3 Years

This is such a small snapshot of everything we have shared together over these last 3 years. I still remember May 21, 2011 as being the happiest day, but with every year that passes I realize that it was just the beginning and that marriage just keeps getting better.

We’re not big celebration people, but today we will get to do something fun. We will get to open another card signed with messages from guests who attended our wedding. Each table at the reception was assigned an anniversary year and they all signed that particular card. All the cards were then sealed and delivered to us so that every May 21st (or milestone year as we get further along) we can open a card and be reminded of what a fantastic day we had and what amazing friends and family we have supporting us.

This year will bring the biggest changes and challenges we’ve yet to face, but I couldn’t have a better partner by my side. I am so incredibly lucky. Happy Anniversary Phil!

Yes Man

Did you ever see that Jim Carrey movie several years ago where he was under a curse and he had to say yes to everything? There were some scenarios of course where saying yes got him into some pretty awkward and undesirable situations, but overall I think the moral was that it’s good to branch out, try new things and say yes to different experiences.

I’d like to think that’s what my friend and I did the other weekend when we said “why not?” to an invitation to attend one of those painting parties. Neither of us had done anything like it before, and while we had our own ideas about what it would be like, we went into it with an open mind and figured if nothing else it was an excuse for a girls night out. Wouldn’t you know we had fun! And whether or not our Starry Starry Night paintings become the new focal point of our living areas, that wasn’t the point. The point was to get outside our comfort zones and outside of our routines and say yes.

Typical Katelyn style would be to turn this into a new goal or challenge for myself where I commit to trying something new each month. I honestly don’t know if I can add anymore goals to my life right now without starting to fail at some, but I am definitely going to keep this in mind the next time I see an interesting event happening around town or the next time I receive an invitation to do something that might be outside of my normal routine. Why not say yes? Regardless of whether it turns out to be the experience of a lifetime, you’ll probably learn something new and have a great story to tell.

What new experiences have you said yes to lately? Isn’t it refreshing to do something different for a change?

5 Fantastic Things | April

Can you believe that with this post I will have shared 12 months of fantastic things? It’s pretty fun to look back at everything from the last year. It’s kind of like a little mini yearbook. April was a good month for us and I say that because I had no trouble at all coming up with a list much longer than just 5 fantastic things. We are constantly on the go between jobs, social schedules, projects and pregnancy that we have to remind ourselves sometimes to slow down and enjoy this time that’s still just the two of us.

5 FANTASTIC THINGS I want to remember:

1. Our first trip to the Cincinnati Ballet who performed with the band Over the Rhine. It was an amazing performance and a much needed special occasion for us.
2. Seeing Denning Beta for the first time and realizing that he or she is a dancing machine, which is crazy because I couldn’t feel a thing!
3. Enjoying the most delicious breakfast pastries and meal at Cake Cafe after a 2 year hiatus.
4. Staying up late on a work night to enjoy the first of many warm weather nights around a fire with our good friends and neighbors. Those kind of evenings are the best!
5. Receiving not one, but two adorably cute and cheeky onesies for Denning Beta in the same week. We have the best friends and co-workers.

5 FANTASTIC THINGS I’m looking forward to:

1. Celebrating baby number two for a long-time friend with a little “sprinkle” (if that phrase is new to you, you’re not alone. Think second child receives less than a shower).
2. Seeing a friend who moved away almost 9 months ago when he returns for a much anticipated visit to Cincinnati.
3. Watching my brother-in-law as he takes the stage in a production of Les Miserables. He will be fantastic I’m sure.
4. Heading to our first Reds game of the season!
5. Enjoying the three-day-weekend that is the official start to summer in my book…Memorial Day!

Past “5 Fantastic Things” posts:
March // February // January // December // November // October //
September // August // July // June // May

10 Items for New Homeowners

Living one year as a homeowner does not make us experts, but we sure have learned and are still learning a lot! One of the biggest adjustments we made those first few months of being in our new house was all of the extra chores and jobs that had to be done when we were the landlords. We’d always rented apartments before, and whether they were new or old buildings, small or spacious, with a yard or a balcony, we always knew who to call whenever there was something that needed fixed or maintained. But in a house, that responsibility is yours, and each of those jobs requires some sort of equipment or tool. Sure we had a hammer, tape measure and screw driver, we did hang pictures and put together IKEA furniture, but there are plenty of other things that just make maintaining a home easier.

