I have a smile on my face this morning because our family is back together again. Ryan, Chase and Ryder arrived home yesterday evening from Colorado where they spent the end of the week skiing!
Last year, Chase, Ryan and my brother-in-law, Ross, went out to Breckenridge on a boys’ ski weekend at the end of ski season and had a blast. Chase talked about the trip at length and was thrilled when Ryan asked if he wanted to go again this year. Ryder was all about it, too, and couldn’t wait to be included this year. My brother-in-law met them at the airport in Charlotte on Wednesday during his layover from Jacksonville and then they headed onto Breckenridge where they spent the next few days skiing… and battling altitude sickness. Womp, womp.
After a fantastic first day for Chase, he was sick for most of the second day with altitude sickness which majorly bummed him out. Chase was so amped up and truly talked a mile a minute about his first day when we FaceTimed the first evening so I am just thankful he was better by the third day and was able to get in two solid days of skiing. As for Ryder, he was more excited about the outdoor hot tub than anything when I talked to him on the phone. Haha!
While the boys were off in Colorado, I had a full house back here in North Carolina. My mom, sister and nieces joined me, Rhett, Pepper and Lucky for a girls’ + Rhett weekend! My sister is 33 weeks pregnant (with a baby boy this time!) and it was so wonderful to be able to have some time together before her baby is born and the chaos that occurs during our family visits kicks up yet another notch. We are truly beyond thrilled for their gang and I’m really hoping to make my way to Jacksonville in early March to meet my very first nephew and their incredibly loved little rainbow baby.
We filled our days with entertaining the kids through stories, walks, crafts, aquarium visits, snacks and plenty of around-the-house playtime.
My mom’s cousin Jennie also came in town on Friday so it was wonderful to have time with her as well. There was not a single night when we were in bed before midnight because we took advantage of the kid-free evening hours to just hang out and talk which was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of their visit.
On the house front, our house continues to be occupied by various people other than family who are tying up loose ends around here. On Wednesday and Thursday wallpaper was installed in a few different rooms and I am thrilled with how it all turned out. Here are a few of the spaces I snapped pictures of to send to Ryan while he was away:
Powder bathroom:
Chase and Ryder’s bathroom:
Would room-by-room posts/tours/break downs of the rooms in our home be of interest? House tours and blog posts with tips, links and the “whys” behind certain decisions were invaluable to me (especially pros/cons/what they like or would do differently kind of content) and if it might be helpful, I’m happy to share more here as well… ya know, once I get my act together.
My mom, sister and nieces left in the late morning on Sunday and by the evening our house was full again with the big kids and Ryan. It was a full weekend but a good one.
The boys are all out of school today so we’ll be hanging out close to home and I’m sure we’ll head out on an adventure or two as well. The rest of our week looks relatively normal with school and activities back in full-swing. I hope you all have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by the blog today!
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I would love room -by-room tours! I love your style and would be keen to hear more <3
I second this!
Same! Allll the house details!
Yes! Please do room-by-room tours!
I’m dying to see the mud room/drop zone and the butler’s pantry! Also wondering how you set up the boys rooms – is there an extra room you’re planning on moving Chase or Ryder into when he’s older so they each have their own room?
Another vote for house tour and anything house related posts!!!
Excited for you and your families new house and would love to see it!!!
I would love a room-by-room recap/choice description. Can’t wait to see more!
Yes for the house tour!
Please! Allllll the house info. When you’re ready 😊 Everything looks so gorgeous from what you have posted so far!
Yes please on the house tour! Everything I have seen so far is just gorgeous. Thinking of you and your family! ❤️
Yes to room tours!
Room by room tours!
Julie – it looks like everyone had a wonderful weekend. Congratulations to your sister and Ross -before you know it your little nephew will be here. I also would love to see room by room tours and information on where you purchased different furniture and decoration items. I love the wallpaper you chose!!!!
