Home Update!

Okay, so I have finally found some time away from working on the house to post. Well, let me rephrase that comment. I am taking a quick break from working on turning the house we bought into our home. Home, we have decided, is one of the most wonderful words in the entire vocabulary. :)

I had originally wanted to show you the entire house in one post, but we have done so much and I have gone so crazy taking pictures that I rethought that plan. Instead, I have decided to post one room at a time along with thoughts we would like to share and lessons we have learned and are still learning!

As of  2:00 on April 15th, we have been the VERY happy owners of this 3 bed/1 bath home. In the words of my mother (and a family favorite of ours "Funny Farm"), we are officially "duck owners". In other words, we own a house, a yard, and whatever is in it and on it!


We have a burlap ribbon wreath on the front door now, but I've not gotten a picture yet. Sorry!

I will be honest, we are not extremely fond of the outside color. It's strange because I actually love green. This particular green however reminds me of one of my great-grandfather's homes. Please don't misunderstand- I loved my great-grandfather. I did not always love his house though. As a little girl, it smelled funny and it was creepy walking out of the main living space into the rest of the house (especially alone). My great-grandfather was SO sweet and having grown older, I can see now that he paid more attention to us and played with us as children than most older adults do. Over the last several months, we have become used to the color and appreciate that the two greens compliment one another. Even so, we are hoping to take on the task of painting and planting next year. We are thinking taupes, tans, browns, maybe black shutters, bushes and not flowers in the front for starters.

Stepping in through the front door, you immediately find yourself looking into the kitchen straight ahead. The living room is just to your left- open and VERY large compared to what we were expecting.



*Before*
Front door from living room. Dining room through opening on left.

The original colors on the walls were this very happy, very cool mint green and a warm (Crayola "Goldenrod") yellow on an accent wall. I loved it. It seemed crisp and clean, but more cottage style than the rustic vintage we like.


*Before*
View from the dining room. Front door to the left. Hall door to the right.

*Before*
Another view from the front door. See the accent wall.

The very next day we set to work. "Cowboy Boots" (at Lowe's) is now the color. I worked around all the trim, while sweet (and, thankfully, tall) Husband took to his first time with a paint roller. We LOVE it! I was so proud of my husband for helping so willingly. After about an hour he said, and I quote, "The roller and I have become one.". Hahahaha! (Sorry, Love, our future children NEED to know this.)


*After*

*After*
To the right of the front door.

*After*
To the left of the front door.

While we lived in the apartment, we only had room for one couch. We love our couch and red chair. They were the first pieces of furniture we picked out and bought together. Still, we have had a few parties and invited friends over from time to time- more than can fit on the couch. Of course, we gave most of them the comfy seating, but some had to follow our example and pull out a dining room chair. Chairs are not the most comfortable seat to find yourself in for several hours. Trust me.


*After*
Our new couch!

Knowing we would have the room, we spent the Saturday before buying our house finding another couch. We were sorry to find they did not have the exact same couch as before, but I had thought of this ahead of time and decided a red one might be a nice compliment. My husband was not so sure, but after a little convincing he decided he could trust me on this. (Update: He will only sit on the red couch now.)  


*After*
Excuse the mess. It was late.

*After*
Remotes are now neatly hidden in whicker basket (from wedding)!

On day four, Husband and I stayed at the house until 12:30 that night. building this tv stand. Y'all, after working for two days together on the house, a few mishaps, a few tense moments, and two different ideas of what needed to be done and when, this project was a blessing in disguise. Husband was not certain we could have it done by midnight, and I, wanting to feel like something large had been crossed off our list for the day, was certain we could. Well, he was right. Even so, by the end of it all, neither of us was cross or frustrated. We were equally tired, but both of us felt accomplished and, better yet, like we had just spent quality time together. This was the first project in the house that I knew nothing about and that he knew everything about. Having been put to work before we married building shelves for the office and living room, Husband was eager to pull out his old skills and build the tv stand. The catch- I wanted to help. What I found after two hours was that not only was he completely confident in his ability to build the stand, but he is an amazing teacher. He was so patient.


*After*

We couldn't find shelves to match it, so we turned to the internet. Y'all before deciding on this tv/ entertainment center, we intended to buy one full set from one place. Problem- entertainment centers are EXPENSIVE, at least in our book. I searched everywhere in town and online. We found several we liked, but none with a price that didn't make us second guess clicking the order button. We realized the styles we liked were the same- smaller tv stand, centered by two, tall side shelves. After finding this tv stand we rethought our original plan. We purchased this tv stand and two shelves that we liked separately. This price difference was huge and so was our relief. We put them together in two nights (one shelf per night) after Husband was off work. We can now see ALL of our movies and Husband was able to bring over ALL of his old games and consoles.


*After*
New shelves! Yes, we have a large dvd collection. The bottom shelf holds his games.

We are very happy with the outcome so far. My mother can tell you that I am not one who enjoys empty shelves, so, yes, some things can be moved away later for more necessary items. Still, just knowing this makes me feel so good. We have a home- not a temporary resting spot, but a home. It will change with us. Right now there is only our things to cover the shelves, but hopefully one day we will have a family to fill it better. We can now have our friends and family over and hopefully they will be more comfortable than they were before.