I’ve compiled a list of 10 things that we have had to purchase since moving into our first house a year ago. We’ve purchased much more than this I’m sure, but these were the basics that we found we needed as the seasons changed and different projects surfaced just to keep up with the house.

1. Toolbox: I had a tiny plastic toolbox that came as a cute pre-packaged set from Target. I think I got it for my first college apartment, again to be able to hang some pictures. But as we started to accumulate “real” tools for our home improvement projects, we found that we were ready for the grown-up version. Phil got this really great toolbox for Christmas (made in the USA to boot) and we have enjoyed having a better place to store our most-used tools.
2. Power Drill: We never really had a use for this while we were in an apartment, but I can’t tell you how many times this has been out of the box in the last year. Sure you can borrow one from friends or co-workers, but it has been nice to have our own when we’ve wanted to start a project on a whim some Saturday night (yeah, we’re cool like that!).
3. Shop-vac: This is not a necessity if you have a vacuum (and I hope you do), but for our dirtier projects, it’s been nice to have the shop-vac so I don’t have to worry about cleaning out my nice Dyson after a dry-wall job, etc.
4. Buckets & Rags: Having a stash of work buckets and rags around the house has been a life-saver. From holding all the weeds you’re pulling in the yard, to catching scraps during a patch job, to cleaning up after you’ve just drilled through three layers of brick, you can never have enough. Start saving those old t-shirts now!
5. Ladder: We have 10 foot ceilings in our house, so we learned quickly that if we wanted to change a light bulb, paint a room or hang a picture, we would need more than our cute little 3-step-ladder. It seemed like such a big item to have to get right off the bat, but we never would have made it without one.
6. Lawnmower: Surprise! Unless you are hiring a lawn service or a neighborhood boy to mow your lawn for you, that grass will grow pretty tall and unruly in no time without a lawn mower. Depending on the size of your yard, hopefully you won’t need anything too fancy. Ours was a hand-me-down and I know there are always plenty of postings on craigslist so try to buy used if you can.
7. Broom: Again, we never had to maintain sidewalks or porches before, but there is something nice about having a well-swept walkway to show that you take pride in your home.
8. Hose: Whether you’ve got a green thumb or not, you will use a hose in the spring, summer and fall. Not only are we watering plants around our yard, we’re also able to take care of cleaning things after a big project outside, rather than in a sink in the house. It will come in handy.
9. Rake: I wish it were still as fun as it was as a kid, to rake up that pile of leaves and jump right in, but whether you’re making it a game or not, raking leaves in the fall is a part of owning a home with a lawn.
10. Snow Shovel: Disregard this is you live somewhere that doesn’t see snow, but here in Ohio we certainly see our fair share each winter. I opted for a metal shovel this year and I purchased it early! You never know when the first snow will hit and you don’t want to be stuck with an ice-covered, snow-filled walkway or driveway.

It may not be an exhaustive list, but those are the 10 items we think you will need as a new homeowner. For every house and every situation this list will look a bit different, but this is what has worked for us. I never thought I would see the day when I would be hemming and hawing in the aisles of Lowe’s over which snow shovel to buy or what hose length will work for our yard, but once those decisions are made, it’s nice to know that we have the basics for maintaining our home.

Other homeowners out there, am I missing anything critical from this list? What would be on your top 10?

Happy Home-iversary to Us!

Can you believe this picture was taken 1 year ago today?? We officially closed on our first house April 30, 2013. Time sure flies when you’re busy learning how to be a homeowner.

I was feeling nostalgic this week thinking back over the last year and thought it might be fun to dig up the pictures we took of the house during our inspection right before closing and compare them to the house as it is today. Ready for a tour? Follow me…

FRONT ROOM a.k.a. PIANO ROOM

You could tell this room wasn’t really utilized much by the previous owner because of its lack of furniture, but for us this room was key because we needed an extra living space that could house our piano!

PIANO ROOM – OTHER SIDE

So far we have brightened the room with a lighter paint color, added some furniture (those chairs need to be re-done) and hung curtains. We still need to put more art on the walls and a few other things that will make the space even better, but it’s a good start.

LIVING ROOM

This is a small space for a living room, but with the multiple couches and dark colors it definitely felt smaller than necessary.

We painted over the dark colors making the room feel instantly brighter and we have less furniture lining the walls. We have big plans for this room though as it’s not really meeting our needs, but that’s the great thing about living here for a year already – we are learning what we want.

