In Honor of our Home

Since we live on Frances Scott Key Highway in Keymar, 1 mile from the birthplace of Francis Scott Key, I thought I'd repost this in his honor today.   

It was on this day in 1931 that 'The Star-Spangled  Banner' became the official national anthem of the United States.The lyrics come from a poem  written by Francis Scott Key more than a century before, 'Defence of Fort  McHenry.' He'd spent a night toward the end of the War of 1812 hearing the  British navy bombard Baltimore,  Maryland. The bombardment lasted  25 hours -- and in the dawn's early light, Francis Scott Key emerged to see the U.S. flag still waving over Fort McHenry.  He jotted the poem 'Defence of Fort McHenry' on the back of an  envelope. Then he went to his hotel and made another copy, which was printed in  the Baltimore American a week later. 
The tune for the Star-Spangled  Banner comes from an old British drinking song called 'To Anacreon in  Heaven,' which was very popular at men's social clubs in London during the 1700s. Francis Scott Key  himself did the pairing of the tune to his poem. It was a big hit.
For the next century, a few  different anthems were used at official U.S. ceremonies, including 'My  Country Tis of Thee' and 'Hail Columbia.' The U.S. Navy adopted  'The Star-Spangled Banner' for its officialdom in 1889, and the  presidency did in 1916. But it wasn't until this day in 1931 -- just 80 years  ago -- that Congress passed a resolution and Hoover  signed into law the decree that 'The Star-Spangled Banner' was the  official national anthem of the United States of America. - From The Writer's Almanac for 3/3/11 

So the tune for the Star Spangled Banner was a drinking song.  Makes perfect sense.  :) 

MOVED IN- the tour

We are officially moved in and VERY excited about it.  This is Micah and Isaiah's bedroom with the airplane curtains.

Our living room.  We might eventually have couches that you can sit on when you come to visit.

Dining room area is at the end of the living room.  I found this table, chairs and china cabinet set at a resale store.

We're calling this the entryway even though this door goes to the back of the house.  Its the door we most often enter and exit.  Micah calls it the lobby.  We're putting our kitchen table and chairs in here for daily use. We'll probably take up the carpet in here too so we have a daily eating spot that isn't carpeted.

This is the table we put in the entryway.  The church folks put a new faucet and dishwasher in our kitchen- which I love.  They made quite a few other updates as well and have continually been bringing fresh garden veggies.  Very thankful for them!

The view out the front door down the street toward the rest of Keymar.

Out the front door up the street toward Taneytown.  The building you see on the right of the picture is the church.

The family room.  It looks better than this now.  It used to be a garage which explains the long, narrowness of the room.  All of the boys' toys, puzzles and games are in really nice built in cabinets on the wall to the left of the room behind that open door you see.  It also makes a nice guest room when you come to visit.

The basement is still under renovation.  There is a full bathroom and several rooms down there that make for great storage and play space currently.