*After*
View from the front door.

That's the funny thing about buying our house. We didn't just sign papers and move in a few boxes. We have stressed every minute since we began talking about buying our house, and not just about realtors and inspectors. There is SO much to think about. For us, finding a house was about finding home. Our home. It brought us to consider what home really is. There are certain houses we have been to in our lives that we just can't wait to leave- not just the creepy ones either. There are some that have the nicest people, but it's a little too formal to relax. There are some that are filled with everything from the last 30 years, but the person is so rude that you miss the history and the homey feeling of familiarity that should be there because you can't wait to leave. There are some however, no matter their style or their size, that are just right. As soon as you walk in the door, you feel at ease.



*After*
Our living room

The people there are those you love, and everything about their home makes you feel welcome and loved. It's comfortable, worn in a few places, clean, yet lived in. Justin and I know that that is what we want. We want our loved ones to come here and feel at ease. We don't want them to feel like everything is off limits or like dozing on the couch is not allowed. We want them to feel like they can grab a drink from the fridge if they want, or pick up a photo album, or just talk and rest. We want to make them feel as welcome and as wanted as we do when we go to visit them. That in mind, we want to feel at home, too. To us, this house is not like any others. It already has its own history, and every day new stories are created within it. We want it to grow with us and become more and more like home in all the years to come.

 Okay, well it's back to another project for me. I hope that y'all have enjoyed the pictures! Here is what y'all should see on blog some time in the very near future:

*More of our house- room by room

*A Husband/Wife post

*How to deal with an unkind guest

*Our backyard treasure hunt



I'm sure I'll think of more, but I know if I don't post these plans now I'll forget. Thank you for visiting!

Painting New House....Will Be Back Soon (with pictures)!

Family Visits and Family Photos!

This weekend, Justin and I were able to visit both of our families. I could not wait to see my parents. It had been nearly six weeks since I had seen them. My sister had suggested we come to lunch at the restaurant first. The last time we had eaten there, she had introduced us as "my sister and my future-brother-in-law". We couldn't help but smile as we both remembered this. Afterwards, we went to my parents house. It is a wonderful welcoming feeling to drive up my parents driveway. The dogs come to stare, studying the car as Justin slowly drives forward. As soon as we walk through the door, we are overwhelmed with the warm scents of spiced candles or my mother's cooking. The house is warmly lit. The only thing to wake me from the old feelings that come sweeping over me is the greeting of Nicholas.

Nicholas- my sister's dog

Nicholas hates most people, and warms to no one- not even my husband. There is an equal dislike between them. Efforts have been made to make them friends, but Nicholas will not waver. Once, Justin brought a peanut butter treat with him. Nicholas jumped at his hand, causing him to toss the treat. The little tyrant only paused to snatch up the snack before returning to his barking. He is impossible.
Thankfully, my family is not. They push little "Napoleon" to the side and welcome us with hugs! :)

Sunday night, we went to Ma and Pa's (my husband's grandparents). They had begun a tradition years ago of ordering WrestleMania on tv. This year was no different. Ma made dinner for all of us before we settled into the living room. I had brought a book that my sister had loaned me and had planned to read it during the show (no, I'm not much for wrestling). My husband remembered something that I had asked him weeks before. He asked his grandparents if they had any old pictures of him as a baby. It took Ma about three seconds to find two big boxes of old pictures. They were not just the couple of senior pictures of Justin's that we have seen. There were baby pictures of my husband, of his daddy, and of his uncle. There were pictures of Ma and Pa when they were first married, in front of their home, playing with their babies. My husband had never seen them. In between fights (and during a few), my husband would take pictures and pass them to either Ma or Pa to find out who was who in the pictures. Then, while I was just beginning to finger through the first box, Ma insisted I take some for our own collection. I was careful only to take from the duplicates of Justin. I could not help but become wrapped up in the images.



This one in particular, Justin had to have.

So many of he and his Daddy had never been seen by him and he was quick to point out a few that he wanted. I, on the other hand, knew that I wanted to have them for future reference. Growing up, we used to love looking at the few baby pictures we had of our parents and trying to figure out who had what from each of them. To be honest, it was too hard. Like many couples, my parents had grown so much that they had even begun to share the same traits, making the pictures wonderful to have but impossible to pick through. I would like our children to be able to enjoy the same.

This one was one of my favorites. Those eyes- those precious, sweet little eyes!

This was a close second though. He just looks so sweet- uncomfortable, but sweet!

I couldn't help but study each photo. Some of the looks he held as a baby, I still see now- eyes wide with interest, studious, or that mischievous, playful smile.



With his daddy




With Pa in their fort!

 

He was just too cute!



Okay, so one of my husband's favorite stories to tell are those of his "Rambo" days. He had watched it when he was very young. At three or four, he loved to act out Rambo for hours in the park. It appears, Ma and Pa took pictures of this for us!

Of course, this little Rambo had red hair...

baby cheeks...

and stood at about two feet tall. Frightening, wasn't he? :)

Kindergarten Graduation

He told me that he moved SOOO fast that the camera caught multiple blurred images of him. Riiiiight!

