Making A House Home Sweet Home

I have been anxiously waiting for the month of October. Not only because it extends deeper into fall with cooler weather and beautiful changing leaves, but because it is time for The Nester's 31 Days! This year it has its own website!

Last year was the first year I focused on my love of fall. This year, my choice of topic was easy - Making a House Home Sweet Home.

When I first started thinking about my specific blog posts months ago, I had a bunch of ideas like picking out paint colors and adding pictures to the walls. But at the moment, the only thing I have done is paint. I don't have a lot of furniture and definitely have nothing on the walls yet.

Instead, I am sharing what I am doing in the meantime - limited decorating, stocking my freezer and pantry with staples, cleaning. I will also be sharing verses that talk about hospitality. My desire is that my home is a place where people feel comfortable being and where I love living.

I hope you enjoy this series!

Day 1 - Red Hot Apple Butter
Day 2 - Painting Pumpkins
Day 3 - Welcoming Autumn
Day 4 - Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Day 5 - Reflections On Hospitality
Day 12 - Reflections On Hospitality
Day 15 - Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Day 16 - Baking Buckeyes
Day 20 - Reflections On Hospitality
Day 26 - Reflections On Hospitality
Day 27 - Feathering My Nest - Where to Start

Reflections On Contentment

Snapshots Into My Life

What I am seeing through my lens this week.

This candle smells so good! Everything about it reminds me of fall. I have been burning it since the end of August.

My mom and I went away this week. I always feel so bad about leaving Luna.

Our getaway was in West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful!

The Greenbrier Resort! This was our destination. I will be posting more later, but this hotel is amazing.

The views at the pool are unbelievable! The leaves on the trees were already starting to change. I could stay here forever.

On the way home, we stopped in Columbus for dinner at the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill. It was pretty good, but the Buckeye Pie was so yummy!

Front Yard Face Lift

Yesterday, the front of my house got a little bit nicer looking. It isn't the best looking, but it made a big step closer.

Family friends were willing to take some giant hostas that were growing in my pitiful looking landscape. While they were digging those out, they also cut down some trees that I wanted gone! It is amazing how much better everything looks.

One of the trees that came down was the tree that was overtaking my lamp post. Every house on my cul-de-sac has a lamp post, but mine was invisible, hidden amongst a tree.

Down it went. Two other trees came down. One was right in front the living room window and the other was next to the front door. I couldn't find a good picture of the other trees.

A naked lamp post! It needs a little bit of love, but it is visible. Maybe next year, I will add some flowers around it.

Please ignore all the weeds that are growing obnoxiously. They will be gone soon too. The hydrangea bushes are staying, but I would like to start everything to be fresh and new.

I have to keep reminding myself that it is one step at a time. I may want it all done right now, but that isn't going to happen.

Reflections On Contentment

Snapshots Into My Life

What I am seeing through my lens this week.

My first pot of coffee Monday morning tasted funny, so I made a second pot. It tasted much better. I don't seem to function very well without my cup of joe!

My mom and I have tickets to the Pop Series at the Toledo Symphony. I am really excited about it because there are some really good performances that we will get to see. First one is October 4. It is coming up soon!

Luna can just see over the edge of the window. She keeps an eye on her yard. If she sees squirrels she runs to the back door so she can chase them.

One Mess At A Time - The Dining Room

Welcome to the biggest mess in my house - the dining room table. While my kitchen was being worked on, my dining room table was the only flat surface downstairs, not including the floor. On top of that, when my contractor started, I wasn't completely prepared so I was throwing stuff there at the last minute while they were getting started.

Because of all the dust from the construction process, these lovely marks were left on my table. Everything had this thick coating of dust. It was gross. A lot of the stuff on this table needed to be thrown away anyway, so nothing was ruined. Purging is always such a great feeling.

A clean table! Since I am still waiting to get furniture for the downstairs, this is the only room that looks like it is lived in. I enjoy walking in here now.

This cabinet from Target has lived in several states with me - Illinois, Pennsylvania and back to Ohio. It is so heavy! Even though, it is not something that I want to keep forever, it has a spot in my dining room for right now. I am sure I will be able to fill it up.

Next, I have to decorate. But for now, I can at least walk in the room without tripping over random stuff. Just like everything else, this is a work in progress.

Reflections on Contentment

Snapshots Into My Life

What I am seeing through my lens this week.

I actually found white pumpkins last week. I think they are so pretty! It was a little too early in the season for me to buy them, but fingers crossed that they will be there in a few weeks.

I received this tea pot for Christmas, but I was only just able to use it. I was so happy to hear the whistle letting me know my water was boiling away.

My cousin sent me a surprise this week in the mail. It was such a nice thing! This candle smells absolutely divine!

I broke out the Crock Pot to make dinner this week. I made this pot roast. It was so yummy! I highly recommend trying it out.

Kitchen Reno Week 12

This is the last kitchen reno update! Why? BECAUSE IT IS DONE!!!! I am a little excited about it.

I have reclaimed my home. No more lock box on the front door. No more people coming and going during the week. No more construction noises. No more!

Now I can look beyond all those things and start using a functional and beautiful kitchen. The whole renovation process was a learning experience for me. as a new homeowner. It would have been really naive to think that everything would have gone perfectly and smoothly. No unexpected surprises popped up, but the length of time did go way beyond my expectations. But on the flip side, I would rather have a kitchen that took a lot longer to finish than one that was slapped up and will be full of potential problems.

The kitchen looks so much better than I even imagined in my head. The crown molding provides such a nice finishing touch.

I have begun adding some of my red accents, which is helping to warm up the space. My beloved Kitchenaid has found it's home. I think it is pretty happy in its new spot.

I have already started using the kitchen by cutting and freezing 12 green peppers on Saturday. The dishwasher has already gotten a work out, cleaning all unpacked dishes.

The kitchen is already a mess as I try to get it organized. So while the renovation project is done, there is a lot more to come!

Reflection On Contentment

Snapshots Into My Life

What I am seeing through my lens this week.

We celebrated Brynley's birthday on Monday and she loved her cake! I can't believe she is 1 already. Where did this year go?

One the way back from Wisconsin, my mom and I stopped in Shipshewana, IN. This site made me giggle because all the emergency vehicles were golf carts.

Last fall, I constantly looked for these pumpkin spice M&M's. I never found them, so I started early this year and bought 4 bags. I don't know how I am going to use them, but I will be prepared!

Kitchen Reno Week 11

Week 11...and it still isn't finished! Last week my frustration level was high. It is about ready to break through now. You can't expect to finish a kitchen if you only work about 8 hours during the week. I digress. The backsplash has been started, but not finished.

I didn't want anything too fancy because I didn't want anything trendy and run the risk of not liking it in a few years. Subway tile fits that bill, but this tile has a little something extra to it.

The tile has a bevel to it. Since the countertop has a little bit of sparkle, the bevel helps to dress up the tile a little bit more.

It does look really nice even without being grouted.

My microwave was installed, but since there isn't any electrical I can't use it yet. Once it is finished, I know I will be super happy. I am trying to grin and bear it until then.