Back Together Again

Beware... lots and lots of photos to follow!  I spent most of Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning organizing the house and putting everything back in its proper place. Last night and this morning, I went a little crazy with the camera!  I tried to post these photos so you can get a feel for what the house looks like as you enter through the front door, turn left into the living room, and then move through the family room, dining room, kitchen and hallway areas before ending up at the front door again. 

The front door & entry way.  Every time the doorbell rings, why does the dog think it is for him?!?

I love how the new chest looks with the gold paint!

 

The Embassy is closed today to celebrate President's Day and Kevin is all set for a round of golf.

Standing in the entry way and looking into the living room.

Standing in the living room and looking into the family room.

On the left side of the photo below, you can see through the family room and into the dining room.  On the right side of the photo, is a short hallway that leads to the staircase as well as into the dining room.

Standing in the family room and looking up at the staircase.

 

Moving into the family room from the living room...

Standing in the family room and looking into the dining room.

Standing at the entrance of the dining room and looking into the family room.

Standing in the family room and looking into the dining room.  

Dog Number One.

Dog Number Two.

The hurricane vases in the photo below are filled with shells that we have collected from beaches all over the world...

The picture in the photograph below is very special to our family.  Many years ago, my cousin, Patrick worked in the Peace Corps in the Cape Verde Islands.  My aunt went over to visit him and we sent some art supplies with her to give to the children in the village. After she returned, my aunt gave us this picture of one of the children coloring. When we first received the picture, the kids (who were probably about 5 and 6 at the time) were VERY anxious about the child missing her shoe.  EVERY time they looked at the picture, they would ask me, "why she doesn't she have a shoe? what happened to her shoe? does she know that she is missing her shoe?"  The questions never stopped.  

Moving from the family room into the dining room & kitchen area.

 

    

Flowers from the garden.

Standing in the dining room and looking into the kitchen.

 

 

The area in the photo below is near the dining room & kitchen and right outside of our pantry.  It is a pretty good sized spot and I have been trying to figure out what to do with it.  This is what I came up with for now.

  

 

The hallway in the photo below leads from the dining room area to the front door, completing the "circle" of the first floor.

The photograph below is of Mount Sonder in the Northern Territory of Australia and was a farewell gift from our good friends, Mark and Cate in Alice Springs.

The quilted wall hanging of Australian flora and fauna in the photo below was a gift from our friends, Dan and Amy.  Dan and Kevin worked together for many years (long before we were even married) and then Dan worked at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra while we were in Alice Springs.  It was fun to occasionally see them (and their two daughters) while we were Down Under.  Amy was (is) an AMAZING quilter!  

So, there you have it!  I did have the staircase and the upstairs hallways painted but I will have to post those photos another time. My arm is numb from working on the computer for so long!

Have a great Monday!