The past year has gone by so fast - we can't believe we've already been married for a year! It has been so much fun, and we can't wait to see what the next year has in store for us. We're going to Orofino for the weekend (our weekends are Monday and Tuesday because of work schedules) and can't wait to 1) get out of moscow, 2) watch cable tv, 3) sleep as much as we want!
It should be lots of fun. I'll try to take some pictures so you can see how pretty Orofino is!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
An empty house...
Evangeline (the girl I babysit - she turned 1 today!!) and I took Tyler to the airport yesterday, and he was the last of our housemates to leave. I realized the other day that since we moved here, Bran and I have never gotten to simply enjoy living by ourselves. We were alone the first month we were here (July of last year) but spent the entire time renovating and painting the house, so we didn't really get to enjoy just living. "The Kids" as we call them, got here in August, and left for a week or a few at a time, but most of the time at least one of them was home. But now they're all three gone for 3 months, and I'm pretty excited. I miss them, and know that I'll be ready for them to come back in August, but for now I'm really looking forward to having a quiet, empty house.
So the other night I got home from work at about 11pm and when I pulled up to our house there was a huge truck full of bathroom debris in the front yard, the front door was propped open, and there was a table lamp on the porch. Bran and Austin were going to town on the bathroom (and a case of beer). I wasn't thrilled that they were working so late, more out of concern for my neighbors and my desire for sleep than anything else. But there were no complaints, and they were able to do a good bit of the framing that needed to happen. It is so exciting to see it coming together!
I've gathered some more ideas for paint, storage, etc. The tub will be on the far wall as you walk in, and on either side there will be built in shelves. I'm going to buy some rattan baskets so we can use the shelves to store towels, toiletries, etc. I already have two of these Savannah Pottery Barn baskets, and I think something like this will work great:
Here is an updated pic of the bathroom. Bran and Austin (Evie's Dad) put in the frame for the ceiling (it peaks, but we're dropping it about a foot so we can install can lights), and started working on framing out the walls around the tub. After I snapped this picture, Aus said "oh good, she got my good side!" :)
And this is the enormous bee hive the guys found behind the wall where the tub will go.
Luckily it's old and didn't have anyone living in it when they found it. Ugh I'm glad to have that out of there!
So the other night I got home from work at about 11pm and when I pulled up to our house there was a huge truck full of bathroom debris in the front yard, the front door was propped open, and there was a table lamp on the porch. Bran and Austin were going to town on the bathroom (and a case of beer). I wasn't thrilled that they were working so late, more out of concern for my neighbors and my desire for sleep than anything else. But there were no complaints, and they were able to do a good bit of the framing that needed to happen. It is so exciting to see it coming together!
I've gathered some more ideas for paint, storage, etc. The tub will be on the far wall as you walk in, and on either side there will be built in shelves. I'm going to buy some rattan baskets so we can use the shelves to store towels, toiletries, etc. I already have two of these Savannah Pottery Barn baskets, and I think something like this will work great:
Here is an updated pic of the bathroom. Bran and Austin (Evie's Dad) put in the frame for the ceiling (it peaks, but we're dropping it about a foot so we can install can lights), and started working on framing out the walls around the tub. After I snapped this picture, Aus said "oh good, she got my good side!" :)
And this is the enormous bee hive the guys found behind the wall where the tub will go.
Luckily it's old and didn't have anyone living in it when they found it. Ugh I'm glad to have that out of there!
Monday, May 18, 2009
My husband is amazing.
If I said I was going to install a bathroom in what once was just a closet, it would end up not happening because shortly after saying that, I would realize that I don't have the slightest clue where to begin. When Bran says it, the closet goes from looking like a closet to this the next day (including the magical appearance of a tub!):
This is the only upright picture I could find (my computer is having trouble rotating the other ones) but it gives you an idea of what I mean. He tore out the floor, took down walls, and was able to find us a brand new, $400 tub with the surround (it was a floor model at Moscow Building Supply a few years ago) for $50!! AND today we went to this construction salvage yard and got a toilet from them for $35. So we've already demo'd the bathroom, bought a tub and a toilet, and all we've spent is $85!
