Living With Kids: Karie Wagner-Stetson

You get to meet Karie today, and I know you’ll love her. She is a mom of three teenagers, and she’s a school librarian, raising her family in a suburb outside of Dallas, Texas. Her story is one you’ll relate too — life taking unexpected paths, but becoming something truly beautiful along the way. And you’re going to love getting a peak at her home, which is overflowing with art and books and feels like the kind of place where you could get comfortable and stay a while. Karie is a wise, kind soul. Welcome, Karie!

Our family consists of my husband Will (45, Sales Engineer), our three children, Parker (19), Kate Winter (17) and Maggie Wilder (12), myself (44, K-12 IB Librarian), as well as a small menagerie of pets.

I’ll talk more later about the kids, but before I go any further, I have to talk about Will. He is the kindest, sweetest, most patient and cutest boy I know. He’s a true partner in life — raising our children, keeping our house in order, and the person with whom I want to share everything. He is always up for a run to Costco or Trader Joe’s, never asks why I “need” one more piece of artwork, chocolate, or plant, and tolerates me listening to Taylor Swift over and over while I make dinner after work. He would do anything for me. He’s just the best. I still cannot believe in all the serendipities of life that led to our paths crossing. Speaking of which…

I suppose our story starts almost 25 years ago when Will and I met. It was August 1995, Will was 21 and in Texas and I was 20 living in Vermont. Our family had gotten a computer and it had internet access. It was my first night to get online. I stumbled upon an AOL chat room to try to figure out how this world wide web worked. Will was online and we talked a bit, he showed me how to make smiley faces and roses with various characters. Never did I ever think he’d still be my IT support two and a half decades later. 

At the time, I was to start my second year of college, but had to make a last minute change of plans due to finances. The new plan involved a move to Massachusetts for a nanny job during which Will and I continued to chat online and on the phone. That was in the era of long distance rates and dial up internet. We had phone bills that were embarrassingly high. He flew up to Boston a few times, and that December I went to visit him in Dallas. A month later, I got a job and moved to Dallas. We married a year and a half later.

It was crazy how fast it all happened, especially for people who met on the internet! It was a time when meeting on the internet was not popular or really a thing. For once in my life I was a trendsetter. Our families and friends thought we’d lost our minds. But when you know, you know.

Nine months after we married, we moved back to Vermont so I could finish school. The following year, we welcomed our millennial baby, Parker, into our family. He is our Vermonter through and through — came home from the hospital to a fresh cover of snow on everything. He’s kind, honest, loyal, a great friend, loves music, and history. Today that 8th generation Vermonter is 19 and currently in college in Texas. He is studying business but his true passion is music so he is taking classes to earn an audio engineering certificate.

Shortly after Parker was born, Will was offered a job in Massachusetts. A grown-up job with grown-up pay. It was a big deal, so we said yes to another new adventure.

The following February we welcomed Kate Winter while living in Massachusetts, close to the New Hampshire border. Our 2nd baby to join us during a snowstorm. Kate is both our comic and our serious researcher. She’s “wicked smaht” as they would say in Massachusetts. She is currently 17 and a college student (after graduating high school a year early), and she volunteers at the local animal shelter. 

When Kate was one year old and Parker three, we moved back to Vermont where we thought we would live forever and ever, but things didn’t go as planned. We needed to move back to Massachusetts for Will’s job or find a new job in Vermont. Long story short, the real estate market was unattainable in Massachusetts and the job market in Vermont was nonexistent. We had to come up with a new plan.

We knew the North Texas area — the schools were great, housing was affordable, jobs were abundant — so Texas seemed like the right solution. That meant purchasing three houses in three states in just one year.

Actually, the funny thing was Will agreed to the move because he thought I wanted to and I moved because I thought he wanted to move. Really, neither of us figured we’d be here more than a few years. Five years max. That was 16 years ago.

