Busy, busy

This week has been incredibly busy, so this will be a short post.  I started my new job (Sr. Business Analyst for Premera Blue Cross) and am really enjoying it, but as expected, there is so much to get caught up on I am a bit brain dead.

Last weekend, we decided to just go for the gold and make a last 'ditch' effort (that was a joke, you'll get it as you read further :-)) to try and keep the moles and blackberry runners out of our newly planted back yard.  What did this entail?  Well, since everything else that we have looked at that is on the market to stop moles doesn't seem to be all that effective, we came up with our own solution.  We decided to rent a ditch witch from Home Depot and dig a two-foot deep trench all the way around our outer fence, then insert 1/4" metal mesh into the trench as a physical barrier.  Guess we'll find out if we are in fact any smarter than the people that have developed these other mole-deterring products. 

So, after a weekend of backbreaking work, we are now just sitting back and waiting to see if they return.  We'll keep you posted.

In other news, my vegetable garden has been producing delicious salads and arugula pesto so far.  Yum!  I'm excited for the sugar peas to come.

A Good Home

"A good home must be made, not bought." ~Joyce Maynard

Noah and I believe in this tenet and in the last ten months since "buying" our house, we have begun the journey of "making" it our home. This process has involved not only tangible projects, but also opening up our home to friends and family in order to allow experiences that will fill our home with memories full of warmth, love, and laughter. In Danish there is a word that encompasses this whole concept of warmth, comfort, and belonging called 'hyggelig' (pronounced: hoog-uh-lee). We want our home to be hyggelig.

The tangible projects are intended to take all of the potential that we saw in the house when we first stepped in the door, and realize it. As we do this, we make it our own and turn it into a place that reflects our personalities, interests, beliefs, and character. By no means would I presume to say that it is or ever will be perfect, but it is us (for better or worse :-)). We are on a budget, and have been/will be doing most of the work ourselves, which will result inevitably in instances of not-so-professional results. But in a way, by doing much of it ourselves, we are accomplishing both of our objectives in building our "home" - the tangible and the intangible. Both the end product of the project and the memories gained by going through the process.

So, to give you an idea of some of what we have done so far...

1. The Deck:

• The Project - Re-laid about 700sq ft, replaced warped boards, and built/installed benches and planter boxes.
• The Goal - To have a reliable, long-lasting outdoor space that will be able to host large barbecues and get-togethers.
• Lesson learned - Get the right sander the first time! Home Depot didn't have one that would work, but United Rentals did. Only the vibrating ones work, do not even attempt the circular kind!

 

2. Painting:

• The Project - Painted the formal living room and the kitchen/dining room.
• The Goal - To have a warm and inviting space for smaller, more intimate gatherings.
• Lesson learned: Caulk edges of crown molding (or really edging of any sort) to cover shabby installation and gaps. Another tip from our house inspector that has turned out wonderfully for us is to use tape while caulking just like you do for painting to get a straight edge.

Living Room Before:

  

Living Room After (still have a ways to go on the decorating, but I love the color!):

Kitchen Before (didn't have a good before pic, but you can kind of get the idea, and it includes my very handsome brother visiting for Thanksgiving ;-)):

Kitchen After:

  

 3. Furniture (bought off Craigslist for a steal):

• 
  
  The Project - Refinished/painted bar stools, painted/glazed an entryway bench, restored/scrubbed a neglected patio set.
• 
  
  The Goal - Have unique and functional furniture that fits the space and accommodates guests at a reasonable cost.
• 
  
  Lesson learned: Spray paint can be your best friend! The bench I painted took MUCH less time than the stools which I painted with a brush. Some of the other blogs I follow (listed on the left) give great tutorials on spray painting and glazing.

Hello!

So lately I have gotten hooked reading some of your blogs, and it is such a fun way to keep up with you all that I have decided to attempt to write my own. My good friend Rory encouraged me to do so as a way to document and share the ever-constant projects that my wonderful (and very handy) husband, Noah, and I have been taking on as new homeowners and newlyweds. I am currently in a time of transition as I will be starting a new job in a week, so I figured what better time than now to start?

Now, to begin... a little history for any of you who may not know us so well, or may just have stumbled on this blog:

Noah and I both grew up in the same rural area of Idaho along the Clearwater River. However, I didn't meet Noah until his Senior year of high school when he transferred to Kamiah in 1997 (I was just a Freshman). So, we were friends for a time in high school, but long story short he left and went off to college in Arizona, and I went on to finish high school and college at Washington State University (Go Cougs!).

Fast forward 9 years (to 2006), and I was working for a consulting firm in Seattle, and Noah was living in San Diego working for 24 Hour Fitness as a Sales Manager. My work sent me to San Diego for a couple of months on a project, which reunited us. Four months later Noah moved to Seattle, and two years later we married (July 2009). The same month that we got married, we also bought our first home and moved out to the 'burbs.

Which brings us to today. We have been married and homeowners now for ten months! The travel schedule and demands of my old job just got too much, so I found a new job which is close to home that will allow me the time and energy to invest in my home and community. I am so excited to settle in and feel connected again! I hope you will enjoy following along with us as we work to establish our home and contribute to our community.

Noah's High School Graduation:



Shish-kebabs in Turkey:



SCUBA Diving in Mexico:



The Proposal:



The Wedding:



The House:



Cheers All!