Home Show Expo- Part 1: Country Elements

One thing that we look forward to every summer around here is the annual HOME SHOW EXPO. Put on by multiple builders in our area. These homes are fully decorated and open for tours...at a cost! But this year was definitively worth every penny spent. 

I am showing just 3 exterior photos of  the 12 homes in this year's tour. 

These all have features of their Iowa roots.

I abSolUteLy LOVE how home builders and designers are coming back to country style.

 Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing this is new construction. 

The chandelier pictured below is covered in rope...I think I have a few I could add rope to! :)

OH that Sofa....and that RUG!! *sigh*

We took this picture with full intent on copying these signs, so perfect:

I think we counted 4 different homes having barn style sliding doors somewhere in the home.....
This one was my favorite:

And reclaimed barn wood was a popular element also....this picture does not do this floor justice, but they were to die for....and the designer even had a picture displayed of the barn that these came from. Sadly, I did not get a shot of that.....too smitten with the floors, I guess.

Vintage, reclaimed, re-purposed....this was a guestroom in the lower level.....the bed and window seat were really cool, but the room overall needed some more accessories...they should have contacted me, 

I would have helped out! :)

My daughters and I walk through each home stating which bedroom would be "Ours" and what we would do to add to it....this was a blank slate and we had tons of ideas for it!

Burlap...Pottery Barn styled....need I say more?? Perfection....although the Baileykids could NOT sit at a dining table this fancy...the chairs would be ruined in 4 minutes flat! 

Oh...I hope this style continues for awhile, and even more designers and builders hop on board.
This was a fun event to spend an afternoon with my girls! My next post will be about the "other style" seen at this year's Home Show...not too shabby either!

Summer is almost over....did it ever even start?? School starts next week! The State Fair is going on now and we plan on spending this weekend there, and we finally are having cooler weather, so it is sure to be a BEAUTIFUL weekend!
~Kim

Our home office: Back to School!

It's almost back to school time....and that means:
school supply shopping,  going through kids' closets and pitching outgrown clothes and shoes..
and buying new ones!

In this week-long cleaning and purging....comes a Mama's chance to start fresh with her
Family Scheduling Center and Home Office.
This was in DESPERATE need of an overhaul, and since 2012 was my year of ORGANIZATION,
I thought what better time to start anew than the beginning of the school year!?

I love having EVERYTHING behind closed doors,
for those times when it is not as organized as I want it to be.

And it keeps the room from looking too busy!

Of course, I put some more crates to good use here.

The bottom crate is for all the "extras" we have on hand: printer ink, photo paper, blank discs, folders, etc.
And the top crate is going to be for all the amazing papers, spelling tests, and artwork that I want to keep throughout the school-year. I put everything in one pile, then when the year is over, I re-evaluate what we keep and it goes in each child's "School Tote" I have in storage.

This pinboard comes in handy for all the notes and reminders a home office acquires!

And for some reason, I like having 2 printers (one is also a scanner). Baileyhusband built me a shelf so I have access to them both!

Our monthly bills and most of our office supplies go here......

Then everything closes up by the end of the day....

Now, I AM ready for the busy season of piano lessons, football practices, school concerts,
volleyball games, homework sessions, and everything else that comes with this time of renewal.

Have I mentioned that all 4 Baileykids are now in 4 different schools??
One going off to college, one starting high school, one starting middle school, and my baby is in elementary!

And the bulletin board is back up in the laundry/ mud room....it's the room we come and go from daily.
Here is our family calendar and each child has a corner to pin any schedules, events, invites, or papers that need signed. Now bring on the CRAZYINESS...this Mama is READY!

~Kim

A Nap

“Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.”

quoting Robert Fulghum in 1987 at Middlebury College

I'm sure that I took naps as a child, but in my adult life, I cannot even count on one hand how many real naps I've taken...

So why, after all these years, do naps have such an appeal to me?

Could it be too much stress?

Too much busy-ness on my mind...that my body and brain just want to shut down?

Or could it be that my age is starting to show? Goodness, I HOPE not!

I think the REAL reason is that I know not everything in life has to be perfect.

That some things can just wait.

Because I need a minute (or two) to recharge....

and to just "BE".

Happy (sleepy) Monday!

~Kim

p.s. All above images were from my Pinterest board SLEEP .  