Three years after moving to Texas, we welcomed Maggie in May of 2007. No snowstorm for this baby. She and Will are the Texans of the family. She’s 12, loves horses, dogs, making movies with her friends, and is a future author in the making. She would like us to embrace the Texas lifestyle and move to a ranch to raise horses and all sorts of farm life.

Since living here, we’ve adopted four amazing rescue dogs: Edison, Einstein, Echo, and Everest. I was never a dog person growing up, likely due to us always living in rentals, but I am so glad to have these guys as part of the family. They are in addition to our two guinea pigs (Newt and Hagrid) and a gecko named Geico. 

We live in a suburb 30 minutes north of Dallas. Our town has almost 200,000 people. Our home is part of a large subdivision with 74 different neighborhoods with homes that range from single-story ranch style homes to multi-level mansions. They range in price from the $200s to over 2 million.

Within that you’ll find our neighborhood. Many of us bought when the builders were still on-site. We actually bought our house site unseen! I found a husband online, so buying a house online was practically expected.

It’s hard to imagine, but what’s now our colorful home was at that time a very beige house. So much beige. And grey. And tan. Will tells me he moved us to the ugliest part of Texas. But it’s not ugly — there are nature trails and pretty spots to be found, and there are places 30 minutes from us that have a more natural terrain.

It took me a while to be content here. The weather was different, there were no mountains, no trees, people thought I was weird, I thought I was weird, our house was decorated different than everyone else’s, and while I liked it, it felt like an oddity. Will’s job had him on the road most weeks and it was hard being in Texas alone.

In New England we met our dearest friends at libraries and parks. Here, people met at preschools, churches, and neighborhoods. I tried so many parks and libraries but struggled to find my people. I had friends in our neighborhood but most of the time I felt I did not belong. I missed my family, and our kids missed my family.

Time went on. I found kindred spirits and made those lifelong friendships that I had missed and needed, I found things that reminded me of home, and 8 years or so later, I started to feel like I belonged. By then, we had a couple of options to leave but the kids loved their friends, they had brilliant teachers, and it was never the right time to move.

16 years later and we stay because we love our neighborhood, friends, our schools, our jobs, and we like our life here. We long to move back to Vermont because we miss the mountains, the trees, the seasons, and of course family. We look at Realtor.com weekly and day dream, but really we are good here. Life is 90 percent awesome and that’s pretty darn good.

I love our home. When I enter, I am happy to be there. I think it is calming, fun, and inspiring. Our home is a home for all ages. Everyone is welcome. If you are 2 or 92 we’ve got a spot for you. There is always music playing, we are always baking or cooking. It’s tidy and organized with lots of art on the walls. There’s always a basket of crayons ready for an art project or a cake stand with muffins. I hope people feel at home and relaxed when they visit. 

When we bought our home it was new construction, priced at $250K, in a fairly unknown town. But it was on a corner lot, had a nice kitchen, lots of space, a great floor plan, and hardwood floors. There was plenty of shopping and things to do in surrounding areas, but not much beyond the small downtown historic district in our actual town and a few local playgrounds.

But years have done by, and the area has grown exponentially, so according to our taxes, the home is now worth $450k. When you look at the numbers it was a good investment — especially compared to the real estate markets in New England that we left. We saw our former home in Vermont on the market last year, and it sold for barely more than what we sold it for 16 years ago!

If you are looking to move to North Texas, homes are abundant. Prices have gone up as another large corporation moved here recently, but you still get more house for your money than in other areas. The newish freeway systems make travel in and through Dallas much more accessible than most cities.

Dallas itself has a lot to offer, including the Dallas Zoo, Dallas World Aquarium, Perot Museum, and the Dallas Museum of Art. Locally, we have a great farmer’s market, Chestnut Square (think Little House on the Prairie), and a nice historic downtown area with local shops, an amazing art community, almost 50 parks, two libraries, two water parks, gorgeous walking trails, and wonderful schools. 

