My Home Composting Experience

When I first started trying to increase my sustainability efforts, composting was something that kept coming up.  I had heard about it, but didn't really know much about it.  I now understand composting is basically recycling organic matter (think food scraps and yard waste) into soil.  According to the EPA, "Food scraps and yard waste together currently make up more than 30 percent of what we throw away, and could be composted instead.  Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas."*  That's a really large percentage of stuff that could literally be prevented from ever going into the landfill!

After doing some very basic research, I decided to just go for it and learn along the way.  In January of 2020 I convinced Adam to put what's considered a digester in our backyard.  A digester is essentially an enclosed compost bin.  (Here's a link to a tutorial you can use to make one of your own.)  I decided an enclosed compost bin was best for our situation.  We still had our sweet dog Jazzy and she loved to eat any and all food.  So we wanted to keep all those food scraps contained and away from her.  Plus, Archer and Lyla were younger and like to explore everything.  We also have lots of bunnies and chipmunks and squirrels and probably other critters I don't care to know about hanging around our yard.  The idea of a compost bin that wouldn't encourage more critters was very appealing.  So we got a garbage bin, drilled holes in the bottom and sides, dug a hole and stuck in the bin!  It was simple and didn't take too much time.  

Once we had our bin in place, we added just a bit of dirt to get things set up.  Then I did some more research to determine what exactly we could put in our compost bin.  You want to have a fairly even mix of green matter and brown matter.  Green matter includes things like fruit and vegetable scraps and grass clippings.  Brown matter includes things like cardboard, twigs and dead leaves.  The EPA's website has a good list of items to get you started.  Here's a list of some of the things we compost: fruit and vegetable scraps (think watermelon rinds, apple cores, potato peels), dead flowers, wine corks (make sure they are actually cork and not plastic), hair trimmings, toothpicks, cardboard, eggshells, parchment paper (make sure it says 'home compostable' on the the box- we use the 'If You Care' brand) and floss (again, make sure it says 'home compostable.')  Some things definitely break down faster than others.  The smaller you break down the items to begin with, the quicker they will break down into compost.  So instead of throwing in a whole cardboard box, rip it up first.  And smush up eggshells instead of throwing them in whole.  You get the picture.  Oh, and remember to remove any stickers from your produce before putting them in your compost bin since they won't break down. 

One thing that has been helpful is keeping a bowl in our freezer for all of our food scraps.  This keeps food from smelling and freezing it first actually helps it break down faster.  It also prevents me from having to go outside anytime I end up with an apple core.  I just toss things in there and then take the bowl outside when it gets filled up.  I might just be weird, but it brings me a nice sense of satisfaction each time I empty a bowl of scraps into our compost bin.   

I was a bit overwhelmed when we first started composting.  I think I checked Google before composting anything because I was worried I would do it wrong.  But composting isn't an exact science.  Even if you don't have an exactly equal amount of green and brown matter, it will still break down.  And after doing it for two years, it's become second nature.  Whenever we go on vacation or visit family that doesn't compost, I feel incredibly weird throwing away banana peels in the trash.  Archer and Lyla even have a pretty good sense of what to stick in the freezer versus the recycling bin or the trash.

Another piece of the composting puzzle is to regularly turn it.  Every once in awhile, when I bring out a bowl of scraps, I will grab a shovel from the shed and stir up all the contents of the compost bin.  Since our bins are buried in the ground, water seeps in the sides and we don't really have to add any water.  If you have a compost bin that's above ground, it's a good idea to give it a spritz of water every once in awhile to help it decompose.  

After composting for about two years, we realized our bin was getting pretty full.  Things were definitely decomposing, but we kept adding in new stuff.  Since it was January, we weren't ready to use it in our garden.  So we decided to add a second bin.  That way, we could stop adding stuff to the first bin and let that totally decompose so it would be ready to use in our garden when we planted it in May.  Looking back, we probably should have added two bins to begin with.  But we figured it out eventually.  

So this past May, I got to add our first batch of compost to our little raised garden.  It was pretty amazing that all those food scraps and cardboard somehow turned into soil!  We had enough to give our whole garden a good layer of compost. 

And look at how happy my garden is!  It is thriving this year and I truly think the compost made all the difference.  I planted lettuce and tomatoes this year.  We enjoyed lettuce throughout June and even had extra to share with our neighbors.     

We've had a few cherry tomatoes ripen so far and they are delicious.  I'm looking forward to even more throughout July and August.  We planted mint way back in 2016 and it comes up every year even though I rip it out continuously throughout the year.  We also had a few volunteer plants pop up this year.  They appear to be vines, so it will be fun to see what we end up with.  Could be pumpkins or cucumbers or watermelon, who knows?! 

