Goals for My Green Gables

I’m not a bit changed—not really. I’m only just pruned down and branched out. The real me—back here—is just the same. It won’t make a bit of difference where I go or how much I change outwardly; at heart I shall always be your little Anne, who will love you and Matthew and dear Green Gables more and better every day of her life. ~Anne of Green Gables

Every New Year, resolutions are as common as a long line at Starbucks at 8am on a Monday morning. However, resolutions fade, whereas the lines at Starbucks just get longer.

I am linking to The Nester today. Instead of resolutions, I will set goals for my house. Although my name is not Anne (Anne, with an "e"), it is close enough. Just call me Anna of Winding Winterfield Drive. Anna, with an "a".


1. Add to my gallery wall going up the stairs. I want this to be regularly irregular in its patterns, colors, and pictures. I have an "S" made of rusted brown metal and a chipping blue grate that were both found at an antique/artsy shop in Asheville over Christmas. These found, worn and loved objects have added character to the standard photo collage, and I want to continue with meaningful pictures and objects.

View from Loft


Blue Grate with Special paper memorabilia such as wedding invitation


From living room: Room to add special faces and momentos!




2. Organize our bonus room and purge our garage. Since Jonah was born, we have used the bonus room as the resting place for all things infant...Baby swing, bouncy seat, pack 'n play...Patrick has a wealth of books and teaching supplies stacked in boxes...Although we have half of the room clean, we need this space to grow our little family. Jonah needs a little corner of the world to transform lincoln logs into HGTV dream homes. As for the garage, I choose to not go in there. We should make some money on the side by turning our garage into "Sams' hardware and tool supply". We have any and every tool you could need, thanks to my husband's addiction to tinkering and my addiction to turning old things into usable ones.

3. Dining Room Table Creation. We have a dining room table. It is a lovely one. However, I somehow had the notion to create another dining room table. This one will be out of an old door from Patrick's grandparent's place in the mountains (this is in the garage, of course). I found two large porch posts from an antique store in downtown Winterville. I am cutting them in half to make four legs.

4. Seasonal Wreaths. I know this sounds nerdy. I can't help it. I've turned into a compulsive seasonal observer. This means the door has to observe the season as well. So far, I have Christmas...


Valentine's Day...


and fall.


I want a spring and summer wreath as well.

5. A Green Gables' home. This may not make sense to you if you have never read or watched the stories of Anne. As qouted above by Anne, life is seasons of changes and growth. At heart, she was the same girl who loved her home but more importantly, those people who lived in it. She loved them more everyday, and home became dearer to her regardless of how old she became. I want my green gables to make others feel at home, loved, cherished, and remembered. I want my family to grow in grace within these four walls.






I will never be fully done with this list. I seem to have random ideas and fly from one project to the next. The goal that will never change or finished is nurturing my home. Regardless of the paint color, latest antique find, or wreath, my most important home goals are raising children that can't wait to return home from college break, or bring their special someone to meet mom and dad, and building a partnership and relationship with my husband that will stand the test of time.

What are your Green Gables goals??