I was home with our kids for 15 years. I loved every minute of it and I was good at it. It was my jam. I really did not intend to go back to work when I did. There was no hurry and we thought I would stay home until our youngest was in middle school, or maybe later. I started subbing at their school and was only going to sub two days a week. That turned into a long term librarian sub job. At the end of the school year I was offered a 4th grade aide job.

It was a new school, grades K-12, and all three kids were there so it seemed like a good fit. Right before school started a 5th grade teaching job was offered to me. It was exciting to be wanted and appreciated after so many years at home and I said yes. The librarian job opened up for the following year, I applied, and I got it! It was dreamy and exciting.

I still cannot believe I have such a job. I love my job, I see the difference I make daily. It’s one of the perks of being in education. I teach 31 Kindergarten-5th grade classes every week and work with grades 8-12. I work at a diverse K-12 International Baccalaureate school with the kindest, bravest, most uplifting, and inspiring people. I love the people I work with, I love my short commute, and I love the connections I have made with students. 

It’s a funny conundrum as I miss being home but I love my job. I loved volunteering at my children’s schools and having energy when they got home from school to be involved with homework, or conversation. I was not prepared for the exhaustion from working and then coming home and not always wanting to talk to anyone.

There are times when I think I made the wrong decision. I wonder if I should have waited longer as an opportunity to work would have always been there.

When our daughter needed to enroll in an online school and was taking college classes but too young to drive, I had a lot of mama guilt that I was not able to do more. Will works from home and got her where she needed to, but I felt bad it was not me, and being home would have made things easier.

When our son needed to leave college unexpectedly, it was my husband who helped pack up his dorm room and flew with him home. When the kids are sick and I am not home I feel the guilt; when they have school activities that that I cannot attend the guilt gets me.

I would like to think my kids see the joy that my job brings me and the difference I make. I worry that they may remember more of my tough days/weeks that are filled with tears and frustration. Education is rewarding but is also exhausting and overwhelming. I am excellent at overthinking a day and worry more than I need to. I think a lot of educators do this well. Send your teachers a note this week. Tell them what they mean to your child and your family. They need to hear it. 

Finding balance as a mom is something I’m working on. I’ve wanted to take a pottery class for over 10 years. I finally made it happen. I met a potter at the farmer’s market and with that connection she helped me get a spot in her class. It’s in the evenings after work.

Normally, I would not make plans during the work week as were all about family dinner, homework, getting ready for the next day, relaxing, and getting to bed.I wake up at 5:30 and I like to be in bed by 9pm. This time around, I feel confident that I can balance my day and attend.

My sweet friend and I are going to go once a week. Going with a friend will be fun and hold me accountable to go. I have good intentions, and I would tell every parent to make time for themselves, but I am awful at it. As the kids have gotten older it’s gotten a bit easier, but I am super talented at feeling guilty when it comes to leaving my kids home or making time for myself.

When the kids were little we rarely went out, rarely got sitters, and rarely did anything without our kids. But I think your kids need to see you have interests and hobbies — and a happy parent makes for a happy family.

Sometimes it’s hard to justify babysitter money, or an outing without your kids, or all the planning that goes into leaving your kids at home. One of my goals this year is to do more outside of our home. I bought a Cinemark membership so I am sure to go to a movie a month. So that’s a start. Hah! 

I am a great cook, baker, listmaker, planner, and organizer. I can plan out a day, meals, outings, or projects with ease and try my best to make the day run smoothly. I am not a musician or an artist but I appreciate art and music and try to encourage our children to express themselves in such a way. 

All of our children have taken some sort of music lessons (piano, guitar, trombone, violin, and ukulele) or art classes. I think they all have artistic talents and we encourage that creativity.

I am also a great book finder. I love children’s literature and I have a knack for finding good books. Aren’t sure what to read? Just ask me. I hope my kids remember all the stories we read. I have fond and vivid memories of the books we read during different times of their lives. I can see a book title and instantly be reminded of a time in our lives that we read it. We read a lot. Like a lot. Picture books, chapter books, audio books — we have read and listened to so many. I hope they continue to read and stay readers forever. 

