So much happens in the course of a year. I love to throw together a list of some of the major events that occurred so I can look back and remember them. It feels like a REALLY long time ago that I ran in the Charleston Half Marathon and it was still less than a year ago. Of course, we did lots of other stuff in 2013, but here are some of the highlights.....
January 2013
Made some resolutions... more on how things went in a later post
Completed the Charleston Half Marathon with a personal best time!
Spent lots of time visiting my niece in the NICU
February 2013
Hosted a Supper Club Super Bowl Party!
Celebrated my niece coming home from the NICU
Celebrated Ryan's 29th Birthday
Got together with friends to start Nooks & Grannies book club
Found some lovely fabric for re-decorating our den
March 2013
Ran in my first 10K - Get To the Green St. Patty's Day Run
Discovered Thursday night jazz at Hunter Gatherer
April 2013
Spent a long weekend at the beach!
Trained & ran in the Heart & Sole 5-miler
"Ran for Boston"
Celebrated my sister & niece at a belated baby shower
Helped with my JWC's Annual Yard Sale
Played Ultimate Frisbee for the first time (my team was awesome!)
May 2013
Served as a guest speaker for a group of nurses state convention
Spent Memorial Day Weekend at the Beach!
June 2013
Quit Monthly Menu Planning
Began serving as the President for JWC of Lake Murray
Attended Brandon & Mary Kathryn's wedding!
Went Kayaking with friends... got inspired & bought our own kayaks!
It started raining... and it rained and it rained and it rained. Longest streak of rainy days in history.
July 2013
Celebrated my nephew's 3rd birthday & my niece's Baptism
Ryan started a new job... I went on vacation to the beach
I completed my PHI Pilates Instructor Certification
Hosted Nooks & Grannies book club at my house!
August 2013
Went on a weekend trip to Greenville
Started training for Georgetown Half Marathon
Taught my first Pilates class
Talked about and decided to put our house up for-sale-by-owner....
Were completely shocked when it was under contract in a quick 2 weeks
Packed liked crazy & searched for a new home
September 2013
Quit training for Georgetown Half (too busy moving!)
CLOSED on the Sale of our first home
Shopped and shopped and shopped for a new home
Moved in with my parents
Put a contract on our new home!
October 2013
Completed lots of inspections & paperwork for our new house
CLOSED on the purchase of our new home
Helped to host a baby shower for my college roommate Elizabeth
Attended Heather & Jeff's Wedding
November 2013
Ryan started another new job... a much better fit!
Moved into our new home!
Celebrated 10 years together (we started dating in November 2003)
Made a big long list of things "to-do" for our house & got started working
December 2013
Volunteered at our JWC 2nd Annual Tour of Homes
Celebrated our 4th Anniversary
Celebrated Christmas & New Years with family & friends
Celebrated my 29th Birthday
Monday, January 13, 2014
Sunday, January 12, 2014
House Progress!
Wow. It's been more than a month since I posted here... So much has happened in that time period, below are some things that I've gotten to "scratch" off the list! It is definitely nice to see all the things we've completed in writing since some days it feels like progress is slow-going! Looking forward to more exciting updates in the coming weeks & months!
- Find/Purchase Table Chairs... Found the COOLEST reclaimed wood kitchen table at Nadeau, and paired it with metal cafe chairs from amazon. Looks AWESOME with our dark wood chandelier. Definitely a more modern look than my usual style, but I'm loving it. 
- Repair Plaster, Prime & Paint Walls
- Repair Plaster, Prime & Paint Walls- Install Range Hood
- Replace busted pipe from freezing weather.... Here's something we had to add to our list... but luckily our laundry room is on the back porch, so there was no water damage to the inside of the house!
- Frost glass brick window.... Hooray, I can no longer see my neighbors while I shower!
Whole Downstairs
- Blinds/Shutters .... I couldn't stand the mini blinds any longer! They were so dusty from the floor re-finishing and I had originally planned to wait until we painted all the trim to replace them. However, they were SO nasty that I went ahead and ordered 2-inch faux wood blinds and we installed them all over the downstairs. Even though they don't currently match the color of the trim, they block out the sun much better and look WAY better than the minis. (For anyone who is wondering, we still haven't replaced the blue minis in the stairwell... those are a real gem and will likely be in place until we finish all our downstairs updates.)
Dining Room
- Window Treatments.... Went shopping with my mom and sister last weekend and found fabric for dining room draperies that coordinates with the fabric I'm going to use in the living room for cornice boards. Since you walk from one room to the other, I wanted it all to have a good flow! Also the fabric and the cost of making draperies was amazing at Interior Resolutions of Richburg. If you're in SC or NC, you should totally check them out.
- Buffet Lamps...Christmas gift!
Breakfast Nook/Butler’s Pantry
- Prime/Paint Trim
- Sand, Prime & Paint Cabinetry
- Purchase & Replace cabinet knobs
Kitchen.... Aside from finishing the paint on the walls & trim, the first phase of our kitchen re-do is almost done! Check out this before & after!
