Out of all the houses we’ve lived in over the years, our very first home in a development type neighborhood still remains one of my favorites. The HH’s work was only about 10 minutes away, there were wide open spaces, biking trails, we lived in the middle of a cul de sac and we had good neighbors with kids similar in age to ours. There were no drug dealers across the street, no scary dogs roaming the neighborhood and it felt peaceful and safe.
If I remember correctly, the previous owners had only lived in the home about 18 months so the carpets and paint on the walls were pretty much like new. There was even a giant play area across the street where I’d take the kids {still toddlers at the time} several times a week. They LOVED it.
It was also the first house where we really started entertaining. Birthdays, Christmas parties, baby showers {those cheesy home parties where you basically invite your friends/neighbors over to buy stuff} and just family gatherings in general all took place there. The house was a rambler {or ranch style as some people call it} and it was about 1,100 square feet. I LOVED the layout with its high ceilings and big open feel and I could see or hear what the kids were doing pretty much all of the time.
One spring, the HH built us a giant fence and garden gates complete with a heart shaped cut out over the gate handle. He even built us an amazing picnic table too. It was the first place we were able to fill with nice {pine} furniture and the couch set came from Macy’s. We even had 2 area rugs {fancy, I know}. My husband worked about 80 hours a week at the time, but at the end of the day, that house was such a joy to come home to that the long hours didn’t seem so bad. We could zip over and bring him lunch and pop in for a quick hello if we wanted to, and the kids loved visiting him at work even it was only for a few minutes.
The kids had the funnest rooms too. Pinterest wasn’t a thing yet and so the whole suburban mom I have to compete with my neighbor to have best rooms for my kids mentality didn’t exist yet {or if it did, I was totally oblivious to it}. The rooms were happy, and filled with their favorite play things. The Girl had her art desk, doll house and beanie babies. Monkey Boy who was in love with race cars at the time, had one of those giant plastic molded car beds that I picked up at a yard sale for $20. He thought it was the best thing ever and LOVED sleeping in it. Ohhhh and the yard sales! Seriously, in the summer time you could find anything you could possibly need second hand in that neighborhood.
It’s funny, when you look back, some homes you love because of the way they looked or where they were located. But other homes, it was totally about the way they made you feel. That sense of togetherness, and having everything you could possibly ever need right there within those 4 walls, was the best feeling ever.
Home. It’s were the heart is. Simple as that.
Have a wonderful Saturday everyone,
~Mavis
More stories in this series:
- The First Apartment
- The First Mobile Home
- The First House
- The First Home in a Suburban Development
- The House with the Hardwood Floors
- The First House We Built
- The House Where This All Started
- The HOA House
Linda says
I’m loving this series of posts! You’re a great story teller. The build up to your dream house is with the wait! Thanks for sharing this part of your life with us.
Alison says
Great post – have been enjoying reading about your journeys. How true that it’s not really where the house is or how it looks but more about how you feel when you walk in the door.
Nan says
Our first house was small- 3 bedrooms and 1 bath in the Chicago suburbs- but we too had great neighbors. I look at the size of the lot now- 57’x110′. TINY. We bought it with a $3400 down payment (10%) we had saved from DH’s job and some baby sitting money I earned while staying at home with a baby.
Linda says
Mavis, this story is about much more than the houses you lived in, it’s a beautiful love story. You are an amazing person, with so much wisdom, I think King Solomon would be proud of you.
I’m looking forward to reading about the journey.
Paula says
I see that your famingo love started a long time ago.
Mavis Butterfield says
I think you’re right Paula!
Aunt G says
Lovely series!
The melding of two lives into one and then into a family seems like a lost art.
I’m loving this. Well done.
Kelly F from Oregon says
This is my favorite series! Love hearing about what made these homes special (or not as special) to you. Makes me think fondly back to our first cookie cutter home that very similar in size. Brought all three of our babies home to it before moving on to our next home five years ago. I remember our realtor told us, “There’s always something very sentimental about the home you have your children in.” <3
Jillian Rose says
I love this series Mavis! So enjoyable to read. I look forward to it every day. This may be my favorite that you’ve ever written! I hope you get your forever home and that it’s everything you hope for. ❤️
Norma says
I love these stories. Can not wait for the rest……
Helen in Meridian says
Is that the dh’s convertible in the drive way? Ah, and was your sofa made of denim? It looks like denim in the picture. Oh, that checked sofa at the first house looked cute for the time too. My DH’s favorite book was Madeline like the doll in the Girl’s room. His mom read it so many times he can remember all the rhyme. My mom read Eloise and we had the doll and the books.
Mrs. C. says
What a great story!
lynne says
Totally loving this series, and the pictures that go with it!!! So much love – so obvious! Can’t wait to read the “final” chapter! LynneinWI (where the current temp is -10, with windchills of -40)
Brook Hart says
This is almost identical to the home I own now. I bought at a tax auction for 4000.00. Not as big as my last home but mortgage free is beautiful.
ann in E. oregon says
This series is THE BEST, Mavis!! It’s really beautiful. 🙂 Thank you so much!!
Dana says
Such wonderful memories! Thank you for giving us a sneak peak into the early years of Mavis!
Nancy D says
Loving your photogenic mom and softly smiling dad in this series! I bet they’ve had fun and are proud of being involved in your amazing life!