Spring in the South is just beautiful and I arrived home just in time for the flower show of azaleas and dogwoods in April.
This beautiful pink dogwood always puts on a show outside my parent’s house, along with the hot pink azaleas, a staple in most Southern yards. My parent’s house was built in 1973 and just like they are, it’s simple and unpretentious.  We lived next door to this house for about 10 years previously in a brick rancher. My dad built both homes and we’ve lived on this street since the mid-60’s. Home sweet home.
A cute young newlywed couple bought the brick rancher next door over a year ago and are fixing it up SO adorable. I’m planning to do a blog post on that house that I grew up in and show you the Before and Afters. But, that will have to wait until Fall, since they are still doing some work on it. 
I love this pink dogwood and the beautiful show it puts on every year about this time. 
Welcoming Spring and just in time for Easter. 
These hot pink azaleas are always abundantly pretty too and this year they were loaded with fluffy magenta blooms. 
So pretty!
Come on in and I’ll show you the room I call home now. I moved in this room for the first time when I was 16 and it’s been through a few changes over the years. The last time I lived at home was when I was saving to build my own house back in the early 80’s. I lived at home for a few years until I could afford to build and then I moved in that house at 28. I try not to dwell on the loss of having a home of my own now. I have to look forward and not back.
My niece Lauren used to have this room, since she had a room at her house and her Nana’s house when she was growing up. She made herself at home and had it decorated with lots of animal prints and stuffed wild animals. My mom got a little misty-eyed, I think, when the room had to be cleaned out so I could move in here, but she made it through the changes. Now that Lauren is a married woman, it wasn’t as hard to let this room go. Lauren gets her pack rat tendencies from my dad and we all three have a little hoarder in us. 🙂  
You can see I did manage to squeeze my big king sized sleigh bed in here. I wasn’t sure how much I could fit in this small space, but I did get everything in here that I had hoped. You can see the bed looks sparse. All my fancy pillows were packed in a box somewhere in that storage house and I did dig out a few of them after I took this pic. This room will not be a showplace, but it’s comfy. 
My jewelry armoire fits fine on that little wall and I even got my chair and ottoman in. 
Back to a standard small closet, I did get all my clothes in except for some sweaters that got packed away in plastic bins. Between me and my mom, we have a lot to fill up all these rooms. They have 3 small bedrooms upstairs and the master bedroom is down. One of her rooms is a sewing room and one a guestroom. They are all filled to the max.  But, we are all adjusting to the move. I just have to be deliberate about picking things up to keep this room straight. The closet still needs some work. 
I was very happy to be able to fit my vanity in here, since I use it every day. Shield your eyes from the mauve carpet. I’m afraid it’s not going anywhere. 
You can see the cornices from my old blue bathroom fit the windows in here too. With my TV and fan, I’m set now. 
This border HAS got to go! Left over from the animal print days, it will be ripped down sooner rather than later. 
Now the bathroom is in dire need of an update. Stuck in the 70’s, this wallpaper was put up sometime in the 80’s I think and it’s time for a redo. My mom is cool with that and ready to rip down the wallpaper in both bathrooms, so that is on the to-do list soon, as well as ripping up the mauve carpet in here. The entire upper level has this carpet and even though I’d love to see it all go, at least I can take it out of the bathroom. There are some great alternatives out there now for flooring, so I’ll be looking at some of them and deciding what to put down over the plywood that is underneath. Tile or laminate, or something, I’ll be DIYing this. Of course, I’ll share it all with you!
I really don’t mind the aqua laminate counter top. I can work with it. I think I’m going to do some beadboard wallpaper in here and in the tub room too. 
Here’s the original tub with avocado green tiles, which I don’t mind either. I can definitely work with this color. If you wait long enough, a color will come back around again. This is my clothes drying space too.
The tiles are a nice shade of green and will work fine for what I want to do. I’ll update in here and make it look so much more up to date and of course, I’ll share it all along the way. Time to get this space out of the 70’s and into the 21st century. 🙂
So, that’s a tour of my new digs. I’m really enjoying being back with my family after a chaotic few months. I’m so grateful for my parents and the opportunity to be here with them. The house is 2 levels and they are downstairs and I’m upstairs, so that works out great for all of us.
It will be fun to do some updates for them too. This might not be what I had planned, but I’m learning to be content with where I am.
Hi Rhoda! Oh, those pretty blooms outside your mother and dad’s home are just beautiful! Glad you were able to get so much furniture in your ‘new’ bedroom! I know you’ll make your space looks marvelous and I wish you well as you set up your blog design business.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
I think you are managing all of this change with grace and dignity. Keep going!!!!
I cant wait to see what you do…:) And I would love to know more of what you are going to offer in your blog design business…:)
Come read a tribute I wrote to my Mom and Gramma and check out my cash giveaway!
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Being content with where you are in life is a wonderful thing. That is what many of us strive for!!
Enjoy the time you have with your parents….it is a win win situation for you all.
I love your blog! I hope the next time you have the blog get together, I can attend as I’m in Douglasville.
Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing your updates on your parents home.
I loved the tour! SO happy you were able to fit in all your very favorite most wanted things! Life is funny, isn’t it? Flexibility is a great tool in times like these. God has a plan…….all is well.
