes were built because we reside just three short blocks away from where the old B & O Railroad used to exist. The materials for the house were placed in boxcars--very convenient and cost effective--and transported directly to the buyer.

Wow, a little piece of house history I stumbled upon--and check out the price of a house in the 1920's!

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Painting, Planting, and Primer....

What a beautiful Spring day it is in Maryland today! We have been steadily busy this week starting renovation of our new home. We purchased a 1925 Colonial Foursquare style house near Baltimore that the previous owners had carefully and beautifully updated and rehabbed. There is still lots of work to do--painting, gardening, etc., but we are very much looking forward to that!

My husband has also been really busy painting the walls--since we were blessed with completely white, primered walls which is not very forgiving when it comes to smudges and scrapes. But we would very much like to stay in the style and time period of the house, so we are carefully choosing our color schemes.

I will be taking lots of pictures as we continue our work in progress....

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An Excuse With Double The News...

I have no really great and elaborate excuse for my absence in the past weeks. I think a blogger needs a break every once in a while...okay, I do have a reason why my presence has not been regular.

Firstly, we moved into our new home--the very first home of our own!! After 15 years of marriage, we have finally made the biggest purchase in our lives and we are loving it!!

Secondly, I have been SO TIRED. The day before we closed on the house, we found out that we will be having another baby! I have been so tired and ill the past few weeks, and so when the day is done, there leaves no time to blog!

But I promise, I will make a concerted effort to blog because I so much miss you guys, ALOT!! So this is my promise that I will try harder and take pictures often.

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My Holiday Wish List....

Have you seen the season's latest Technomarine watches? I was browsing the web for the perfect gift for my cousin for his graduation gift, and stumbled upon these beautiful, one of a kind timepieces. They look like intricate pieces of art that you wear on your wrist. I would love one with diamonds embedded in the watch face.

So if you are looking for something to buy me this upcoming Holiday season, I WOULD LOVE a Technomarine watch--and I'll buy you something really nice too!

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Home Buying For Exercise Equipment?

One thing that really keeps my life into perspective is having frequent in depth conversations with my parents. As I have gotten older, I have learned to really appreciate them more and more each and every day. I really feel contentment and approval after talking with them about something that is bothering me or something puzzling in my life.

This first time home buying process has been really hard on my perspective. I have been suffering these past few days from a major case of "buyer's remorse." It's not that the house we chose was the wrong decision, on the contrary--we searched, researched and triple checked our potential investment before buying it. But I am constantly questioning the what if's and whether space will be an issue in our new home with our six children.

I was talking to my dad about this anxiety that I was having and rambling on about how much effort we had placed into this decision. He put all of my worries at ease when he finally shared with me that the only consideration he had during his home buying process was whether his weight benches and weight equipment would all fit in one room and that it was easily accessible...

I only wish that life was that easy!

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Ramblings On The Forgotten Timepiece

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hat ever happened to the old pocket watch, or a better question is, what happened to the watch in general? I can remember a time, not so long ago, when forgetting to wear a watch was a personal taboo and a person would feel lost without it. Always checking the time--time for work, time to eat, time for a particular social engagement. A watch was seen as a fashion statement and something to be admired.

Today, I and many others rely on the accuracy of the time on my cell phone. I know it does not look as classy as taking out a pocket watch to check the time, but in my own technological addictive thoughts, it's probably more accurate and definitely more convenient.

I still miss my Swatch Watch, though!

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I'm Dreaming Of A Simpler Place....

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ue to all of the stress and unsettling excitement that has been going on in the "Miles" household, my husband and I have been seriously contemplating another family vacation. Since we made a major move across the country a few months ago, we were thinking about visiting someplace within driving distance of a few days since everything is so unfamiliar around us. I would really LOVE to visit Pennsylvania Amish Country, and in very close proximity to where I was born and raised.

Visiting a place like this makes me feel grateful and humbled--a place where family, community, and faith mean more than anything else, Observing others engaging in a slower and simpler life forces me to criticize and critique my own life and to ponder the things in life I can do without and I have a tendency to over engineer things and consider what I have been forgetting. The best and most cherished things in life are truly the simpler things.

