A New Adventure

When Matt and I bought our house last summer, the plan was a very slow flip. Our main goal was to tear out the kitchen and do a major overhaul. That overhaul is finally underway...And hopefully it will be finished before Megan comes to visit for BDR! (No promises, though; a friend is doing most of the work pro-bono so we're at the mercy of his schedule.)

Here is what our kitchen looked like when we moved in:

Our house was built in the 70s, and I don't think the kitchen has been updated since then.

I absolutely hated the cabinets. They're thin, unadorned wood painted beige; the paint on the handles is chipping and the bottoms of the drawers were all in danger of falling out. Also, weirdly, the cabinets opened in the same direction instead of meeting in the middle and opening in opposite directions. For some reason, that drove me nuts.

Our additional room is full of cabinets.

They're beautiful! We got a few fun, snazzy features I'll share once they're installed, and they're soft-close, even though we didn't spring for that upgrade! I guess it was free! We haven't decided on hardware yet.

The biggest logistical problem was the position of the dishwasher and oven. The doors would catch on each other and that corner was really cramped. I'm having the sink and dishwasher flipflopped to fix that issue.

I also hated how closed off the kitchen was. When I was cooking, I felt secluded from the rest of the house, and it was impossible to get any light in there.

This weekend, we cleaned out the cabinets to prepare for the first stage of the update: demo!

We put everything on the dining room table and covered it with a tablecloth to protect it from dust.

Then, Matt and the crew got to work.

Here it is now:

The view in from the living room. That PVC pipe has already been rerouted back into the wall, so the window is fully open.

The view from the kitchen!

I was adamant about losing that wall. That meant moving some plumbing around. The cabinets will be installed within the next couple weeks (they need to finish drywall and electrical stuff first), so right now our kitchen is basically useless.

My "kitchen" right now.

We put a deposit on some dark gray granite for the counter tops, so the kitchen will look bright and modern once it's finished! I can't wait! My dream-kitchen would have a wired island and a state-of-the-art dishwasher, but this is a good start.

Have you ever done major renovations on a house?
What does your dream-kitchen look like?

ABK

Bear With Me...Get Ready for Random

I tried to get photos of the shelves Matt's been making and hanging around the new house, but none of the photos are really that interesting. So here's one of him actually working as he builds floating shelves from scratch.

His expression says: "Please stop taking candids of me."

We've had good weather for outdoor work, and that includes running. I've been taking as much advantage as possible.

Since my first run on the golf course, which I did without music, I've been trying to ditch the tunes for short runs/the beginning of long runs. I figure I'll want to be able to enjoy the atmosphere of the marathon and, toward the end, I may want a pick-me-up. If I listen to music/podcasts for too long, I get sensory overload. So planning to run some of the race musicless seems like a good idea.

But you can't do something new on race day, so I've been running the first couple miles of long runs, and all of my short runs, without music.

It's really liberating. And I actually love the sound of my feet hitting the packed shells and sand along the golf course. It's just me, the crunch of my steps, and a few squawking birds and croaking frogs.

Something like three teeny pinpricks of rain hit me on this run, but the cool air and breeze were welcome!

Monday I ran three miles without music, which is my longest silent run ever. My brain started to kind of wander into its own weird thought process. I was thinking about Archie because...well, why not? Particularly, I was thinking of how we got his name (Archibald Michelangelo), and that led me to think that his name has the perfect ending.

Why not zone out thinking about this cute little fluffer?! For those wondering about how big Archie is, this photo is actually shows him LARGER than he is.

My little sister in my sorority, Jenn, has a dachshund named Roxy. She has this habit of calling her "Rox-YYYYYYY" with a really drawn-out and high-pitched "eeee" sound at the end. And now, when I think of Archie's name, I attach that same "eeee" ending sometimes.

And that, in turn, got me thinking about all the things I've learned from Jenn, beginning with:

1. The best pet names end in "ee" sounds and sound best when spoken at a squeal.

2. Date 'em and dump 'em. Jenn had (past tense, because now she's engaged) a tendency to date a guy, zero in on exactly what she didn't like, and date a new guy who didn't have that particular quality. Boyfriend too shallow? The next is sure to have more depth. Boyfriend too clingy? The next will know how to balance his priorities. She is the master at trading up. I've never known a girl who knows herself so well and is so good at refusing to settle, and she definitely never falls into the trap of trying to "fix" a guy who isn't right for her. I think most women can learn from this!

