decorating

Tomorrow my new bed arrives - an orthopedic pillow-top mattress from The Original Mattress Company. I've slept on a crappy futon for 8 months now and for three years prior, two very old, weak mattresses that killed the backs of me and everyone who stayed over. I am beyond excited about my new bed. Also, with a new house comes new decor. I spent the evening shopping for sheets. I decided on dark grey sheets and a white duvet.

The image above shows the two colors together, and the sheets I got are about this deep grey color, but the duvet I got at Target is this one (the one in the picture would have been another $30 I think, and I wasn't crazy about it because it locks me into the grey scheme):

I like it because it is modern with just the right touch of femininity. I'll have to find a bedskirt at some point. For a splash of color I found a beautiful deep red accent pillow. I also have two deep turquoise pillows that I have been toting around for years waiting for the right application. Either would look wonderful on the bed and I could change up the shams and sheets as well. Yes, this is my inner Aunt Bess talking.

The crisp modern color combination and clean lines will contrast my grandmother's antique cherry bedroom furniture nicely. Can't wait to get it all put together. The bed will be done tomorrow afternoon. All that's left to find is a headboard, nightstands, and lamps - more color decisions...

lessons learned

Since Graduation, things have not been all roses in my life. But I heard a quote recently: "Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out." - Coach John Wooden


I think I've certainly done well, though not my best, at making the best of the way things turned out.


In this time, I've learned to pick myself up by the proverbial bootstraps, become financially independent and responsible, find gainful employment, and never once did I have to move home. I know some people who have, and I do not mean to critique their decision. It has its values for sure, but to me, that would have seemed like a failure. I am especially glad now, that I did not. Yes, there were nights of hysterical panic attacks and a relapse into depression, but I fought through it, got control, learned more about who I am and what I want, and am moving forward with many lessons learned. I am very thankful for all the people who stepped in along the way, offering advice, a place to stay, a friendly ear, employment, referrals for babysitting and housesitting, etc. I am thankful to my church family for remaining constant. Perhaps I am most thankful for my roommate, Fallon, for all the late nights discussing life, our pasts, our futures, and for her non-judgmental (at least not expressly) listening and advice about relationships, both romantic and platonic.


And there's the "guy report" as a dear friend calls it... I learned a lot about relationships in this time as well. I royally screwed a couple of them up, and others, I finally put my foot down and refrained from letting someone else define me. I think I put it pretty well last week when I was out on a date, talking about dating: "I'm enjoying being single right now. I don't need to date anyone. I mean, if the right guy comes along, I won't turn him down, but I'm certainly not going to lower my standards and settle for the wrong guy."


And then there are the things I've learned by being a nanny: - to endure a little bit of fussiness. Sometimes its just frustration, and goes away, sometimes its good for the person - teaches them to be more independent.
- people need frequent changes of scenery and stimulation.
- time management skills - operating on a schedule, but maintaining flexibility for change.
- keeping calm in times of crisis, like when the baby has thrown up 16 times in an hour and the mother is scared - your sense of calm, collected control over the situation brings peace to all involved.
- communication skills. It is important to give detailed reports of accomplishments (sometimes requiring a photo), accidents, and causes for concern. it is also important to tactfully offer advice - not seeming like a know-it-all, but rather, offering a suggestion.
- to keep the cell phone charged at all times
- to arrive on time
- math. to multiply by 10, divide 15 by 2 and 4, to add up hours and fractions of hours.
- sometimes people are just cranky because they need to eat, take a nap, or have their proverbial diaper changed.

feels like home

A new chapter of my life is beginning. After a long hard winter, spring has arrived. In the form of not only flowers, and leaves on trees, but a new home and a return to my job as an Architectural Intern at Ware Bonsall Architects. It will be hard to leave my nanny job with Devin, but as he and I have discussed, Miss Nicole went to school for 6 (often grueling) years for something quite different - a career about which she is fiercely passionate.

I have looked at four different properties on the very short Kirkwood Avenue in Dilworth. Saturday I got a call from a realtor that was having an open house at one of her rental properties, a 1930's duplex in Dilworth, on the very street I have been eyeing for the past year or so. Would I like to stop by? Of course! I had been trying to find a place with a roommate but he hadn't been in touch with me, so why not check out this option.

