Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Happy February!

It's February already!!  I took an unexpected blog vacation, being busy with domestic and club activities.  I may have taken on a little too many things in my retirement!  
One of my projects after Christmas was to write up four family histories for a county history and families book our local genealogical society is publishing. One of my interests (and retirement buckle list items) is spending more time on genealogy.  I have a lot of the records of our family, and if you know anything about this 'hobby' you know it's interesting but addictive!  Every time I wanted to sit down and write a post on my blog, I'd think, "No, I have to get these done first."  With that as an excuse ... and several other commitments, well, I just realized it's February and it's been a LONG time since I posted. Here goes, I hope I remember how to do this!

We are really loving our new home!  Having a space that made entertaining easier was on our 'new house list' and I must say it's made hosting gatherings for family and friends much more pleasant - both inside and out.  Here are a few photos of Christmas with my side of the family.
The kitchen was large enough to allow for visiting, snacking AND working. (Below Favorite Son and his Sweet Lady are carving the smoked ham.)
Foosball in the basement Lodge area. 
                                                                      
And lots of togetherness when the kids opened their gifts.

On New Year's Eve, we hosted a dual graduation party for Precious Daughter and Favorite Son.  Both met these milestones this year but with selling our old home, building the new one and moving (not to mention a wedding and settling into new jobs..), we never had a party for them.  I was so busy, I didn't get any pictures.  :(   But, the weather was nice enough that we could use the grilling area for many of our guests.  J grilled chicken wings so he had plenty of help!

Here are a couple of pictures of our graduates!

I'll close for now with a few pics of our great room.  I'm really loving the shelves and storage!   Notice I found the perfect area rug.  :)
The inspiration came from HERE.  I found it on Pinterest.
I think my builders came pretty close, don't you?!  

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your visits and comments!  I promise I'll post again soon.  Happy February!!

Zenda          


Linking to these fun parties:
     
Tuesday At Our Home
Home Matters
Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home
Sweet Inspirations
Foodie Friday and Everything Else
Amaze Me Monday
Dishing It and Digging It
Metamorphosis Monday 
The Scoop
Share Your Style

12 comments:

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Life does tend to get in the way of some things we'd like to do, and that's perfectly okay. If it were me, I'd be spending all my time hanging out in your gorgeous living room (with the occasional foray into the kitchen for food). You must be so happy with your new home!

Catherine said...

Hi Zenda,
Welcome back! I even checked yesterday to see ifI had accidentally unsubscribed from your blog. I love the way your sitting room has turned out. Welcoming, clean and fresh looking with the white and a nod to black on the curtains and rug. So spacious too.
You must be so proud of your children. I see that your daughters photo says she is a doctor now. Is that a doctorate or a medical degree? I only ask because both my daughters and my stepdaughters are doctors of the medical variety.
Great photo of you all.

Creations By Cindy said...

Dear friend , I live your home . How very blessed you must feel . Nothing better than sharing your home with precious family . Do good to see s blog post pop up . Hugs and blessings , Cindy

Shannon @ Belle Bleu Interiors said...

Your home is absolutely beautiful. I know that you must really be enjoying it. The shelves in the living room look great! I hope that you are having a wonderful week!!!

Rosie M. said...

Oh, Zenda, your home is truly a place of beauty!! I LOVE the brightness and airiness of the rooms and I can't imagine how nice it must be to have all that ROOM for family gatherings! You have a done a spectacular job of choosing colors and design. Bravo to both you and your husband for creating such a wonderful space. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!!! Rosie @ The Magic Hutch

carol@The Red Painted Cottage said...

Your home is simply gorgeous, just to my liking...lol! I love your decorating and everything looks so spacious. Is your daughter a medical doctor now? If so, Wow and congratulations to her.

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Welcome back Zenda! Your home is beautiful and I love that shelving unit! We are in the process of taking out the carpet in our family room and having all wood through out. They haven't started yet, but I've been looking at rugs. Having a hard time. Do you mind telling where you got yours? Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann

Sandi Magle said...

Beautiful home and family. And family is what it is all about. We redid our kitchen and its been great when everyone is around to enjoy it. Thanks for sharing, Sandi

A Crafty Mix said...

Welcome back Zenda, it looks like you had a lovely break from blogging and family should always come first. Congrats on the kids wonderful achievement and I'm happy you found the perfect rug. It just right for the sitting room.

Mary K. said...

Zenda who can blame you for taking a break to enjoy your new home, and entertain with your family. Love ethe new rug and yes the builders did come close. Might I say that your version is even better because the shelves are bigger, and we can always use more storage space.

Christine @ Rustic-Refined said...

Love those built ins, I think they hit the nail right on the head. They are gorgeous.

Erin said...

I love your built ins in your family room. What a fun display area!