blending the seams

One of the biggest challenges of our home has been trying to blend the seams where the previous owners did remodels. The most recent example is the connection between the front part of our house and the kitchen. Case in point:

We have big plans for our kitchen, but that is a little ways away. In the meantime, we wanted to continue scrubbing away at the design decisions made by the previous owners. Take a look at the photo above one more time. Say good-bye. Now, look at the photo below.

Better? This is not the best photo, but the wall is the same color. We also painted a wider "door jam" to create the look of a real doorway. The baseboards are different (and will remain that way until we install new kitchen flooring), but painted the same white to blend. Time to check one more item off my 30 Before Thirty list!

30 Before Thirty

Have you ever heard of the 30 before 30?

The idea is to create a list of 30 things you'd like to accomplish before you turn 30. I started a couple months ago, but I'll be turning 30 this June which leaves me with less than 6 months to go. I've decided to post this list here as a journal of my accomplishments, and a means of holding myself accountable.

Follow along as I slowly check items off my list:

1. Learn how to use all the settings on my camera (almost there... but still need practice!).
2. Finish caulking/painting our bedroom moulding (a task that has been 2.5 years in the making).
3. Frame family keepsakes and photos.
4. Build 5 "go-to" outfits I love from items I already own.
5. Discover 5 "request-worthy" healthy meals. (Done! I should share these with you, huh?)
6. Start composting. 
7. Create an important docs filing system that works for both of us, and finally merge all our personal files. (Done!)
8. Paint basement guest room (in progress).
9. Get/make pillows that coordinate with my labor of love. (Done!)
10. Paint/decorate our bedroom in a more sophisticated color palette. (Done!)
11. Remove kitchen door and paint over blue wall. (Done!)
12. Take another romantic vacation with huz.
13. Successfully bake a chocolate souffle.
14. Reevaluate investment accounts and plan for future.
15. Start daily gratitude journal.  (Done!)
16. Start blogging again. (Done!)
17. Make family binder with important information and documents.
18. Go to the eye doctor (for pete's sake)! (Done! I now wear contacts.)
19. Install new porch light.
20. Get new fridge.  (We bought a dishwasher instead...progress is progress!)
    
21. Finish gardens flanking walkway up to the house. (Done!)
22. Paint inside of front door (the outside can wait until we paint the entire house).
23. New kitchen windows.
24. Make chalkboard for kitchen wall. (Done!)
25. Install trellis in front of car port, and plant gorgeous vines (Just need the trellis now... and soon).
26. Take and frame one new picture of each pup (must accomplish #1 first).
27. Start a vegetable garden (Done!).
28. Finish mudroom.
29. Take a mini vacation to one of the many nearby islands. 
30. Cut personal debt in half (we are fortunate to have very little debt, but I'd still like to set a financial goal).

Wish me luck!
(Don't worry, I'll share some pictures of  some of the items already scratched off my list. We still have some catching up to do.)

Out with the old. In with the new.

Has it really been almost one year since I last did a post. Yup. Pathetic, isn't it? Oh well - Out with the old (i.e., not posting). In with the new (i.e., posting). To make up for lost time, I'll do a brief recap of 2011 so we can close the book on that chapter and open the door to the next!

Finished out 2010 in New York visiting the huz's family. Trip was planned as a week-long stay. Turned into almost a 2-week stay due to a crazy snowstorm that shut down the NY airports for a couple days. Although we were anxious to return to our dogs and get back to our own home, we decided to make the most of it and took a train for a romantic night stay in the big city.

January 2011 - Sick dog gave us quite the scare, but everything turned out okay.

February 2011 - Decided we needed a proper vacation just the two of us, so we booked a trip to Italy.

March 2011 - Pipe burst in basement bathroom. Not fun, or cheap. Considered cancelling trip to Italy. Decided against it (so glad we did!). Had all new carpet installed in the basement, as well as new walls/baseboards/lighting/mirror in the bathroom. We also decided to move the washer and dryer to the basement. Fun times.

April 2011 - Amazing trip to Italy. Here are a few photos to make you jealous.

May 2011 - The huz was brought on as a trainer at CrossFit Seattle, and given the opportunity to do what he loves for a living. We also celebrated our 2 year anniversary this month.

June 2011 - We celebrated my birthday with close friends at Olivar in Capitol Hill. Exactly what I needed. Good food, good company, and good conversation.

July 2011 - The huz's parents visited, and we took them on a seaside adventure to San Juan Island.

August 2011 - The huz's sister and her boyfriend visited, and we took them on a true Pacific Northwest adventure - camping. There was beer, brats, lawn sports, and river kayaking.

September 2011 -  The huz made the difficult decision not to return to teaching, but instead to pursue CrossFit training full-time.

October 2011 - We celebrated the huz's birthday, and I surprised him with a flight home for his niece's 1st birthday/Halloween costume party. It was a surprise to his family as well!

November 2011 - Thanksgiving was quiet this year, but lovely. Just the two of us, at home with the dogs. Yes, I did still make a turkey. This girl needs all the practice she can get!

December 2011 - My parents flew in for Christmas, and we took them on a mountain snow adventure to Leavenworth. The Sleeping Lady Lodge was the perfect escape. The added bonus was that my brother was also in Seattle visiting his wife's family and we were able to steal him away for dinner at Spring Hill, and then again for board games and family festivities!

And that, my friends, brings us to the close of a wonderful year. Now...bring on 2012!