I don’t consider myself a vein person, but I do love pretty things.  I love a pretty dress, a bit of lipstick – it makes me feel pretty, even on the inside, and I love that.

I love to be surrounded by pretty things and over the past few years, I have made an effort to only bring things into my home that I love and make me feel that special way I love to feel.  I hadn’t even consciously thought about this really until a friend was unloading my dishes a while ago (the best kind of friend) and she said “you always have the cutest stuff.  Even your measuring cups are cute.” I didn’t think I was one of those people who always had cute stuff, but that quickly put a little pep in my step.

There was a time that I longed for my own house.  It was on the top of the list of things I wanted and it motivated my every financial decision.  I was surrounded by rentals for years upon years not being able to paint and design how I wanted to.  Sometimes it was suffocating because owning our own home was so far off the radar of where we were at the time.  I surrendered my control over the situation, but decided I needed to stop acting like a whiner and be grateful for what I did have.  Enjoy this part of our journey.  I couldn’t control what light fixtures had been picked out for the rental, or what shade they painted the walls (and ceiling and floor and baseboards and doors – beige… my least favorite) but I could control what dishes I bought, what curtains I hung, what throw pillows lay on the couch.  And I went from there.  Things that I no longer liked (like that brown living room rug.. bleh!) I replaced with something I did like.  Over time, I have come to love everything in my home.

Here are a few pieces of the Miller Manor that make me happy every day.

We had our bridal pictures in black frames on tables at our wedding.  We have added to that collection and used them in different ways at every house.  Here, they cover an entire wall – floor to ceiling – in my office.  I love how the pictures are old and new and tell the story of our family.  I stop here often and just admire them.  I don’t even mind straightening them out when Grae comes to adore the wall too (evidence below).

 My bright blue door smiles at me each morning as I walk to the kitchen.
My ‘M’ mantle – which happened by accident when my mom unpacked all my M’s and just set them somewhere.  I loved how they looked together and have kept them here since.  Some I’ve bought and most have been gifted to me.  I love them all!

 I love happy dishes! My latte bowls from anthro which we buy for various holidays through the year (I hope to have 100 some day!)
For dishes, if it comes in color, I buy it in color.  If it doesn’t come in color, I buy it in white.  The combo is perfectly me and makes me smile as I grab a breakfast bowl, or set plates out for dinner.

 I bought these awesome blue wire baskets at HomeGoods last year and didn’t think I’d use them for my kitchen, but one time I dumped a bag of potatoes in there (so I would know when they started getting yucky) and I’ve kept my fruit and veggies here since.  I have found that I grab for them much more than I used to in the fridge or in the cupboard.  Plus, I love the punch of natural color in my kitchen. (Also – we love avocados.)

 My sis-in-law gifted me a twin to their childhood cookie jar (story on instagram) and it makes my life happier – it does!
I also love fresh flowers on my table.

Right when I walk into my kitchen, I see my aprons hanging (with the girls aprons as well, which we all wear often), my bright chalkboard that usually has a happy quote, and my girl’s chore board that reminds us all to get our hands to work!
I wear an apron on my “home days” sort of as a uniform for my motherly duties.  I love one with pockets, and one that’s cute! (this one I’m putting on is from anthropologie)

One of my favorite church hymns is Love At Home, and I like my home to look like this song makes me feel:

There is beauty all around,
When there’s love at home;
There is joy in every sound,
When there’s love at home;
Peace and plenty here abide,
Smiling sweet on every side,
Time doth softly, sweetly glide,
When there’s love at home.