Moving On...

On December 10, 2007, freshly married and ready to start our new life together as husband and wife, we moved into our first home! "How long do you picture us living here?" Five to Seven years is what we said.  On December 10, 2012 we had our house appraised and ready to sell!

The things we wanted in our first home were the things you can't buy at Home Depot; we wanted mature trees, a good sized yard, and location location location, the rest can be bought.  We went into our house hunt knowing and even wanting to do the work ourselves.

Our hearts and souls went into this 1200 square foot place we called home!

THE KITCHEN

 Got to love 1980's oak cabinets right?  Wrong! In the kitchen all the appliances got replaced with new stainless steel.  The cabinets got a much needed overhaul.  The fluorescent lighting fixture came down and new track lighting went up and a granite composite sink went in.

THE DINING ROOM

Not Much happened in the dining room, a new light fixture went up and it got painted

THE LIVING ROOM 

Throughout the house all the mini blinds got taken down and replaced with plantation blinds.  In the living room built in bookshelves were added (so sad to leave them {tear}). The front door as well as back door were replaced. The fireplace wall was painted to accent it and accent blocks were painted behind the TV to distract from the large wall which the TV hung on.

HALL BATHROOM

Throughout the house all the fixtures, door knobs, faucets, etc were replaced to brushed nickel.  This bathroom got a new rain shower head and new low flow toilet.  The oak cabinetry once again had to go!  The builder grade mirror was replaced and the fluorescent lighting drop box was taken out as well. Those lovely yellow countertops are actually still there!  No it's not a camera trick, it's a painting trick!  If you paint the walls a few tones darker than the unwanted counter top color, it will disguise them and not make them stand out as much.

GUEST BEDROOM

Got to love my wonderful picture taking abilities of a corner!  In all three bedrooms the carpet was replaced. A new coat of paint was also much needed.

OFFICE

All the bedrooms got new ceiling fans.  As much as I would love to have chandeliers or pretty light fixtures in the bedrooms, I live in Texas, ceiling fans are a must!  The office also go a new coat of paint.

MASTER BEDROOM

It's that same empty bedroom corner shot again! New paint in this room as well.

MASTER BATHROOM

In the Master bathroom we repainted the cabinets.  All the fixtures were replaced in here as well.  The fluorescent light box was also taken out of this bathroom as well.  The mirror was also replaced with a score-of-a-deal from Habitat for Humanity ($10). The broken shower door was removed and never replaced (oops).  We also painted the shower to match the rest of the bathroom. 

THE DECK/YARD

Welcome to the Jungle, we've got fun and games! Upon moving into the house the backyard had not been mowed in some time.  The deck was the first project that we took on in the new house, that little 5x5 slab of concrete just wasn't going to cut it for us. So a 700 sq. ft deck was constructed!  The two level deck comes complete with built in fire pit! We also added a vegetable garden in the backyard as well.

THE GARAGE

It's not a fixer upper unless there's wood paneling!! In the garage we took down the wood paneling and put up new drywall and built a work bench.  The floors also got epoxied as well. Oh and I can't forget having to replace the AC the first summer we lived there!

I couldn't have asked for a better first home! I look forward to our next adventure... 

Much Love,

Amanda

We're Gonna Win!

I feel like Jimmy Dugan in A League of the Own; "We're gonna win, we're GONNA win!"  I can't help myself but to but the video on here since this movie ranks up there as one of my favorites. 

For the past four years I have struck out 7 times.  My first strike out was in Sonoma, California with the 2009 HGTV Dream Home Giveaway and my streak has continued to follow me through the past six HGTV Dream and Green Houses since then.  I just don't understand! :)

I'm feeling it this year..."We're gonna win, we're GONNA win!"

Much Love,
Amanda

Gingerbread Real Estate

When it comes to Christmas there are hundreds of traditions that people follow each and every year.  While as a child one of my favorite family traditions was baking Christmas cookies.  While we did bake pepparkakor men (Swedish gingerbread), we never did bake gingerbread dough to make build gingerbread houses.

Not only did I want to build a gingerbread house this year I wanted to enjoy the scrumptiousness that is gingerbread in the house form!

