There’s No Place Like Home [5 Memories + Life Lessons in 5 Years]
In May, we celebrated 5 years in our very first home. I’m amazed by how quickly the time has gone and how much we still love it just as much as that first year. If there’s anything that could make me feel like a legit adult, this is it!
In honor of the anniversary, I wanted to capture 5 favorite memories in our home + a few things we’ve learned along the way …
- I’ll never forget our very first night in our first home. It genuinely feels just like one of those highlight reels in a move. We bought our favorite wine + beer, ordered pizza and sat cross-legged on the floor giddily talking about the future.
2. I love hosting and entertaining people, and we’ve had a lot of incredible parties at our house (My Golden Birthday, Annual Fall Parties, South by South Mouth NYE bashes, Game of Thrones finale, etc.) It’s really hard to choose just one, but I think our #WarmThisHouse party stands out the most probably because it was the very first. We hosted family + friends, ate macarons + took shots, turned our patio into a cocktail hour, and ended the night with costumes and jumping photoshoots. I love this pin board of our polaroid pics from the night that I keep in our bedroom. It reminds me of the simple things in life.
3. Here’s a life lesson: A house is hard work, but a yard is HARDER work. Boy, have we learned this. I’ll never forget the first summer in our house when I spent hours pulling freaking dandelions from the front yard. Then hours pruning our rose bushes. Then hours at the doctor with my infected hand thanks to the rose bushes. Another lesson – sometimes just spend the money to have someone help you.
4. We’ve made several updates to our home – changing light fixtures, patching holes in the wall thanks to dear ol’ Olli, but none so big as deciding to add on a deck, and husband’s only request: a hammock. It’s been some of the best money spent + best decision ever made.
5. Truly my favorite memory of all though in the 5 years of our home has been enjoying time on our front porch. There’s something so special about that white wrap-around beauty. I feel so much peace on that porch, especially in early morning and early evening. (especially in fall with a blanket, coffee + book!) I’ve planned international trips out there, had countless deep conversations with friends + intimate conversations with God, and most recently enjoyed a nice bottle of rosé to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. A lot of life has happened on this porch.
I’m so thankful to have such an amazing home to share with my family, and just as thankful to have some of our best friends living in our neighborhood. Aren’t neighbor friends so special?
I truly can’t wait to see what the next 5 years brings. ❤
xo xo
life lately
[celebrating this || our beautiful mommas for mother’s day <3]
[decorating this || our “spring themed” cake at our team cake decorating competition!]
[laughing at this || a weird + funny “sub-par” night, that actually wasn’t sub-par at all]
[enjoying this || a fun evening with co-workers at the DICED cooking competition]
[waking up early for this || the most beautiful, perfect #RoyalWedding!!]
[LOVING THIS || our new deck + updated landscaping is finally complete!]
xo xo
{the weekend ahead}
Oh the glorious three-day weekends. Memorial Day weekend in particular holds a special place in my heart, since three years ago this weekend I married my high school sweetheart. Last year we celebrated with a weekend getaway to Kansas City; this year we’re celebrating by enjoying a weekend in our new HOME. Even though I am always full of wanderlust and several months ago had grand plans of going to Washington D.C. for Memorial Day weekend, I’m oh so content just staying home with my love.
My T O – D O L I S T for the weekend:
Set up our ping-pong table for our impending summer tournaments.
Make these drool-inducing Lime-A-Rita Pops.
Hang photos – in our bedroom, entryway, living room, etc.
Finish my latest read, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore.
Familiarize ourselves with the neighborhood on a long walk with pup.
Catch up on Game of Thrones.
Find our mailbox. (Seriously, this is a legitimate task)
Sleep in, X3.
Go on a stock-up trip to Walmart to fill our new refrigerator and pantry.
Take a bath in our oversized tub catching up on my magazines.
Visit one of our favorite breweries for an afternoon of sipping and relaxing.
xo xo
The Woes of Moving; The Joys of a House
Some of you know we’ve been moving the past few weeks from our apartment to a house. I actually really enjoyed apartment living and so did husband, but then Olli changed everything. The apartment seemed to go from pretty nice size to way too small in days. With a 60lb dog running the apartment, we knew we couldn’t stay there much longer. Not to mention having to walk him up and down the stairs day in and day out to go to the bathroom.
That realization came parallel to us doing Financial Peace University, which caused a big decision – move into my parents house. My parents travel a lot for work and are only in their Bentonville home once every couple months or so. It sits empty at least 250 days out of the year. It’s rent free, it has a backyard and it allows us to save for our own house – need I say more?
While the house has been GLORIOUS, moving is always a four-letter word. Here’s some advice I have for any of you moving any time soon.
W O E S O F M O V I N G
1. Start packing early. I’ll say it again, start packing early. Especially all that little stuff that seems to be everywhere.
2. As you’re packing, seriously consider if you need it. If you haven’t looked at it since last time you moved, you probably don’t. Give it to someone who does.
3. Enlist your best friends to help you move. I say your best friends, because not just anyone wants to help someone move.
4. Afterwards, offer them free pizza and beer.
5. Put your dog in doggie day care or somewhere else for the day. They WILL be in the way.
6. Label your boxes. Especially if they’re going in a storage unit.
7. Buy plastic boxes at Walmart for things like photos and clothes that you’ll be storing for a while.
8. Don’t take a shower on moving day or try and look cute. You will get sweaty and gross and it won’t matter.
9. Stay hydrated. Moving.Is.Hard.
10. Remember the big picture – you will get through this and then you’ll have a nice house to go home to.
J O Y S O F A H O U S E
1. The backyard – oh my gosh having a backyard is nice. Case in point, the two photos below on this beautiful Saturday morning.
2. The feeling of a cozy neighborhood with genuine neighbors.
3. The space. Husband can be in one room, Olli can be in one room and I can be in another – and we won’t necessarily hear each other. *relaxing sigh*
4. You don’t have to carry your trash across the complex to the always overflowing and smelly trash compactor.
5. You don’t hear every word of every argument from your next door neighbors.
… and many, many more. I’m sure I’ll be blogging about it again soon so I’ll just leave it at these for now. Husband and I are off to get the final things out of the apartment and turn in our keys, then we will have a wonderful, relaxing Labor Day weekend in our home.
xo
Spring Details For the Home
1. Flowers – fresh or fake, Home Goods 2. Brightly colored candy adds flair to a coffee table
3. Fun throw pillows, Nate Berkus for Target 4. Eye-popping books + candles for the bedside
* * *
In our little apartment it’s all about the details. Small changes can update the feel of our home and signal a season change. We don’t have the resources to completely redecorate for Spring, so above are some easy, affordable ideas to update your home.
Or if all else fails, just get a cute husband and puppy. That always does the trick.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: 5 things {I love about our little apartment}, Dear Spring Santa,
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m.davis xoxo 