a bit more about today

I couldn't help myself, here is yet another picture of our pool deck from the view of sitting on the patio deck.

And, to celebrate our anniversary we ordered a papa's pizza and ate it on the front room floor, just like we did one year ago. :)

1 yr anniversary as homeowners!

A year ago today we moved into our first house as actual owners. And we have been busy! Here is a look back at what was and what is today.

This is how the front yard looked when we first moved in. And while its summer so its all green and lovely, come winter those big, huge bushes die a rather sad, ugly death and require maintenance we just didn't want to deal with...

So i tore it all out. And just started getting rid of the hedge last week. Its not as involved, but we have plans to push the front room out to the garage someday, so its just temporary. this summer its been an experiment to see what comes up!
This is the very edge of our yard in the front. cherry trees that don't produce cherries. and lovely pavers

So...since the pavers weren't really lovely but lame, i removed them and added the daphne's from the front...i have no idea what i'm doing. our concentration has been the bkyd. one day our front yd will look much better.

so...speaking of bkyd, let's go there next. this is what this section of the bkyd looked like upon arrival. we found this dirt spot w/ nasty dying plants odd.

after consulting with and "hiring" (at no cost) our landscape architect friend danae, we've made some changes. our goal is a bkyd w/ a nw/ japanese feel.
this is what we've done. put more dirt in a more logical fashion, added a stone wall, asian pear tree, a japanese willow, hostas and ferns. the daisies were a replant of mine that won't be staying...i'm going to replant them in the front this fall

and this is what the deck looked like when we first moved in! we cut into that section our original pool was on and added our above ground pool last summer.

and of course this year we've been crazy busy (well, rob mostly) creating our new deck. and this is where we currently are as of today.

its amazing isn't it?

let's go in side...

this is what the back room looked like when we checking out the house as a possible purchase (so the furniture is the previous owners).

the walls are teal and the floor is pergo.

well...teal walls is hardly our thing and pergo floors do not go well w/ surround sound and kids laying on the floor watching tv. so we painted the walls nugget and added soft carpet i got for a steal!

next is the bathroom. oak shutters (ugh) and the walls were this odd light blue that i found hideous. so much it hurt.

so...we painted them royal blue w/ a sponge and purchase and painted royal blue some wainscoating. the sponging was awful (live and learn!). made it too dark, so...all on my own because rob wasn't nearly as bothered, i re-painted it all white.

and we added faux-wood white blinds.

let's venture to my bdrm. this is what the previous owner had going on. LAVENDAR walls. obviously, anyone who knows me knows that i couldn't possibly sleep w/ lavendar walls.

so for the time being, we simply repainted the walls w/ the same nugget as the tv rm.

(avert your eyes from the mess)

and light fixtures. man. have we learned about light fixtures! this one is a unique one we found. we love it. not terribly complicated to put up.

ah...and the bthrm. the light fixture in the bthm originally was the simple oak (what wood in this house ISN'T) w/ round lights. and an oak medicine cabinet. this mirror was on the wall behind. so we moved the mirror and purchased these lights. this light fixture seemed like a breeze after our first experience....

which is THIS light/fan fixture. good golly! this was such a pain in the butt!! it is remote only (no switch) for the fan. it has more than two electrical wires. it is heavy. we put it up, didn't work. tried again. didn't work. left it for a couple days. tried again. didn't work. left it for another day and tried again. still nothing. fed up we went to the store and asked for a new remote in case it was a remote issue. came home w/ a new remote (no charge. wonderful store). and waa laa. all that time it was a dud of a remote and not us and our wiring....we highly recommend that if your ceiling fan is w/in reach, one does NOT bother w/ a remote only fan...

but isn't it pretty? much better than the brass and white one w/ lovely flower lights...

and lastly. our addition to our family! gaiden and sweetie (as kittens)

and leo (when we first got him...he's about 10 mos)

i hope you enjoyed this journey through the last year! who knows what will be the update for year two!

izsak's b-day present

well....the izsak is 12 now, and i should commence this blog w/ a short back story (am i capable of short? i'll try).

once upon a time when rob returned home from overseas, there was discussion about 7 yr old izsak shooting a gun. izsak's curiousity was his argument, rob's favorable opinion of this was due to his grandfather letting him shoot birds out of a cherry tree about the same age. well, i was dead set against it being very anit-gun. i said, "maybe when izsak's 12 or 14 or something he can" as my compromise.

well...today was that day of izsak reaching 12. i said it and they both remembered. so today izsak's present (and only present might i add, renting the gun and buying the ammo for two is NOT cheap) was to go to the "Baron's Den" and shoot away.

Izsak chose the tommy gun and definately aims to the left. the target's right side (if he was standing face foward) was riddled. he would've definately required shoulder surgery. nonetheless, izsak really enjoyed himself and while i was hoping he'd just be sickened after the experience (like i was the one and only time i've ever shot a gun) he was jazzed.

so there the have it. the rest of the day was spent (and is currently being spent) w/ a couple friends, swimming, watching movies, being allowed to drink copious amounts of mountain dew (normally totally off limits) and playing ps3. oh. and cheesecake and snacks and steak for dinner (thanx bbq rob!).

happy birthday sir izsak! :)

7-10-09 coldplay concert

So, last night was the coldplay concert. We went saw them at the Clark County Ampitheater in WA (just over border)
The food was "movie theater" prices, so we didn't feast as well as we would've liked.

And after it taking 3.75 hrs to get to the ampitheater (thanx so much rubber neckers watching a tow truck just south of salem and friday commuter traffic over the columbia river!) we found a decent spot in the middle of the middle of the lawn.

Izsak was taking pics w/ his phone, that's why they are the way they are.

But the weather was PERFECT and it stayed warm even after the sun went down. The show was awesome and ryenn piggy back style could see pretty ok. ryenn got a small woman's shirt and izsak got an army green hat (very much in the style of that dcu hat he's always wearing) w/ "coldplay" on the back and "viva la vida" on the site. i think he took it off to sleep last night but not sure.

Rob and i were so stoked to be able to take the kids and they sooo enjoyed themselves. and to top it off, coldplay gave out a cd w/ 9 live versions of their songs from previous concerts. to each of us so the kids have their own copies.

we should definately make a concert a summer event every year!