All Decked Out

We've (mainly Adam) been working on sprucing up our deck over these last few months.  Updating the exterior siding of our house started the process off.  Adam has always wanted to improve our deck.  When we bought our house, the deck spanned a large portion of the back of the house and was mostly covered.  It was a nice idea, but after we took a closer look at it, the deck wasn't built in the most structurally sound way.  When we first moved in, Adam and some very kind family members came to help shore everything up and make sure it was nice and sturdy.  It was very clear the deck had been built in three different installments.  There was the original covered deck, then an extension of the deck (also covered), and finally a smaller section that was probably used for a grill.  There were lots of vertical posts and two doorways so we assume it was once screened in or the previous owners had planned to screen it in at some point.  It was alright, but there was an overall lack of craftsmanship and was starting to show its age.  It was time to make our deck shine!       

Here's where our deck started out: 

This was after it had been shored up to be structurally sound and Adam had replaced some of the lattice that critters had chewed through.  Again, it was okay, but it certainly wasn't anything special.  

With plans to have new siding added to our exterior, Adam got to work planning how to reconfigure our deck to maximize using materials we already had on hand.  We wanted to keep what we could, but rework sections to make them look and function better.  All the extra posts, beams and horizontal pieces served as a jungle gym for the neighborhood squirrels.  They had started chewing up a bunch of parts of our deck and even some of our siding!  (Fun fact: Squirrels' incisors never stop growing, which is why they continuously chew on acorns, siding, decking and even plastic solar lights.)  

We decided to remove part of deck roof (the middle section that looks a little taller in the above picture.)  We don't typically get sun on the back of the deck until the middle of the afternoon because the house blocks it.  We also have several shady trees, which adds even more protection from the sun.  So we weren't too concerned with removing part of the deck covering.  There was also some water damage happening where the two deck roofs met and we wanted to eliminate any further mold issues.  The crew who worked on our siding removed the upper deck roof.  Adam marked which pieces of lumber he wanted to save and actually used most of that lumber to build the kids' swing set.  You know I'm all about reusing things we already have these days, so this made me very happy!  

Removing half of the covered deck made such a big difference!  I didn't realize how much of a difference it would make until I saw it with my own eyes!  It really opened up the back of the house and let some of our house's architecture shine through.  

Once a portion of the deck roof was removed, Adam got busy reworking the posts for the remaining portion of the deck roof.  He took out two of the posts and added some bracing to the two posts that stayed to offer up support and decorative details.    

You'll also notice Adam replaced the very tired-looking lattice on the side of the deck.  He replaced the lattice with deck skirting.  He used deck boards to finish off the sides and help keep critters out.  There's a small gap in between the boards to allow for airflow.  This really helped make the deck look finished and like a cohesive part of the exterior of our house.   

The next order of business was to figure out what to do with the railings.  We tossed around the idea of removing them completely, like we did on our front porch.  That would definitely open things up!  But parts of our deck are fairly high off the ground, so we didn't want anyone toppling off of it.  We also thought about doing stairs that wrapped around the whole deck.  But we thought furniture placement might be tricky, and again might not be the safest option.  So we knew we needed some sort of railings.  The wooden railings we had before just seemed so bulky and obstructed the view.  We considered doing slimmer wrought iron rails, but thought that might look equally busy to the wood railings.  I've always been a fan of cable railings and got Adam to entertain the idea after finding some inspiration photos online.  Once Adam was convinced cable railings were the way to go, he got to work researching every possible option out there.  He finally settled on buying the HAAS REVO Stainless Steel Cable Railing System from E-Rigging.  He liked that the materials were made in the United States and had lots of handy how-to videos to help with installation.  

The supplies took awhile to arrive from ....due to COVID-19 and hurricanes, neither of which could be helped.  While we were waiting on the supplies, we got busy prepping the posts.  Adam started by cutting off some of the posts, lowering the overall height of the handrail.  Lowering the height of the handrail helped free up our line of sight while seated on the deck.  Whenever we sat at the table on the deck, the handrail was smack dab in the middle of our sight line.  So lowering it was the perfect solution.  Adam made sure to check our local codes to make sure it was still at an appropriate height.  Once the posts were cut and leveled, he added new wood for the handrails.  The previous handrails were pretty boogered up and a bit warped.  He also had to work on shoring and leveling up some of the posts to make sure the cable railing would be level when it was installed.  

