19 things...

I was recently inspired to make a list of my all time favorite things, you know those items that make your house and a home. Just as Julie Andrews says.. "these are a few of my favorite things..."

1.   MY FAMILY (the obvious answer I know, but the absolute truth)
2.   Our Pets (I love my little furry friends! A house isn't a home without a little fuzz on the couch)
3.   Family photos (photography is a treasured hobby of mine, photos are the wall paper of our hallways)
4.   Hand-made quilts (made of course by all the grandmas of yesterday and today)
5.   Paintings by my kids (what could be better than one-of-a-kind art, made by the ones I love)
6.   Vintage whale hanging (my grandparents')
7.   Antique transom equipment (Bill's grandfathers'- he was a surveyor and actually used the equipment!)
8.   Colored glass bottles that my grandmother collected
9.   Hand-made furniture that Billy has custom created for our home
10. Hand-painted items that Billy has refinished.
11. Chalkboard in the kitchen (the craziness of family life gets semi-organized here)
12. Paint - you know the kind that you toss up on the walls and it transforms everything about a room with just a days work
13. Apron sink - the amazing farm house sink that absolutely completes my kitchen)
14. Antique washer/ringer that Billy gave me many moons ago (and a great reminder of just how much harder my detested chore of laundry could be)
15. Vintage ice-cream churner (an ode to a simpler life and my all time favorite dessert)
16. 200+ year old french window (I love to imagine the life that this window had before living in our home)
17. Dimmer switches (seriously, I am beyond in love with ambient lighting, and completely loath florescent lighting)
18. Fresh cut flowers (every room, everywhere)
19. Living plants (never, ever fake/faux/silk/plastic ones... NEVER)