musings

Easter with the Langes - 1986 and beyond. 

Ironically, now that I have effectively doubled, almost tripled, my living space, I am lately obsessed with small spaces. Maybe I am yearning for the days when cleaning the entire house took 30 minutes. But more than that, I am puzzled by the constant battle against material possessions. How is it possible that purging feels so good to me... but so does a shopping spree at Target? Ah... the mysteries of life.

Luckily I have an ultra-minimalist fiance to keep me on track (hence our weekend plans for a Goodwill drop).

While I find our new home to be quite roomy at the moment, I've already had folks mention how we will quickly grow out of this space when our family expands. I take that as a challenge. I think we can be quite content here for as long as this house makes us happy. I have no doubts that many families have lived in this house, and that would be pre-attic conversion, to boot!

So with petite spaces in mind, I'm sharing some articles and blog posts that have recently inspired me to think small. Click on the photos to see the full articles.

This is a great article about how our material possessions can start to run our lives.

Did I mention that I want to paint our entire house white now?

Check out their headboard...

One of my favorite blogs is Reading My Tea Leaves... among other things, she focuses on small living tips. Check out the article about this couple in the NY Post.

Where would I keep my portable beach house? That's certainly a dilemma, but I'd figure something out...

Brandon and I are now proud owners of a 1938 bungalow in Decatur. We find ourselves amidst a sea of strollers, recycling bins, narrow driveways and froyo shops. Yes, we are living the American dream.

True to form, we have adjusted into our new home-ownership roles. I come home with new Target accessories daily and Brandon is obsessed with the thermostat. 

That first day we walked into our home, with keys in hand, I didn't feel the way I had expected. It was dark, it was empty, it was dirty. I couldn't see past the cracks in the wall, the crappy water heater, the crumbs in the cabinets and the endless supply of (obviously unused) cleaning supplies left behind.

But as the days have passed, the expletives, ouches and general tantrums are slowly being replaced with praises, high fives and moments of relaxation. I am falling in love with our little house. 

...gives the best back rubs

...holds my hand while he drives

...eats the bruised apples so that I don't have to

...cleans the dishes every night

...is very ticklish

...thinks my scrambled eggs are the best

...brings me york peppermint patties from the grocery store

...looks handsome with a scruffy face

...has a great smile

Yesterday I said “YES!” to the dress. I said yes to the second dress I tried on… whomp whomp. There goes two days of bridal appointments and oohs and aahs with my mom, sister and aunt. While part of me was a little panicky about choosing the second dress I tried on and forfeiting all of those other dresses… when you know, you know.

Just like this man of mine, my dress was not what I expected, but it surprised and delighted me. I love it.

So now, I am in search of some bling to accompany my dress down the aisle. Specifically, a headband. I need the perfect headband to live out my dream of looking like a Crawley bride.

Those headbands are fabulous, right? So let me know if you see the perfect vintage-looking headband, preferably not $498 like this bhldn bling.