Friday, January 7, 2011

Flashback Friday - Our First Home

Our first home - this was a sketch of the house that I did for Mr. Pearl

Mr. Pearl and I lived in a cute little townhouse for our first year of marriage. We then purchased a wonderful, 1924 Tudor that was a complete remodel and our first big project as a married couple. We had a blast over-seeing the construction, as our home took shape. This was the home that we brought our first two minis home from the hospital to and the neighborhood that helped us to establish some very dear and lifelong friends. I loved this home!

The house was on a corner lot and sat-up from the tree-lined, side-walked street. It had a wonderful tile roof, fabulous leaded glass windows and a weather vane a top one of the gables! It was a doll house! It did have some quirky issues, as the previous owners had performed some serious remodel disasters, but the large crown molding, darling built-ins and barrel vaulted ceiling in the breakfast room were still intact. We also added some charm along the way. The front door had been relocated before us and the space from the old front door, made a charming window seat that overlooked the neighborhood and a spot that I logged many hours in and miss dearly! We also uncovered some beautiful, arched french doors that the previous owners left in a pile of junk in the garage! We had them installed in the master and they were fantastic.

I still miss this house. So, many wonderful memories were made there. Both Fisherman and Sweet Pea celebrated their first birthdays there (we moved three months after Sweet Pea turned one) and things were so much less hectic then! The neighborhood was positioned between three churches and each day, I was serenaded by the bells every hour, on the hour. I loved the red, white and blue Pierre Deaux wallpaper in the kitchen and the way the entire upstairs was tucked under the eaves of the roof and was so cozy! I guess a first house is kind of like a first love. It will always hold a special place in your heart. Well, I thought I would "flashback" and share some pictures with you all. Remember, this was over nine years ago! Boy, have we changed!
The day we first received our keys!

This is the exterior "after" the remodel - new paint, new windows - the landscaping was yet to be installed!
The small, arched window beside Santa is one of the window seat windows.



This is the sunroom just after demo started.




This is the sunroom and entry "after" -
you can't see the french doors that can close-off the sunroom

The living room - no, we didn't get to keep the piano. The previous owners had heavy shutters and window coverings over every window. They apparently liked to hide from the world.


Living room "after" - oh how I loved the toile curtains! You can see the window seat in the far right corner of the picture.


Mr. Pearl and a tiny Fisherman and a better view of the window seat

Fisherman and one of his dear friends, Harrison. They are in the window seat.
Harrison is part of the original playgroup that I have talked about!



View from the living room, through the dining room and on to the kitchen

Oh my! The kitchen - it really defied words. In case you are wondering, we did NOT live in this house until it was completely finished! There were no upper cabinets and no ovens!
"After" - my Pierre Deaux kitchen - I loved it!


The breakfast room "before" - its only redeeming quality was the original barrel-vaulted ceiling,which we kept!
We used the breakfast room as a sitting area. It is such a luxury to have a sofa in the kitchen and we loved it and used it everyday!
Close-up of my beloved wallpaper and the love seat and Mr. Pearl and Fisherman
The master bedroom - what you can't see is the built-in platform that the bed was sitting on, the 7' 6" tall, dropped ceiling and the false walls surrounding the room - I could walk behind them in the space! It was "something", for lack of a better word.
This is the master "after" and the wonderful french doors we installed. This precious furry pearl is Weller, our first baby! This was his favorite spot.
Fisherman in the same spot. Love Mr. Pearls Doc Martens!
The exterior view of the window and Fisherman's first birthday.
The upstairs area. The previous owners never completed it.
This became our casual living area and Fisherman's nursery was off of this room.
Fisherman's room, tucked under the eaves. This was right before we moved the nursery furniture downstairs for Sweet Pea and turned this into a cowboy, log cabin room.
I couldn't find any pics of Sweet Pea's room. It was a bright and airy space downstairs. I'll have to save those for later!
Have a great weekend! Sweet Pea is recovering from strep throat, so we are laying low. Hope yours is exciting!