I walked in the door and immediately it felt like home. Actually, I didn't even make it in the door. Just walking up to it, I could already see myself sitting on its front porch with morning coffee or a glass of wine in the evenings, greeting neighbors as they walked by. I walked into the bright living room, could see my furniture there, and not crammed in either, it's quite spacious. The dining room is pretty large - I already look forward to its dinner parties, something I've wanted to do on a weekly basis ever since I first thought about moving to this part of town, over a year ago. I'm hoping that it will be known that Sunday evenings are for dinner at Nicole's house. Haven't decided if it will be an open invitation or cycling through a guest list that I already have in mind. Either way, it will be wonderful. Also downstairs is a kitchen of decent size, a half-bathroom, and a laundry room that opens to the back yard. Traveling upstairs, I could not resist the bright large master bedroom. I was sold. It isn't east-facing, but there are 4 windows in the room, two on the south wall and two on the west wall (front of the house). I cannot wait to wake up in this room every day.

The other two bedrooms are upstairs as well. Although both are tiny, they have good light and one is large enough to be rented out to a roommate in the future. The other will be my studio. The floor slopes considerably there, but I'm going to remain optimistic and hopeful that it won't be going any further. I consider myself to be pretty talented at making the most of small spaces, so I'm actually looking forward to solving the problems these two rooms, and the tiny bathroom present.

After the open house I rushed home to figure out how I could afford the initial move-in cost and after a phone call to mom, was back on the phone with the landlord informing her that I was on my way to fill out the application and write her a check for the first month's rent and security deposit. She gave me access to the lockbox and essentially, the place is mine as soon as I want it. I can start measuring, bringing things over, etc. The lease will officially start April 1st though and I plan to have a big move-in weekend. Mom is coming down from Cary to help.

The blogs I've been hunting through recently as well as the images that have best captured my attention surprisingly have not been very modern minded. I'm looking forward to decorating this home with my eclectic style, introducing family heirlooms to its walls and floors, juxtaposing them with some modern touches as well. Some of these pieces I have never had in my home before. Aunt Bess offered me the corner cupboard my Great-Great Grandfather made, I will pick up Nana's cherry dresser and matching highboy for use in my room, possibly one of the cherry twin beds for my guest room. My Great Grandmother's sewing machine will fit nicely as well. Perhaps as a vanity in my room, or as a table in the living room.

The phrase "open floorplan" does not apply to this house at all, but I kind of like that all the spaces are separated, and that there are so many different spaces. In my apartment at Oak Pointe, I had a living room, office, dining room, and kitchen all in the same space. The layout of my new home gives room for things to breathe, rather than being crammed atop one another. The dining room is free to be just that, a dining room, not an office/studio as well. The books will find their way onto shelves around the home and once again, I will not have a desk in my bedroom - something I enjoyed about the Oak Pointe apartment.

The new home is not without its anxieties though - it's an 80 year old house, so it has some issues. The worst is probably the laundry room - it smells like there could be some serious mold in there from a water problem. Everything else seems manageable - just settling and sagging as old homes do.

The other anxiety is that 6 days after filling out the application and writing checks for the first month's rent and security deposit, I still have not received the lease. At least the money is still in the bank though. I know, patience, patience, but I really just want to get everything squared away. I have access to the house via knowing the code to its lockbox and can make a copy of the key at any time, but I'm hesitant to buy anything for the house or move anything in until that lease is signed.

Already I have lots of people that want to see the place, and I really do look forward to some large family-style dinners there :) One big event will be Heather's baby shower May 7th. We're having the guys come too, so I'm thinking it will be more like a cookout than anything. Another event will be having my family over the weekend of May 20th. Aunt Sara and my cousin Jim will be in town, so I want to have everyone come over. At some point, probably in April, there will be a housewarming/retirement party. Retirement from my short career as a nanny. I'll still do it on the side, but I am so relieved to finally be going back to work in the field for which I endured 6 years of education.