I hope they remember the traditions and experiences we’ve created for them. Will grew up a Baptist, and just a couple of years ago, learned he was Jewish. I grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness and combining our beliefs was a bit of a challenge. I was not baptized as a JW and he does not attend a church but we still had to find a way to make traditions and celebrations meaningful and respectful to our own beliefs.

When you grow up not celebrating any sort of holiday it can be super weird to start such traditions. We did not celebrate any holidays until Parker was 4 and Kate was 2 and even then it was small and awkward. It took us a bit of time to figure it out but we now celebrate holidays with thought and make them about our family. I am curious as to what traditions they will carry on with their families if they should have them. 

I hope they remember how much we love them and love each other. While there are so many things I could do better and improve on, we have a great marriage. Will and I are a great team and I hope they see our marriage and strive to find a partner that brings out the best in them, lets them shine, and balances them. Life is so much easier if you have a friend and partner that supports you.

I wish they would forget any moment of madness that I had. Anytime I made a big deal over something that would not have mattered in a year.

I miss the crafting, the music, the silliness of costumes and dress up, building train tracks and lego creations, the non-stop reading, park meetups, how close we all were when they were little. I was a great toddler mama.

I love that my kids are older, independent, and don’t require so much help. It makes it easier to run to the store, go out for a quick dinner date, or have help around the house.

Parenting little ones is physically and mentally exhausting. Parenting young adults is exhausting in ways I never knew possible. I worry that I am not such a great teen/young adult mom. There’s constant worry, wondering if you did enough to make them strong, kind, helpful, and independent adults.

You want your kids to grow up, be independent, have their own thoughts, values, and to make their own adventures. There are times when you see them make choices that you would prefer they did not make or had taken your advice to make their life easier. 

I had a dream a few weeks ago that I got a do over in life. Apparently, my do over was to graduate high school a year early, go to college right away and continue until I graduated. I told my husband and he said I should have invested in Google or Apple. The good news in my do over dream is that I ended up with the same family just a better education. 

I stopped and started so many times and it would have made life so much easier had I stuck with it continuously. Most of my gaps were due to finances. I graduated in 2000 but was missing a Geography class so really I did not graduate until 2012. Everything worked out but things would have been easier and I would have more options had I continued with school in a more traditional way.

We tell our kids over and over to complete college, don’t stop until you have what you want/need, and then start a family, or whatever else it might be. Get that education while you have the time, the support, and youth on your side. 

—-

Thank you, Karie! What a charming home. I always appreciate when someone has so much art that they’ve got it layered and covering every wall. And you can tell from looking at the pieces that it’s a broad mix of flea market treasures, etsy finds, and more traditional pieces. The art in any home really says a lot about who lives there and I think Karie’s art collection feels eclectic and inspiring.

One thing Karie said stuck out to me: “Anytime I made a big deal over something that would not have mattered in a year.” Isn’t that such a great filter? When we are in the daily grind as parents it’s easy to get caught up and frustrated in the daily details. And some of those details, certainly, are important and worth focus. But wouldn’t it be great to try and let things go when you knew you wouldn’t care about them a year from now? It gives you a lot of perspective to look at things that way and would likely save a lot of stress and anxiety.

Are you the kind of person who sweats the small stuff? Or are you good at letting things go? What tricks do you use to keep focused on the things that matter?

SOURCES

Vinyl Fireplace Tiles

Friends Door Accessory

Kitchen pendants

Various Pottery Pieces


Living With Kids is edited by Josh Bingham — you can follow him on Instagram too.

Would you like to share your home in our Living With Kids series? It’s lots of fun, I promise! (And we are always looking for more diversity in the families we feature here. Single parents, non-traditional parents, families of color, LGBT parents, multi-generational families. Reach out! We’d love to hear your stories!!) Email us at features@designmom.com.

