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Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

um are you guys good luck or something?

i think that admitting my weaknesses to the interwebs has some advantages.

1. no headache today

2.I FOUND US A HOME!
that's right. right after i blogged yesterday i found us a home in RI! and it is my dream house. it will be the perfect place to spend a year together.

the porch (es) scream "sit in rocking chairs and drink wine after the kids go to sleep".

the front door is perfect for j to walk in EVERY SINGLE DAY!

the yard is a dream yard for the girls.

and the public elementary school? is amazing.

the homeowners are kind,helpful,and encouraging. and they have a college aged daughter in the area who babysits!!

it is going to be a year long vacation for us. i mean that. that is how i am looking at it. this year is going to be a gift!

New

now wish me luck getting anything else done for the next few months. this is not going to help my daydreaming problems!

thanks to all of you for listening to me…i really do think y'all are good luck!!!

please forgive the overabundance of capital letters and exclamation points in this post. i'm a tad over-excited if you can't tell.

now who's coming to visit?? šŸ™‚

xoxo

Comments

  2. Absolutely beautiful Steph! Totally love the front porch and i’ll join ya on those rocking chairs but I think I’ll have myself a margarita:)

  3. Wow!! What a beautiful house! I know it will be filled with much love and happiness from the moment you move in! Good luck, Stephanie! You and your beautiful family are so deserving of this!!!

  5. I’m so excited for you, Stephanie!! I know how crazy hard the guys work. I am guessing hubs is going to a school there…so you have a year stability?! That is just amazing. You keep such a good attitude, parenting the girls with him in and out. I have seen many mommas with different attitudes. I know it is overwhelming at times…even without kids…but you are awesome!! Praise Jesus for a beautiful house!! YAY1!!

  8. Love the house, especially those stained shingles… very New England Seacoasty (yup, made a new word). Great for rocking chairs, wine and catching those breezes… and ooooh the music. The Newport Jazz Festival, The Newport Folk Festival is at Fort Adams State Park. Sigh. The view is amazing as is the music. Kid friendly too, though expensive. Did I meant I love little Rhody, especially Newport. Be excited, it is a great place šŸ™‚

  15. Your new house screams “New England”! I love it and I am so glad that things are working out for you.

  16. That house is amazing!! What a huge answer to prayer!! šŸ™‚ I agree, the porch definitely would beckon to me to come sit after my boys are in bed. LOVELY!!! šŸ˜€

  17. Oh I wish! yay – that is amazing – can’t wait for photos of you all settled inside šŸ™‚

  18. Wooohooooo! The house is beautiful! I would be dancing around whooping and hollerin’!!!
    How exciting for you and your fam!

  20. Oooh (and ahhhh!) I am in love too! So happy for you for all those reasons you posted (esp seeing J every day). Looking forward to your move so we can see more of your new RI home. Looks gorgeous!
    I live in Scotland (and would love to move to USA) but have visited RI before and loved it. Stayed in Newport but only 1 night. Connecticut was our favourite but think that had to do with all the autumnal (fall) colours and the amazing homes! Also loved the Thimble Islands. Have you heard of those? They are awesome!

  23. I can not wait to come visit! Just tell me when. Everywhere in New England is practically right up the street. So excited for you!!!!

  24. Wow, nice house…is it right off the ocean too? It looks like it would be. That looks like a great place to spend a year.

  25. Congratulations! I am so happy for you, this home looks gorgeous and the “family year” sounds amazing.
    xoxo, Bea

  28. That is absolutely beautiful and I can already hear girl giggles and whispers filling it with love and happiness. Now it is time to plan the nest!

  30. Wow what a great house .. i can absolutly understand why you are in love with it. I am so happy for you … and I definitly would come visiting you when I wouldnĀ“t live here in Germany.
    xoxo Tascha

  32. That house looks like my ideal, too. I’d love an old farm house with a wrap-around porch with a swing and a big ol’ yard for the girls to play in. What a wonderful thing to look forward to.

  33. Congratulations!! That would definitely be my dream house too and a college age babysitter??? That is awesome!!!

  34. Oh sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am swooning with you!!! That house looks fabulous!!!

  35. Oh, my that looks absolutely lovely. Dream away girl, dream away. Before you know it, you’ll be on vacation with that handsome man and beautiful girls of yours. šŸ™‚ Love the built in babysitter, college age is awesome for your squad! šŸ™‚

  36. I know you can’t be specific about timing of the move, but will Harper be able to start school there? And Sadie? Maybe they can walk so you will get out of the van from time to time. I’m so excited for you!!

  37. Btw..the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence and Mystic Seaport and Aquarium are great day trips for you to think about!

  38. You guys have more than earned a fabulous year there! Hope all goes as smooth as possible for the rest of the move!!

  39. Congratulations!!! That is a great piece of land! Beautiful! I wish you the very best as you prepare to move your family and then actually do it! You will be kinda close to me after the move!

  40. Quintessential New England Stephanie! Love the house – I’m so excited for you all to experience New England! got a list a mile long to send you of things to do from Rhode Island to Maine! …and I’d be happy to visit, help baby wrangle – whatever !!! oh my – you guys are going to LOVE it!!

  42. the house is just perfect looking! so picturesque!! and i can see all of y’all enjoying that wrap around front porch!! good luck to all of y’all. it will be an exciting year i’m sure! very happy for you!

  43. That is such a beautiful home!!! Glad to hear your headaches are gone and you’re feeling betta! I’m so super happy for you!

  44. Congratulations! My husband and I bring our 2 daughters to Newport all the time. We are from CT. So it’s only a 2 hour ride. So much fun in the summer! You will love it! Sometimes if we are able to sneak away ourselves we book a room at The Viking( the oldest hotel in RI) I think- and we make a weekend of it. It’s beautiful!

