Monday, November 10, 2014
Well, here we go! This blog has been a long time in the making, I've blogged in the past, I love to write actually, I find it a great release from the everyday stresses of life. In the past though, I've always blogged about my personal life, and for a while, life was nothing to blog about, it was rough, sad, and some days just downright ugly, and that was never the purpose of my blog, so I stopped. I let that moment in life remove the joy I found in blogging. Fast forward a few years............or 5, and I'm immeasurably happy, a few years wiser and happy to be moving forward in life! I've completely overhauled the blog, I've updated and renewed and am excited to be writing again!
So fast forward five years, get yourself updated on the cast of characters and come along as Jesse and I completely gut and reno a 1900's home into our "downtown farmhouse"
Let me tell you about the property, the Pike St. house as I often call her! Built in 1900, this house had an amazing amount of history buried (literally) in her walls and rafters as we gutted the property completely! We have found stacks of letters ranging in date from 1940 to 1944, in perfect condition, handwritten and quite the history to behold. We have removed 5 layers of walls, and 7, yes SEVEN layers of flooring later, we finally found original 1900's hardwood that we hooped and hollered about like kids when we uncovered it! Christmas had indeed come early this year!~ While the internal walls and structure of this home were in desperate need of TLC, the bare bones structure was in pretty darn good shape for 1900!
Now for the cast of characters!
Polly, that's me! I'm a mom, a sister, a daughter, a girlfriend, a friend, a believer, a hobby photographer, a crafty gal and an all around lover of life! And recently, I've added construction-ista to my titles! ha! I love to antique, repurpose and refurbish and hope you will see that come to life in the restoration and decoration of this new downtown farmhouse I am already so in love with!
Jesse..........what can I say, he's the love of my life and just a really good guy! Jesse is a dad, a brother, a son, a hunter, a woodworker and a construction guru!!! A country boy at heart and a lover of all things manly, he is really the muscle and brains behind this operation! Without his knowledge and ability, this project would never have taken flight! Jesse has 2 teenage daughters, Tori and Lexi whom he adores. While we don't see them often, we do try to keep up with their lives, and they may show up occasionally in print as they choose. (One thing to note, I try not to blog about personal lives without the permission of the people involved, because my blog is at my interpretation, I never want to involve others who have no editorial opinion in the process!)
Gunner............the world's most spoiled Labrador Retriever who quite frankly is unaware he is a dog! We brought Gunner home when he was just a mere 8 weeks old and he has ruled the roost from that moment on! At just over a year and just shy of 80 lbs and growing, there is a never ending story in Gunner antics alone! He plays quite the starring role in the story of our lives!
"The Girls" Allyson, Allysa and Alizabeth...............they're hilarious, just ask them!! 2 of my girls are grown and out of college making their own way in life, and then Lizzie, "the baby" is currently in her Junior year at Culver Girls Academy. Lizzie is the biggest contributor to this project, always helping when she is home and ALWAYS texting her design upgrades and ideas, she's become pretty decent with power tools and is constantly looking for her next repurposing project like her momma!~
So, that's us, and this is our new and updated life. We hope you enjoy the progress on the house, and can't wait to bring to life our "downtown farmhouse"!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
WE ARE......CHARGERS!
Last night was our first "real" home basketball game. We LOVE Charger basketball. We are good friends with the coaches and their families, Ryan keeps stats, Allysa is a cheerleader, I sit with coaches wives during the games....we know the players and their families.....its a lifestyle in a small rural community. Hoosiers was, after all, filmed just a few short miles down the road and could easily represent many small high schools throughout Indiana.
This year has seemed different for a while now, with Allyson having graduated, it seems as though I don't necessarily recognize as many kids as I used to. Allysa is now a freshman and we're starting all over again in that realm, however it almost still seems new.
Charger Basketball is no different, we graduated 4 senior starters last year, GOOD players......REALLY GOOD players. These guys had played together for a long time and honestly, watching them play was like watching a well oiled machine. That Charger basketball team....they just knew where each other would be on the court, they read each other so well they just got it done week after week. They were so much fun to watch. The question on every ones mind is what would we look like now? How were our remaining players going to step up, what were our new players going to bring to the game? Would everyone fall into sync and create a new year of Charger basketball?