47 thoughts on “Living With Kids: Karie Wagner-Stetson”

  1. Ok I’ll bite! What are your top kids books for age 2-7?

    Thanks for sharing your home and some of your life story with us. I am home now with our two kids and loving it, but I feel like I “should” go back to work and use my education/training.

    1. I never regret staying home for all those years. It’s not for everyone and you really long to go back to work go for it. If you enjoy being home, I say stay home and let go of the guilt. I don’t think one is better than the other. You just have to do what’s best for you and your family.
      I wish working parents had more flexibility in their schedules to allow them time to support their family. I wish stay at home parents had financial benefits. I am doubling up on my 401k contributions since I had not been able to establish any sort of retirement funds for so many years.

      Okay, books: For the younger ones: Anything by: Mo Willems, Richard Scarry, Laura Numeroff, Kevin Henkes, and DK books (my kids loved the ones with people, vehicles, and animals). They love the rhyming books, lots of pictures, and simple texts.

      Fiction series for the older ones: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Narnia, Nate the Great, Frog and Toad, and Little House on the Prairie are great places to start.

      1. I loved hanging out in the library with my children at those ages. Read there in the cool atmosphere and bring a bag of books home. Being home isn’t for everyone though.

  2. I love that you have a Vermont home in Texas! I’m not a native Vermonter, but I live in Vermont and admire/am constantly trying to achieve the bold color that you’ve got going on! When we looked at houses in Vermont, I saw it in every house we visited and thought it sure beat the neutrals everywhere that I was used to! Thank you for sharing.

    1. Karie! Congratulations on writing your beautiful story and being asked to share your amazing home! I never doubted you’d become famous for your decorating talent, and how wonderful that you could also tell your family’s story. We miss you up here in Vermont and hope you can visit soon and we can catch up!

    2. Thank you Paige. Would you believe those are stickers? Underneath is a beige tile that I never really loved. I used to have garlands around the fireplace to add color. When I saw these I feel in love. I think they changed the whole look of the living room. They were easy to apply and added the color I always wanted. I only wish I did this sooner.

  3. Karie, I feel like I just walked in your front door to pick up my boys after their play day with Parker! Your home is/was always so warm & welcoming!! Your article was fun to read – I felt like we just sat down for a visit in your charming living room – sure wish we could! Well done, my sweet friend :)

    1. Sarah! Thank you for your sweet words. I think of you and your boys often. Your adventures are inspiring. It’s hard to believe Wilmeth days were so long ago. Hugs to you sweet friend.

  4. Tiffany McElroy

    That’s my librarian!!! Your beautiful home is clearly a reflection of you. It is open, bright, warm, and welcoming. Definitely a place anyone would feel comfortable. Thank you for sharing!

    1. Thank you Sheena! :) Organization is what calms me. It makes me happy. I am constantly trying to tweak our home and how we use and store things. If I don’t like it or don’t use it, out it goes. I often play the game of, “What am I not willing to pack if I move tomorrow.”

  5. Fellow lover of blue and fellow tired educator here! Karie, I love your home! So much of what you said resonated with me. When we first moved into the town where we raised our children, every home I entered was beige with matchy matchy furniture. My home was colorful and eclectic and although I loved it, I always felt a bit different. Now instagram and design blogs celebrate those differences. (And looking at those images feeds my creative soul.)

    I went back to work when our youngest was ten, and I echo all of your sentiments. Work was rewarding and inspiring, and I felt it was healthy for my teenage kids to see me strive for something (I went back to school first) and make it happen. But parenting teens is hard, and there were times when I really, really missed being an “at home” mom. It’s impossible to do it all, so all of us just do the best we can. It looks like you are doing a marvelous job.

    PS – You are an artist. Look at your home!

    1. Thank you for the kind words. I love blue. It’s my favorite.
      Yes, I love finding people to follow on Instagram that inspire me.

      Yes, the teen years are hard for the teens and for the parents. It gets real and serious quickly.

