Monday Morning Inspiration

 We had an exciting weekend.  It was full of eletrical work, thunder storms, belly aches, and pizza.  Jace returned from a week of working out of town.  I gladly handed over all baby calf bottles, antibiotic shots, and feeding responsibilities to him.  Those baby cows were glad to see their real "mama" return.

Thunderstorms + calves with bellyaches = mud

And a deal I have been working on for almost a full year finally closed on Friday!  Congratulations to Jace's cousins Hal and Elisa!  They bought Jace's parents old house in Heber.  YEA! for owning their very 1st home and YEA! for buying the house next door to where they are living - moving day should be a breeze.  And YEA! for commission checks.

With all my new wealth ;) I'm dreaming of new wood floors, curtains, and light fixtures.  Here is some Monday morning inspiration featuring a Spanish style house in California.  Celebrities swap houses and husbands faster than I change my underwear but see if you can keep up.  This house belongs to Reese Witherspoon, who recently got hitched on the property.  But the house is for sell.  Some of these pictures are from the local MLS.  But I believe most of these pictures are from when Kathy Ireland owned the house and it was featured in House Beautiful.  Regardless of who is actually living there, I love it.

I need dark wood floors.  And I need them to be on clearance somewhere.

Go ahead and throw in that green office chair too.

I love the white walls and bright pops of color.

White stucco exterior with green painted beams.

The shutters!  That tree!  And check out those plain black asphalt shingles.  Jace and I have been discussing for sometime how this kind of roof would look on our Spanish style home.  Could we replace our wood shingles with asphalt shingles?  I think so.

Happy Monday!  I have a to do list a mile long.  I'm going to give it my best shot.  What are you accomplishing today?


*all house photos found here.

I'm taking notes as I go.



The house in the movie "Alvin and the Chipmunks"

When I watch movies, I find myself watching the house in the movie more than the actors or plot.  Who's with me?  I can remember even has a young girl being obsessed with the bedroom/quilt on the bed/trees lining the street in the movie "My Girl."  Other movie houses that stand out in my mind are "Sound of Music", "Father of the Bride", "Signs", and that craftsman style house at the end of "Toy Story 3" - yes, I know its a cartoon house but have you seen the windows? the gable vents?  Recently, I based an entire floor plan for a remodel (that didn't end up happening) on the house in the movie "Alvin and the Chipmunks."  I loved the kitchen in that house.  The arched openings, the checkered floors, the blue appliances.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks" - kitchen

This weekend our Netflix queue graced us with - "Life As We Know It."  Have you seen it?  I'm not recommending it based on the story, or the acting but you really should see the house.  The fireplace!  The fireplace!  Jace tired of me talking about it and the kitchen, and the painted brick exterior, and the coiffured ceilings but secretly I know he was taking mental notes as well.


"Life As We Know It" - fireplace

Fireplace notes:  white grout, dark rock, and a solid dark beam for the mantel.

Jace is currently ripping down and rebuilding 2 rock fireplaces in Heber at his Uncle's house.  He calls me with questions like "How high should we pour the hearth bench?" and "Should the fireplace pop off the wall or be flush?"  And then we proceed to speak to each other in different languages.  I speak in girl construction talk and he speaks in boy/the real deal/technical construction language.  We really don't make a lot of head way on the phone.  I usually end up emailing him a picture to translate my girl talk. 

These two pictures translated for me this week:


My sister Jessica's fireplace.

I love my sister Jessica's house.  Word on the street is that she sold it and will be leaving it's lovely bones come summer time.  I hope she'll let me take you on a photo tour before then.  They did an amazing job remodeling the 100+  year old house.  And the rock fireplace with white ornate mantel is just one of the adorable features.


A blurry picture of my sister Kirsten's fireplace.

This house I got to live in for a while, remember?  I can recall every cuss word I said trying to get a dang fire started (it was the fire starter, not the fireplace).  But bad memories aside, it is a lovely fireplace.  I love the solid, dark beam mantel.

I have faith my handsome contractor will be able to figure it out.  He pulls thru every time.  Maybe I will be allowed to take after photos of the Heber fireplaces and share them.  Look forward to it.

p.s. Don't you want to see more of my sister's houses?  They are adorable.  Every single one of them.  Each a little different in style.  Have I told you I have 5 sisters?!  I think I should take my camera with me when I visit their homes.


p.s.s.  Sisters of mine that read this blog - don't stop inviting me to your home now and don't worry about sweeping - I'll photoshop the cereal on the floor and don't tell the other sisters that me and my camera are coming. ;)