I could also use an excuse for a great shopping trip. We have budgeted and saved for so long, in order to put away a down payment for our new home, that I could really use a break from that! We do need to start comparing Condo Hotels to stay in though--could you see my husband and me with FIVE young children in a quaint little bed and breakfast staying amongst the cherished antiques and jumping on the bed?!

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Friday's Feast (#28)

Click to play Friday's Feast!

Appetizer

If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?

Probably none of them. I think everyone has problems of their own, including me, and I would much rather juggle my own daily struggles than anyone else's, a celebrity or not!

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?

It really depends on who I'm talking to. If I enjoy the conversation, about an 8.

Salad

Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).

Cure Autism Now (CAN) We have two boys who have been diagnosed and feel very strongly for this cause.

Main Course

What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?

Chocolate, and I DO eat some EVERY DAY!

Dessert

Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?

Nope, we have been VERY lucky this year (I'm knocking on wood!)

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A Home Of Our Own...Finally

It's been awhile since my last update on this blog. Life has finally caught up with us, and it's been a really busy couple of weeks at the "Miles" household. We have been knee deep in real estate recently, and we are finally proud to say that we closing on our new home on MONDAY! We have waited so long to become homeowners and have patiently waited until the time was right, and our time has finally come.

Words cannot express how excited we will be to to set foot in a home that we can finally call our own. I cannot wait to start painting the walls and making our home truly a personalized space.

We haven't told the kids yet that they will be moving again to a new place, only after three months in the house that we are currently in--but I am sure that this will be a positive step towards a future filled with wonderful memories and beautiful permanence.

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Blogroll Is Gone...

I was just informed that blogrolling is out of business? I used this service for all of my outgoing links, so please bear with me while I recreate my blogroll.....

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The Green Works Line By Clorox

Yesterday, I had the unique chance to try out a brand new product on the market, from the makers of Clorox. It's called Green Works, and it's a cleaning product line that contains over 99% natural products that are biodegradable, uses recycled packaging, and is not tested on animals.

I was especially intrigued by these products because I am raising five children, and I am continually concerned about using toxic chemicals around the house. Although, I was initially skeptical about the effectiveness this product that does not contain chemicals and commercially manufactured products, I was soon proven wrong when I tried the all purpose spray.

The spray has a very pleasing, subtle fragrance. It cleaned very well, and I was impressed with the results. I didn't have to worry about wiping down my counter tops after cleaning with the Green Works spray to remove any harsh chemicals or residue that the cleaner left behind. I also benefited by obtaining the peace of mind that each product in the Green Works line by Clorox was safe, biodegradable, and is backed by a line of cleaning products I have grown up to trust and rely on.

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To My New Acquaintances From Japan....

Sorry to post this here on the blog, but I needed to share something and I could not do it by email....so here it is!

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I Love The Eighties!

Recently, I received an invitation to attend my high school reunion. I've been actively thinking about attending, which has led me to ponder how my old friends and peers are today and what they have decided to grow up and become. Old and fond memories also creep into my mind--big hair bands, big stereos with an elaborate speaker mount, and leg warmers!

I think the reason why I get such a warm and cozy feeling when I see the snippets of eighties style coming back--perhaps it is because I associate many of my childhood memories with that decade.

But when I attempt to figure out what the 00 decade will be synonymous with, I cannot. People wearing IPOD buds? Maybe this just proves to me even more that I am getting old!

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The Mommy Minivan

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ow that we are in the process of buying a new home, it looks like we will have to keep our current cars a little while longer. Although they are still in like new condition, we have a tendency to trade out vehicles every five years or so. But since we have to now juggle a mortgage, we have to slow down the rotation a bit.

I stumbled upon this website for car restoration and I found a company that sells wood dash kits that make the front dashboard look spectacular and brand new! I would love to install one in our minivan. Since the rear of the car is for the kids, I want to front of the car to have a personalized appearance just for me!

I love this idea--I'm keeping my minivan a little while longer!

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