      I appreciate your comments and I love that you said I was an artists. :)

  6. Beautiful home! I love both your indoor and outdoor spaces. As a UVM grad I understand why you miss that beautiful state. Could you also please share some of your favorite fiction that you have enjoyed for yourself?
    Peace!

    1. Jenn, I graduated from Champlain College. Burlington is where I grew up and went to school.
      I read a lot of non fiction, children’s fiction or YA books (so I can recommend books to students) but when I read fiction it’s usually historical fiction.

      These are some of the books I’ve read recently and some favorites.

      The Heretic’s Daughter
      Educated
      The Peabody Sisters
      The Dutch House
      Vincent and Leo
      The Nightingale
      All the Light we Cannot See
      Martha Washington
      Secrets of a Charmed Life
      The Aviator’s Wife
      The Nest
      The Red Tent
      How to Catch a Frog
      America’s First Daughter
      The 19th Wife
      The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott – It was slow at first but I am glad I kept with it.
      American Bloomsbury
      The Paris Wife

      I just started reading: Undiscovered Country: A Novel Inspired by the Lives of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok as well as City of Girls.

  7. I’m one of Karie’s neighbors and love this warm and wonderful home. What was not mentioned in the story is that she’s not afraid to move things around. I tend to decorate and leave things where planted. I love visiting her house to notice how she’s regrouped wall art, rearranged furniture, or boldly repainted the inside of her front door. It’s always a visual treat. Karie is a delight and I’m glad to see her house shared with others.

    1. Katherine!!! You are the kindest!
      I move stuff all the time always trying to make things just right and work better.
      Your home is one of my favorite places to be.
      You are the artists of our neighborhood and host the best neighborhood gatherings.
      #Mayberryoriginalsforlife

  8. Honestly one of the most beautiful homes ever featured! Love everything, want to paint my door blue today. thanks for sharing your story.

    1. Thank you. :)
      Painting that door was a spur of the moment decision and super easy but it changed the entire look of our entry way. I wish I had painted it 10 years earlier. I use that paint color everywhere that I can. It makes me happy.

  9. Oh Karie, all the way over the ocean your feelings resonate with me! I am also a teacher, my kids are younger than yours, and it is such a struggle. Sometimes, when it is hard at school, when students are being difficult, I cannot help but think that my kids would need me and appreciate me more. So, apparently, it’s the same all over the world :-).

    Thank you for showing your beautiful home and have a wonderful time.

    1. Penny,
      I am glad my home made you happy.
      Educators have to stick together. It’s a hard balance with family, work, and happiness.
      Hugs to you across the ocean.

  10. Your house screams New England to me, not suburban south. I love the colours and the mixture of old and new. It looks so inviting and comfortable… And of course you have a little library out front!

    1. Thank you!
      The Little Free Library was a gift from my family the when I took the librarian job.
      I LOVE it. We painted it to match the house.
      We had an HOA complaint on it and our entire neighborhood rallied together to keep it.
      It’s certainly one of my favorite features of our home.

  11. “I was a great toddler mama.” Yes, that rings so true to my heart and I miss that age so much! I have an almost 15 year old and still love spending time with him, but sometimes I ache for those early years of parks, libraries, and little adventures.

  12. Beautiful story and lovely home. I would love to hear about some of your art resources. Very unique and I am trying to grow this collection in my home.

    1. Thank you. My love of art really started when I was in high and I babysat for a local artist. There were times that we would barter childcare for artwork. I still have those paintings and many more that I have purchased from her over the years.