Once all the posts and handrails were good to go, we got to work painting them white.  We decided the white would tie in with the other white trim on the house.  Plus, we had leftover wood primer and white paint from the front porch we could use.  Nana and Ted came over to help us out.  Ted pitched in with the painting while Nana watched Archer and Lyla.  The fresh white paint definitely crisped things up!  Adam eventually added a clear coat (General Finishes Exterior 450 Water-Based Topcoat in Gloss) to the handrail to help keep the white looking fresh since its prone to bird poop and grubby, little hands.  Once the paint was dry, Adam drilled holes in the posts in preparation for the cable rail system.  

Adam was also working on the deck boards during this time.  Our deck floor has always been a bit bouncy, so Adam pulled up some decking boards to figure out what was happening.  It turned out some of the floor joists were missing joist hangers, so he added the necessary joist hangers to make the floor nice and sturdy.  He also replaced a few deck boards that were looking a little too worn.  Adam then turned his attention into making the deck floor look like one cohesive floor instead of looking like a deck floor that had been installed in three distinct, different sections.  He feathered in new pieces and sanded down the whole floor, as you can see in the above photo.  It was starting to look like a whole new deck after he was finished with these steps!  

Speaking of steps, Adam also reworked the stairs on either side of the deck, along with the set of stairs that lead down from the door in the kitchen.  Widening the stairs on either side of the deck helped to open things up, but also make them look more intentional.  These are the kinds of details that sometimes seem like overkill to me when Adam is in the planning stages, but the details that totally make a difference once he brings them to life.  

Now that all the reworking and prepping was complete, it was time to stain the deck floor.  As usual, Adam researched every possible option and scoured the internet for reviews on every product on the market.  Ultimately, Adam decided to go with Osmo Decking Oil.  While it was on the pricier side, it promises no peeling and will allow the wood to breathe.  It claims to be water-repellent and weather and UV resistant.  It also boasts very low VOCs, which makes us feel better knowing Archer, Lyla and Jazzy will be clocking many hours on the deck.  He ordered a few different color samples so we could see what they would look like in person.  We decided Rosewood would be the best option.  It was the perfect brown tone that played well with the blue siding, looked crisp against the white painted posts and handrails and tied in with the shutters on the front of our house.

Adam ordered the Wood Reviver Power Gel, the Decking Oil in Rosewood and a couple brushes.  He got the deck good and clean using the Wood Reviver Power Gel and then made sure it was fully dry before we moved onto the staining step.  Nana was kind enough to come over and watch the kids so I could lend a hand to the staining process.  Adam and I tackled this step over the course of two days.  We put on the first coat on day one, let it dry overnight, then added the second and final coat the following day.  It covered beautifully and really soaked into the wood.  We did use some clean rags to wipe away the excess stain after brushing it on.  In addition to the deck floor, we also stained the three sets of stairs and the deck skirting on the sides of the deck.  

It turned out gorgeous!  The finish is very luxe and the color is perfect.  It is definitely water-repellent and hasn't faded in the few months since we've stained it.  I will mention that since it's a darker color, it does show some dirt and dust.  But it's also a deck and that's to be expected.  I don't really mind seeing Jazzy's sweet little footprints on the deck occasionally.  

Once the deck was stained, the cable rail supplies arrived and Adam got to work on installing the railing.  It wasn't a horribly complex process, but it did take some time and an extra set of hands during a few parts.  The finished railing is perfect for our deck!  It keeps that open feeling we were after, but also provides some safety.  While we've discouraged Lyla and Archer from climbing up the wires, it is sturdy enough to hold their weight.  I love that I can sit on the deck and my view of the kids playing on their swing set isn't obstructed.  So far the squirrels haven't bothered it at all.  It's also a lot easier to blow off any leaves that accumulate on the deck with the leaf blower since we don't have bulky railings in the way.

