Alas, some pictures of the house we're renting this summer.
Jonah welcomes you.
The neighborhood is really lovely - brick houses, lush gardens, and lots of trees. Most of our neighbors are either doctors or lawyers, which tells you a bit about the income levels of this neighborhood.
This is the view from our house looking up the street at the small incline that Steve walks up each morning to get the bus stop:
And this is the view looking down the street (toward Rock Creek Park, an amazing national park that runs along the edge of our neighborhood and all the way down to DC. I'll try to remember to post some pictures of the park another time):
Some of the things I love about the house:
1. the hydrangeas
It's been fun to pick a new bouquet each week for the inside of the house.
2. the garden!
How much do I love going into the backyard and picking green beans, yellow beans, or snap peas from the garden and then cooking them for dinner? A lot! We also have carrots, beets, tomatoes, potatoes, some really HOT peppers, and a smattering of Asian vegetables that I have no idea what to do with growing like mad in the backyard. I need the expertise of some my gardening friends since I've never had a garden before (got any tips?). But I'm having fun learning as I go.
3. the basement
We turned the basement into a play room for the boys. It's so nice to have the toys (and noise) downstairs. I could really get used to having three levels for the boys to spread out on.
Some of the things I don't love about the house:
1. the kitchen
The kitchen was a bit of a nightmare when we first arrived - super disorganized (food, cleaning supplies, dishes, and candles all thrown together in the same cupboard, for example) and not-so-clean. It was a huge bummer for me to spend 2 hours cleaning the kitchen our first day here (and another 2 hours the second day) since I'd spent weeks and weeks cleaning our house at home to get it ready for our renters. But, it had to be done. So I took a deep breath and got it done, reorganizing drawers and locating as many useful gadgets and utensils as I could. Rather than griping the whole time, I tried to view the time I spent cleaning as an opportunity to bless the family that lives here. After all, they'll come home to a clean and organized kitchen!
2. the clutter
The owners of our house don't like to throw too many things out. Every drawer, cupboard and closet is filled to the brim with stuff...most of which I'm dying to throw out for them, but Steve says I'm not allowed to. Anyone been looking for the September 1999 edition of Vibe magazine? Look no further! We've got it here for you in our bathroom. Or perhaps you need a to-go container from the Cheesecake Factory? We've got that too, along with an assortment of old appliances, random plastic straws from restaurants, expired coupons, and plastic forks (and the list could go on and on).
3. the decor
The decor is...not-so-much my style. There were fake floral arrangements in every room, which I promptly hid away in closets, and several random things that make us chuckle, such as the "chicken trophy" as Jonah calls it (see picture below).
Overall, it's a great house in a fantastic location and a huge blessing for us. We're so grateful for the opportunity to be here. For those who are curious, here are a few pics of the kids' bedrooms and one of the living room:
Jonah's room with the rose-covered bedspread
Knowing that Nicolas and Riley would be sharing a bed, my brilliant husband bought sleeping bags before we arrived so they wouldn't have to fight over covers. Plus, he set them up so that their heads are on opposite sides of the bed. It's worked splendidly and they've had no problem what-so-ever going to bed at night.
the living room
The basement DOES have 2 sofa sleepers, so guests are welcome!
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