I love to Dream, live to Create and hope to Inspire!

A girl can dream can't she?


Isn't this absolutely gorgeous? Could you imagine living in a place with painted ceilings and chandeliers this grand?
I've always been told that I have champagne taste on a beer budget and well, when it comes to my vision of a dream house that is a true statement.
This picture is actually at the Palace of Versailles in France and although it's gorgeous it's on the extreme even for me.

Napoleons bedroom in one of his French castles


















Today marks the first day in a new journey for our family.
My husband is on his way to meet with a home builder up at our property in NE GA. With my DH's upcoming retirement next year we will be deciding when and where to build our FINAL house. This is a strange feeling since we've moved every 2 to 3 years for the last 16 years being in the military. After being somewhere for 2 years I get that itch to move because I know it's coming up. However, this will be our FINAL house - seems so strange to think about. Of course my visions, thoughts, dreams of our FINAL home have always been more GRAND than I know are realistic but like my opening statement asked - Can't a girl dream?
I wouldn't even know where to begin on what style I like. I LOVE French chateau, Spanish stucco, English CHARM, Southern Antebellum and the list goes on and on.



I love homes like the English cottages we lived in while stationed in England.
Houses that were well built in their day and have stood the test of time.










I like homes with a history like this USRY home in GA ~ however, the money it would take to update and fix would be more than the money to purchase it.




Mature gardens already in place and ready to enjoy! Could you imagine the money it would take to create this oasis today? Quite a bit I'm sure.
The pitfall of this beautiful GA home (other than the money that would have to be sunk into it to make needed repairs) is that it is smack down in the middle of a neighborhood with very little land.
So, on our new journey to make huge decisions about building a house, what to build, how to build, brick, siding, layout, etc. I'm really praying hard to keep DREAMS dreams and REALITY reality. I'm also praying hard that I don't act like a spoiled brat like I did on Sunday of this week when it comes to discussing these issues with my DH. He's worked really hard to provide for his family and I think sometimes I put undue expectations on him.
So, I'm sure this won't be the last you'll read on our journey to building our FINAL home. A house is just a house isn't it? but a home is what we make it and we've always made where ever we've moved a HOME filled with LOVE ~ so I know it is all going to be good!
Have you had a house built? Any suggestions? Any advice?

Change of subject ~
We had a fabulous day celebrating my DH's birthday. I took him to lunch at a local vietnamese restaurant, he brought sushi home for dinner, and we had a chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cake from DQ. YUMMY! Needless to say I'm not going to WW this morning because I think I ate a month worth of points yesterday alone.
I got a call from the Pediatrician yesterday as well that my youngest sons culture grew strept so I called the school and picked him up early. He's home again today as he needed to be on antibiotics for 24 hrs. as to not infect others according to the doctor.

Well, I think that is enough rambling for me today! Have a fabulous weekend. I have two painting classes tomorrow and will of course share those pictures with you.