To make things even more comfortable, Adam installed a new ceiling fan under the deck roof.  Turning it on keeps flying insects at bay and adds a nice breeze.  And since we've removed all the extra beams and posts, the squirrels can't get on top of the new fan like they did with the old fan.  Adam also added an outlet so we can add lights if we ever want to.  

With the deck looking so picture perfect, we couldn't not complete the final step of adding rock around the deck.  We had planned to tackle this at a later date, but before I knew it 7 tons of rock was delivered to our driveway!  We created a new border around the deck using large cobblestones.  The large cobblestones will allow the tree roots to grow without disturbing a more permanent border.  We tried to make it a little curvier and reclaim some of the yard, too.  While we were both pretty sore after lugging 7 tons of rock around our yard, it really does finish off the backyard so nicely!  Adam added some grass seed around the border to help fill in some of the bare spots.  Just over the last couple weeks the grass has finally filled in.    

Along with all the cobbles, we also got some larger flagstone to create the perfect little path to the hammock.

 

Let's end with a few before and after shots, shall we? 

It's safe to say the backyard is looking pretty snazzy these days.  We love to spend time on the deck and have enjoyed lots of meals and playtime out there.  As I was pushing the kids in their swings the other day, I was gazing at the sweet swing set, the gorgeous deck and our cute little shed and felt a huge wave of gratitude.  I sure am lucky to have such a beautiful home with a beautiful backyard!  I'm lucky to have such a handy husband who can complete so many of these projects!  And I'm very lucky to get to watch Lyla, Archer and Jazzy enjoy this space we call home!  I'm a lucky girl indeed.  

Using What I Have

Since I've spent so much time at home lately, I've been looking for ways to make small tweaks to some spaces around our home.  And since I've been trying to reduce the waste we produce and all the stuff we consume, I've been using things I already have to spruce things up.  My latest target was my laundry room. 

The first thing I did was repaint the generic canvas that was hung up to cover the water hook-ups.  At first I was going to try to find some different artwork or order a canvas photograph, but then I decided I could just use what I already have!  I have plenty of acrylic paints leftover from other projects, so I pulled a few colors that went well together.  EttaVee was my inspiration (though what I ended up with is nowhere near her gorgeous artwork!) so I picked some bright happy colors like pink, orange and yellow.  I also pulled in colors that coordinated with the wall color like teal and navy.  I didn't really know what I was doing, so I just squirted globs of paint on the canvas and swirled it around with a paintbrush.  The final project is bright and happy and makes me smile.  Plus, it was free! 

Next, I took down the blinds.  I've decided I just don't care for blinds.  They collect dust and prevent the maximum amount of sunshine from coming in, even when they're open.  So I took those suckers down.  I left the window naked for a few weeks before deciding my next move.  Since the window is crammed in the corner of the room, I decided I needed some sort of window treatment that fit within the window frame.  I considered making a Roman shade, like I did in the kitchen.  But I decided I didn't really need a functioning shade since I wouldn't be opening and closing it each day.  That's when I decided a little valance would do the trick.  

I wanted something that was fun and had a little whimsy.  (I need all the happiness I can get when doing laundry!)  So I started looking for valances online and saw some cute ones with pom poms and tassels.  I almost bought one, but I looked a little closer and realized I had everything I needed to just make one myself.  After a little searching, I found a handy video that showed me how to make tassels.  I decided to go with teal and navy tassels, to pick up some of the colors from my painting. 

Once my tassels were made, I set about making the valance.  I decided to go with simple white.  I ended up using some curtain lining leftover from my Roman shades.  It was pretty sheer, so I doubled up the layers to make it less see-through.  I wanted my final curtain length to be about a foot long, so I added 3 inches to allow for the hanging process.  The width inside my window became the width of the curtain, but I added an inch to allow for a half inch seam allowance on each side.  I folded the two layers in half and sewed the sides shut.  So the bottom ended up being folded and the top was open, like a pillowcase.  I flipped it inside out and ironed out all the wrinkles at this point.  

