Home Improvements

Update on all of our projects.  Tyler has stayed busy building furniture and we also got some other household items checked off our list.

Tyler had built these night stands for our bedroom last year but we finally got around to finishing them.  We also bought an old dresser that Tyler sanded and we painted to match.

Finished products.

Next up on our project list - Our headboard.  We debated different headboards but in the end opted to go with a really basic easy one.  We didn't use any templates but instead just came up with a plan together.  

Just about the only thing I helped with was picking the order of the wood.

End result.  We also bought a much needed new bedspread and love it (of course this is the old one).

Next up was the garage and our need for storage.  Tyler decided to build shelves similar to the shelves my dad has in his garage.

Extra wood = a "Y" for the wife.  Still not sure if or how I am going to finish this.

We also got a fence! No we didn't do this ourselves but I have no doubt Tyler could have.  We were not happy with the company we went through but we are happy with the end result (After Tyler fixed some issues himself).

Last but not least, we finally ordered our window treatments.  I fell in love with the shutter plantations as soon as we saw them.  How could we not get them when we live right by the beach!  We ended up just doing the bottom half of our downstairs windows so we still have a lot of natural light coming in and we have full ones on all the windows upstairs.

More projects are still in the works....

Winter in NC

We had an abnormally cold winter in NC (or so I've been told).  I know, I know, I am not complaining because all my Minnesota friends and family had it way worse than us.  Despite two big ice storms, we still had some beautiful days that we took full advantage of.

My big new year's resolution was less talk and more action.  I talk about projects I want to do, restaurants to try, places to travel, etc., and now I am making those things happen (or trying to).  One of the big ones was to establish a workout routine and meal plan healthier meals.  Tyler and I have always been active but we go through exercise phases and I like my sweets and pizza!  So far we are doing a pretty good job but still room to improve ;) 

Both of our ice storms were in February.  We both missed work because there was no way to get there.  It was below freezing out and our county shares one snow plow.  With no ice trucks, we literally had to wait until the roads melted.  For Christmas (and his birthday), I surprised Tyler with tickets to the UNC v. Duke basketball game.  The day of the game a storm was expected so we got on the road early.  The drive started out fine but ended up being horrible.  A 2 hour drive took us 4 1/2 hours and we passed 147 vehicles that were stuck or abandoned.  We did have one stretch where our car was sliding but other than that, Tyler was more nervous about the North Carolina drivers that had no idea how to drive in that condition.  Ten minutes from our hotel, the game was rescheduled :(

We ventured out to a sports bar for dinner instead.  Although we were upset, there were tons of people that traveled way farther and even flew in for the game!

North Carolina's "snow storm"

The next day the city was literally shut down.  Nothing was open - not Starbucks, not the mall, nothing.  It was actually very comical how people reacted to the weather.  

The game was rescheduled for the next week so luckily we could take off work and head back for round two.  We both decided that we were UNC fans over Duke even though Duke was expected to win.  The game and atmosphere were CRAZY.  Everyone at the Dean Smith center were on their feet the entire game cheering just as obnoxious as the student section.  UNC came back in the 2nd half and won!  Definitely a fun game and a good experience but now Tyler thinks he needs to go every year!

What else have we been up to?  Tyler used Christmas money to buy a new grill so we both have been enjoying it.

We attended a gala for the Pender County Rotary Club with my coworkers.  It was at the most adorable country club - I wish I would have taken some pictures of it. 

One of Tyler's coworkers has a boat and invited us out for a day on it.  We cruised up and down the Intracoastal Waterway. 

 Alligator in the bottom right

We have gone on more intentional dates 

We finished a DIY project that we love!

My Husband, The Handyman

Buying a new house means planning for extra $$ for furnishing said new house.  Since this is a starter home, I wanted to avoid investing too much into this house or specific items for this house that won't show a return.  With some prompting from muah, Tyler decided that DIY projects were the way to go.  He went to work building and I was in charge of painting and staining.  These are the first finished items: 

Kitchen island on wheels

Kitchen book shelf for cookbooks/odds and ends

One of the two end tables 

Coffee table

We have so many more projects started or envisioned so more to come!