LIVING ROOM – OTHER SIDE

The bump-out in this room adds a lot of light and makes for a cozy corner that was being underutilized before.

We have turned it into a little reading corner with that amazing plant we inherited from a friend. Again, big plans for this corner in terms of furniture upgrades as well as some window treatments, but for now, it’s a spot that we enjoy (cats included).

DINING ROOM

In terms of layout, we really didn’t change too much. Again, with the smaller rooms in these old houses, there’s not a ton of flexibility, but this room serves its purpose well and is right off the kitchen for easy serving.

Again, we painted over the darker colors and that strange red accent wall, making the room feel instantly brighter and cleaner. We invested in a new dining room set so we can seat up to 8 if needed for meals like Thanksgiving!

DINING ROOM – OTHER SIDE

We still have more to do, but it’s mostly in the way of details like art, light fixtures and window treatments.

HALF BATHROOM

This had recently been finished before we moved in so not much work was needed. All we’ve done so far is brighten it up with a lighter color of paint. Next up will be something on the walls. We love having a half bathroom on the first floor for guests!

 KITCHEN

I think we have done absolutely nothing to this room, other than accidentally rip out the blinds so now there is no window covering. Of course if we had all the money in the world we would upgrade to stainless steel appliances, paint the walls a brighter, less pea green color and re-do the back-splash which to me is much too masculine and dark, but we can’t complain. There are plenty of cabinets, plenty of counter space and everything is in good working order. But when we do get around to making some improvements, first on the list will be replacing that cook top with the real deal… a gas stove.

OFFICE

Now we’re on to the 2nd floor. This room gets the best light and because it’s at the front of the house, we knew it would be perfect for an office.

We’ve made gradual changes throughout the last year and we still have more to do, but for starters we painted the walls a light gray, took out the “built-in” shelves along the right side to open up the room and purchased 2 new desks.

OFFICE – OTHER SIDE

That wall shelf is a work-in-progress that I am happy to report is back on the to-do list. The aquarium had stained a lot of the paint and the shelves were bowing considerably, so we ripped them out completely and are starting over. Someday, if we can figure out how to add a master closet, Phil will be able to move his clothes out of the office closet and into our bedroom.

MASTER BEDROOM

This used to be a kids’ room, but the size and placement of the room, we thought, were better suited for our bedroom.

I hesitate to call it a master because there’s no real closet or bathroom attached to it, but it works for us. All we’ve really done in here is bring in our furniture. I hope to paint someday and add some other touches that will make it feel more like a retreat.

EXTRA BEDROOM

This has become a storage room for us at this point, but this space will probably eventually be reconfigured as we reconfigure the entire second floor to eliminate the shot-gun layout of having to walk through every room because there are no hallways.

FULL BATHROOM

This was recently re-done just like the half-bathroom. It’s nothing huge or fancy, but the shower is great and there’s a decent amount of light. All we’ve done is paint it a lighter color and install a ceiling fan.

GUEST BEDROOM soon to be NURSERY

This used to be the master bedroom, but once you put a queen size bed in the room, there’s not much room for anything else. It’s a quiet room though with easy access from the back staircase so for the last year we have been using it, pretty much as is, as our guest room. (excuse the tubs – we’re about to start the nursery prep.)

GUEST ROOM soon to be NURSERY – OTHER SIDE

Hopefully next year when we look back at our progress as compared with today, this room will have seen the most change because there will be a baby in here! We already have the paint picked out and are just waiting on the mud to dry before we get started. Only a few months to go.

There you have it…a full house tour with before and afters. Part of me looks at our current pictures and only sees everything that I haven’t gotten to yet. But then I have to remind myself that we’ve made lots of improvements that you can’t see and the improvements that you can see have been good choices. I know the house will evolve over time as we have time, money and a vision. I only hope we can look back at these pictures each year and continue to see how far we’ve come.

It’s been a year for learning, but I’m so glad to be a homeowner. It was the right decision for us. I can’t wait to see our house grow and change just as our family will.

p.s. I’ll be continuing with the home-iversary theme for the next week providing other tips and stats from our first year as homeowners. Check back!

How Will It Make You Feel?

