The Wonder of Home

If home holds small wonders, we are more likely to believe in the big ones.

I tend to categorize homes–not by size, but by character, the charming little details that speak of both its history and the history of the family inhabiting it. Sure, some of us are natural decorators and some of us avoid Home Depot’s paint section because there are just too. many. decisions. And that’s okay. The character of a home, while it can be found partially in things like high ceilings, crown moulding, and antique fireplaces, is more about the investment and care given it from those who shelter there.

Growing up I loved the The Little House book by Virginia Lee Burton. It’s this beautiful story personifying the little house and it tells of all she goes through with the life around her and inside of her. Whenever I see a house that is abused or neglected, I think of that story, and I feel a bit sad. A home is a gift and should be cherished.

Travel is currently quite the buzzword and tends to be excessively glorified. I, too, have been caught up in wanderlust and photos of all the beautiful places with all the beautiful people traipsing through them. To be fair, the pendulum can swing both ways. Case in point: the empire that is Chip and Joanna Gaines. Seriously, Magnolia is like Martha Stewart and your favorite, most down-to-earth uncle had a baby. You just can’t help but love them! So sweet, hilarious, and inspirational. Side note: Eric and I read The Magnolia Story out loud together and both laughed and made some better habits because of it.

While we can easily get caught up in all the beautiful stuff in all the beautiful houses, we must remember that home should not be a mini museum to display grandeur (or shiplap), but a place of rest and rejuvenation for those living in it and those who visit. The goal is to thoughtfully line your home with pieces that inspire and delight you. Let’s keep exploring and making home our very favorite place to be.

Raleigh, North Carolina

I grew up watching a lot of Andy Griffith, and when they weren’t talking about Mayberry, they were talking about Raleigh. My friend, Abby, whom I lived with pre-marriage days on Guam, lives in the capital city with her husband and baby girl. So we made a long weekend trip to go visit.

While on Guam, one of the things we missed about living in the States was visiting museums, and for my husband, particularly art museums. I did a quick Google search before we left and discovered that the NC Museum of Art was located in Raleigh and boasted an amazing collection from Claude Monet to Guido Reni, as well as three miles of trails peppered with sculptures and (get this) it was FREE!

After we arrived at the home of my friend, we enjoyed time together (our little ones met for the first time!) and a good night’s rest. The next morning we hit up a local thrift store and then the NC Museum of Natural Sciences (also free!). It has a lot of fun displays about the natural science of the region. Then we stopped for a time of browsing at Form & Function, a store that offers unique, artistic interior decor, including everything from yummy candles to charming antiques.

The next morning we packed up to head back home, and our friends were so kind to take us to a coffee shop (they know our love language), Sola Coffee Cafe.

Note: this place was crowded, and for good reason! At the time I was dairy-free due to baby, so I enjoyed an iced Americano and an acai bowl. Such. goodness. On Saturday mornings the coffee shop offered an artisan’s market outside. There was jewelry, pottery, paintings, and more. We bought a coffee mug and a few paintings for Talitha’s room from artist Rachel Loftis. What a great weekend full of friends, art, and food.

Have you ever been to Raleigh? What did you enjoy?

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah. Even its name evokes feelings of warmth, ease, and a southern drawl. One of my dearest friends from college lived near Savannah, and with her being one of the most darling people on earth, I always new I had to see this lovely city. Known for being one of the only Southern cities spared from devastating fire during the Civil War, it oozes with brilliant architecture and manicured parks. It is a carefully laid out city, one of the first of its kind.

How do I know this? Well, we saved $70 by reading the history of the city off of my phone in our car, rather than doing a touristy historical excursion. Lame? Maybe, but when it’s hot and you have a baby, you will do what you can to linger a bit longer in the air conditioning.

During our trip, I had a few coffee joints on our list that we needed to try. Foxy Loxy Cafe was our first stop, and while they do offer fabulous coffee, I opted for an iced coconut milk matcha, and it was divine. Took me back to Guam for a red hot minute. Our second morning we tried out Savannah Coffee Roasters and were not disappointed. The big windows, open seating along with a delicious almond milk dirty chai and my two loves was a sweet way to begin the day. We went to The Coffee Fox that afternoon. It was fun, eclectic, in a good location, but was a bit crowded compared to the other two. Between all the coffee was gorgeous architecture (including St. John’s Cathedral), beautiful parks, and charming boutiques.

It was a serendipity to find Chocolat, a stunning little chocolate shop with an Alice in Wonderland vibe and the best chocolate and customer service.  Oh, and if you ever visit Savannah, you must experience the The Paris Market. It is full of beautiful things and even a little coffee shop (which we did not frequent, believe it or not). Random, but it also houses the most beautiful basement you’ve ever seen. I would live down there.

This being our first trip away from home with the baby, I was both nervous and determined (with echoes of “The earlier you travel with them the better” from military wives in my head). While you do have to bring quite a bit extra with a baby, there are a few items that we have found make the trip more feasible and hopefully comfortable for the little one. Chicco Lullago Travel Bassinet is such a great little bassinet, because it sets up and tears down very easily, while providing a comfy and safe bed. I like the idea that when Talitha sleeps in her bed, it still smells like home.

Our trip to Savannah was a time of traipsing up and down a darling old city with our one-month-old. It was our first “family vacation” with the three of us, and it was grand.

Now go see Savannah for yourself, and tell me what you think!