A Little Fluff

There are some areas (okay, there are MANY areas) of our home that needs a little fluff (Fluff is after local design firm in Omaha, Fluff Your Stuff, who is just amazing). After 2 1/2 years, I am finally getting motivated to get some of that fluff taken care of.

For starters, I have been using a carpet remnant as a rug by our garage door. Yes, that is what I have used for 2 1/2 years. I have looked, but I could not find something I liked.

Low and behold, I found this one at Kohls! Who knew! Guess I have to look outside my normal box for these kinds of things.

I like how the rug brings in the colors of the tile, the wall and the kitchen. I am content.

Next, I wanted a rug for in front of the sliding glass door to the backyard. I found this one at JCPenney (again, looking outside the box), and I just love it. I really pulls in the colors of the floor, the kitchen, the backsplash and the nearby walls of the family room. Love.

I love the modern feel of this one. Oh, and look at that green grass, in March! That is crazy! It is so nice to see colors, in and now out.

If only I could say I was done. Is your home ever really done?

We Have Shade!

We Have Shade!

Last year when we ate on our patio, we cooked. Yes, we cooked food, but we also physically cooked as we sat there sweating it out in the hot summer sun. So, we ordered sun shades.

This week in the 70 degree March weather, Chris installed them.

They look amazing, providing some relief from the sun, as well as a little privacy.

Thank you Sams Club. We love them!

On PINTEREST!!

How funny, spotted our house on Pinterest! How funny is that?!
Here is the PIN with this image.

Now we have spindles here!

2012 Goals

I know, it is nearly March and I have yet to post 2012 home goals. Well, I am hesitant to put up goals when we don't even know if we will be living in this house the entire year. So, really, we are not doing anything to our home at the moment. But, just in case we do stay, here are some tentative plans we have.

1. Mulch. Yes, I know, mulch is a total pain. But, I like it so much better than rock. Rock is expensive up front, but then you don't have to do anything to it. Nice, right? Yes, but plants do not grow well, the rock gets hot, and to plant new things in a rock bed is a total pain. And, I really do not like the look of rock. So, we have to mulch, at least every 2 years. That is just fine with me. Mulch away.

2. Bury remaining gutters. I hate the gutters above the ground. Okay, I just hate that I have to navigate around them when I mow. Other than that, they are fine. We will just have the one out front above ground after this spring.

3. Plant a few more trees. Okay, 20+ trees just is not enough for us. We would like to replace this ugly tree that did not make it on the front corner of our home and then add some trees around the patio so we can eat without feeling stared out. Just saying. We purchased patio shades last season, so they will help, too.

4. "Fluff" the master bedroom. The master bed/bath is one place we  have not painted. Actually, it is the only place we have not repainted in the 2 years we have been here. Crazy! Anyway, we would like to add a seating area, move the main level TV up to our bedroom (upgrading the main level TV) and make our bedroom an official master suite. Someday I would like to add a fireplace to our master, but we will do that when we add a fireplace to the basement. That is, if we are lucky enough to stay here.

Okay, that is it. That is not a lot considering our long list of "to do's" in previous years. But, again, staying or leaving is up in the air. So, this is a start.

Changing Views

I have not done one of these in a while, an update on the view around our home. Gees, it is a messy one at the moment. Oh, and I can't forget to say LOUD! Come on, I thought there were 4 seasons, winter, spring, construction, and fall. Construction is in the summer...not all winter!!

Okay, I guess I missed that memo.

So...here is our view today. Much different than the empty space that surrounded our home 2 years ago.

Down the driveway...Can no longer see Alivia walk to Zoe's House (Zoe's house is behind this HUGE pile of dirt/mud.

Our front to the corner. Newer home on the corner, too, with new neighbors who moved in during the month of October.

Out front, more dirt. Dirt, mud, trucks, noise, EVERYWHERE!

Looking through the side kitchen windows looking to the garage side of the house.

Same direction, more dirt.

Out the kitchen window to the back of the house.

Looking to the backyard

Out the patio door. As always, a cement truck in waiting. Ponderosa is not passable during the day typically.

Oh, look there, another cement truck, being cleaned at the end of our driveway. Nice.

By the time we move, there will be houses all around us. That may be true if we move this summer even!

Before And After: Curb Appeal

Before And After: Curb Appeal

Another 2011 home goal of ours was to add a little curb appeal to our home. We sit on this corner lot, yet our yard was just there. We wanted to add boulders and an eye catching something at the corner. Well, this is the result thanks to Jake at Annie's Nursery. After the long wait, we are pleased with the result. We now have plans to add a few more boulders around the house...then it will be complete.

Chris cut out the project to get it ready to go.

And, this is the result!

Wrought Iron Spindles!

Remember the check list? When we went to move, we created a check list. Much of what was on that list was not in this house. I know, why did we even have a list?

Anyway, wrought iron spindles was one of the things on that list.

And, after a year and a half, we now have them.

The result: Fabulous.

Just what we wanted...and more.

Finally, something else we can check off that check list.