Wednesday Check-in

We are still here, alive and kicking. I've been wanting to post for the past few days, but have been pretty wiped out. I think that the move and all the work getting ready for the party two weekends ago has finally caught up with me. It has been difficult to get up in the morning and I find that my motivation levels are really almost non-existent in the evenings. I am just a blob on the couch, waiting for bedtime.

This last weekend we worked a little bit on the outside of the house, mainly the front yard. At some point a previous owner planted a bunch of boxwood shrubs to line the front walk. I imagine that when they were green and lush, the walkway looked quite nice and manicured. Unfortunately, during the time that the home sat empty after it foreclosed, the landscape suffered. The roses are pretty drought tolerant but the boxwoods, not so much. So we had all these little dried up, pathetic plants lining our front walk. Mike pulled them out this weekend while I weeded both front beds. So now we have roses and dirt, along with the lawns. Mike also pulled out a lot of the landscaping that lined the right side of the driveway, beneath the maples that we just had trimmed. There were just too many plants squished into such a small area and it was so overgrown that I could barely get in and out of the car on that side of the driveway.

We were pleasantly surprised that a previous owner had invested in three large, beautiful stones (mini boulders?) that surround the base of one of the maples. Eventually we plan to do the same around the other maple, and who knows, maybe the two on the left side of the front yard as well. We are eager to have a blank canvas to work with, so to speak.

Apart from gardening, Mike and I saw a couple of movies last weekend. On Friday night we went and saw Mama Mia! OH. MY. GOD. That is quite possibly my new favorite movie! It was a lot of fun; I am sure that isn't the last time I've seen that film. On Saturday we went and saw The Dark Knight with Mike's mom. That was also a great film. I just love the summer movie season! After the movie we returned to Mike's mom's house for dinner, where we got to hang out with Amber and JJ, Mike's younger brother and his wife. Amber is expecting her first child in December, so it is always fun to hear about the pregnancy and how everything is developing.

The next project on deck for the house is the crown molding in the guest bedroom. That room is coming together nicely. We bought a new bed for the master bedroom (king size, baby) and moved our queen into the spare room. No longer do our guests have to suffer through a night of leaky aero bed when they come to visit! We also moved a dresser into that room. The color of the wall (green) is my absolute favorite. If that room had a bathroom attached, I'd prefer to use it as the master. But it doesn't, and the master bath really kicks ass, so we make compromises. So, Mike started measuring the guest room and marking the studs to prepare for the molding. He still has to cut it and then I will paint it. We are hoping to get it installed this coming weekend.



Mike and I have a busy August ahead of us! We have trips planned and visitors coming, including our dear friends from Portland: Helen, Troy and their baby Carl, our dear friend from Fresno: Jenn, Doug & their little girl Penelope, and my dear sister from San Diego! Whew! Rumor has it that my parents might also try and come visit before my dad starts back at school!

I have some photos, and even maybe a video to post if I can figure out how to link it in! Stay tuned!