Hi Julie! What a fun weekend! My husband and older son started going on a “bro trip” (as they like to call it) in 2020 – a week that they spend in Hilton Head, South Carolina together. They went again in 2021. I stayed behind with our youngest son for the first trip because I needed to stage our house for real estate photos (which was much easier to do with the two of them gone…and some of their stuff!!) My younger son and I decided not to go in 2021 because he had just started ABA. Last year, we did tag along, and while we had fun, this coming year it will turn back into a “bro trip!” I think because my husband and I have been home together nearly every day for the entire pandemic, having that week to miss each other is helpful and good for everyone! I love that they have that bonding time and it looks like you all had wonderful bonding time as well!
You will love having a nephew…that is so exciting! I’m so happy for your whole family.
Chase and Ryder’s bathroom is so gorgeous! I cannot wait to see photos of all of the rooms! Trust me, your house tour blog will be very popular! Wishing you a very happy week!
Room by room!!! Yes!!!
Yes to the room / house tour! Everything I’ve seen so far looks gorgeous. Congrats to your sister, too. Hope you have a lovely week.
Major yes to all the house tours!
Would love house details – love what we’ve seen already!
I would LOVE to see a house tour + room by room details / breakdown. I am a longtime reader, so happy for you guys
I’m dying to see the lake view backyard 😍 Show us! Haha
Yea I would love room by room tours!
Another vote for room-by-room tours! I love your style and would be curious to see what your inspiration photos looked like for each room compared to the final design choices you made and how they turned out. I’m also curious to learn more about the custom home building process and what kind of options/finishes/layout designs you had to choose from.
What a fun weekend for all of you!
I also vote for a room by room house tour. I love seeing how others decorate and organize their homes. Also want to see your lake view!
I thought I saw a little bump on your sister in the Ironman pictures! So exciting! Can’t wait to see more of your beautiful home!
Send love and congrats to Leslie and Ross from us … how exciting.
I love your wallpaper which is an incredible thing for me to say as I generally HATE wallpaper.
…quiet-ish Tuesday here: Mom’s nursing home caught on fire Sunday night so she is in a hotel for a few months unless we can find a place for her in her home city: she doesn’t want to go out of Sarnia because dad is there in an Alzheimer’s home so life is CRAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZY right now.
Yes to the house posts! Would love a tour and room by room post of what you chose and why along with anything you’d do differently/found frustrating about building a house.
Would LOVE to see house photos and all the details!
I would love to see house photos!
Also, what was the name of the book that you read to your boys about pets & death? I work with a therapist whose 4-year-old daughter is struggling because their dog crossed the rainbow bridge yesterday. I told her you recommended a book for kids.
Thanks
I looked back and found it in Julie’s June 30,2021 post. It is: Dog Heaven Hardcover – Picture Book, August 1, 1995
by Cynthia Rylant (Author, Illustrator). Hope that helps.
Echoing the above sentiments! A forever home build is in our future so I’d love to see some inspo!
Would also love a house tour! Curious about the full house layout. Also, congrats to your sister!
Congratulations to your sister! It’s so funny because I had a feeling she would have a boy next. You two remind me so much of me and my sister. I have 3 boys and she had two girls followed by a boy!
I would love more info on the house room by room!
And since your style is so similar to ours, I would also love to know what other blogs you loved reading or found helpful !
Hi Julie,
I wanted to reach out about the altitude sickness Chase experienced. I am an avid skier and deal with it every time we travel out west for a ski trip. I recently discovered LMNT electrolyte packets that helped me SO MUCH! I drank a pack a day a week leading up to our trip and then continued throughout my week-long stay and I didn’t experience any of nausea and headaches like I usually do. I’m not sure how they would work for a child but I am hooked! Hope this helps for next time! 🙂
Yes!
I know you have an office:/ games room, but would love to know if the boys have a playroom or like their own living room space etc
I would love to know if you have a space to work out in?
Would you mind sharing where the brass faucet is from in the half bath? We are renovating a cabin and I think it would be great for our bathrooms. Thank you!!