My favorite room so far!

This is probably my favorite room in the entire house!  I love a fireplace...a real fireplace, with a real fire!  The only time we have had a real fireplace in our home was in Texas...and we never used it...because it was Texas! : )

We have built two fires so far in this fireplace, and they were both wonderful!  A and I would sit in our dining room chairs all evening, enjoying the fire.  Now we have picked up some comfy chairs...but it has been a bit warm for a fire.  We are also holding off for A's asthma issues to clear up...she's had some issues the last 2 weeks, and while I don't think the fireplace bothers her asthma...definitely don't want to take that chance when she is already having issues!

I still love this room!  During the months that we can't have a fire, it will be my reading room.  Which means I won't get to spend nearly as much time cuddled up in those chairs as I would like...but I am going to enjoy every minute I can!! 

This room also includes our dining area.  Where we sit together at least 4 nights a week and have dinner and talk about our day.  In my mind...this is important.  I work hard to plan a menu and cook meals so that we have this time together as a family.  In my family's mind it's a time to fuss about the food on their plates, or fuss about who is going to carry the plates to the table, or negotiate exactly how many nibbles of food have to be eaten to count as trying something.  And one member (who will go unnamed) joins us for about 5 minutes...that is just about as long as he can possibly find a plate of food interesting!  But I hope that someday my kids look back at family dinner time as a good thing.  And that they will realize the work and effort I put into it because I felt it was important.  And I hope someday when they have their own kids, they continue the tradition because it is what they grew up with.  And I hope someday that their kids come up to them and say "Thanks for dinner Mom, it was great!"

Our fireplace definitely has some 70's charm...but that doesn't even bother me!

One of the first things the girls ask when we choose a house is "Where is the cross wall going to be?"  This time it's the dining area.

The comfy furniture...can't wait to spend more time in it!

It's never "home" until the mantle is hung!  My dad made this for our fireplace in Texas.  It has travelled with us since.  A lot of times it has hung over our bed in our room because we had no fireplace!  But this time it is at least hanging NEAR the fireplace.  I can't wait to hang stockings on it at Christmas time!!