- Prime & Paint Trim
- Sand & Paint Cabinetry
- Purchase & Replace cabinet knobs
Laundry Room
First Floor Bathroom/Linen Closet
Outside
- Leaf blower! Christmas Gift!
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
An Update & A List
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| Beaufort Enjoying the Front Porch |
Well, more than a month has gone by since we closed on our house, and unbelievably, we moved in 3 weeks ago. Time is flying! I thought it would be cool to publish here my “list” of things that I want to work on in our house. They are by no means in priority order, just organized by room. We are knocking out everything a little at a time, and obviously some things are more costly than others, so we will need to save up before we actually tackle them. It feels really nice to draw a big fat line (I imagine myself marking it off with a sharpie!) through each thing. Having it all written down helps me realize that we have already accomplished a lot, even though we still have a long way to go. I’m excited that with every new project we finish, the house is starting to feel more and more like our home. Can’t wait to continue to show you the progress!
House Project/Purchase List
Hire(d) Professional
Purchase(d)
Inside
Entire House
- Electrical outlet additions/updates
- Change out light switch and outlet plates to match
- Paint/Repair/Replace HVAC registers and floor grate
- A/C Unit & Duct Work Insulate/Update/Replace
- Repair Plaster & Paint Walls
- Sand/Prime/Paint Trim
- Repair/Sand/Prime/Paint front door
- New Light Fixture
- Coat closet – add stackable storage
- Entryway decoration
Living Room
- Purchase & Install Ceiling Fan to replace light fixture
- Repair Plaster & Paint Walls
- Sand/Prime/Paint Trim
- Rug
- Window Treatments
- Blinds/Shutters
- End Tables/Coffee Table
- Lamps
- Update Fireplace/Hearth
- Replace/update mantle
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| Dining Room Chandelier...... one of my favorite additions so far... ignore the crazy mini blinds |
Dining Room
- Repair Plaster & Paint Walls
- Sand/Prime/Paint Trim
- Purchase & Install Chandelier
- Window Treatments
- Buffet Lamps
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| Breakfast Nook Light... now if only I had a table... |
Breakfast Nook/Butler’s Pantry
- Find/Purchase Table & Chairs
- Repair Plaster & Paint Walls
- Sand/Prime/Paint Trim
- Window Treatment (to hide laundry room)
- Sand, Prime & Paint Cabinetry… in progress
- Purchase & Replace cabinet knobs
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| Progress Painting Cabinets... only the doors left! |
Kitchen
- Repair Plaster & Paint Walls
- Sand/Prime/Paint Trim
o Install Range Hood
- Sand & Paint Cabinetry… in progress
- Purchase & Replace cabinet knobs
- Change overhead light for framed fixture
- Replace/Re-surface countertops
- Repair glass pellet hole in window over sink
- Install backsplash
Laundry Room
- Shelving/Storage
First Floor Bathroom/Linen Closet
- Frost glass brick window
- Repair Plaster & Paint Walls
- Sand/Prime/Paint Trim
- Vanity/Sink
- Light fixtures
Master Bedroom
- Repair Plaster & Paint Walls
- Sand/Prime/Paint Trim
- Blinds/Shutters
- Window Treatments
- Closet – add shelves/storage
- Purchase Ceiling fan w/ light to replace light fixture
Guest Bedroom
- Repair Plaster & Paint Walls
- Sand/Prime/Paint Trim
- Blinds/Shutters
- Window Treatments
- Closet – add shelves/storage
- Purchase Ceiling fan w/ light to replace light fixture
Outside
o Install new latch for gate
- Porch ceiling paint
- Paint front door
- Porch light fixture
- Roof
- Tame the Yard/ Hire plant expert to advise
- Storage Shed
- Privacy Fence
- Bigger Mailbox
- Exterior Storm Windows
- Leaf blower!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Moving Update!
So dying for an update are you? We got the official notice last night that our floors are complete! While that means we have a hefty check to write today, it also means we are super excited to have access back to the inside of the house this afternoon.
Today we're only allowed to walk on the floors, not put anything permanent down on them, so of course, we'll be going by for a visit to check out how they look! (Pictures to come, I promise!) Ryan's parents are also coming to see the house for the first time, too!
We're going to rake some leaves and do some general yard cleanup this afternoon, too. Another little project I hope to start today is priming the cabinets. Our appliances are scheduled to be delivered on Monday (eek!), so I hope to have at least the bottom set (not including doors and shelves) primed before they arrive. Of course, this makes for a busy Saturday evening and Sunday!
Hopefully VERY soon this little gem of a kitchen will be transformed into something brand new! Our plan is to move at least a few things on Monday night (including our bed) so hopefully our first night in the new house will be Monday!
Today we're only allowed to walk on the floors, not put anything permanent down on them, so of course, we'll be going by for a visit to check out how they look! (Pictures to come, I promise!) Ryan's parents are also coming to see the house for the first time, too!
We're going to rake some leaves and do some general yard cleanup this afternoon, too. Another little project I hope to start today is priming the cabinets. Our appliances are scheduled to be delivered on Monday (eek!), so I hope to have at least the bottom set (not including doors and shelves) primed before they arrive. Of course, this makes for a busy Saturday evening and Sunday!