Senior 2002

His Daddy and he at our wedding- October 19th, 2013

All four of us spent more time looking through pictures than watching the show (not that that was particularly hard for Ma and I to begin with). I, of course, can not stop thinking of the pictures that we now hold of my husband. I can look at him and see that certain traits he has now have always been with him. His past seems less a secret...and I might look at them and wonder what our children will look like too. :)
Justin has spoken of the pictures a few times since we have brought them home. He is amazed that he has not seen them before. He is surprised by what he has been able to see as well. It is nice to see him so excited.
It is amazing what pictures can bring to light. They can tell a different story. At first glance, perhaps any story can be believed with any picture, but a truth always lies somewhere deep within it if you search for it. You can find it in a smile, in a hold, or, my favorite, the eyes. I blame my mother. She never failed to speak of pictures except in the highest respect. We lost so many of our own family's old photos amidst pains and heartaches, sadly enough that were caused by our family. My mother has spent years since scouring the antique stores for pictures that others cast aside without hesitation. I do the same now; carried away by each story left untold by its original possessor and yet silently willingly itself to be understood. We found ourselves with quite a few stories this weekend, and are both very happy for it.  

The Wonderful World of Weekends!

If any day of the week becomes mixed up, it is certainly never Friday...at least not in our home. On Friday mornings, my husband wakes up, gives me a sweet kiss, says "Good Morning, Wife", followed by "It's Friday!". All I can do is grin a sleepy grin because I know how the rest of the day will go. At lunch, my husband will tell me both when he enters our apartment and just before leaving "It's Friday, Wife!". When he calls at five, it will be my turn. I always end the phone call with "It's Friday, Husband!." Then, as soon as he comes through the door, he says again "It's Friday!". What can I say, Fridays are exciting. Did I mention we don't always have plans? Crazy, I know, but the weekend means just us. We can go visit family. We can work on a project. We can sit at home. We can do everything together and it is really nice. This past weekend was no exception.

It all started Friday night. I had been considering a haircut for the last couple of months. My husband likes my hair long, so he wasn't super excited when I mentioned scissors. Truth is, I sometimes like my hair long, but it had reached the split-ends and uncooperative length. It needed to go. I don't know if I have always been this daring or perhaps I just think simple is daring, but I decided that for the straight cut I wanted, I could do it myself.. My ever-supportive husband was nervous when I asked him to cut the back, but, y'all, he was so cute triple-checking that he was matching the front lengths with the back.

From the side- Poor Husband hates when his hair flips up in the front.

Mind you, this is in a ponytail. It was MUCH longer than this when down!

We decided to make a night of it. I trimmed his hair (a VERY little bit) & he shaved his beard! It is so much easier to see his sweet smile without his beard. :)

We woke up early the next morning for breakfast out. My husband was perhaps more excited than I was about Taco Bell's new breakfast menu. We couldn't wait to try it. We quickly picked it up and came home.

From top left to bottom right- Sausage Waffle Taco, AM Grilled Sausage Taco, & AM Bacon Crunchwrap

Afterwards, we ran out to Michaels to buy a few early gifts. When we came home, we couldn't quit thinking about the nice weather outside. Y'all, I am by far an inside girl, but the weather was cool and the sun was out and the wind would not quit blowing. I could not resist. We changed clothes and quickly headed out. We only stopped for water. *I swear, if there was a bottled water of the month club, I think my husband would love it.* You can sort of see my new hair-do. It just reaches my shoulders!

After nearly two hours of walking, it was time to eat. Pizza!

Johnny's- it's not Pizza Hut, but....

a Sweep the Kitchen with no anchovies, no jalapenos, & no mushrooms is acceptable. :)

On Sunday, we woke up and began discussing our plans for the day. We quickly threw out the original plan to stay inside all day. Again, the weather was beautiful and it had been nice to get out Saturday. We loaded up and headed to Home Depot and Lowes to look at paint for our house! We decided we are going to paint our living room, kitchen, and bedroom as soon as we move in. He was so sweet helping me pick colors...granted it may not have been his first idea of fun. :) Afterwards, we had to go by his office. It was nice tagging along and I love to watch him work. We decided since we were out we would stop to eat afterwards. Chilis is our favorite place and we haven't been since we came home from the honeymoon. We had to go back to his office one more time, and my ever-hopeful husband thought that he could get us to Starbucks in time for a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, the Starbucks in town closes entirely too early, so we missed it by 15 minutes. Ahhh, but all was not lost. We then decided to make the 30 minute trek to the next Starbucks. My parents had given us Starbucks giftcards in our Christmas stockings last year and we had a little left to use!

Husband's Iced Caramel Macchiato & My Java Chip Frappacino

It was a wonderful night. The drive to Starbucks brought back old memories of not so long ago when we were only able to meet after work and on weekends and when I was returned to my family after each date. It reminded us of a lot of excitement and nerves and hopeful conversations that were just beginning. We decided during the drive that for our first anniversary, we are going to go to Ruston and eat at Chilis and get Starbucks.

It was a wonderful weekend together!