Rhoda –
I have to tell you that I so admire your attitude about this huge change in your life. Ten years ago…my life fell apart. Everything went wrong including my husband leaving me. I too was lucky as you to have a place to fall. I moved home and lived in a little rent house my parent’s owned across the street. Back to my little home town. It was hard…I actually had been living in Atlanta for 10 years. I didn’t want to move but at the same time…my sister was having medical problems and my parents needed me home.
I had such a hard time with my life changing so suddenly. My attitude was not good at all. So I just wanted to leave a comment and tell you how much I admire you. I lost my father only a year and a half after moving home…and I am thankful I got to see him every day during that time. Which I would not have…if my life hadn’t fallen apart. Anyway…I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you do with your “Back Home” space.
I think you can be very inspiring to all women who are going through difficult times. I wish I’d had my blog when I was going through it. Yet, I wonder if I could have been as strong as you are about the situation.
I love dogwoods, azaleas, and Bradford pear trees in the spring. They all put on quite a show. I look forward to seeing what you do to that bathroom.
Love that dogwood. Prettiest I have ever seen! I so love your attitude and so glad you have your parents and family for support right now. You are one smart cookie! LOL
I just want to pop in here as well, and tell you how happy I am to see that you are settling in and making the most of things, Rhoda. Your great attitude will get you through, with your family at your side. You are a very lucky woman. ♥ Know that we’re all out here cheering for you, and wishing you only the best.
Oh Rhoda, those dogwoods take my breath away! I can see you’ve got your DIY eyes set on making a few changes, it will all be supurb when complete. Glad to hear the contentment in your voice, you are such a beautiful lady, I am so glad to call you my friend.
xo
Kate
I have often yearned for a family home; one that I grew up in, and where the door is always open to me to come back to. Unfortunately, my mom (a single mom with no extra support) and I moved from apartment to apartment. I hope to now create a home such as the home your parents have created for your family; one that my children will remember and cherish, no matter what the updates or how ‘2011’ it will seem to them.
Rhoda, I admire your attitude in the face of adversity! I am not so sure I could be as gracious as you are! Looking forward to seeing what you will do in your suite! So many people have simple homes and it is good to get some down to earth ideas for updating creatively. Thanks for sharing.
The dogwoods are gorgeous, Rhoda!
I am in awe of your positive attitude, Lord knows I need some heavy duty Paxil just to get through the everyday, your grace through this change is inspiring. Blessings to you!
I like looking at the rooms. There is always some fun and inspiring things to do decorating wise but we are on such a tight budget, we have to get by on a shoestring right now. I remember the avocado green, my mom had a stove and I did too in one house we owned years ago! Hee Hee! The 1970’s revisited! I loved my bell bottom pants back then! My figure too! Happy Mother’s Day to all mamas in your life! Anne
I loved the the tour of your new home. The pink flowers are so beautiful. Your room looks very comfy with all of your favorite things at hand. The bathroom has good bones; I can’t wait to see you work your magic! I happen to love the mauve carpet; it looks nice with your furniture. Just find a wall color that doesn’t fight it.!
I am in my fifties, also, and have had many upheavals the past few years, including breast cancer, the death of a boyfriend, and job loss. Thank you for teaching us about handling life with courage and gratitude!
Sometimes being with the ones who love you so much …means so much. Glad to see the white chair and ottoman Loved those posts as well as so many others. Hope your grandmother in law has adjusted to your abscence. we will all miss those posts.
Such a positive attitude you are sharing with us! I hope your Mom is aware of the great deal she has with such a talented decorator living right under her roof! Can’t wait to see how you transform the bathroom with the “sage” tiles . Something tells me it will be fabulous! The bedroom already has a cozy cottage feel to me and it will keep getting better and better ! Enjoy your day with your Mama tomorrow!
Rhoda,
I’m a Georgia girl, live in Habersham County, near Helen. Love the flowering trees and bushes in your folks’ yard. Will look forward to seeing what you do with your sweet suite. 🙂 Enjoy Mother’s Day with your Mom.
Blessings,
Kathy
I’m also in Habersham County but in Mount Airy. Enjoy having your Mom. I miss mine especially today.
About a year ago, my husband and I sold our house in Massachusetts. We’d been living there for about 5 years and had done a few big jobs, including replacing the wall to wall carpet (and underlying asbestos tiles) with laminate hardwood flooring, building our own mantel, and general decorating. When we started to stage the home everything looked great… except the bathroom. It was all the original 60’s pink. Pink sink, pink tub, pink toilet, pink wall tile, pink floor. (All this was complemented by the giant floral wallpaper that was hung by the previous owner, an older woman who lived in the house with her elderly mother.) We were working with a home stager and she actually referred us to a company that does re-glazing of tiles. We had them come out and they were able to “repaint” all of the pink wall tiles, tub and surround, and sink to make it bright, new shiny and white! We replaced the toilet and laid new flooring and the whole room looked fantastic. Our only regret was that we had lived with that awful pink for so long! Maybe in your area you might be able to find someone who does re-glazing which would give you more options for your redecorating.