An Un-Curated House Tour

We always knew that we would move home eventually. Back to the town so familiar, literally impossible to go anywhere without running into someone you know, to raise 'em up. We loved living in the suburbs of Chicago - the hustle and bustle is so alluring. Always something to do. Everything you want at your fingertips. But we didn't want our kids to miss it. We didn't want them to miss the joy of a quieter life, a slower pace and family.

Nathan and I have the privilege of sharing a home town. This place is our old and new stomping grounds. We're back, but it's different. The town has changed. We have changed. But family doesn't change. And that is just so good. An irreplaceable gift.

"Sometimes I find myself thinking about the people I love,
all spread out all over the country and I think: why are we so far apart?
Would it be insane to move houses or cities or states because of friendships?
Doesn't it sort of make sense? This is what I want, in my secret crazy heart:
I want to pick a neighborhood and put out the call: lets' do this!

Let's stop texting and seeing each other twice a year, if that.
Let's pick a neighborhood, and let's move there and raise our kids together
and have dinner together twice a week and go running together and put our kids on
the same bus in the morning. Here is my question these days: when you have friendships
that are so dear to you, when you feel so seen and loved and connected and thankful
for what these amazing people bring you, why wouldn't we change our lives,
or at the very least our location,for them?
- Shauna Niequist
I'll never forget the day we decided to start looking for a new job and house. I was in the midst of an autoimmune episode. It scares me. Wakes me up a little bit each time. One life. And boy is it fleeting. So why not? Why not live where we want to live with the people that mean the most to us? We had to try, and God blew us away when He opened every door that ushered us into this new life for our family.

We quit "living so far apart" and it feels good!

I've been planning to take pictures for weeks now. I had hoped to curate a nice overview of our little, brick ranch for you all, but this is about as un-curated as it gets. The rooms aren't Pinterest worthy, but I slapped a nice filter on all the photos just in case. Wink. This is a real life, work in progress, people live here kind of thing. So don't go calling HGTV or anything. HA. But if you do, please call Chip and Joanna Gaines. Please and thank you!


I live in the kitchen. It's the first time that I have a window over the sink. I'll never go back. It looks out into the fenced-in (all the mothers said AMEN) backyard. It's basically a vacation every time I step into this room. I love it.


I have a new theme for my house. It's called minimalism. We hung four things on the wall in our main living space: a crucifix, Mama Mary, a mirror and a bulletin board. I've got boxes of décor sitting in my basement. I dream of a garage sale in the spring.



The boys have their own space. With a $1 tiger I found at a rummage sale.
I know. So mid-century of me. I try.


We have plans to use this as a baby/guest bedroom. Right now Bella is holding down the fort.



And here is our laundry. I mean our master bedroom. Ahem. I'm excited to expand this little office space for me and Nathan! I've got an Ikea floating shelf in mind. An upright chair. Faux animal skin rug. Baby steps. Gotta fold that laundry first.


This one is for anyone dying to see our bathroom. We downsized in the bathroom department. I didn't realize how much we were going to miss our "en suite", but we are consoling ourselves with a that little office space! Eventually we hope to finish the full basement and add another bathroom down there. We shall see.

I almost included a picture of our backyard for your viewing pleasure. But then decided against it. You basically can look at any overgrown forest on the side of the interstate and get a good idea of what it looks like. HA. For real though. Mulberry trees are from the devil.


Ok, well now I feel super naked. As in exposed.
But we LOVE our new life and home and wanted you to share our joy. Curated or not. In this case, not.

WELCOME.