Krissy

Thursday, January 6, 2011

News!


I have lovingly christened the home the "White Pizza Hut"
as it looks like one of those restaurants of old. No windows, no landscaping, no character...
I LOVE it!

It's official. The Pearl family is moving to new digs! We have led a somewhat nomadic life over the last three years, as this will be our fourth home in that time. This is SO out-of-character for us! We have been trying to be obedient to what we felt our calling was, and a lot of curve balls have been thrown our way! I am proud to say that we have weathered the storm and are moving the twenty miles back to the city we call "home." The minis have continued to stay in school there and our lives are centered there, so we are happy to be going back. I will say though that we have enjoyed our current home and living around the corner from my parents. Change is good. Right? I just pray that this is the end of it for a while.

Anywho... the big news is that I have a new project! The new digs are not so new and in dire need of an overhaul! Woohoo! A remodel! I am so excited! Mr. Pearl and I completely remodeled our first home, a 1924 Tudor. Our second home was a wonderful, old-world style Tudor that was new construction, so I welcome the project. What is it? A 1964 Ranch! Not so exciting, you say. Well, it isn't a charming, vintage Tudor, but it is on a cul-de-sac, next to some wonderful neighbors, in a fabulous neighborhood and I can make it just what I want and what our family needs. So, I will be keeping you all with me on this journey.
I am still working with the architect and getting the plans hammered-out and daydreaming about paint colors, cabinet pulls and marble! I hope you will join me. This should be fun! We are staying put in our current home and won't actually move until we have completed construction, so the fun begins!
Happy Thursday everyone!
Krissy

Monday, January 3, 2011

How Bout Them Frogs







Go frogs!



celebrating the victory!


Horned Frogs and fraternity brothers


future frogs and fraternity brothers? (Lord help us!)


This post will not mean a thing to the "non Horned Frog" fans out there, but I must post it! You see my Alma mater, Texas Christian University, won the "Grandaddy" of the bowls, the Rose Bowl! It was an awesome game and means so much to the Horned Frog Nation. You see, TCU was a football powerhouse in the 30's and 40's and has had some good years in between then and now, but most everyone today, if you have heard of TCU at all, remembers the Frogs as one of the whipping-posts from the old Southwest Conference. A lot has changed! Coach Patterson has put the football program and our small (9000 strong), private university back on the map!


We watched the game at the home of some fellow frogs and had a wonderful evening. Many of our friends were in Pasadena! We were a little sad we weren't there in person to witness history, but it didn't dampen our excitement! Thank you for indulging in my school spirit! I have a bunch of exciting things in store to blog about, so stay tuned...

The mini-pearls are back in school today and I'm putting all my ducks in a row. I wish you luck if you are doing the same!

Happy Monday!

Krissy

Saturday, January 1, 2011

5-4-3-2-1

Happy 2011!!
Here's wishing everyone a blessed new year!
We are getting ready to watch Rose Parade coverage and then cheer our TCU Horned Frogs on to victory in the Rose Bowl this afternoon. Whatever your plans, I hope they find you happy, healthy and surrounded by those you love. The best way to ring in the new year!
Best wishes for 2011!
Krissy

Thursday, December 30, 2010

C is for Cookies!

The minis and I love cookies and we love to have parties, so we combined the two last week. We had a cookie decorating party! I need to back-up a little to explain the guest list. I have mentioned my special group of sweet friends before - we try and get together every month or so and it all started at a "mommy and me" music class when our oldest (now about to turn 13) were infants. The five of us hit it off and started a playgroup. The playgroup has run its course, but not our friendship! So, we moms keep it going! We do get all the families together (usually on the 4th of July) but it has been a while since we had a "playgroup" day, so we decided that a "cookie playgroup" was in order. By the way, we started-out with five mommies and five babies and now we have five mommies and thirteen babies! How can that be?!


