What I've Been Up To... Reprise

 

I find it funny that just two posts ago, I wrote about begin a writer and hoping to blog more consistently. Then almost 3 years of silence with just a post about pumpkins in there. This is what my journals always look like, too. “I’m going to start journaling regularly” they invariably say every few years. I used to journal regularly… when I was stuck in school every day with pen and paper. But since then, I tend to journal only when I’m stressed or sad. Future journal finders should take that into account when reading them. I don’t want you to think I had such a bad life, overall.

 When I got married, my husband asked me to keep a journal for us. I began writing several times a week. Then I went down to just Sundays and then I fell back into my “when I feel stressed” mode. So, definitely take that with a grain of salt because my marriage overall has been wonderful! I’m sitting at my desk looking at our journal right now.

So, here I am with an update. I’m sure you were all on tenterhooks (all 3 of you) to see what I’d say next. Sorry about the long wait. I will admit, I even though was pretty busy (as you will read), the hiatus is mostly due to slow internet. It was nearly impossibly to upload pictures at my old place, which I’m pretty sure I’d mentioned before. 

Old place? Yes! We have moved! But not, as we had hoped for so long, away from Texas. That is for another post. Our new place is just outside of town on a little under 10 acres.

 Other than that, what else has happened to us since 2019? Here’s a quick list, but some of these will be their own posts later:

- moved

- visited Michigan 7 times

- survived a pandemic

- seen all of New England in one week

- began to homeschool full time

- survived the end of Legacy Academy

- returned to choir

- kids joined choir and orchestra

- several concerts including the girls’ first symphony

- changed music studios

- resurrected crochet club and MEK

- taken on renters

- added two in-laws on the Hamilton side

- added two nieces to the family

- got my first smart phone

- took a hiatus from news

- discovered you tube and podcasts

There have been other adventures, but these are the ones that stick out to me right now. Look forward to telling you more about them!

Home Improvement: Before and After

I promised some before and after pics of the stuff we did on the house. Some of these "after" pics are current and some are from right after the work was done, about last June. But this is pretty much what my house looks like now:

Dining room as seen from living room. Front entrance to the right, kitchen to the left.

Now, at a slight angle. We are planning to get new windows this year and some wainscoting. Plus, a dining table would be nice.

Living room as seen from the dining room.

Today. You can't see it, but we took out the wall AC unit, as well.

Fire place as seen from side hall.

Today, as seen from the green couch.

Milli's room as seen from the door near the stairs.

As seen from the door to the hall near the bathroom.

Today.

That is the "shoe closet."

It is now Molly's room, too.

Narnia corner.

Dress up station.

Reading and feeding area.

Our bedroom facing north.

Today, facing northeast.

My sewing and craft station!! My favorite place!

Office area of bedroom.

Our bedroom facing east.

Today.

Our bedroom facing southeast.

Today, facing south. Ed's game area and Molly's play place. Ed had to move his game station upstairs while Steve is here.

Laundry hook up.

Today. We plan to tile this room eventually.

Kitchen and eat in facing southwest.

Facing southeast. Door to laundry room to right, guest room to left.

Facing west/northwest.

This summer. Notice the fruit!

This summer, notice the coffee station!

Guest bath.

All we did to this room was tile it.

Stairway a little blurry.

Today. I finally hung pics this week. I'd like to do something like this:

Milli's secret room.

Today!

Harry's room aka the cupboard under the stairs.

Full.

The bonus room off the office.

The office/guest room is currently occupied, so the games are upstairs.

This hallway is the same except that the cabinets are full.

Side hall.

Last summer. There is now a tea cart next to the stove and the kitchen wall to the right is also orange.

Busted up shed and junk.

New fence piece where shed used to be. Eventually we will replace the entire garage.

View from the corner.

No more broken fence. We hope to build a stone wall someday.

Front walk.

Front walk in June.