Even when prepared with pre-made building materials and plat map, construction is not as easy as it would seem!  After a day of basking in the beauty of my new found architectural abilities, time to chow down!

At least that's what Remington, my black lab, thought was a good plan! I got to enjoy the snowman and piece of the roof. Maybe next year!



Much Love,
Amanda

Real vs. Fake

The Christmas of 1985 was the last year my parents had a real Christmas tree, I was a year and a half old. So for me growing up as a child I grew up with artificial Christmas trees.  Stored in the box it was bought in  and kept in the attic, the tree made its appearance every Christmas.  As a family we fluffed, we lit, and we decorated our store bought tree; that's the tradition I know and that I've followed, until this year!

This year The Husband and I made the drive to our local Christmas Tree farm to chop down my first real Christmas Tree.  Prepared with saw in hand (no Griswald re-enactment here) we searched, we kept searching, and we searched some more.  Since growing up with an artificial tree my expectations have been unrealistically set. There is no such thing as a perfect real Christmas tree.  I guess that's one reason why artificial trees have been produced for the mass market.

I don't recall seeing the clouds part and lights shining down or hearing the angels sing the Hallelujah chorus, but we did find her! Yes, it's a her!

Why there is no crystal clear answers to the age old question of real vs. fake, this year I love my real Christmas tree!

Much Love,
Amanda

30 Foods Before 30

 All diets are off!

I have always been one to try new foods.  I have never been scared or squirmy when asked to eat such things as raw quail eggs, frog legs, octopus, or escargot. Cheers and down the hatch it goes! To me the best way to experience a new culture is through food, even if it does make you sick (Thanks Costa Rica).  That's why on my 30 Before 30 List I wanted to try 30 new foods.

Some of these foods have just slipped through my fingers and I have somehow yet to try.  Others are on here simply because some foods are just too spectacular not to try, right?  I guess we will see...

1. Eggplant
2. Rocky Mountain Oysters
3. Chicken and Waffles
4. Fried Green Tomatoes
5. Honeycomb
6. Paella
7. Spam
8. Sardines
9. Prickly Pear
10. Pickle Sno-Cone (It's at my local Sno-Cone stand and have been curious about it for years)
11. Chitlins
12. Foie Gras
13. Gazpacho
14. Pad Thai
15. Hasenpfeffer
16. Cabrito
17. Lamb
18. Elk
19. Bison
20. Gingerbread House
21. Prunewhip
22. Ceviche
23. Sweetbread
24. Sea Urchin
25. Beef Tongue

Restaurants
26. WhipIn
27. Uchi
28. Home Slice
29. Hopdoddy
30. Cisco's

Much Love,
Amanda

30 Before 30

 I'm a quitter.  I don't set goals.  I don't accomplish what I set out to do.

With that being said I have created a 30 Before 30 List.  I turn thirty in 580 days!  I have roughly a year and a half to complete my list.

I am determined.  I have the drive.  I WILL DO THIS!

1. Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey
2. See a Bear in the wild
3. Skydive
4. Leave a $100 tip to a deserving waiter/waitress
5. Take a dance class
6. Take an art class
7. Be brave...Go Dark!!!
8. Travel Internationally to somewhere that's not Canada (it's been 3 years)
9. Get a real Christmas Tree
10. Replace all IKEA furniture
11. Try 30 new foods
12. Go to a UT Football Game
13. Find a Fabulous LBD
14. Cook through a cookbook (The Healthy Gluten-Free Life by Tammy Credicott)
15. Get a Palm Reading
16. Be able to do the splits again
17. Build a Bear!
18. Learn to drive a stick shift
19. Bake a cake
20. Write and mail 30 letters
21. Watch all 6 Star Wars in a row
22. Ride a Segway
23. Go Paintballing
24. Change the oil in my car
25. Skinny dip in the ocean
26. Go to an Opera
27. Sew a quilt
28. Run a race
29. Blog my 30 Before 30 List, with pictures detailing each adventure
30. Celebrate my last night of my 20s in style!

Much Love,
Amanda

Somebody That I Used to Know

When it comes to cover bands, my expectations are never set too high.  That is until I watched this music video of Walk off the Earth covering Somebody That I Used to Know.  There is so much emotion and talent.

Much Love,
Amanda