I don’t know about you, but I completely binged on sweets and candy last weekend with the Easter holiday. There were Reese’s eggs, donuts, Starburst jellybeans and more and I just couldn’t say no. Sure I enjoyed every bite while eating, but it wasn’t more than an hour later that I came down off my sugar high and crashed with a major headache that no amount of water seemed to be able to help. Did I learn my lesson? Sure didn’t, because this weekend I made a double batch of chocolate chip cookies for a party on Friday night, and promptly helped myself to the leftovers for the remainder of the weekend. Sometimes I wonder if I am the same person who gave up both sugar and flour for months. Where did that girl go? Sure, I’m pregnant now, but that’s no excuse. Our baby doesn’t need sugar to grow, it needs protein and vegetables and plenty of water.

My sister said something to me last week that stuck with me (thanks Kels!). She said, “I decided I didn’t want to have x for breakfast because I knew I would feel terrible the rest of the day, so I  opted for y instead.” To her, the fact that whatever sugary breakfast food she could eat would make her crash and feel sluggish the rest of the day was worse than not enjoying the taste of said sugary breakfast food now. I thought that was a great way of thinking about it – “how will it make you feel?”. Too often, I don’t think past the present moment to the next hour or 8 hours when my body is trying to process something that is not good for me and I turn into an unproductive, less than ideal version of myself. And for what… a cookie or a handful of jelly beans?

Kathleen wrote this great post last week about moderation when it comes to eating and other things. She claims to be at her best when she has set boundaries for herself such as giving something up or embarking on a Whole30, etc., but when it comes to having the willpower to enjoy things in moderation on a day-to-day basis, that’s not so easy. After reviewing my habits these last couple of weeks, I have to say I completely agree. So starting tomorrow I am giving up sugar. Those are my boundaries. And anytime I have the urge to break that boundary for some ice cream, cookies or other sweet, I am going to ask myself “how will it make me feel?”. Hopefully I’ll be able to remember the damage it does, and select something instead that will give me energy and give my baby what it needs instead of what I want.

24 Little Hours

Is everyone humming the tune “What a Difference a Day Makes” now? What a great tune. You should check it out if you’re not familiar. Our 24 little hours weren’t changed drastically by love, well maybe they were; love from my parents who came down to Cincinnati and worked like energizer bunnies to help us tackle all sorts of house projects. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, when mom and Bob are in town, stuff gets done!

We joked about how they could have a very successful HGTV show about all the things you can accomplish in 24 hours with the right tools and a little guidance from an expert. If that doesn’t sound exciting, maybe getting a sneak peak at all we tackled around our house will motivate you to get working…or just sign up to be on the show.

I forgot to take a before picture, but I’m sure you can guess what color was on the walls before.  That’s right… GREEN! Going for a light neutral has really brightened up the space. Now I walk by the room and think that I’ve left the light on, but really it’s just the sun reflecting off of a color that is not green and it’s amazing!

We replaced the pipe to our outside faucet because by the end of summer last year, it had stopped working. That fix probably took Bob about 10 minutes.

We pride ourselves on trying to have a home that doesn’t scream “Cats Live Here!!” when you walk through the front door, but for the last year the litter box has been out in the open in our piano room simply because we had no better place to put it. Phil and Bob built a “trap door” over our cellar entrance (because we don’t want the cats playing around on the dirt cellar floor) and installed a cat door so that the litter can be nicely hidden on the landing behind the door. Out of sight, out of scent.

In the bedroom that will eventually become the nursery, we had several holes to patch. First, there used to be a TV mounted on the wall and since we have no plans of ever having TVs in our bedrooms, we removed all the cables and plate covers and patched those holes. Then there was the fun of patching the hole in the ceiling that led to what we learned after buying the home was a “faux vent”, meaning the vent was just there for looks and not actually connected to our HVAC system. Obviously that made for a particularly cold bedroom (sorry to all our guests that stayed with us!), so we had a company install duct work and we then had to patch up the hole that led to nowhere. Still a couple more coats of plaster to go, but then we’ll be all set to paint!

And our biggest project was covering the newly installed duct work. Because our roof line is so close to the ceiling, our only option was to add the duct below the ceiling, so Phil and Bob built the soffit to cover it. It probably just needs one more coat, a good sanding and then will be ready to prime and paint. Such a huge relief!

If that’s not an impressive amount of projects, I don’t know what is. We were exhausted by the time it was all over, but I know that without their help, it would have taken us months of evenings and weekends to get all of this taken care of. Sometimes you just need a little help to get things started.