With our two compost bins being so successful, we decided to add another compost setup strictly for our yard waste.  Adam got the idea from our neighbor who has a similar setup.  Our neighbor even shared some supplies with us.  (We are truly lucky to have so many sweet neighbors.)  The plan is to put all the sticks we pick up from the yard, along with leaves in the fall and plant trimmings into these bins.  It's divided into three sections.  The first section is where we add stuff to begin with.  Once it starts to break down, we add it to the next section.  Once it's fully broken down and ready to be used as compost, we'll keep it in the third section.  With this system, we'll be able to completely eliminate the need for curbside yard waste pick up.  Plus, we'll end up with more compost for our garden and flower beds around the yard.  

So now I just toss all those random sticks and flowers that I've deadheaded into the first section.  When I'm watering the garden, I give the setup a spritz of water to help things break down a bit more since it's above ground.  I'm so glad Adam came up with this idea.  When we were visiting my parents this past weekend, we had some corn on the cob.  Adam asked if he could bring home the husks for our compost bin and I've never been more in love.  Just kidding, but I do love how he's hopped on board this sustainability train with me.       

Composting has allowed me to reduce our household waste by a lot!  We end up with one trash bag each week and usually it's not even full.  It has also helped our little garden grow.  And I'm so happy this is one small thing I can do to help our planet.  I hope you'll consider giving composting a try!  I'm always here to answer any questions.  

*https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home

Tackling Food Waste

To continue my efforts to live more sustainably, I've focused my attention on tackling our family's food waste.  While I don't feel like my family has been super wasteful when it comes to food, we've definitely tossed leftovers and expired food in the past.  My goal has been to eliminate as much food waste as possible.

Here are a few tips and tricks that have helped my family out:

Buy Only What You Can Eat

This sounds so simple, but can be really difficult!  Grocery stores can be so tempting.  That's why I always meal plan and make a list of exactly what I need before I head to the grocery store.  Poor Archer and Lyla have to hear me say, "Not today," several times each trip when they try to get me to buy random stuff.  But I'm a stickler for only buying what's on my list.  I also try to find ingredients that will carry over to other meals if there are leftovers.  For example, if I am making chicken noodle soup, I can use some leftover chicken to make chicken nachos.  

I also tend to just cook and bake the foods I already know how to make.  That way I don't have to buy a bunch of ingredients that I will only use a little bit of and then leave to spoil in the back of my pantry.  Speaking of my pantry, it's pretty small.  It's just one cabinet with four roll-out drawers.  This also helps me not buy too much since I don't have a lot of space to house it.

Figure Out How To Properly Store Your Food

There are lots of little tricks you can do to make your food, especially your produce, last longer.  You can store cut up celery and carrots in jars of water to extend their life.  I keep lettuce in a sealed container with a damp cloth on top to keep it fresher and crisper longer.  It's better to stick berries in the fridge without washing them until you are ready to eat them.  Apples and citrus will keep longer if you refrigerate them.  Tomatoes do best if left out of the refrigerator.  Once avocados ripen, you can put them in the refrigerator and they'll keep for days!  Dry goods should be kept in airtight containers.   

Make Use Of Your Freezer

One thing that has helped me prolong our food and keep things from going to waste is to use my freezer more.  You can freeze a surprising amount of items.  I like to make homemade buttermilk biscuits, but don't want the hassle of making them all the time, so I quadruple my recipe and freeze a bunch.  All you have to do is flash freeze them before storing them.  Just set them out on a plate so they aren't touching and stick them in the freezer.  After about an hour, you can put them all together in one container and store them in your freezer.  I also do this with cookie dough balls.  You can even bake these items while they are frozen just by adding a couple of minutes to the bake time.    

I don't know about you, but sometimes I don't really enjoy eating the same thing for days on end.  So if I'm going to be making a pot roast or something that will yield a lot of food, I'll use half and then freeze half to use at a later date.  I love using jars to freeze meat.  Just make sure to let things cool to room temperature before putting the lid on it and don't overfill it before putting it in the freezer so you don't end up with a cracked jar.  I've been using jars for years and have yet to have anything crack.  I also really enjoy using Stasher bags (reusable silicone bags) to store things in the freezer.  

   

*I should point out that I know eating meat is not a very sustainable practice.  Maybe one day our family will cut out more meat from our diet, but we're not there yet.  I do get our meat from local farms, so that does help a bit.  I'm reminded of the quote by zero waste chef Anne Marie Bonneau whenever I feel guilty about eating meat: "We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly.  We need millions of people doing it imperfectly."  

Buy In Bulk

One way to eliminate some of the packaging involved with food is to buy in bulk.  At one of my local grocery stores (Sprouts-I believe they have locations in several different states), they have bulk bins full of dry goods, baking goods, dried fruits, nuts and candy.  I bring in my own little canvas bags, fill them up and then store them in old salsa jars at home.  This way, I don't have boxes and bags to dispose of after we've eaten everything up.  

When I do buy items that come with packaging, I opt for the largest-sized amount that will actually get eaten.  For example, Archer adores Cheeze-Its.  Instead of buying the pre-portioned individually wrapped kind, I opt for the large family size box and divvy it up myself at home.     

