House Happenings

We have lived in this house a little over a year.  It is easy to look around and feel kind of frustrated with updates and progress.  I am a doer when it comes to yard work and house projects however since I started working again, plus add in 4 kids who all have after-school activities then the amount of time I would like to spend on the yard and house has been greatly divided.

But, I was looking back on house "stuff" that we have done then this year and I must say, we did ok.

Here are two posts from last summer
First and Second- Compare these to now... pretty crazy!

Let's start with the house.
Since last summer, my dad has replaced all the lighting (except for the fixture in the sitting room as I have found what I want and the light on the staircase because I dont hate it.)

Most of the lighting was that horrible brassy stuff... sorry if you have and like the brass. :/

All bedrooms minus Bennett's got these fans.

Love this fixture from Lowes

The current state of the rooms....

Sitting room (I have actually moved this around a bit since this picture was taken)

Workout room... I love this odd little room off from the garage

Master bedroom (it has a different/ darker rug now but everything else is the same)

Upstairs den

Shep's room... which he only sleeps in half the time.... see below

Ashton's/ Shep's room.  Shep has loved playing musical beds- sometimes sleeping in his room sometimes sleeping on the top bunk in Ashton's room

The rest of Ash's huge room.

Hunter's grown up room.  This bed is so comfortable.  I take naps here when I can!

Love his working sled desk

Bennett's dino room- no changes here

The other rooms- kitchen and living room and bathrooms havent seen much charge besides the original painting when we moved in.  I am constantly have the debate in my head about painting my kitchen cabinets.  I also desperately want new countertops but trees (See below) took that money this year.  \


The YARD

So, extorior has also see huge changes this year.

I tackle the outside of the house this spring.  I have fallen in love with Iron Ore (Sherwin Williams) paint.  My shudders, all door, and now proch railings, mailbox, and garage door are also this color.

Before painted railings

These things were in desperate need of paint.  I had gone back and forth between a creamy white and a dark color.  Mom finally told me to go dark.... and, I am SOOOO glad I listened.

The house has a moody, masculine feeling to it now.  Just love it

Garage doors got Iron Ored too!

Moses got a dog door... thanks Mantis.

Mantis and Uncle Zach hung my swing which I adore.  It is 6 ft long so even my tall self can stretch out!

 Let's talk trees.  So, we literally live in a forest.  So Many Trees!  When we moved in, we knew that some of these trees were going to have to come down.  In June, we had 3 really bad storms come through.  By the time it was all said and done, we had trees down everywhere in not only our yard but our road.  Two neighbors had trees fall on their houses.  We had trees fall on our fence.

Below is some of the damage.  It does even begin to show the scope of trees that fell though.

We got a few quotes to have the more dangerous trees taken down.  By the time it was all said and done.  The best quote was 11 trees (8 big ones and 3 medium ones) for $7000.  Three trees in the front yard/ close to the house came down and the rest were on the right side as we are hoping to clean that section up.  My mom has always said to treat your yard like your house.... "Break it up into rooms and do one room at a time."  With the yard we have, I have to do this or else I would be totally overwhelmed.

As luck... AKA GOD, would have it, the crew cleaning up our neighbor's yard offered to haul off all the mess (around 10 trees that had fallen during the storm) for free.  These trees were not technically on our lot but since I front yard was already torn up due to our trees coming down, we gave them access.) So, the vast majority of the mess is picked up as well (we had gotten a quote of $3500 for this but decided we didnt have the money so for these guys to just show up and do it was a God-wink for sure.)  Our front yard looks a HOT MUDDY MESS but nothing some grass seed, plants, and pine needles and time will not fix.

This is from this winter but the bigger trees in the front part of this picture are now gone. 

The big leaning tree is the last one to come down and it coming down today.  Since I took this picture, we have had bigger tree equipment come through which has taken the little bit of moss/ weed/ grass and just made mud.  :) 

This spring I also conquered this bank.  For $300, mom and dad brought over some beautiful shrubs from a local nursery.  These things have grown so much

Before

After planting in April

And, a few weeks ago.  The pine needles are holding and I have bricked in the base.  I plan to continue on the sides in time.

 So, I look back on this and realize. Eh, we have done a lot.  But so much more to go. I head back to work in just 1 week so it will be a busy for sure.