The most amazing thing? When we got a quote from a plumber to do all of this in February, it was going to cost us $2500! With Bran doing most of the work, and the help he gets from his professional friends, all of the plumbing, fixtures, sheet rock and everything will cost us less than $1000, most likely by a whole lot.
I'll keep taking pictures and posting as the project changes - I hope I can keep up!
This is the only upright picture I could find (my computer is having trouble rotating the other ones) but it gives you an idea of what I mean. He tore out the floor, took down walls, and was able to find us a brand new, $400 tub with the surround (it was a floor model at Moscow Building Supply a few years ago) for $50!! AND today we went to this construction salvage yard and got a toilet from them for $35. So we've already demo'd the bathroom, bought a tub and a toilet, and all we've spent is $85!
The most amazing thing? When we got a quote from a plumber to do all of this in February, it was going to cost us $2500! With Bran doing most of the work, and the help he gets from his professional friends, all of the plumbing, fixtures, sheet rock and everything will cost us less than $1000, most likely by a whole lot.
I'll keep taking pictures and posting as the project changes - I hope I can keep up!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Hoping things slow down this summer...
Bran and I have been working non-stop for approximately a year now. That's not entirely true, of course. There was the honeymoon, and then the move, and then renovating the house, then going to Seattle with the girls, MD for Christmas, Oregon with the in-laws, and that camping trip in there somewhere. But beyond that we've been working constantly. It's getting a little old!
Something I never realized about school is that it ENDS. First you have the school year: 9 months of class, then 3 months of summer break. Work, then relaxation. Then you've got high school: 12 years of schooling ends with 3 months between high school and college. Then with college, if you're lucky, you get a break about every 8 weeks, and then after 4 years (or 2, if you're smart like us and quit to get married) you're done! Then what? Work. A million years of work with no end in sight. Well, except for death. So basically, work until you die.
That sounds horrible to me! Bran, on the other hand, would have it no other way. He loves the occasional break, no doubt, but the idea of getting to live his life while working hard sounds wonderful to him. The differences between men and women are amazing. I would much rather be home cleaning, taking care of kids, cooking, and did I mention cleaning? That sounds wonderful to me. But that's not where God has me yet.
As I try to guide my little discussion of work, I've realized that it sounds a little like I'm complaining. I'm not at all - I know that this is where God has us right now, and that it won't be this way forever. When we have kids, which will be whenever God decides it is, I will no longer work. Right now I'm working because I can - we figure that we may as well save up as much money as we can now to help ease things a bit for us later. But once I have a baby, I'll "get to" (never thought I'd put it like that) spend my days doing all those things I crave: cooking dinner all the time, cleaning, changing diapers, etc. Maybe that is why God has me where I am - so that I'll appreciate the not-so-glamorous aspects of motherhood when the time comes.
I've learned a lot over the past year about being thankful for the situation we're in. When Bran and I had our miscarriage, I realized that when I get pregnant again, it won't be the same as it was the first time. And if we miscarry again, that won't be the same either. When we have our first baby, it will look completely different than it would have had we not had a miscarriage - we won't be praising God in the same way. We will be praising him as a couple who knows first hand what a miracle it is when pregnancies come to term.
Wow that was way more serious than I intended! I guess I needed to clear my head a little. :)
As for right now, I'm happy watching Evie and working at the Pantry - but let me tell you, I can't wait for that little stick to show two pink lines again.
Something I never realized about school is that it ENDS. First you have the school year: 9 months of class, then 3 months of summer break. Work, then relaxation. Then you've got high school: 12 years of schooling ends with 3 months between high school and college. Then with college, if you're lucky, you get a break about every 8 weeks, and then after 4 years (or 2, if you're smart like us and quit to get married) you're done! Then what? Work. A million years of work with no end in sight. Well, except for death. So basically, work until you die.
That sounds horrible to me! Bran, on the other hand, would have it no other way. He loves the occasional break, no doubt, but the idea of getting to live his life while working hard sounds wonderful to him. The differences between men and women are amazing. I would much rather be home cleaning, taking care of kids, cooking, and did I mention cleaning? That sounds wonderful to me. But that's not where God has me yet.
