white house black shutters

enjoy the everyday and embrace a simple life

Update on Selling and Moving!

updated on: 16 Comments

  • Two sets of tonsils lighter than we were yesterday. 👍🏼 This morning my 8 year old and I had our tonsils taken out after a year (and lifetime for me, really) of recurring strep. It was causing autoimmune issues like full-body psoriasis, getting everyone else here sick, and I had enough. I was sick and tired of us being sick and tired. 😄 Thank you for the prayers and messages re: my story yesterday. Everything went really well, and we are both resting in my room, sipping cold bone broth, and catching up on LEGO ninjago. I don’t know if I’ll take a break #instagramiloveyou, but I turned off my notifications and oh boy, it feels good. Offering this pain up for you and your sweet children from the last post, or if you have any intentions I can pray for leave em here. 💛 thank you friends! We have the *best* community, my #whbscrew. #whbs1910house #tonsillectomy
  • If I’m gonna have a hot pink chair, I’m gonna WORK that pink chair. Especially if it matches Nora. 😄💕 Last night I brought this down from the girls’ room and into our family room. Truth be told, I’ve been feeling over it, craving a more muted, calm palette. So might as well give this lady one last hurrah, right where eeeeveryone who comes to our door can see it. 😂😂 Give me your honest opinions on my flamboyant chair! Love it or too bright for your tastes? Should she stay or should she go? Or are you also too distracted by the cute baby to care about a hot pink chair? Lol #whbs1910house #rideordie
  • 🎶🎤 all the leaves are brown (all. the. leaves are browwwwwn) and the sky is gray (AND THE SKY IS GRAY!!) 🎶 not actually California Dreamin, but come back to me in a few months and my answer may have changed.😄 It’s fall, it’s Friday, I started a new book, and we have an empty calendar this weekend. Can’t get any better than that. #homeisthebestplace #whbs1910house #fallinchicago
  • After cleaning our boys’ room last Thursday, I showed a little bit of the resulting hallway mess. Then panicked, “oh, I have to share a clean shot soon, or they’re going to think I’m a slob!!!” Then a moment of “ugh our walls are STILL purple, I should have painted them by now.” Creating a home takes time. We may have purple walls, yet look at that progress! (swipe) Similarly, cleaning, decluttering, and keeping your home/room/life simple is a constant process. Be easy on yourself, we’re all going through it. 🙌🏼🌟 Also, here’s that clean shot in case you DO think I’m a slob. 😂😘 #whbs1910house #40bagsin40days #decluttering #1910house
  • The clean version is great, yet this is how I want to remember our home. A baby who fell asleep mid-play, a cozy kid nest on the couch, the sun streaming in, a happy mess of toys. 💕 there’s also one heck of a before and after if you swipe 😱 #whbs1910house
  • The leaves are green outside, but it’s fall inside! 🍂🎃 Yesterday in my stories I asked for after school routine tips (and lamented our lack of routine), and got SO many good ideas!! So many tips that I need to archive them into a blog post. If you missed my story, leave your tips here. What works for your family? . . Lately I’ve been letting everyone do whatever for an hour after we get home. While it’s not totally structured (and sometimes involves @pbskids 🤷🏽‍♀️), I think they need that time to unwind and hang out with their siblings. After that hour, they sit down with homework while I make dinner. This week I added in tealights on the table and calm music (@lauren_daigle, Americana, coffee shop type music) and it’s made a a big difference in our moods. They focus, the younger kids calm down, and it’s a lot harder to lose my temper during that crazy hour if there’s a cozy mood set. Would you like to see a post on this topic? Share your tips and let me know if you’d like to read it! #whbs1910house #fabuLESSfall #whbssailing
  • It’s a lazy, relaxing Sunday after go-go-going all week. 😌this console had become a drop zone. It took 10 minutes of cleaning/shopping the house and now I’m enjoying a much better view. 🙌🏼 Do you do little cleaning bursts like this, or prefer to get it all done at once? #swipecleaningwhbs #whbs1910house

Comments

  1. I just returned to your page, after a while. I’m the one that is moving to Chicago and we finally picked a town with a decent commute.. it’s in the suburbs we started a contract for a house it’s move in ready, I didn’t want too many projects because we’ve never done any DIY projects and we will live here 2-4 years for my husbands job.. congrats on the new house I look forward to seeing the updates

    Reply

  3. Looking forward to following your journey in your new/old house as my husband and I recently moved into one too. We went from a house in Tennessee built in 2014 that we were the first owners of that we didn’t even have to so much as lift a paintbrush to a fixer-upper bungalow built in 1914 in a small river town in Iowa that’s right on the Mississippi and near the Quad Cities. Not only could the houses be more different, but the town’s are too. Definitely enjoying small town living so far, but not having a Target nearby has been an adjustment!