Wyatt's Garden Greenbeans

This little man of mine has been working hard in his vegetable garden since the day he planted it....

Now he is enjoying the first crop of the season....GREENBEANS.......

Which Daddy has turned into this...

Baileyhusband is proud of his canned HOT PICKLED BEANS!

Yep, my man is talented in the kitchen! And I'm grateful he is teaching the next generation of Bailey Men to be just as talented! Thank goodness, or we would all starve!! :)

~Kim

Eeny Meeny Miny Mo

Picking out next year's 4H Heifer....

Which one shall we choose?

 They are all still with their mamas....and all so very cute!

And cute back sides too...that is what the judges look for! Good round tushes! :)

I will show you "The Chosen One" when we bring her home in Sept. She has a lot of work to do until then.....and we are still in negotiations with the kids on what her name will be!

~Kim

For the Love of Home: a Renovated Barn and Farmhouse

I am so very excited to start this series For the Love of Home. And even more excited about the first home that I am going to showcase.....

circa 1918

No, that is not what the home looks like now....here it is now....

circa 2012

.....After many additions by previous owners, and the amazing renovation by the current owners, 

the Holtkamps!
This quirky farmhouse is full of old architectural details...and as I sat down with the lady of the house, it was fun to hear her stories of their renovation, as they tried to figure out how to make this house their home. 

I was so happy to finally meet this family, and am glad to now call them friends! For years we would just drive by and politely wave at each other...I watched from a distance as they renovated their home and barn....wishing I had enough guts to stop and introduce myself...and ask for a tour!!

This farmstead was built in {1863} by the Hilker family, and was a part of a larger acreage for the farming family. The original barn burnt to the ground and they reconstructed a second one...here is a photo of the barn in {1918}:

These pictures were given to the Holtkamps by a woman named Alma that was born and raised in the home. She stopped by one day to pay a visit to her childhood home and the present owners graciously gave her a tour of the newly renovated home. Later, she sent them a card to thank them for their generosity and for "making her day". She seemed very pleased with the work the Holtkamps had done and was happy to meet the young family and inserted original pictures of the home and barn for them to keep!

The Holtkamps originally purchased this homestead because of the barn and the settings around it. They lovingly restored the barn, and here it is now....

Their daughters came out to watch me take photos...cute as buttons in their jammies!

I think they have a future in modeling, don't you agree?

I love how, in the past, people would write on the front of their pictures, we have so many of my grandmother's that are similar. 

The "back porch" as seen in the older photo, has now become the Front Door.

As I walked around the property, you can clearly see their attention to detail and the hard work that this restoration took. The blood, sweat, tears, and most of all For the Love of Home shows through in the results. Someday, I would LOVE to show what they have done to the INSIDE of this beautiful home! The updates that they have added are with the intent for the next generation to enjoy.

I want to thank the Holtkamp family for letting me feature their home on my blog...and for my long awaited tour! This has been a dream of mine to write about, not just my own farm and home, but to see into the homes and lives of others and to share in the love we each have for our space we share with our families.

~Kim

p.s. If you, or someone you know, would like to be featured on For the Love of Home
please send me an email at Baileywife98@gmail.com 

FOR THE LOVE OF HOME

As most people who know me, or have just met me, know that I am TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY in love with my home, farm, and the countryside! Like I have said on this blog, this is the life that I never knew I always wanted! :) For me, when we have a gathering or party, I want my home to show it's best side...much like putting on your church clothes....you want it to look beautiful.

I don't feel like this is in any way "showing off" or "bragging". Actually, I just want people to see why I love this place so much...I love to share my home. To me, this is one of the greatest gifts (besides my family) that God has bestowed on me....and I am constantly in awe of it.

With this being said....I think EVERYONE should have a love affair with their home. Your home IS a direct reflection of who you are....and a personal refuge for yourself and your family.

A photoshoot we had around our home a few years ago

I believe in making your home unique to you, make it reflect your personality and your life you are living.

I am starting a series that shows just that....FOR THE LOVE OF HOME.

I am going to showcase other's homes, farms, gardens, or anything else that THEY are in love with, or proud of, at their own home. And I can't wait to show you the first one.

Please come back tomorrow to see the renovated barn and home of some new friends of ours!
~Kim