Once You Know Her It’s Hard to Leave Her

…New Orleans that is.  I picked up a tee with that saying on it from the popular Fleurty Girl shop during our recent trip back to New Orleans. (Note: Denning Beta also got a pretty cute onesie to commemorate its first trip to the city.) It was my first time back to New Orleans since we moved away not quite two years ago and it was good to be back. Two years was long enough that I could enjoy my visit and it feel like a vacation, but not so long that I would forget how to get around or where my favorite spots were. All in all a nice get-away.

New Orleans is the kind of city where visits are centered around drinking and eating, and because Denning Beta put a cramp on the drinking part, we made this an eating tour!

We started at Cake Cafe and got there just before the morning rush to enjoy delicious pastries, egg sandwiches and biscuits and gravy. Then, as if we hadn’t had enough of a morning wake up, we headed a few blocks away to our old favorite hang-out, the Orange Couch, for a cup of coffee and a chai tea latte.

We beat the rain for most of the afternoon and wandered the quarter like tourists, shopping, enjoying the music and reminiscing.

{the obligatory pregnancy shot – 20 weeks, can you believe it?}

Just as the rain was starting to roll in, we hopped on a bus toward the bayou for the most amazing catfish po-boys and sweet potato fries. There was no way I was leaving New Orleans without one.

And lucky for us, we had good company while we took shelter at the bar and waited out the rain.

I was reminded of lots of things about our time in New Orleans while wandering the city, but I think what I missed the most was the relaxed and easy-going nature of the city, the appreciation for time spent enjoying good food and good music, and the sense that you can walk slowly and get there when you get there. We will never be able to replicate the rich culture that is New Orleans, but I think we can certainly remember to slow down and enjoy life, wherever we are. Until next time New Orleans!

5 Fantastic Things | March

March was an insanely busy month. Now that we can finally see that I am pregnant, the realization that these next few months are going to fly by has really set in. So we’ve been making lists, cause that’s what we do, and actually crossing things off as we go. And in between the check boxes, we both managed to squeeze in a work trip, a visit with friends and a trip to see my family. I wish I could say that April will be different but I am anticipating much of the same, and that’s ok! At least spring is here and we can tackle our projects with some sun and open windows.

5 FANTASTIC THINGS I want to remember:

1. Watching Phil’s face when he heard the baby’s heart beat for the first time.
2. Showing Cincinnati to our dear friends and ending the night dancing to a New Orleans-style band at one of our favorite bars.
3. Finally upgrading our phones after months of frustration, research and debate. (we stayed with Verizon and got the iPhone 5s and the Nokia Lumia Icon).
4. Witnessing the intense rivalry between our friend, the high school ping pong champion, and my husband, her arch nemesis.
5. Hearing from so many friends after finally sharing the news. The heartfelt congratulations and notes of encouragement were overwhelming. It’s so nice to know we are loved!

5 FANTASTIC THINGS I’m looking forward to:

1. Getting back to New Orleans!  This will be my first visit back since we moved to Cincinnati almost 2 years ago. I already have a list of restaurants and food that I want to be sure to get before leaving.
2. Seeing a big house project finalized so that our back bedroom will finally experience heat in the winter and AC in the summer.
3. Hosting our neighborhood krewe for another Friday get together.
4. Finishing the Divergent series. Can’t wait to find out how Veronica Roth wraps up the trilogy.
5. Enjoying a Reese’s Easter Egg…my all-time favorite Easter candy.

Past “5 Fantastic Things” posts:
February // January // December // November // October //
September // August // July // June // May

Something New

The ideas for this post have been in my head for weeks, but somehow every time I sit down to write the words I am unable to.

Have you ever kept a secret for so long that when you’re finally able to tell the truth, you’re not sure you can? Because the secret has become something that belongs to you and you’ve learned to protect it so much, the thought of sharing it is frightening, even though deep down you know that it will be a relief?

Well, we have been thinking for awhile now that we’re ready for something new. And while change is not something that I always welcome with open arms, sometimes you just have to trust yourself to do the right thing. So this summer we will be bringing something new into the world and our lives will change in a way that I can’t even fathom. I am nervous and excited at the exact same time, and yes, sometimes I wonder what we got ourselves into. But I am lucky to have Phil who reminds me that we are going to be amazing parents and that everything our baby needs, we already have.

So I guess the secret’s out…and I do feel better to have shared it with you. In fact, I’ll probably be sharing a bit more with you about our journey between now and August if that’s ok. Here’s to something new!

The inspiration for this post’s title came from this song.