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Nine months ago we bought our little white house on 12 acres. It was a full year earlier than we expected and we’ve spent the last few months catching our breath after doing phase one of a kitchen renovation, foundation work, figuring out country internet and what it means to take care of this place. It’s a learning process. It’s slow. It’s costly. It’s the country living right outside of town that we hoped for. It’s a mess. It’s beautiful. It takes lots of hope.

Here are way too many photos to show you where we are since August.

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Kitchen before is here.

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Water came in the basement. Womp Womp.

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Still.

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We have a new water system!!! Our water doesn’t smell like metal blood any more!

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The most exciting this that’s happened recently is that the World’s Worst Barn now has the World’s loveliest windows!

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One step closer to having y’all out to do crafts, swap meets and fun gatherings!

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We have chicks!! And they are the cutest things in the universe! #grumpychick

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A few years ago I told my husband OFF for accidentally ripping out my precious peonies. This weekend I noticed something growing right outside our bedroom window. Living in a house for the first year is like a box of chocolates, wouldn’t you say?

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Mom & dad came over, tilled and started a garden. This is what happens when you write a book and it’s coming out in two weeks. You sit in the bathtub in your house and stare a the wall while your parents slave away in the yard and start a garden.

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If you are betting on when the pool will stop being green, give it 4 more weeks please. Maybe?

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I started a gallery wall in my office. It’s a progressive gallery wall and if you are part of Hope*ologie you get access to everything we’re including in it. I can’t wait to show you what we have for May!

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Three weeks ago we finally had our kitchen inspected, it passed! And our range is finally level and off the little cart!

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I did a little project in the boy’s room that I’ll show you in May!

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So. Much. Junk.

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There are lots of days that I miss the rental. I miss having lots of finished walls to style and take photos of. I miss getting to change up a room with pillows instead of buying a new water system. I miss large rooms where I can stand waaaay back and get a full room shot.

you & me

This house story has been one big adventure for me and Chad. Tomorrow is our 19th anniversary. Fourteen houses in nineteen years. I hope we are in this house to stay!

DSC_3843how to get your free download here

I’m constantly relearning the very thing I talk about here all the time. That it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

Do you need to be encouraged in that too? Check out my new book that was birthed from living an imperfect life in a bunch of imperfect houses, it’s all about how to live beautifully within the imperfect.

And today, Sophie, from Boo Mama is talking about the book (she’s one of the first people to read it besides my mom and a few close friends!) and giving away THREE copies!

Also, Jenn from A Simple Haven is giving away a copy!

find out more