As I try to guide my little discussion of work, I've realized that it sounds a little like I'm complaining. I'm not at all - I know that this is where God has us right now, and that it won't be this way forever. When we have kids, which will be whenever God decides it is, I will no longer work. Right now I'm working because I can - we figure that we may as well save up as much money as we can now to help ease things a bit for us later. But once I have a baby, I'll "get to" (never thought I'd put it like that) spend my days doing all those things I crave: cooking dinner all the time, cleaning, changing diapers, etc. Maybe that is why God has me where I am - so that I'll appreciate the not-so-glamorous aspects of motherhood when the time comes.
I've learned a lot over the past year about being thankful for the situation we're in. When Bran and I had our miscarriage, I realized that when I get pregnant again, it won't be the same as it was the first time. And if we miscarry again, that won't be the same either. When we have our first baby, it will look completely different than it would have had we not had a miscarriage - we won't be praising God in the same way. We will be praising him as a couple who knows first hand what a miracle it is when pregnancies come to term.
Wow that was way more serious than I intended! I guess I needed to clear my head a little. :)
As for right now, I'm happy watching Evie and working at the Pantry - but let me tell you, I can't wait for that little stick to show two pink lines again.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Our Summer Projects
Since "the kids" (aka Jen, Ty, and Rachel) all leave this month to go home for the summer, Bran and I have been talking about things we want to do while they're gone. Here are some of the things we've come up with so far:
1. Build the upstairs bathroom.
I'm sure I've mentioned before that Bran and I are going to put in a master bathroom off of our upstairs bedroom. The plan was to have this done by Christmas, but that didn't happen. So now it is our "if we get nothing else done we will at least do this" goal for this summer. I'll post some pictures of the room now, and a little mood board with our furniture, floor, and color ideas.
2. Finish painting the darn foyer.
The foyer was the last painting project from last summer, and as such it was the project that burnt us out. It was such a violent "cannot do any more work" moment that we even left up all the painters tape. So our goal is to replace all the painters tape after figuring out how to take it off (it's pretty much impossible to take that stuff off even after a month, let alone almost a year....) and then finish painting in there. I also would love to re-think our entryway furniture, but at this point painting is more important.
3. Curtains, curtains, curtains.
My mom made me these beautiful dining room curtains, but right now those are the only curtains in the whole house, besides the curtains Karen bought for Tyler's room and study. I need to find/make curtains for the living room, our upstairs library/chill room, and our bedroom.
4. Re-vamp some of the decorations we put up in a hurry last year.
We were given a few decorative things before we moved last year, and in an effort to decorate the house, we put them up as a temporary fix. Some of the things I really love (like our make-shift candle holder on the coffee table - it was some sort of Roman wall hanging thing, but Bran popped out the center and cut off the chain it hung from, turning it into a beautiful coffee table centerpiece) but there are others tat I've grown tired of. Mostly, I want to replace the iron decoration above the fireplace with a pretty mirror to brighten up the room.
5. Decorate with art and photos.
I've collected lots of photos and some art over the past year (including a gorgeous painting that Anastasia did for me as a wedding gift), and I'm dying to display them. I bought some frames at Goodwill and painted them white, and now they're just waiting to be hung.
1. Build the upstairs bathroom.
I'm sure I've mentioned before that Bran and I are going to put in a master bathroom off of our upstairs bedroom. The plan was to have this done by Christmas, but that didn't happen. So now it is our "if we get nothing else done we will at least do this" goal for this summer. I'll post some pictures of the room now, and a little mood board with our furniture, floor, and color ideas.
2. Finish painting the darn foyer.
The foyer was the last painting project from last summer, and as such it was the project that burnt us out. It was such a violent "cannot do any more work" moment that we even left up all the painters tape. So our goal is to replace all the painters tape after figuring out how to take it off (it's pretty much impossible to take that stuff off even after a month, let alone almost a year....) and then finish painting in there. I also would love to re-think our entryway furniture, but at this point painting is more important.
3. Curtains, curtains, curtains.
My mom made me these beautiful dining room curtains, but right now those are the only curtains in the whole house, besides the curtains Karen bought for Tyler's room and study. I need to find/make curtains for the living room, our upstairs library/chill room, and our bedroom.