We opened last night with a tough game for our JV guys, eventually losing to our county rival in what was a close game at one point. I couldn't help but notice however, as the JV got closer to an end....our stands kept filling up, our student section kept growing and growing.....our pep block was huge, this has been missing from Charger basketball for a few years, I couldn't wait to see what the kids had come up with. They were awesome, there are flyer's all over the school telling the kids what the theme is for each weeks game. Last night was "ultimate fan" night. Let me just say there were (as usual) some boys in some really tight old basketball uniforms with crazy looks going on, but they truly were the "ultimate fans" during the game. They were loud, but respectful. They actually cheered with the cheerleaders. If I didn't know better, I'd say they might actually be trying for a spirit award this year! I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings for them, its awesome for the team and the crowd loves it.
With Allysa cheering this year, I find myself torn between watching the game on the court and watching her on the side of the court. Allysa loves to cheer, she's a flyer. This has never bothered me.....ever, even having been dropped in middle school, I've never worried about her flying. She has great bases, they work together a lot, I know these girls know what they are doing. During football, I never once worried about her in the air....and yet suddenly, here we are on the hardwoods, and for the first time ever, I find myself holding my breath when she goes "up"......I can't take my eyes off of her til she's on the ground. I know its because of the hardwoods. I know those floors aren't giving if she falls, she's bouncing, not them. Our doctor told us earlier this year as he was doing her sports physical, there are more injuries in cheerleading than all other sports, combined! Suddenly I hear his statement every time she flies. I know shes fine, I know the girls are all good.....just a new aspect of Charger Basketball for me to adjust to.
We won! After all the wonder, the speculation, the "whats it gonna be like" with all our kids gone and newbies in place. We won! We beat our county rival, South. They're not quite the well oiled machine yet, but they were definitely working as a team and will continue to improve no doubt. As a family, we're excited to see our good friend Cody playing this year. He's a great kid who has always played football and baseball. He's HUGE! We know he's gonna be a good contributor inside and if we can just get him to take those shots, he'll enjoy the same success he does on both the football and baseball fields! Great game Cody, we love watching you play!
Tonight we head to Fountain Central to play. I feel like I breathed a sigh of relief last night after finally seeing it all come together at our home court. I can't wait to watch the rest of the season unfold for the Chargers.
What have you been questioning lately? Whats changing in your life that you aren't quite sure what the outcome will be? As you watch it unfold and take it all in, don't forget to enjoy the changes, you might just be surprised at the new enjoyment it will bring.
Charger Up!
Polly :)
This year has seemed different for a while now, with Allyson having graduated, it seems as though I don't necessarily recognize as many kids as I used to. Allysa is now a freshman and we're starting all over again in that realm, however it almost still seems new.
Charger Basketball is no different, we graduated 4 senior starters last year, GOOD players......REALLY GOOD players. These guys had played together for a long time and honestly, watching them play was like watching a well oiled machine. That Charger basketball team....they just knew where each other would be on the court, they read each other so well they just got it done week after week. They were so much fun to watch. The question on every ones mind is what would we look like now? How were our remaining players going to step up, what were our new players going to bring to the game? Would everyone fall into sync and create a new year of Charger basketball?
We opened last night with a tough game for our JV guys, eventually losing to our county rival in what was a close game at one point. I couldn't help but notice however, as the JV got closer to an end....our stands kept filling up, our student section kept growing and growing.....our pep block was huge, this has been missing from Charger basketball for a few years, I couldn't wait to see what the kids had come up with. They were awesome, there are flyer's all over the school telling the kids what the theme is for each weeks game. Last night was "ultimate fan" night. Let me just say there were (as usual) some boys in some really tight old basketball uniforms with crazy looks going on, but they truly were the "ultimate fans" during the game. They were loud, but respectful. They actually cheered with the cheerleaders. If I didn't know better, I'd say they might actually be trying for a spirit award this year! I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings for them, its awesome for the team and the crowd loves it.
With Allysa cheering this year, I find myself torn between watching the game on the court and watching her on the side of the court. Allysa loves to cheer, she's a flyer. This has never bothered me.....ever, even having been dropped in middle school, I've never worried about her flying. She has great bases, they work together a lot, I know these girls know what they are doing. During football, I never once worried about her in the air....and yet suddenly, here we are on the hardwoods, and for the first time ever, I find myself holding my breath when she goes "up"......I can't take my eyes off of her til she's on the ground. I know its because of the hardwoods. I know those floors aren't giving if she falls, she's bouncing, not them. Our doctor told us earlier this year as he was doing her sports physical, there are more injuries in cheerleading than all other sports, combined! Suddenly I hear his statement every time she flies. I know shes fine, I know the girls are all good.....just a new aspect of Charger Basketball for me to adjust to.
