Happy Anniversary to our Home!

As I am sitting here waiting for supper to finish, I realize, we have been in our home for a year now!

WHAT?!

Where did the time go?!

It seems like only yesterday we were moving into our first home.

For the first few months I was pretty convinced our house was built on an ancient burial ground, considering all the bad luck we had.

BUT...

I am ONLY going to focus on the GOOD as I toast to our ONE YEAR of home ownership!

Let's see...

Ok, I have to admit, I took little to NO pictures when we first bought this house (and still don't).

Lucky for me, everything can be found on the internet.

I do regret not having something to show me just how much we have really done.

I am always so focused on what more needs to be done.

Sooooo I thought I would post what before and afters that I DO have!

Before

After!

Moved the fan, updated baseboards and painted!

Want to learn how to make the "Family" sign? Click here

(semi) Before. This was during reno when our shower was leaking into the kitchen wall...ugh!

Again ancient burial ground.

After.

Matt installed those sconces, built the bench and painted. The bench serves as storage too :)

(he also put in two recessed lights where the fan was)

Now for the main attraction.

The dreadful yard.

Bless Matt's heart, really.

He knew this was going to be a MAJOR project home and he knew our one and only contractor was going to be Ashworth's and Sons

But he knew this is what I wanted and he was ready to make it everything I had dreamed of.

Before...

      

After...

Matt put in a hitching post and made it a wash rack.

Got our first (Charlie Brown) Christmas tree...and planted it.

We later got another baby tree

got rid of our completely unreliable gate and fence...

and replaced with an iron gate and new wall and installed sprinklers for the arena.

aaaand for the icing on the cake....

Grass :) aaaahh my favorite part!

WOW!

I can't believe how much really has been done.

What's on the list for the next year?

Well if you remember from my post back in...MARCH?! ugh... We had to rip out our master shower.

Click here to read about that awful day

So since March me, my fiance and future brother-in-law have ALL been sharing ONE shower.

Luckily for our schedules, it really hasn't imposed a problem on anyone.

BUT I DO have some exciting things to post on that, but that will come at a later time.

Let's just say...I should be posting on the master shower oh so soon!

I can't wait to see what fun project we...well I come up with ;) luckily Matt enjoys them all...so he says!

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Need help with DIY's? Have questions on HOW TO's?!

Feel free to reach out to us!

Anywhere from: bugets, to upgrading ideas and how to save the most money and get the most done... we have become experts!

XO,

Dana

When does a Cowboy become old?

Happy Birthday Matthew!!

Today is my fiancé’s birthday!

We celebrated last night by eating a home cooked Paleo meal, opening gifts and sharing a piece of cake from Freed's Bakery.

It was nice to enjoy time together through the hustle and bustle of the past couple of days.

I have always teased Matt about being "old" but he really is far from it!

Despite all the bumps and bruises this cowboy has endured, he still raises a little hell every now and then, riding tall in his saddle and working till the sun goes down.

Every day with Matt I still learn new things about him.

Things he did, things he broke (mainly) things he wish he did.

So in honor of his day,I thought I would share some Matt Facts!

.     .     .     .

1. No surprise, Matt is an ex-bull rider. But did you know he rodeoed in Europe?

2. He's a Veteran and fought in 3 wars.

3. He's is an amazing cook!

4. He plays random notes and chords on the guitar and says he knows how to play...yes, dear.

5. He was a "pirate"? I still don't understand this one all I know is he was Captain Jack Handlebars.

6. He used to have a lip ring and wear eyeliner, boy have things changed!

7. His laugh is contagious.

8. He's deaf in one ear, I'm sure this works in his favor when I'm nagging.

9. He can build/fix anything, and if he doesn't know how, he figures it out.

10. The only movie that can get him choked up is 8 Seconds.

11. He plays with the goat by using the top of a trash can as his shield and a stick as his sword.

12. He trained his wild, uncontrollable dog in German. Worst idea ever!

13. He's the most loyal, honest and trust worthy person I have ever met!

.     .     .     .

I wonder when age will get to him?

When will he finally say, "No, I need to sit this one out"?

When will he finally rest and let those old injuries heal?

Well, the honest answer to this is as long as he's breathing, you won't be able to keep him out of the saddle.

.     .     .     .

There's a hundred years of history
and a hundred before that
All gathered in the thinkin'
Goin' on beneath this hat.

The cold flame burns within him
'Til his skin's as cold as ice
And the dues he paid to get here
Are worth every sacrifice.

All the miles spend sleepy drivin'
All the money down the drain,
All the 'if I's' and 'nearly's,'
All the bandages and pain,

All the female tears left dryin',
All the fever and the fight
Are just a small down payment
On the ride he makes tonight.

It's guts and love and glory,
One mortal's chance at fame.
His legacy is rodeo
And cowboy is his name.

Happy Birthday Matt! I love you!

xo

Succ-u-whats?!

I have lived in the desert for....over TEN years now (wow), and am just discovering succulents.

I have a tendency to not only love something almost immediately, but get obsessed over it.

Well, readers, my new obsession are cacti! :D

Not the prickly kind let me be clear on that!

Aren't they adorable!

Yes, that is my choice of word!

Matt took me to Lowe's to buy one or two and he wanted to make sure I didn't kill them before we bought anymore.

(Let's just say my green thumb is basically non-existing.)

Well, having the obsessive personality that I have I ventured out on my own to get more of these darling little plants!

Our horse property is like a blank canvas. We came from a 1/2 acre of ALL grass and now we have dirt, that's it.

So we FINALLY have some greenery!

Sonney-bob (our Christmas tree that we planted) doesn't really count since my not so green thumb is killing him...which I read is pretty hard to do.

Good Luck my little succulents! If these make it a month I have been given the "OK" to get another barrel full :)