Our Oklahoma HOME
We're really going to miss this place. Even though its small and in a spotty neighborhood it has its coziness, character and our fingerprints all inside (and outside) of it. We landscaped this front yard and JOey has put a ton of time into watering and maintaining it. I painted the door red a month or so after moving in.
This living room is where we spend most of our time. It's evolved a lot over our four years here but this is what it looks like now. After being here a year I sanded, primed and painted the knotty pine paneling and then painted it again 6 months later because I wanted it white. Just last year I built and added the shelves/homework/coloring desk off the to the left.
It has been a really handy addition to our space. The kids use it every day to do homework and it has kept their backpacks and papers from collecting on the dining table. Georgie and Juliet color their a lot as well.
Georgie learned to Hula Hoop in this living room, Isaac as well. The kids turn cartwheels, dance, watch YouTube Videos and of course have watched hundreds of movies. Joey watches a couple shows every night while sitting at that end dining chair and eating chips and salsa and whatever dessert he can scrounge up in the house. I join him sometimes. This backdoor is always a thoroughfare of neighborhood kids and our kids running in and out, in and out.
The corner cabinets...one of the built ins that really made me fall in love with the house.
There are two of them.
Our front room. We've had dozens of date nights in this room, all our friends piled on the sofa and love seats playing the envelope game, the name game or just chatting. Our Christmas Tree went in the right hand corner and the mantle is really deep so it holds a lot of Halloween, Christmas and seasonal decorations. The fire place is really beautiful. We've roasted Marshmallows in there and played tons of games as a family in front of it.
When we moved in this room was painted a bright orange (??). If I can find this same color (Tinsmith by Sherwin Williams) in Italy I'll be using it. I love the color. It's so calming.
The cool modern fan and the ancient solid oak door are my favorites in this shot. Also the windows...the big huge windows. The rooms with the big windows in this house are my favorites.
I almost painted the door white on the back side...so glad that I didn't!!
Our tiny kitchen!
The girl we bought it from refinished it and she did a great job making use of every little space. The back splash Kerry added for us a year or so ago . The kitchen has no pantry but lots of cabinet space. The oven is awesome (a double oven in one) and the sink we're really going to miss. It's HUGE and deep. I've done a lot of chopping, kneading and stirring in this kitchen. It's been my place.
This bedroom, now the master, was added by Kerry and a few contractors before Juliet was born. I don't know what we did without it. It's made ALL the difference in my loving the house.
The old room was tiny and just on the other side of that large opening. We use it as our office/piano room now. I taught hundreds of piano lessons in that little nook.
I'll always remember this backyard with Georgie running through it in a princess dress. This was her playground. When we moved here she was 2 years old and helped me plant flowers, build the garden, plant the garden every spring, played in the rain...the list goes on. The second we arrive home, weather permitting, she's out the door playing out here. She spends an equal amount of time in the front yard catching butterflies or playing on the flagstone walkway or finding little nooks and hiding spots in our neighbors yards. You can't see it from this shot but way in the back left hand corner Joey put in a sand box while the kids and I were away one spring. He surprised them with it when we got home. Georgie and Juliet still play in it. The wild cats that roamed our neighborhood 2 years ago made a habit of crapping in it. That was sure nice;)
Off to the right in the neighbors yard you can see a scraggly looking apricot tree that leans over into our yard. Before the drought last year that tree put out hundreds of apricots for us to eat every spring. Some years were better than others but we'll always remember looking out the kids bedroom window and seeing "Popcorn Popping":)
This teeny tiny bathroom was shared by all of us for over 2 years of our life here. And when guests came we ALL shared it. Those were some crowded times. Now its just for the kids. But we always get compliments from visitors on this sink. We say "thank you" but we really can't take any credit. The girl we bought it from picked it out.
I was completely charmed by this phone box when we looked at the house 4 years ago.
They don't put stuff like this in homes anymore.
Family Dinners here...every night
xoxo
Juliet's room, the guest room and Isaac and Georgie's room (minus the crib) for nearly 2 years. Man that was cramped for them. I made the roman shades....they didn't turn out so great but it's still that many more of my hours put into a home.
This is probably my favorite room in the house. I don't know why. I lay down in bed with them at night and I just think to myself, "I love this room" It just feels safe in here. I hope the kids remember it that way.
It used to be Joey and I's room. I didn't like it then. It was dark and...blah. When we moved the kids in we were able to totally transform it. Paint and homemade curtains mostly. I think those were the only real improvements other than switching the furniture around.
I painted the sliding doors on the closet with chalkboard paint but the kids almost never use it. Isaacs legos are usually strewn all over the floor for everyone to step on! He also likes to play outside but gets this room all to himself a lot...he and his legos!
Their reading nook;)
It's been a great house. It's the thing I'll miss the most for sure. We'll miss people more than any "thing" but of all the "things" it will definitely be our home. Joey feels particularly attached to it as well. Sadly, we'll never, ever come back here. I've been glad to learn from our realtor that it's going to a really great, kind family. They have two 12 year old twin sons. I was glad to hear that. They'll be able to walk to the High School. It's only a block and a half up the street. I hope, for their sakes, that they love it as much as we have.
Here's to 936 E Elm St and all the great years you've given us.
We will think of you fondly!
xoxo
Ashley