We won! After all the wonder, the speculation, the "whats it gonna be like" with all our kids gone and newbies in place. We won! We beat our county rival, South. They're not quite the well oiled machine yet, but they were definitely working as a team and will continue to improve no doubt. As a family, we're excited to see our good friend Cody playing this year. He's a great kid who has always played football and baseball. He's HUGE! We know he's gonna be a good contributor inside and if we can just get him to take those shots, he'll enjoy the same success he does on both the football and baseball fields! Great game Cody, we love watching you play!
Tonight we head to Fountain Central to play. I feel like I breathed a sigh of relief last night after finally seeing it all come together at our home court. I can't wait to watch the rest of the season unfold for the Chargers.
What have you been questioning lately? Whats changing in your life that you aren't quite sure what the outcome will be? As you watch it unfold and take it all in, don't forget to enjoy the changes, you might just be surprised at the new enjoyment it will bring.
Charger Up!
Polly :)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
I'm back.....maybe.
For months now, many have asked about my blog and my intentions to get back to it.
I have mixed emotions about blogging again.
First let me say, I love to blog. Writing is a great release for me and something I really enjoy. I'm a write first, re-read an delete kind of person. Sometimes just writing out what I would love to say but would never consider sending makes things better for me. I get a clearer perspective, I even sometimes realize a different stand than I may have first taken on an issue. I love to write.
Therein lies part of the issue for me internally with restarting my blog. Those of you who read my blog regularly know, I blog about my family and our lives. The real stuff. Typically easy going, funny and sometimes great stuff. I don't however usually blog about the hard stuff....the rough stuff in life, first because I tend to be a private person with the tough stuff, never wanting to bother others, but secondly because I write my blog myself and those in it don't tend to get a say in the publication, so writing about the tough stuff involving others isn't necessarily fair I feel.
Unfortunately, that's where our lives have been for the past 6 months.....full of tough stuff. Nothing good to blog about and nothing I want to share with others. I've considered changing my perspective on how I blog and even revamping the blog....but I can't its not how I write, its not who I am.
Our lives have changed considerably in the past 6 months, almost devastatingly so. Its fair to say almost every aspect of our lives have been affected....including my blog. I can't say I'm coming back for good.....but I can say we're trying to create a new "normal" around here....and I will try to somehow include the blog in that.
I know I've been holding back on my blog......what do you find yourself holding back on today, is it one of the things you find therapeutic and brings you joy? Reevaluation might help put it all into perspective.
Till I blog again,
Polly
I have mixed emotions about blogging again.
First let me say, I love to blog. Writing is a great release for me and something I really enjoy. I'm a write first, re-read an delete kind of person. Sometimes just writing out what I would love to say but would never consider sending makes things better for me. I get a clearer perspective, I even sometimes realize a different stand than I may have first taken on an issue. I love to write.
Therein lies part of the issue for me internally with restarting my blog. Those of you who read my blog regularly know, I blog about my family and our lives. The real stuff. Typically easy going, funny and sometimes great stuff. I don't however usually blog about the hard stuff....the rough stuff in life, first because I tend to be a private person with the tough stuff, never wanting to bother others, but secondly because I write my blog myself and those in it don't tend to get a say in the publication, so writing about the tough stuff involving others isn't necessarily fair I feel.
Unfortunately, that's where our lives have been for the past 6 months.....full of tough stuff. Nothing good to blog about and nothing I want to share with others. I've considered changing my perspective on how I blog and even revamping the blog....but I can't its not how I write, its not who I am.
Our lives have changed considerably in the past 6 months, almost devastatingly so. Its fair to say almost every aspect of our lives have been affected....including my blog. I can't say I'm coming back for good.....but I can say we're trying to create a new "normal" around here....and I will try to somehow include the blog in that.
I know I've been holding back on my blog......what do you find yourself holding back on today, is it one of the things you find therapeutic and brings you joy? Reevaluation might help put it all into perspective.
Till I blog again,
Polly
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