Now it was time to add the tassels.  I ended up using a large upholstery needle to sew on my tassels.  I needed a larger eye for my embroidery thread to fit through and an upholstery needle did the trick.  I sewed the tassels on the bottom of the curtain (the folded part) and tied the knots to secure them inside the curtain.  And I used the ol' eyeballing it method to decide how far apart to space each tassel.  (Don't tell Adam.)    

Next, I moved onto figuring out how to hang it up, again, using what we already had on hand.  I decided to use a similar method that we used when installing the Roman shades.  I had Adam cut down a 1x2 to the width of the curtain.  I wrapped it in the same white fabric and stapled the fabric on, much like you would wrap a present.  Just use staples instead of tape.  Then I stapled the top of the curtain (the open side) to the top of the board.  I didn't worry about finishing the top of the curtain since it will never be seen sandwiched between the board and the top of the window trim.   

  

Finally, I held it in place inside the window frame, while Adam screwed it into the top of the window frame from the bottom of the 1x2.  We made sure to pre-drill the holes first so the drill wouldn't bunch up the fabric.    

It turned out adorable!  The curtain helps finish off the window and adds a little fun to the space.  It also helps tie in the painting.  

These scrappy DIY projects are always my favorite.  There really is something to be said about making something yourself.  I tend to enjoy them long after I've finished making them and they bring about a sense of pride.  And isn't that what your home should be all about?  Your home should definitely be a place you're proud to call home and a space you enjoy being in.  

Making Over My Living Room For Free!

Spending more time at home during this pandemic has made me a little stir-crazy!  It's been trickier to try to find things to do to keep myself entertained.  While I was sitting on our couch the other day watching Cocomelon for the thousandth time, it dawned on me that I should rearrange my living room!  I realized that as soon as you walk into our living room, the first thing that stands out is the TV.  While it lives on a very cute cabinet, it's still not the prettiest thing to look at upon walking into my living room.  So the gears started turning in my head and I considered what it might look like if I swapped where the couch and the TV cabinet were situated.  I decided a nice view of the couch would be more welcoming than the TV.  

So I whipped out my measuring tape and measured our sofa table and couch to make sure it would fit beside the fireplace.  According to my measurements, it would just fit.  Now, I'm a very visual person.  I typically need to see something in person before I make a decision about it.  So it was a little bit risky to swap around my whole living room on a whim.  Switching things up meant I'd also have to move artwork, fill in nail holes and repaint.  Plus, I'd have to deal with all those cords behind the TV cabinet.  After hemming and hawing about it for a few days, I decided to just go for it.  What else did I have to do?   

So while Adam gave the kids a bath, I got to work.  I decided our couch cushion covers could use a good cleaning while I was at it.  Luckily they are removable, so I took all those off (along with Archer and Lyla's chair covers) and started the laundry.  Then I got to work doing the heavy lifting. 

While moving around the couch and TV cabinet, I took the opportunity to give the carpets a good vacuuming and I dusted all the baseboards.  I thought my house was clean, but my baseboards behind the couch told a different story!    

It was at this point in the evening, when I started to regret my decision to rearrange.  But I continued on!  

As I got the sofa table and couch in their new home, things started to fall into place.  I knew it was the right call and was glad to have made the switch!  Even without all the cushions on the couch, it seemed so much more welcoming!  (You know, for all the guests we have these days.)

Once the couch cushion covers were dry, I wrangled those back on the cushions.  Boy, was that a job!  I was sweating by the end of that task.  I also plan to never remove those covers from Lyla and Archer's chairs ever again.  I think I burned 1,000 calories trying to get them back on!  

But let's take a look at some before and afters so you can see what I'm talking about: 

So much better, right? 

I took advantage of some more space in the corner next to the TV cabinet to make a little reading nook for Archer and Lyla.  I tucked in their chairs and toy basket to make them a space all their own.  While Lyla and Archer have free reign of the living room, it is nice to have their chairs and toys tucked into the corner.  Plus, it gives them more room to spin around and dance and build train tracks.  Archer and Lyla have certainly taken full advantage of all the new space! 

