A New Year...A New Start

It's been so long since I've logged in that I barely remember how to use Blogger!  A LOT has changed with me since the last time I posted here on my trusty blog (can you believe it has been since December 2014?!).  The highlights: After nearly 15 years, we relocated from the Washington, DC area to Raleigh, North Carolina in October, my husband started a new job, and I am now officially a stay at home mom (for the minute anyway) of TWO little ones.  Yep, our little guy Forrest is now two and a half and our daughter Margaret "Gray" was born in June.

My little munchkins earlier this month in their playroom

Moving to Raleigh was a major decision for us.  I am originally from Raleigh but have been living in DC for most of my adult life, met my husband there, had a job I loved and had my two precious babies there.  Not to mention some seriously great friends.  But, cost of living was killing us.  Traffic was driving us nuts (my husband's commute was 45 minutes each way on a GOOD day).  Our house was just too small for our growing family, childcare for two kids in DC exorbitantly expensive and ultimately we decided that being closer to family was extremely important to us in raising our kids. My husband was offered a job at a company he's wanted to work for for years and they covered our relocation to NC.  So, we packed up and headed down South.  Yep, it was just that easy.  Not.  As if an out of state house hunt/move with a toddler, a newborn, a sleep deprived and hormonal mother and a father who was on the road travelling and trying to start a new job.  Oh, and did I mention I was working remotely as well?  I was a wreck.

My aunt came to help for a week which was a godsend.  I seriously don't know what I would have done without her.  Slowly we are getting settled in and more adjusted to life in Raleigh.  One of the best parts about relocating from DC was being able to afford a little bigger house.  It is nothing fancy but it feels like a mansion compared to our little townhouse in DC.  Gray and I aren't sharing a room anymore - everybody gets their own!! THANK GOODNESS.  Gray and I can be friends again now that everyone is (almost) sleeping through the night.

The new house has motivated me and inspired me in so many ways.  It was built in the 20's and has great character (original hardwoods, built-ins, extremely high ceilings, and loads of windows) but has an updated kitchen and all new electrical and plumbing because it was actually moved from down the street to its current location in the 90's.  Coming from a small two bedroom house has meant I have gotten to shop lots more than usual for furniture, decor, etc.  It's still very much a work in progress but I have lots of ideas that I hope to share with you as often as I get some time to blog.

Our new house in Raleigh in the January snow (please ignore the vast array of toddler paraphernalia on the porch)

The house is on a busier street and so one of the first things we did was to install the fence in the front yard.  A white picket fence, how perfect right?!  It's great because it wraps all the way up onto the front porch so I'm picturing myself rocking or swinging on the front porch when the weather is nice, sipping lemonade (or something stronger depending on how the kids are behaving), and watching the kiddos run free.  The yard needs an overhaul next.  We just had several large trees and bushes taken down and are planning to put in a walkway from the front gate to the porch.  Hopefully I'll have new pictures to show the progress on that front soon.

Okay, I'm signing off for today.  Hope to make it back here again soon.  Happy New Year to all!