Hamptons Designer Showhouses (Part One: Coastal Living)

There were two big showhouses in the Hamptons last summer since Coastal Living joined the club (the regular annual Hamptons Designer Showhouse is sponsored by Traditional Home).  I planned then debated going to both, but then realized they were five minutes away from each other and sucked up the cost ($35 each, and only one was for charity).  Lucky for me, when I got to the Coastal Living House, there was not a soul working there, selling tickets or collecting money, it was just open with a few other ladies perusing so I got in and got out before anyone asked me for cash.  Slick Katie.

One of the main differences between the Coastal Living House and the other, is that they had one design firm, Meg Braff Designs, do the whole house, unlike the other where they have dozens of designers with each doing one room or nook.  It was also generally less impressive, save all the awesome tile work by Fireclay, which we almost used for our kitchen, which was the general theme of the house.  White and lots of colored tile, with all the rooms having a different color scheme.

J. McLaughlin, the clothiers, contributed to the mudroom, so it was prep haven.

The beginning of all the beautiful tiles in the powder room off the mud.

I found my place!  The poolhouse!

 I'm super predictable, but man I love two tone blue tilework.  The mini kitchen in the poolhouse.

 And the bath!

Back inside and downstairs...

2016 Highlights

The year has been a busy one for everyone in our family.  It's been good for us, but rough having both DH's mom and my step-dad with severe health issues, especially since they aren't nearby.  Fortunately, DH's mom seems to be recovering, while my step-father's cancer has now spread to his liver and chest cavity.  He is pursuing another round of chemo, but unfortunately he likely has months to live.  We spent more time than normal in the last several months up in WI spending time with my step-dad and in turn the kids' cousins and all the grandparents.

The kids switched preschools from the spring, and are now in two different ones since the fall (and we're contemplating moving him to hers), though they went back to the same summer camp for the third year.  They kept busy with all kinds of new activities: dance for M (which she started last fall), and soccer and tennis for them both together (though he started first alone w/a buddy of his), and tae kwon do for A.  They've made some really good friends (which makes the idea of moving even less appealing) and we are thankful for that.

When I finished up my big FT onsite work project last December, while balancing interviewing for another FT job that I didn't end up taking, we did birthdays, Christmas and ran off to Florida and I had no idea what the future held.  Then this year, I've been lucky to have several work at home projects which have kept me in the game.  Thanks to my friend (and patron saint of SAHMs) John Parker, who so astutely observed, I'm still making my own rules.

Amazing sand, but red tide sucks

DH is surviving his company's reorg, while turning down his boss's job (a long time friend who he worked for in his last/first job and got in there), who is still hanging on.  He was in talks to purchase a company from a colleague who wanted to retire, but the terms were less than advantageous, and then he decided not to sell it yet, so we'll see what happens.

Marielle's big recital on May Day (which is a big day for me since it was when I found out I was pregnant with the twins), she was front and center and did great!  Sadly, she'll miss next year's as it is the same day her auntie Jennie and uncle Gary are getting married.

Some of their best friends are another set of boy/girl twins, who are exactly six months younger, who we met through dance class.  Their mom is now a good friend too and their dad is a battalion chief at a nearby town's fire department, so they got invited to march in the town's 4th of July parade, which was a big hit.  The firehouse had quite the spread and activities for the kids and it was an amazing day.

Ava and Blake turned four and had a great party in the blazing heat of summer

DH and I had an amazing 10th anniversary/40th birthday trip to Savannah and Hilton Head.  It's like all the stress falls away when you aren't immediately responsible for little people.  I look and feel so tired most of the time otherwise.  We stayed at the Andaz and would highly recommend it and the town for a getaway.

My babies are getting so big and so grown up.  They are so goofy and smart and sweet.  They are everything I could have ever imagined and more.  They are both rocking pre-K.

This was after their very first tennis lesson, where they were both screwballs, but she spent much of the time with her tennis dress up over her head.  Sweet jesus, that's my girl! ;) (shorts from then on)

For the first time since 2011 (when they were in my belly), when I waited at the bottom while DH climbed to the top of Montauk light, we took them out to the very end of Long Island.  We found out when we got up there that M doesn't care for heights, which is why she is still unhappy in this picture.  Getting us all in one picture is feat, looking at the camera and smiling is the holy grail.

I had two cousins get married this year (another one and my sister are up next spring), and one reception was at Ripon College (which was lovely) and the other was in a fancy event barn in Indiana's Amish country.  We had a fun, even though my immediate family couldn't attend this one due to my step-father's cancer treatments.

Grumpy Rapunzel and the Happy Astronaut

Fun in the leaves

First snowman of the season

Trip to Milwaukee Art and Children's Museums

My boys

These two...