Consider Your Portions

I've tried to do a better job of cooking the correct portion of food for each meal.  I always used to make way too much pasta when I was making a pasta dish.  And I would save the extra cooked noodles and then end up throwing it away after it sat in my fridge for a week.  So now I cook only what I need and resist the temptation to add "just a few more noodles, just in case."  

I also try to portion out food on my family members' plates according to what I know they'll likely eat.  I err on the side of too little since they can always ask for more.  I know Archer will likely only eat the one required bite of pasta I put on his plate and not much more, whereas Lyla will eat a big heaping pile and then some.      

Compost

One of the best ways to prevent food waste, reduce the production of methane and end up with an end product that will make your garden happy is to compost.  I've been composting my food scraps for a few years now and am happy to report it's simple and easy to keep up with!  I plan to write a a post about my composting experience soon since I used my compost to plant my garden this spring.   

Donate Or Offer Up Food You Won't Eat

If you end up with food that you know you won't eat and it's unopened and not expired, consider donating it to your local food bank.  Or you could ask other family members or neighbors if they would like it.  I love to bake, but don't need to eat entire loaves of bread or batches of cupcakes, so I often share with our neighbors.  I've spoken before about Buy Nothing Groups (you can find your group by searching "Buy Nothing Group + your city" on Facebook or there is a new app you can download from the App Store or Google Play) and this is also a good way to offer up food you won't eat.  In my group, people will give away food that's been opened and people are generally okay with that as long as you disclose that information up front.

So these are my best ideas for preventing food waste.  I'm so proud of my family for taking these steps with me to prevent food waste.  We're not perfect, but being more mindful has certainly improved our behaviors around wasting food.  Let me hear your tips and tricks!  What other habits can I adopt to help eliminate food waste?    

Old Porch Posts + Old Deck Spindles

We've been on a bit of a table kick around here.  Not too long ago, Adam refinished a table for our kitchen.  Most recently, he used up our old porch posts and old deck spindles to create a gorgeous new table for our deck.  With the exception of a few cedar boards for the center of the table top and the bench slats, Adam created a whole dining set using repurposed lumber!  All of the old lumber would have just been hauled off to the landfill, but with Adam's hard work and skill, we now have the perfect addition to our deck.  

Allow me to go back to the beginning of the project and give an extremely simplified description of all the work Adam did.  There were too many steps for me to keep track of and I definitely didn't do the best job of photographing all the steps.  (In all fairness, I was wrangling Archer and Lyla so Adam could work on it.)  

In the midst of the pandemic, Adam was searching for projects to do that would keep him busy, but the high cost of lumber limited what he was willing to tackle.  Luckily, he had a pretty good stockpile of random lumber.  Adam had thought to save the old front porch posts from when we replaced them with new cedar columns.  He also saved all the spindles from the deck when we replaced them with cable rails.  This lumber had been sitting in our shed, awaiting the perfect project.  

After tackling the deck, we decided we needed a bigger table with more character and more seating.  So Adam got to work designing a new table and some benches using the lumber we already had on hand.  After he had his design, the next step was to plane all the spindles.  He took these worn out spindles for a trip through his planer... 

...and brought them back to life!  

He then laminated the spindles together to form planks for the table top.  This step took lots of patience.  After spindles were laminated into planks, he sent the planks through the planer again to get everything smooth.  He did have to supplement one cedar plank down the center of the table top since there weren't enough spindles to make the entire tabletop.

The base of the table came next!  He used leftover lumber and our old front porch posts to build the base.  Since the porch posts were already painted white, Adam decided to keep the base white.  Stripping and sanding off the paint would have been quite the job with all those nooks and crannies!  

The white base adds a bit of contrast and also ties in with the white railing posts.  

Adam had plenty of leftover planed lumber to build the bench bases.  Since those were nicely planed, he decided to stain those the same color as the table top.  He did have to grab a few more cedar boards to create the bench seats.  

Finding the perfect color to stain the table top and benches was quite the feat!  We wanted something to contrast the dark color of our deck, but still complement it.  After looking at several samples, we settled on a stain that turned out to be way too orange in person.  Ultimately, Adam decided to use Osmo Decking Oil in the color Thermowood.  It's the same product we used on our deck and have been very impressed with how well it's held up!  

Since we wanted to optimize seating, we decided to add two additional chairs to each end of the table.  Adam's mom was able to use our old patio table and chairs, so we opted to buy some chairs with a smaller footprint.  We also wanted to ditch the chairs with cushions since they would get wet when it rained, despite our covered deck.  The benches can seat 3 adults comfortably and 4 in a pinch.  So we can now seat up to 12 people!  We have already eaten many meals at the new table and enjoy spending time sitting around it.  

(At least Adam will look at me when I trying to take a picture these days...)

Our new dining set is the perfect addition to our outdoor living area!  It fits the space nicely, without taking up too much room.  There's still plenty of room to play and grill up dinner.  

I love that Adam built it.  I love that he saved materials from the landfill.  I love that it brings our family even closer together.    

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.  

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.