Hopefully VERY soon this little gem of a kitchen will be transformed into something brand new! Our plan is to move at least a few things on Monday night (including our bed) so hopefully our first night in the new house will be Monday!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Sold!
Same title, two blog posts in a row, but this time, it’s for our house PURCHASE! A huge thank-you shout out to our dear friend and realtor Kate, without whom we would've never even had our house on the market and certainly guided us through the craziness of home shopping.
We are already hard at work beautifying our sweet 80-year-old brick bungalow and can’t wait to update you more on all the things we do! For starters, here are just a few pictures "BEFORE"-style.
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| House Front |
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| Kitchen |
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| View from Dining Room Into Living Room |
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| Living Room |
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| Bedroom |
As far as purchases and updates, so far, we’ve started on trimming up the yard jungle, moved the gate so Beaufort can be let out the side door into the yard, furnished our fabulous front porch with some wonderful wicker furniture, ordered new appliances, ripped down the kitchen wallpaper, and turned the whole house into a dust bowl by sanding down the kitchen cabinets to prepare them for paint.
This week, we’re having the hardwood floors stained and re-finished, so there won’t be much more progress inside until after that’s done. However, as soon as floor guy is done and says it is OK, we can move in! We’ve been so lucky to be able to stay at my parents and save some money, but definitely ready to get back into our own space and not have to live out of suitcases! I’ll be back with more pictures soon!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Sold!
August 15th was the last time I wrote anything here on the blog… I didn’t mention it that day, but only 4 days before that, we put a For-Sale-By-Owner sign in our yard. We’ve always known we wouldn’t stay in our house forever and the market seemed right in our neighborhood to give it a try. We weren’t in any hurry, so it didn’t matter much to us if it sat on the market for several months… or even longer!
However, there was a different plan in store! We showed the house twice in the first two weeks with our sign, and took several other phone calls about it. We only posted about the house in a few places online, luckily one of those brought us our buyer. So tomorrow is our last official day of owning our first home. We close on the sale of the first house we purchased together, the first house we lived in as a married couple, the first house we brought our puppy home to, and the first house we shared lots of other memories in. It’s pretty surreal.
So, if you’ve been wondering why it is quiet around here, it’s because we’re packing up our stuff and spending any other spare time we have searching for our next home. We have less than 24 hours left to own our home, and less than 12 days to live in it. Time to pack in some last memories and lots of boxes! Can’t wait til we find that perfect house, when we do, I’ll be sure to share, but don’t be surprised if you don’t hear much from me before then!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Currently...
Listening... to music from my playlist for pilates class tonight at First Baptist. It’s my first time teaching all by myself (Eeek!) Playlist is lots of praise and worship music…. Anyone else like to workout to praise and worship? I find it so motivating…. Luckily our class is at a church, therefore praise and worship music is encouraged.
Eating... trying to stop myself from eating the entire container of triple ginger snaps from Trader Joe’s. We visited the new store in Columbia, FINALLY, and I even visited it twice the same day because I just NEEDED to introduce Ryan to the cheap but yummy coffee there. Are you married to a coffee snob? Check out Trader Joe’s. It will change your life (or at least your coffee budget).
Drinking... Always lots of water and daily diet coke. For a quick second last week I quit drinking my morning diet coke cause I thought it was making my face twitch. Not so much. So… back on the sauce.
Reading.... nothing! Need to go to the library! Just read Get Lucky by Katherine Center for book club that I hosted at my house, and next month we are reading Where’d You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple, but I already read it while I was at the beach! So… recommendations are welcome…
Wearing... Seersucker! Only a few weeks left and I just got a new-to-me hand-me-down skirt from my sister. Planning to literally wear this sucker out until Labor day! Also, got blue paint on my white capris, so those are out. L
Feeling... Anxious about teaching my first Pilates class tonight. Mainly because the other instructors are out (hence, why I’m teaching) so I don’t have any backup. Luckily, got a class full of experienced Pilates ladies. P.S. Natalie, feel better fast!
Weather... Surprisingly cool for August. Wondering if this summer has been some sort of cruel joke that is gonna lead into a bitterly cold winter. I hate cold weather, but I am soaking up these 70 and 80 degree August days. Seriously. NEVER BEFORE has this happened in my lifetime. What a relief from the usual 100+ degree summers we have here.
Thinking... the next 2 weeks are gonna fly by and then it’s officially FOOTBALL SEASON and the unofficial start of FALL! Thinking I absolutely love fall and I’m really looking especially forward to it this year.
Enjoying... morning walks with my pup and listening to my daily Bible reading on my phone. 230 days out of 365 are done. This is the furthest I’ve ever made it in a Bible-in-A-Year plan and I am super stoked that it looks like I will actually finish it this year. So encouraging and one of the best things I’ve done, hands down, ever. Looking forward to figuring out exactly how I want to dig deeper into the word in 2014. I know, crazy, but not that far away.
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