Happy Anniversary to our House!

We signed on our house a year ago May 15th! For an anniversary gift, the house received new house numbers. We feel they better reflect our style. (bench cushion & painted terra cotta pots still to come for added curb appeal and comfort!)

We moved into a 1970's split level with new flooring, a newly remodeled kitchen and updated bathrooms, but we have made tons of cosmetic changes to add to that. (YES... we mostly knew what we were getting into when we bought this house. We EXPECTED to spend lots of our time and elbow grease to make it look like US.)

• We had our trees professionally trimmed. (Now we pray we don't lose 4 of them to Dutch Elm disease)
• We cleaned up, cut back and removed overgrown shrubbery. (We needed the tree company to remove all of our mess, the pile became so large!)
• We had energy efficient entry and storm doors installed. Our upstairs french door glass was so fragile, toddler Dean cracked a pane our second week there, so it was also unsafe. Mark changed out the door bell button to complete the look.
• Mark has painted every room in the house except the two downstairs bedrooms, and a back stairway we keep forgetting about.
• He painted the unfinished banisters white.
• He painted all of the downstairs trim work white to match the upstairs.
• We have changed out (or painted) the lower level hardware, door handles, fireplace front, etc. to match the brushed nickel upstairs.
• We have made "temporary fix" roof repairs, but need to address more serious issues. (Okay.. we didn't expect that when we bought the home)
• We had our microwave removed from an overloaded electrical circuit. My kids were beginning to think microwaves ONLY work in the dark. (No, we didn't expect that either). The fine electrician (my co-workers kind and talented husband) also wired our bedrooms for overhead lights, which we will install someday.
• We have had a tub faucet repaired after it blew off, probably due to a corner cutting remodel. Then we addressed a leaky drain in the same tub, which caused basement ceiling damage. (Nope, not expected... but damn glad we got a home warranty.)
• I installed shelving in our bedroom closet.
• Mark installed new panel doors (with foam inside) upstairs. He accidentally punched a hole in one hollow door, and another actually FELL OFF because it had not been reattached correctly when the former owner removed it to paint. I think those doors are on sale more weeks then not at Menard's.
• Mark changed out the outside patio light to match the front door.
• We have dumped TONS of chemicals and fertilizer on our lawn, and had it aerated. (So sorry to all our our ecologically minded readers who might be opposed to our lawn maintenance...
• We added new house numbers.
• Mark planted a few lilacs and arborvitae along our property line.
• We have added some perennials to various beds around our yard.
• Naturally, we have decorated, and I have all these little DIY projects all over our home.

Our list of "To Do" projects always stays the same length somehow....so we will see what the next year brings!