  45. i can totally see why you’re in love! that is just gorgeous–i wouldn’t want to leave after a year!

  48. What a beautiful home! I hope your family is happy there! I’ve never lived in the northeast so I can’t even imagine what the winter will be like! Brrrr!

  51. I can see why you fell in love with that house! It is beautiful and an answer to prayer! You are going to love being in New England!

  52. Stephanie!
    that is a beautiful home! I am so HAPPY for you guys!!!
    we are moving to upper michigan in a week (from the chicago burbs) and I am looking at it the same way, a vacation! we will be living right on the bay of Lake Michigan, 3 blocks from our house~ and my hubby can see his work building (a school) literally from our front porch~ let the adventures begin! Now if I could just get out there to come visit y’all, that would be awesome!
    have a grand time decorating and I just couldn’t be more HAPPY for all of you if I tried~
    xoxo
    tara

  53. YAY, Hooray – the house looks perfect for your family. So glad to hear that things are looking up….you deserve it!

  59. Oh my gosh, that is SUCH a cute house!!!
    I can already see you adding some coastal touches to it!
    I would love to live in that part of the country for a year!!

  61. SO Beautiful! And I am sure it will be even more perfect once you have put all of your amazing personal touches on this house and your family makes it a home. I am so happy for you and your family to get this special time TOGETHER! You ALL deserve it! Enjoy every moment of it!

  63. I am so thrilled for you all that you’ve found this gorgeous home in your new town. I know that you will have a wonderful year with your precious family. I realise that I don’t really know you but I am certain that you are the strong, loving, capable and beautiful young woman that you come across as in your posts.
    My good wishes & prayers are with you & the family.

  65. I’m glad to hear that you are headache free today! Woo Hoo! And I will be packed by 7 tonight to be over šŸ™‚ Hee Hee

  66. BEAUTIFUL… I * L * O * V * E *IT!!!!! Congrats on your find! Wow, I sure wish I could visit šŸ™‚

  68. Absolutely gorgeous!!! What a beautiful home for a beautiful family šŸ™‚
    So very happy for you guys!!!!

  70. Ooh how exciting! What a beautiful house! Now we are planning a trip to the US next year and that porch looks perfect for a wine!

  77. Now my daughter lives in Boston–so I think I should come for a visit–we could get creative!! šŸ™‚ Enjoy your time there!!!

  78. HOORAY!! That house is beautiful! Did you end up finding it in Newport? or Portsmouth or Middletown? Regardless, I LOVE it! You will love it there!!! Can’t wait to share with you my favorite places! šŸ™‚
    And please, please put one of your daughters in the Newport County YMCA gymnastics program. It’s SUCH a great program. MANY of the coaches I worked with still work there… including Matt, the director’s son, who is amazing with kids and the sweetest ever. šŸ™‚

  79. I live in California, so east coast weather is a mystery to me, but that looks like a lot of outdoor fun in that yard. Beautiful home. Hope your year is going to be smooth sailing.

  81. wow! That looks amazing! The porch, to die for. And a babysitter? What a bonus. Soooo happy for all of you.

  82. Oh Stephanie, I am so happy for you & your family! It’s beautiful, and that wrap around porch makes my heart flutter.
    What an exciting time for you all.
    Blessings…

  83. Stephanie,
    Soooooooooo happy for you. Wow a whole year with J. You and the girls will love it.
    I’ll come to visit!!! Would love to meet you in person cuz I feel like I know you and the family.
    Huge hugs to you.

  84. 1. Yay! Hope the headaches STAY AWAY.
    2. Woo Hoo! That gorgeous home is going to look even better with you & J on the porch watching your four little chicks play in that fab yard.
    3. ME! ME! (Don’t I wish.)
    Congrats, Steph!

  85. Oh wow! Look at that SWEET house! I can picture you sitting in a rocking chair on that porch sipping wine with J! It all sounds so lovely! I’ve heard you talk about the downside of military life, but getting to live and experience so many parts of this beautiful country sure is awesome! You probably know that! ;$

  88. I would be in love too! That porch… I long for a home with a porch and a reason to sit on it (i.e. great view, beautiful weather, good book)

  89. a gorgeous home, stephanie!! i would definitely come visit – i’m right in CT! if you ever need any little day-trip ideas in our neck of the woods, just let me know! šŸ™‚ *

  90. love the house, so happy for you, now I can’t wait to see what you do with it, you are so amazing!

  91. So, so so cute and SO SO SO Stephanie & Co. ! Boys and I will be there with a welcome wagon, because seriously….Sadie and Sullivan are destined to be buds! Volunteering to ‘virtually’ help pack/watch kids…
    Kristi

  93. It’s gorgeous! Congratulations! I think you are really going to love your year here (I live 1.5 hours away and work in Providence). There are so many things to do, beautiful things to see and places to visit in the area. It truly will be a year long vacation if you want it to be! Here’s wishing you a smooth move!

  99. Stephanie!!!! This is amazing!! Looks like my dream house too šŸ™‚ enjoy your well deserved year long family vacation!!! Hugs

  101. Stephanie – just saw your post. We were up in Newport for five years and my DH still teaches there at the War College. It’s a great place to spend a year. Not sure if you’re going to be on the island, but there’s a great farmer’s market in Middletown during the week off East Main Rd. (and a good toy store). In the fall visit Cranberry World in MA – they do fun stuff around Thanksgiving. My kids love First Beach in Newport (and the Exploration Center) and there’s tons of great restaurants in Newport and downtown Providence. Hope your upcoming move goes well!