4. Re-vamp some of the decorations we put up in a hurry last year.
We were given a few decorative things before we moved last year, and in an effort to decorate the house, we put them up as a temporary fix. Some of the things I really love (like our make-shift candle holder on the coffee table - it was some sort of Roman wall hanging thing, but Bran popped out the center and cut off the chain it hung from, turning it into a beautiful coffee table centerpiece) but there are others tat I've grown tired of. Mostly, I want to replace the iron decoration above the fireplace with a pretty mirror to brighten up the room.
5. Decorate with art and photos.
I've collected lots of photos and some art over the past year (including a gorgeous painting that Anastasia did for me as a wedding gift), and I'm dying to display them. I bought some frames at Goodwill and painted them white, and now they're just waiting to be hung.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Attack of the Quail
Ok, so they havent attacked, but they definitely showed up in our neighborhood this week. Every once in a while I'll glance outside and see one running (yes, they run) down the sidewalk, head bobbing and little curl thing bouncing around. Maybe this only amuses me... all we had in our old neighborhood in MD were rat-tailed squirrels and rabbits.
Bran keeps telling me to keep the BB gun downstairs so he can shoot one and have it for dinner. I told him it would take about 40 to feed him dinner, and he agreed that one or two just wouldn't be worth it. *whew, quail-killing disaster averted!*
I haven't snapped any pictures of them yet, but I'm sure I'll get some eventually if they keep sticking around.
Bran keeps telling me to keep the BB gun downstairs so he can shoot one and have it for dinner. I told him it would take about 40 to feed him dinner, and he agreed that one or two just wouldn't be worth it. *whew, quail-killing disaster averted!*
I haven't snapped any pictures of them yet, but I'm sure I'll get some eventually if they keep sticking around.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Summer to-do list
I mentioned in my last post that we're going to do some bathroom renovation over the summer. Some other things on my summer to-do list are to change up the decor in our living room, clean out the basement storage room, paint the front door, and finally "finish" our master bedroom and upstairs living room.
Right now the living room looks pretty much exactly like it looked when I took the picture of it found in the sidebar the right (maybe not as tidy, but you get the idea). My plan is to take down the hanging iron piece and replace it with a square mirror {they have a great selection of framed mirrors at Ross for under $50} that will look something like this:
The living room is the only room in the house that doesn't feel very spring-y right now, and I'm thinking that changing up some things will help. Because of where it's located, it doesn't get much natural light until late in the afternoon, so I think the mirror will help maximize the little bit it does get.
As far as our bedroom goes, I want to paint the slanted parts of the ceiling white instead of blue. We were afraid that it would look weird if part was blue, but I had a change of heart after coming across this picture on design*sponge:
Granted, we don't have gorgeous floor to ceiling windows or awesome wainscoting on the ceiling, but I love how much bigger their ceiling looks. Having the blue on ours makes the room feel a little closed-in.
As far as the basement storage room goes, I'm just hoping to clean out the junk left there by the previous owners. Lots of old paint cans and supplies, chunks of wood, etc. Someday, I'll paint it and organize all of it so it looks like this:
Well, almost like that. Except without the checker patterned floor. Although, I guess that's better than the plywood floor it has currently....
Right now the living room looks pretty much exactly like it looked when I took the picture of it found in the sidebar the right (maybe not as tidy, but you get the idea). My plan is to take down the hanging iron piece and replace it with a square mirror {they have a great selection of framed mirrors at Ross for under $50} that will look something like this:
The living room is the only room in the house that doesn't feel very spring-y right now, and I'm thinking that changing up some things will help. Because of where it's located, it doesn't get much natural light until late in the afternoon, so I think the mirror will help maximize the little bit it does get.
As far as our bedroom goes, I want to paint the slanted parts of the ceiling white instead of blue. We were afraid that it would look weird if part was blue, but I had a change of heart after coming across this picture on design*sponge:
Granted, we don't have gorgeous floor to ceiling windows or awesome wainscoting on the ceiling, but I love how much bigger their ceiling looks. Having the blue on ours makes the room feel a little closed-in.
As far as the basement storage room goes, I'm just hoping to clean out the junk left there by the previous owners. Lots of old paint cans and supplies, chunks of wood, etc. Someday, I'll paint it and organize all of it so it looks like this:
Well, almost like that. Except without the checker patterned floor. Although, I guess that's better than the plywood floor it has currently....
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