      Katharine Montstream Studios – Her artwork has gone up in value since first invested but she has monthly Facebook auctions and online sales here and there that allow me to purchase at my price point.
      Thank you. :)
      Here are some other of the artists that I love. If there is anything you noticed and what the artist’s name just tell me the piece and I can share that with you. It’s always nice to find new artists if your budget is small, as is mine, because often they budget friendly.
      I look on Etsy and Instagram for most pieces. I have a few I found on Ebay years ago but I don’t really use Ebay like I used to.
      https://www.instagram.com/kmmstudio/
      https://www.etsy.com/shop/pamelam
      https://www.etsy.com/shop/RosemaryNewmanArt
      https://www.etsy.com/shop/AverieLaneBoutique
      https://www.etsy.com/shop/prattcreekart
      http://www.jessgrahamstudio.com/

  13. Oh my goodness, this hit home for me. I grew up in Northeast Ohio with hills and seasons and forests and have spent almost 10 of my 13 years of marriage in Texas, including 2.5 years in Grapevine, though we live north of Houston, now. My youngest is turning 3 this year and I’m contemplating grad school or working once she starts kindergarten. Being a school librarian is high on my list of dream jobs!
    I love what you said about life here in Texas being 90% perfect. I, too, daydream about living elsewhere, but when I take a good look at our life here, it’s hard to complain. We’ve got great schools, a strong community with lots of free arts and park programs, plenty of options for our kids, access to wooded trails, and the best grocery store in the world (HEB- I’m sorry you don’t get to experience its magic up in Dallas!).
    I’ve also struggled to find like-minded people but when I do it’s like we’ve both gotten a breath of fresh air from one another. Best wishes to you and yours, and thank you again for sharing!

  14. Your love story sounds oh so very reminiscent of my own. The year was 1999 and I met an Irish fellow in an AOL chat room, also during the time of dial up internet. I lived in Florida at the time (still do). We corresponded for about 9 months before he booked a 3-week vacation to come and visit me. We eloped two weeks into it. In three weeks, it will be our 20 year anniversary. You are the first person I have heard who also met their significant other in a chat room! And it also stuck! Amazing!

  15. I have never wanted to live in Texas, but now I want to move there so I can be Karie’s friend and sit in this house, drink tea, eat muffins, and talk with her about books.

    1. Martha Pavlasek

      Karie,
      Your home is beautiful and your story was like cuddling up with a good book! Thank you for sharing! I’m sure your school kids would love to hear your story sometime!

  16. Cool post. I was afraid of those early “chat rooms” and only peeked in back in the day. We are the same age. I found the part about traditions interesting. Christmas was a huge deal in my growing up house. My husband’s parents were “not going to put up a tree” at some point early on in our marriage so I have always avoided them during the holidays. It has been easy as we have never lived very close. My mom was over the top sacrificer for great gifts, but I just really love a tree, goodies, carols, etc. We have a Christian background too so of course that is the underlying theme.

  17. Definitely one of my favorite homes. I’m working on bringing more color to our home as well (it’s a rental and we are looking to buy so I don’t like putting up too much just to take it down). I understand how hard it is to be away from family. My family and I are now permanently in one place (still away from family but not as bad) and it’s definitely hard to meet people you truly connect with. I always tell myself that it takes a couple years to start feeling fully acclimated. This post gives me hope, thank you!

  18. Ah! I’m in Dallas, but have always had a think for New England. I totally agree that everything here is beige and so…ornate. Let’s just say I do a LOT of online shopping.

    By far my favorite house in this series (yes, even more than Joanna G’s) – I LOVE all the art, and thank you for sharing those links in the comments. I find that original art is hard to come by here.

    I’m a lifelong Texan, and always wondered “what if” about moving, but I agree – life is 90% good (and 100% convenient), so thanks for reassuring me that being a wuss is okay. :P

    Also, since you’re used to meeting people on the internet and all (:P), let me know if you ever want to meet up for coffee, because I’m preeeetty sure we’re like-minded. :)

  19. Karie I loved your home. I live in Colchester Vermont. I bet we might have passed by each other back in the day! Just looking at the pictures I could tell you’re from my part of the country! Also I kind of feel like we’re kindred spirits. I work too and always feel that pull to be with my kids but you got to do what you got to do right? Also I agree with the others, you are definitely an artist at heart!

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