First off, thank you so much for taking the time to leave your thoughtful comments regarding our parenting philosophy. Many of us appear to have so much in common, and that's so heartening to us - to know that we are not alone in our hope that we can provide a joyful, fulfilling childhood for our little boy. I'm going to close the comments to that post so that I can focus on moving into the future with a positive outlook and an open mind. Again, thank you for all of your kind words and advice!

Now ... on to more superficial business - home decor!

Everyone likes a good photographic house tour, right? Good. Because I'm nesting, big time. (Grace made me laugh talking about her impulse to clean the floors with a toothbrush. You know you're pregnant when you seriously consider adding this task to your to-do list, as soon as you finish organizing all of the closets.)

Our home is a 1940's three-bedroom rental with a finished basement (where my sister-in-law is currently living.) We moved to North Carolina with virtually no furniture (aside from our piano and a cat tree hand-hewn from a tree in Mexico.) Living on a graduate student stipend supplemented with my small business means that all of our furniture was purchased second-hand. Honestly, even if I had oodles of money, I'd still buy my furniture second-hand - I just think it looks funkier and more homey. It does take patience. Take my dining room table, for example.

I've been pining for a primitive, farmhouse table for, like, ever. It needed to be small - we just don't have the space for anything standard-sized. I found this petite old lady at my favorite thrift store, Everything But Grannie's Panties. I had to conceal a scream. I know, I know. Are you one of those people (like Patrick) who see all of its imperfections? Yes, it needs some TLC - from Patrick, his sander, and his paint brush. Perhaps that's why he wasn't squealing in delight like I was? Poor guy has a very long list of refinishing favors, being that I'm pregnant and out of commission with that kind of potentially lead-y and fume-y stuff. Anyway, I love it.

The chairs are another one of those Patrick projects - I see them painted white one of these days. The cushions were a quick refinish with some stash fabric. I'm not sure if I'll change to a sturdier, home-dec weight fabric sometime in the future. For now, it works.

These Ball jars? Also a thrifting find. The thrifting gods have been smiling down upon me as of late.

Behind the table is the Wall of Family History - a total work in progress. First, I find a funky frame that I like at a thrift store. Then, I pester the family for old, black and white photos of our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. I hope to have the entire wall filled by the time all of my pestering and thrifting is complete.

Here's a favorite - my 4' 10" Mexican great-grandmother holding my mother when she was a baby, showing her a rose. The "matting" is some leftover paper and trim from my wedding programs.

In case you didn't notice, our dining room doubles as a music room. Here's the second-hand music stand for my violin practice, the Yamaha weighted electronic piano (Patrick's baby), and my guitar. That piano book? It's my gift to Patrick this holiday - Christopher O'Riley's piano arrangements of Radiohead. We saw him in concert and were smitten, and Patrick is already rocking out to Everything in its Right Place.

Finally, check out this light fixture that must be a house original. It makes me happy.

More house tours to come!