Adam and the kids were happy with the changes, but poor Jazzy took some time getting used to the new setup!  She had a designated spot on the couch where she would look out the window.  I moved her blanket over to the other window, but she wasn't too excited about her new perch.  The day after I rearranged, I would find Jazzy in a different spot on the couch each time I walked into the living room.  She couldn't quite figure out where she was supposed to sit! 

But some treats helped her get it all sorted out.  I'm sure she'll have a Jazzy-sized dent in this new couch cushion in no time at all. 

So there you have it!  I completely transformed our living room without spending a dime!  So if you're bored like me, wander around your house and try to find a room to tackle.  Even sitting on the couch now makes me feel like I have a whole new point of view.  Happy rearranging! 

Three Years!

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but Archer and Lyla turned three years old on August 3rd!  It still baffles me that my sweet teeny tiny babies are now full-fledged three-year-olds!

Just as surprised as I am to have two three-year-olds, it's even more surprising to have two three-year-olds in the middle of a pandemic!  We are extremely fortunate to be in the position we are in.  I get to stay home with Archer and Lyla, while Adam gets to work from home.  We have a roof over our heads and plenty of food to eat.  We've been very careful and have made every effort to keep our family safe during this crazy time.  Archer and Lyla haven't been to any stores or public places since March, with the exception of some nature trails and empty parking lots to ride their tricycles.  We're very lucky Lyla and Archer are still young enough to not really grasp what's happening and just how small their little worlds have shrunk.  And I am so happy they have each other to play with and continue to grow their social skills.  I keep reminding myself this is a temporary situation, but I'd be lying if I said we weren't suffering from cabin fever.  

Craziness aside, both Archer and Lyla are thriving.

Both are incredibly active and like to play "little monkeys jumping on the bed" (and couch and ottoman and hammock...)  They enjoy racing and chasing each other and avoiding near catastrophic injuries an insane amount of times each day.  They are professionals at getting stains on their clothes and are quite skilled at finding even the smallest trace of mud.        

They both still adore reading, which is no surprise since I read to the kids every day and Adam and I make sure the kids get to enjoy books before bedtime each night.  I would be lying if I said I'm sad when they pick the short ones.  Both Lyla and Archer have mastered their alphabet, both lowercase and uppercase letters.  They have even learned what sounds each letter makes and several words beginning with each letter.  I wish I could take credit for these newfound skills, but they just enjoy watching educational shows on Netflix. 

They've each memorized several books apiece and like to "read" them to us.  I still have to brush away a little tear each and every time they do.  I love how much they love reading.  They miss going to story time at the library and picking out books to check out at the library, but we've taken full advantage of curbside pickup to bring some new reading material into our home.  

I adore how their relationship continues to deepen.  Of course they have their squabbles and there's a lot of "NO, MINE!" being shouted every day, but they do truly love each other.  I catch little moments of their love all the time, of course never when I have my phone handy to record it.  If one falls down outside, the other runs over to offer a helping hand to pull them back up.  If one gets a boo boo while playing in their rooms, I'll hear the other one ask where they need a kiss.  Archer climbed in his swing the other day and I looked over to see Lyla pushing him.  Lyla said she was sad the other day and Archer retrieved her night night (aka her blanket) saying "this will make you feel better."  There's a part of me that's sorry they will never get the chance to be an older brother and sister, but then I remind myself that they have a connection that not every kid gets to have.     

 

Archer is a wild man and rarely sits still.  Even when we're sitting together reading a book, he squirms and wiggles and has smacked me in the nose on more than one occasion.  He will snuggle with me when he first wakes up for approximately 30 seconds and I eat up every second of it.  He does like to give us kisses and hugs and his little arms wrapped around my neck are pure magic.  He enjoys making tracks for his trains and playing with his cars and trucks.  Archer loves to sing songs and I often hear him singing different tunes over the monitor when he should be napping.  His naps are few and far between these days, but I still make him go up to his room to "rest."  He'll still come up to me and say, "you snuggle me?" and it just melts my heart.  I love him so stinking much.  

