Tuesday, November 23, 2010

There was a beginning...


We moved to Chesterfield, Missouri in March of 2007 when Amelia was still just a baby but here they are on the front porch of the home we rented for 1 year and would soon be moving down the road a mile or so to the new 'old' home that we bought...



here are some before and after shots of what was done to the house, each room had wallpaper & some had two layers...very fun.










         No wallpaper in this paneled room but it did need Sheetrock



Here is the kitchen before with it's lovely 2 layers of laminate


Now if I knew we'd be moving after just a couple years then maybe I would have connected the wood flooring from the kitchen to the living room but we loved having soft carpet in our family room



We had visitors flock to St Louis in the early summer, no it wasn't for the cozy humidity it was for all these little ones! Liza was crying in this picture b/c she was saying goodbye to Mia

and we had visitors in the summertime, just in time to catch some fireflies in a jar



friends came over to play late into the evening while waiting for their mom to have their baby brother born


Here is our first of 2 years on swim team, ribbons still hang on their walls

dad's giving eliza a pep talk or a threat that she better win or else :) let's just say that she swam b/c her friends did


here they are in all their littleness just growing up little by little


This picture can still make me cry because after a scary miscarriage, James called Jody from the hospital & asked if she could come help out while I recovered...she didn't even pause before saying she would be on the next available flight.
we had deer nibble our apples
and little girls gave each other makeovers in the basement where mom didn't care if you spilled a bottle of nail polish

and we enjoyed many rainy cozy days...inside
we took advantage of the Ballwin pool on the many hot days b/c who can resist the lazy river?
then Christmas came around and we got to have fun company again

 

Aunt Jody and Uncle Garrett spent the day at Amelia's doctor while she received her medicine. Let's just say that after that experience Amelia can still get anything she wants if she asks her aunt jody



for the two years that she had ITP she would sleep for hours and hours during the day and this one picture brings back all the memories

here is our unfinished basement that we had plans of finishing since we moved in and now we see what a blessing that we didn't sink more money into it
Overall the house was filled with happy memories
and I love this one b/c they didn't even flinch when the bright camera flash went off & they both had their sugar babies under their heads
more playtime, the babydoll has a chain taped from her nose to her ear...I even felt sorry for her
The first of warm spring days had to be spent with friends, a hose, and a baby pool


Took advantage of all that St Louis had to offer like the zoo & never ran out of things for company to see with all their museums & beautiful places

 

Spent a lot of time in our yard
& enjoyed everything that popped up

Easter morning was so pretty we could have walked to church...but we didn't.
then came news that a baby boy would be on his way
so my Mom came to visit before the baby was born so she could have some fun with me, yes, she is a bit of a party girl




Look who was lucky enough to say he was born in the 'Show Me' state


all I can say is that our next baby will have issues if he doesn't get his own photoshoot with Alma

Grandma & Grandpa Bowen saw more sites in and around St Louis than all of us put together...they are amazing!

 Then another Christmas rolls around & I get my sister Deb b/c she had an empty nest since Grant decided to go live in Peru for a few years :) Yay for me
I like this shot below of her tongue hanging out b/c she's not used to lifting little ones...all the time!
Eliza had such a great primary teacher and on top of that she took her baptism pictures and during the process she caught Liza yawning
 



our last visitor who came for our last Spring


Then just a month later we hear news that changes our entire future
but we still feel the love even if the girls turn their heads away from the camera except for the one with her tongue out...she's always been really good at expressing how she feels.

our last big playdate at the park

we gathered one last time to eat treats and avoided any talking that delt with the reality of moving

Amelia asked her friends to bury her so she wouldn't have to face the future without them



Our dining room was usually covered with papers and crayons all over the floor but this time there only sits a sign in sheet for someone to come and appreciate the home and neighborhood like we did


So this is the end of that chapter in our lives because our home closed last week. Such a quick review of 3 1/2 years that I could never sum up why that was our favorite spot...it's all the little things that just continually added up  but I never took pictures at book club or DeBunko (we couldn't call it Bunko b/c all we did was jump around to each others home for a yummy meal & laugh) or stopping by friends to be invited in for pancakes or to see if something yummy was baked up and so it's always the folks you know and love...whom I will never forget.

10 comments:

Tait said...

I just did my make up and great I have to reapply. You know I haven't said Hello to the new neighbors..I scowl at them when I drive by. Mad that they are there, glad you got it sold, mad they couldn't give you a bigger offer(they drive bmw and looks like a lexus suv)seriously, sad I won't see your girls dancing in the yard or taking pictures of your new son. But ultimately Grateful that I got to be a part of a memory in your life. If there in one thing I can take from your example is the happiness and the importance of family you showed along with your sisters. I love that.

Zana said...

Well I did not put on make up today & glad I didn't...too sweet. I love reading your words b/c they make me smile out loud :)

suzy said...

Great! Now I'm feeling homesick for Saint Louis...

something good said...

what a great journal entry

Chesterfield reminds me of the Walgreen commercials "A Town called Perfect" seriously, so ideal!

Oh how I miss your perfect little life!

Anonymous said...

that made me cry!!!!!

Lori said...

Wow, like I needed to cry just a little more today...it has been one of those Sundays.
Alma and I were talking at her house last week about just how much it sucks looking at your old house and knowing you will never be back. It makes me get all teary eyed every time I drive by your place. I get a flood of memories and see ghosts of little girls dancing around the driveway. You are so missed!!!!!

Amie Orton said...

I think it was called loaded Questions. It is definately a no thinker game like apples to apples. Perfect for my family. WE are not really strategists for games like Settler's of Katan. too lazy for that.

I'll ask me sister and make sure that was it.

I miss you in missouri and I'm not even there!

carrie said...

I feel sad that Abram doesn't have Thomas around to play with they would have been great friends. We miss you tons!

Julie said...

That is the saddest post I have ever read!! Very touching!! Any chance you'll make a move to Colorado? That would be fun and not depressing at all!

The Wehrmeister's said...

uggg. I just read this post again. I don't know why (I like torture?)oh well.

miss you tons my dear.