Jenn, me, and Leah (another sister). Jenn knew Matt before I knew either of them, and knowing she liked him was a definitely mark in his favor when we met.

3. Never back down and always be confident. Jenn can be confrontational; she just refuses to take crap from anyone, and she's smart as a whip and willing to go toe-to-toe with just about anyone. It's nice to have that kind of ferocity in your corner! She's definitely taught me to stand up for what I know is right.

4. Why speak one language when you can speak three? Yes, three. Jenn is from the Netherlands, so she speaks Dutch; she also speaks perfect English, and because she has been living in Panama for the last few years, perfect Spanish as well. Her dogs know commands in all three languages!

5. Be honest. Sometimes she may be blunt, but I've definitely learned that being honest and tearing off the proverbial bandaid is better for everyone most of the time. This kind of honesty leads to unshakeable trust, and that's pretty priceless in a friend.

So, that's what I thought about as I ran along the course Monday evening. Totally random, but a nice reflection. Oh, and did I mention that Jenn took up running? (Between her fiance - who also runs - and me, she kind of had to!)

I'll leave you all with a video of Archie being his usual adorable self. I hope your week is starting out swimmingly!

What do you think about while you run?

Do you listen to music, podcasts, or the sound of your own footfalls when you run?

Who is someone you've learned a lot from?

ABK 

Settling In - A House Post

I haven't run in 9 days, which really sucks, especially because official marathon training begins July 7. But I haven't been lazy. Oh no. Packing, lifting, carrying, bending, stretching, cleaning...who knew scrubbing floors could be such a great workout?! Yes folks, we are completely out of the old house and officially into our first home.

I leave for Cleveland for my family reunion tomorrow, and I plan to run while there - time to take advantage of the cooler midwest weather! In the meantime...here are some photos of the new place!

Remember: we bought a fixer-upper, so we're planning to knock down walls, tear out cabinets, and do some major work.

We got the kitchen done first - with the help of Matt's mom - and that was definitely the best decision ever. It was a huge undertaking and having it out of the way was a relief.

This addition to the kitchen leads to the master bedroom (through that pocket door).

The master bedroom - the bathroom is to the left, then there are sliders to the pool, then another door to the living room. The two entries are weird, but convenient.

The first thing he did when we got the key was fix the hurricane shutters so we could remove them.

Our backyard is the golf course!

My first morning at the new house!

The living room will be one of our biggest projects. We'll be tearing down the wall that connects it to the kitchen and doing something with the door that goes to the master bedroom.

The living room from the front entrance/foyer.

80% set up, from the opposite angle.

Dining room before...

...And after. Besides paint, we won't change much here. I love the sliders out onto our bricked-in front porch.

The guest room was my first big task because my brother and sister will be coming over before we fly out to Ohio. I had to get it in order for them!

That's pretty much it for now. We have to get the office, master bedroom/bathroom and garage all set up. Is it sad that the thing I'm most excited about so far is my new washer/dryer? That must be a sign of adulthood...

I was seriously grateful and blown away by how many people came to help us move. If you want to find out who your real friends are, ask them to help you carry heavy furniture.

Ryan helped Matt with running wires and hanging our TV.

Elizabeth and her husband Roniel were super helpful, and Elizabeth has been helping me clean all weekend!

Matt and Ryan take a breather.

So, that was my weekend. How was yours?

ABK

Moving Day!

The house is officially ours, and this is going to be my life for the next few days:

So obviously I'll be a little out of touch until we're settled and I have a moment to relax. Have a great weekend, everyone!

What's the best way to make a house feel like it's truly yours?

 What's the weirdest purchase you've ever been excited about? I'm freaking out about my new washer and dryer. I must be a grownup.

ABK

On the Horizon

I think it has finally sunk in for me that it's summertime! That means some big and exciting things are on the horizon. For one, marathon training for the Space Coast Marathon begins July 7. 

