Justin turns 30 tomorrow and last week I thought, what better way to force us to do some major unpacking and settling than by inviting people over this weekend? So that's what we did. 

Justin's mom has spent the last two weeks helping us refinish floors, paint, move, pack, clean up the rental when we got food poisoning, and driving back and forth a million times from our urban home to her rural farm an hour away--SO, naturally, she offered to cook the corned beef and cabbage that the birthday boy requested. Because who needs rest and relaxation? Not her! {Thank you, Holly! And I sincerely hope you're getting some R&R right now.} Our families came over to enjoy the Irish birthday feast and to see how our new home is shaping up.

His birthday cake request? Pineapple upside-down. A great dessert to pair with corned beef and cabbage, no? Hey, it's his birthday, so I drove to Trader Joe's and bought a fresh pineapple, then I came home and cooked it exactly how Chris Kimball would have liked.

Love the taste of pineapple, but have never liked the texture. I have to say, this cake was actually pretty yummy. Plus, it looked like it was straight out of a 1960s cookbook, so I was happy.

Since we just moved and clearly need more things in our garage, I asked everyone to go in on one big gift for Justin. We got him a tool chest, because he really needed and wanted one, but I knew he'd never buy one for himself.

It was heavy, so we put on the wheels in the front yard. Our new neighbors must think we're strange.

Happy birthday, Justin! Thanks for the good excuse to get everyone together and get some major unpacking done...on the main level at least. The basement? Yeah...let's not go there.

But if you wish to see a few photos of what the new house is starting to look like, keep scrolling.

I really want to find a unique, fun new light fixture for the dining room. I can't wait to replace it.

It's strange moving into a new home. The body memory is gone, a weird phenomenon when you're walking to the kitchen or the closet, not knowing where you're going because you're not used to where things are yet. It doesn't quite feel like my home, not yet. The walls need fresh paint and the floors need some of our own messes for that to happen.

When we walked out of our clean, empty rental for the last time, I actually did get a tad teary. {Yes, mom, you were right--okay!} After four years in that house, bringing two babies home there, I was more comfortable there than at this new house. I know that will change with time. I love the new house, don't get me wrong. I'm just not well acquainted with it yet. Does that make sense?

In the rental I knew all the quirks: the floorboards that creaked the loudest when stepped on, the locations of outlets, the temperament of the fussy thermostat...the clawfoot tub.

I have some little changes to make, so if you come over right now, it might look a bit undone here. The floorboards, for example, are still missing. There were two planter inserts in the half-wall/cabinets. Part of me wanted to keep them there, but between cats and kids I knew they wouldn't last anyway. At first the plan was to get a board to paint and attach so it was just a shelf. Just today I had another thought...so we'll see. But this is the fun part, living here and waiting for inspiration to hit me.

{I need to finish painting the top of the dining table.}

Then there is this bathroom.
Getting some of my own decor in there helped a bit, but honestly, I really dislike this bathroom. I want to gut it. I have it all planned out in my head. That might be years from now, if I'm honest, unless we win the lottery or something. And we don't play the lottery, so...

But my Bubs keeps me smiling! Sorry for the gross food photo, I never thought messy-faced baby photos were cute until they featured my own children. Now? Smooshed PB&J has never been more adorable.

I love how my colorful decor pops against the gray walls. I bought that sign at Renew, it's a Beatles quote. I'm still trying to get my kids to obey the Beatles.

I love the REAL fireplace and having a mantle! I want to get some good photos of the kids to blow up and decorate it with, but for now it's all my pastel decor. Mantles are tricky spaces.

Unpacking isn't all bad, I've been finding some things I didn't even unpack in the last home--so it feels like brand new stuff! I've missed my Galileo thermometer. I'd thought this was long gone, but then I pulled it out of a box. What do you know?

It doesn't look like it from these photos--you should see the basement--the bottom line: we still have too much crap. Also, happy birthday Justin.

Cheers, 
Heather