Lyla continues to be confident and knows exactly what she wants.  She doesn't always get it, which can lead to some screaming from time to time.  Generally speaking, she's a happy girl and her favorite thing to do these days is take care of her baby dolls.  She's a very good mommy and even requires that Adam or I help her put on her baby's pajamas each night before we put Lyla to bed. Lyla is always very curious about what I'm cooking for dinner.  She'll wander in the kitchen and smile at me and I will give her a little bite of whatever I'm cooking.  She also always asks to help stir if I'm mixing something up.  She's very adventurous with her eating and will try just about anything.  She's been waking up in the middle of the night lately calling for me.  Even though I yawn a bit more these days, I don't really mind rocking her in the middle of the night.  I know some day she'll be too big to rock with me, so I'm trying to just eat it up while I can.  

They both got new big kid bicycles with training wheels for their birthday (thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!) since they have mastered their tricycles.  Archer has taken off on riding his, but still needs to practice with the brakes!  It's a workout when he rides his bike!  Lyla has been more cautious with riding her new bike and still prefers her tricycle, which works out for me so I can run after Archer.

I decided to record a birthday interview of each of them and hope to keep the tradition alive in years to come.  They didn't exactly sit still or answer the questions as thoughtfully as I had hoped, but here they are in all their glory:  

Archer's Interview

Lyla's Interview

Celebrating their birthday this year amidst the Coronavirus pandemic was a far cry from our celebrations in years past.  Adam and I didn't feel comfortable with a big family get-together this year, so we spread out their birthday celebrations.  Two weeks before their birthday, we celebrated with my parents.  We had a small party with some low-key decorations and games.  I raided the recycling bin and made a coconut tree similar to the one from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and let the kids run around the house finding letters to put in the tree.  We enjoyed some pizza for lunch and cupcakes after singing "Happy Birthday!"  Both Archer and Lyla were quite adamant that I make them chocolate cupcakes with blue icing for Archer and pink icing for Lyla.  I was more that happy to oblige.    

Adam and I celebrated with the kids on their actual birthday.  The weather was unseasonably cool, so we took full advantage and went to a walk on a nature trail.  The trail is close to some train tracks, so we got to see a real train, which added to their excitement.  We went through the drive-thru at Lion's Choice and brought home lunch which we ate picnic-style on our front lawn.  After lunch they had a socially-distanced visit from their Grandpa Dave and Sherry.  Archer and Lyla were very happy to see them, but were bummed when we had to remind them we couldn't hug them.  They requested stroganoff and broccoli for dinner, so stroganoff and broccoli they got.  

This past weekend Lyla and Archer got to have yet another birthday party with Nana and Ted!  The kids are obsessed with watching the video of them hunting for Easter eggs, so I decided to let them hunt for some eggs during this birthday celebration.  Not your traditional birthday activity, but it made them happy.  

I love these little knuckleheads so very much and am so lucky to be their mom!  Watching them grow and learn is truly an honor.  I can't wait to see what this next year will bring for them!  

Home Sweet Home

I knew the house we bought was our home the moment we walked through it 8 years ago.  Adam and I have spent these last 8 years transforming the interior to make it more "us."  While we'll always have ongoing projects going on inside, the overall feel of the interior of our house is very much ours.  It matches our styles, even though we've never been able to nail down what exactly to call our style.  We enjoy detailed woodwork, a la Craftsman style.  I love some traditional touches, but also like a mix of modern.  One thing we know for sure is that we like COLOR!  So it's no surprise that the tan, beige exterior of our house never really felt like it was "us."  

But that's all changed now because the outside of our house got a serious dose of color!  Ta-da!

Isn't she gorgeous?  After extensive research on all the different siding options, Adam decided James Hardie fiber cement siding was our best bet.  I told him I didn't really care what kind of siding we ended up with, I just wanted to pick the color.  While James Hardie is one of the pricier options, it's also an option that's supposed to be super durable and long-lasting.  We plan to stay put in our house for a long time, so it made sense to us to invest in something that will (hopefully, fingers crossed) stand the test of time.  After deciding on the product, Adam then vetted local contractors to get the job done.  I lost track of how many bids Adam got, but he wanted to be very certain the company we chose would do excellent work.  We are absolutely thrilled with the company we ultimately went with and are so pleased with the results.  If anyone local wants to know who we went with, just ask and I'd be happy to share their contact information.  