My plan calls for pretty specific speedwork, so I've been on the lookout for a used Garmin that will fit my meager "fun" budget (more on that in a moment). I was really lucky...when I reached out to my Sub-30 group, I was able to get my hands on a gently used Forerunner 410. (Thanks Shane!) It's a tad bulky, but I couldn't beat the price. I'm so excited to use it!

I already kind of love the touch bezel.

The watch needed to be charged, so I wasn't able to use it for my speedwork today. Elizabeth and I went out in the heat and knocked out some intervals. She had never done them before - she's an athlete, but not really a runner - and loved them!

75% humidity is downright refreshing these days.

I refueled with a Vega Sport protein bar. Pretty tasty, but a little heavy for my post-run preference.

Also coming up is my trip to Ohio for my family reunion! It's been years since I've seen my dad's side of the family, so it will be really nice to get up there and visit with everyone. Matt won't be joining me (again, "fun" funds...we're getting there), so he'll have the house to himself while I share a hotel room with my siblings...just like old times!

My cousin Lindsay is my only girl-cousin on that side...my dad's siblings all had boys! Here we are sometime in the 90s, when I looked like a boy, too haha. 

Matt and I usually take a big vacation each summer for our wedding anniversary, but this year we didn't want to spend the money, and he won a weekend at a resort in Captiva Island, so we're using that instead! It's not a big trip, but it's just what we'll need.

I'm looking forward to getting away.

Okay, so why all this budgeting talk? Matt and I have finally decided to act like the adults people keep saying we are and buy a house! We close on June 26 (fingers crossed!), so we're really watching our funds. We purposely bought a fixer-upper, so once we're in, I'm sure the blog will be overwhelmed with photos. For now, here's one to keep your curiosity at bay:

Yes, it's pink. Yes, we're repainting. No, we're not sure what color yet.

The house is also why I may have to adjust my usual plan to run 12 races a year. I have two races on the horizon - an 80 mile relay and the aforementioned marathon - but I'm trying not to sign up for any others yet. There are a ton I ran last year that I'd love to reprise, but I just need to wait and see if they'll work out.

 

If all goes according to plan, in mid-July I'll get to meetup with some of my Sub-30 running friends, and I may even be at the MLB All Star Game...but that's entirely dependent on the contest and how voting goes.

This summer is certainly shaping up to be a full one...Can't say I'm complaining! The busier I am, the more fulfilled summer makes me feel!

Have you ever gone to a family reunion?

Do you like to travel in the summer?

Tell me about your first house-buying experience!

ABK

Here Comes Summer!

After our amazing weekend in Georgia, I came back to the shortest and most difficult week of the year: the final week of school.

Tuesday was a half-day for students, but we teachers stayed until 3:30...and we 8th grade teachers stayed until about 10pm. (The 8th grade commencement ceremony and following dance and cleanup kept us very busy.) 

Mentally preparing for the last day of class.

Wednesday was another half day, and after the kids left in an ocean of tears (you'd think they didn't all have cell phones and internet access...or that the majority weren't enrolled in the same high school), I spent that afternoon packing up my room. Obviously this was a very exhausting and emotional day because students need to be kept on-task, but at that point there's not much going on to keep them occupied.

My empty classroom is ready for a fresh coat of paint and a good scrub.

Then Matt and I went to check out the house we're currently considering buying. (More on that as plans solidify, I promise.)

Major selling points besides the square footage, pool, and location? The backyard has an avocado tree, banana trees, a lemon tree, and pineapples!

Thursday was the last day for teachers. We had a hilarious and relaxing send-off breakfast, assembled the students' cumulative files to send to high school, and returned our keys. And that's all, folks. It's summertime.

Our hilarious principal and assistant principal performing their "thank you notes" skit a la Jimmy Fallon.

This summer promises to be busy, but in a good way. I'm looking forward to getting my fitness back on track, seeing friends, planning for next year, and unwinding after a long school-year.

I have quite a few reviews coming up for the blog, so keep your eyes peeled! I've added a new tab at the top of the blog; I'll be adding links directly to my reviews so they're easy to find.

What is your favorite summertime activity?

When you were in school, how did you spend your summers off?

ABK