    Reply

  4. I am sp thankful for your honesty. It’s been such a trying year for us in our home. Taking the 30 days and 30 bags showed me that we really don’t need all we have. It became more apparent when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia then had the shingles one top of that. Recently, just last week, my Dad who is 98 fell two times. To me, family is number one on my list, and the “things” that I thought were so important are left in the dust. I pray that your move and “makeover” of your new home will go smoothly, and you will find peace and happiness in your family as you more.

    Reply

  6. I think showing the junky part is the most fun, cause then I get to go, “Oooooh; what’s she gonna do with that?” And then you do it & it’s fabulous. And then I wonder how you do it with a houseful of children. You are a role model for me, mess & all! Can’t wait to see that pink kitchen! ??

    Reply

  7. I can totally relate! We left our finished house and bought the worst house on the block. Renovating our home took time and lots of patience. (We still have work to finish) I remember feeling embarrassed pulling into our driveway knowing we couldn’t get to our weed infested landscape anytime soon or hire a landscaper to magically fix it for us. I missed having flowers and curb appeal. But it will get there, enjoy the journey, it’s worth it to be in the neighborhood you want. Londen

    Reply

  8. Super exciting stuff! God’s plans are so much better than ours, right? The kids are going to get a serious childhood upgrade…old house in a downtown area close to family?! So cool

    And, um, did you say “walk from the library”????? So jelly (in the best way possible, of course 🙂 )

    Reply

  9. I’ve always enjoyed reading your blog, and I like the little improvements and daily life stuff best. My kids are grown now, so I miss those crazy days with little ones filling each day so intensely.

    Reply

  11. Love it!! For you to see the potential means a great deal! I posted updates nearly everyday during our home build (moved in March). I just warned people it was for my documentation and journey. If they wanted to unfollow for awhile, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings. Have fun with your new adventure!

    Reply

  12. Thabk You! We just sold our “finished” for us house and are headed to a “project” for us! I appreciate your real and your honest heart! I am not having an easy time with the not comparing what we left and what we are getting! So I appreciate your candor! Good luck we are waiting to have a front row to your adventure!

    Reply

    • I love it. Thank you! To be honest, I’m not 100% having an easy time either. You have no idea how much comfort I found in your comment. We can do this!!! 🙂 Best of luck to you as well.

      Reply

      • Thank you both for your honest transparency. My family, as well, is leavong behind our beautiful “finished” home and headed to a big time “project” and smaller house. I am SO struggling in the humility and gratitude department. I look forward to seeing yoir posts!!

        Reply

        • Us too! We just sold our ‘done’ house for the sweetest, very ‘un-done’ 1100 sq ft bungalow. I love it and am freaking out about it. Solidarity sisters. ?

          Reply

          • We just moved from a “finished” 2100 sqft house to a 1300 sq ft fixer-upper! It’s definitely a lesson in patience and humility. Can’t wait to follow your journey!!

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  • Two sets of tonsils lighter than we were yesterday. 👍🏼 This morning my 8 year old and I had our tonsils taken out after a year (and lifetime for me, really) of recurring strep. It was causing autoimmune issues like full-body psoriasis, getting everyone else here sick, and I had enough. I was sick and tired of us being sick and tired. 😄 Thank you for the prayers and messages re: my story yesterday. Everything went really well, and we are both resting in my room, sipping cold bone broth, and catching up on LEGO ninjago. I don’t know if I’ll take a break #instagramiloveyou, but I turned off my notifications and oh boy, it feels good. Offering this pain up for you and your sweet children from the last post, or if you have any intentions I can pray for leave em here. 💛 thank you friends! We have the *best* community, my #whbscrew. #whbs1910house #tonsillectomy

About Ann Marie:

God Walks Among the Pots and Pans

This post originally appeared in a shortened form on our instagram account, @whitehouseblackshutters. Follow us there for a real time look at what's going on in our house, renovation projects, and ... Read More about God Walks Among the Pots and Pans

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