Here we are! Janey, LeAnn, me (aka: heat miser), Angie and Michelle









You may be wondering why we are wearing Strawberry pajamas. Ok, maybe you weren't, but you are now! We started our "mommy only" chapter of the playgroup over an evening of champagne and strawberry cake. The "strawberry theme" sort of stuck and then Target had these cute Strawberry pjs and well, it just sort of happened. And yes, we do wear them when we get together. Silly? Yes! But we don't care!

Enjoy!

Krissy

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

That time of year...

There is something about this time of the year that makes me want to redecorate and reorganize everything. It's the "out with the old, in with the new" mentality that seems to be everywhere. It hasn't escaped me. I walked into my closet this morning and immediately started a "discard" pile, only to get distracted by my beeping phone, alerting me of emails. The emails were full of sales, etc.. J.Crew is calling my name! I guess that defeats the purpose of previously mentioned discard pile. Oh well!


I took a peak at Country Living and found their list of upcomimg trends. In with the new! I'm not sure how I feel about some of them, but I thought I would share! Hope you are having a great day!

I totally identify with this pic! I am working-out (as soon as I finish this post!)
Farm animals are an upcoming trend.


Maps - love this trend. Although, it has been around for a while.
I have a chest in Sport Cort's room that I have wanted to decopauge with maps for a while!



Floral - does it ever really go away? I love this pic. It reminds me of my great-grandmother. I have a collection of vintage aprons from my great-grandmother and Mr. Pearl's grandmother. How cute is this display?


Plaid - again, not new, but wonderfully fun and classic!



Rope - love this! the pillow, the table, the light (lovin' this for one of my boys!)


xoxo,

Krissy
all pictures: www.countryliving.com

Monday, December 27, 2010

Oh No!

In the middle of our family upper-respiratory infection out-break, and the "last week of school before the holidays" tests, performances and parties and the general mayhem that accompanies December, THIS happened...


Yes, I had a birthday! The day itself was somewhat quiet, as Sport Cort was at home trying to mend and I was not at 100%, but it was a wonderful day. Thank you to all of my sweet friends and the phone calls, texts and pop-in visits. It made my day! Mr. Pearl and the minis made me breakfast in bed and we had dinner with my parents and brother and sister-in-law. It really was a great day. I had planned on celebrating in January, after the holidays were behind us. That was not the plan - little did I know.

The next Wednesday, after my actual b-day, Mr. Pearl and I were to meet our friends, Allison and Paul, for dinner at one of my absolute favorite bistros. We walked in to meet them, only to be escorted to the back, where a room full of my nearest and dearest were lying in wait! I was surprised - good and surprised! I couldn't believe that two days before Christmas, these precious friends all rearranged their schedules to come and celebrate with me. Mr. Pearl pulled-off another one! I don't know that I deserve all of this. I had said that I didn't want a big-to-do made of my birthday. I really didn't, BUT I am so glad that Mr. Pearl did it. It was such a blessing to be around my dear friends and celebrate! Thank you to everyone!


my man- thank you sweetie!


the accomplices - Allison, Susan and Michelle - love you!

Janet and Scott - dear ones!

precious family - my brother, Garrick and sister-in-law, Holli -

we are related AND we are friends!

sweet friends- Michelle, LeAnn and Angie


To love and be loved - be it family or friends- is what this life is all about. I am so blessed with all the love I have around me and I hope I do a good job giving it in return! Special thank you shout-out to dear Mr. Pearl and his accomplices... Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

xoxo,

Krissy

Friday, December 24, 2010

Happy Christmas!


" Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

From all of us Pearls, we wish you a blessed Christmas!


Krissy

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Blue Christmas Cheer

Traditional Home

Traditional Home

Country Living


Country Living


unknown

unknown

Don't feel blue like the decor in these pics! Only a few more days, so don't fret! Its time haul out the holly and put the last sprinkle on your Christmas cookies! I wish everyone a stress-free, love-filled, "happy" blue, joyous week!

xoxo,

Krissy