But let's get to the fun stuff- the before and afters!  

Our exterior was looking a little rough!  The new columns and trim work Adam finished building back in November were in need of paint and that black netting over the gable vent was to keep the bats that were living in our attic from coming back in.  Yes, there were bats living in our attic, but have since been evicted.  Let's just say our house wasn't the prettiest one on the block.    

But boy has she come a long ways!  Look at her now!  We went with the siding color Deep Ocean and it was the perfect choice for us!  It's definitely on the bolder side, but isn't too crazy.  I think it still fits in nicely with the other houses on our street.  We chose a horizontal lap siding for the top part of the front of the house (and on all the other sides) and shake siding right above the garage for a little added detail and texture.  The company we went with also had a painter as part of the crew, so he took care of painting the columns and garage doors.   

I still can't get over how much grander our porch looks with the new columns and trim work Adam added!  We used to have some busy railings and decorative woodwork at the top of our porch, as shown in the photo below.  

Ripping out those railings was the right move.  Everything is so much more open!  My favorite thing to do right now is hang out on the front porch after we eat dinner.  We give the kids a popsicle (which is really just frozen water in one of those make-your-own popsicle molds, but don't tell Archer and Lyla!) and we lounge in the chairs.  The kids help me water the flowers and we get to just hang out together.  It's perfection!  

After the siding was installed, Adam and I decided to spruce up the cedar shutters he built a few years back.  We decided to stain them a rich brown (General Finishes Exterior 450 in Coffee Bean) and finish them off with a semi-gloss topcoat (General Finishes Exterior 450 Top Coat in Semi-Gloss).  They definitely bring in some warmth and tie in nicely with the bricks.  We also decided the front door color didn't quite jive with the new siding.  Both were bolder blues and they felt like they were competing.  I ended up painting our front door Behr's Blue Agave, which is actually the same color as our dining room. Our dining room is just off to the right when you walk in the front door, so it's a nice way to tie the exterior and interior together.     

Even the side of our house, which only features one window, looks more exciting with the new siding.  The crisp white trim definitely helps add some more interest.  Heck, even the trash enclosure which hides our trash and recycling bins looks fancy with the new color!  Adam actually built that using the railings from our front porch.    

     

The other side of our house looks lovely in blue, too.  

Now let's head to the backyard for my favorite transformation yet!  We had a large covered deck that spanned most of the back of our house.  While it's been nice to have a covered deck, it wasn't in the best shape.  You could clearly tell that it had been built in three sections at three different times.  It wasn't the most soundly built and felt a bit like a trampoline when you walked across it.  Adam has never been impressed with it and has talked about reworking it for years.  So when we decided to get new siding, Adam felt like now was the perfect time to rework the deck.  We had the siding crew remove half of the deck roof.  It was a good thing too, because it had lots of water damage.  Adam also took off the railings and decided to change up where some of the posts were located.  He also switched out the lattice for some deck board skirting for a more finished look and to keep out critters.  Since the deck is fairly high off the ground, our plan is to replace the railings with a cable rail system.  We think it will open things up, but still keep people from tumbling off the edge.  Even though we still have work to do on the deck, it's already such a huge improvement!    

Just like in the front, things are much more open!  We still have a partially covered deck, so we do still have shade.  We also have a better view of the back of the house.  I never truly got to appreciate that little bump out around the back door.  I love to lay in our hammock and gaze up at our pretty house now.    

We would also love to rework the landscaping blocks around the deck.  Ideally, we want to add rock instead of mulch and create a little flagstone path between the deck and hammock.  And maybe add some more hostas or other plants.  We'll save our pennies and work on that in the future.  

And how cute did the little shed that Adam built turn out?!  I think it somehow looks even more charming painted blue.  

The dark blue and crisp white really lets the flowers and plants in the window boxes show off.  

I can't help but smile as I walk down the street towards our house on my daily walks with Jazzy, Archer and Lyla.  It truly is home sweet home.