I'm Back!!

Hello my long lost friends of the internet!!  It has been wayyy too long and I apologize for falling off the face of the blogsphere for the past month or so.  A lot has been going on in my life, but unfortunately not much has been going on with the house except for some minor landscaping here and there.

I left my previous job in the middle of May, took a few weeks off to relax and get some stuff done around the house, and I started a new job closer to home last week.  I think everyone should take a sabbatical every year or so!  The three weeks I took off between jobs was just glorious.  I got our house cleaned (almost) top to bottom, caught up on laundry and shopping, worked out a lot, went for bike rides and relaxed on our deck with no work stress!  I had big plans to finish the study and install the landscape wall out front, but the time just went too fast and before I knew it, it was time to start work again.

I have also been taking classes to become a real estate agent.  Back in the winter I went through sort of a 1/3 life crisis (maybe it had something to do with turning 30).  I knew for a long time that I was not happy in my job, but I eventually got so fed up and stressed out that I finally decided to do something about it.  I started looking for new jobs in my current field (civil engineering) and also began exploring completely different career options.  One night I was talking with Greg about possible options, he said “I think you’d be good at real estate.”  So the next day I signed up to attend a free class at a local real estate school, and then within two weeks I had started their 10-week program.  It’s funny how it took me about 2 years of being miserable at my job to do anything, then all of the sudden within less than a month I have a new job and am on the path toward a possible new career.  I guess I just finally hit my breaking point.  I recently finished the real estate class, so now I am studying to take the state exam in a few weeks.  (So if you know anyone looking to buy or sell or rent a house, please send them along to me J).  The good thing about real estate is that I can do it part time, while still keeping my current job.  That’s my plan for now, but I’m hoping that in a few years I can reduce my engineering hours and do more real estate work, or even do only real estate work some day if it’s feasible.  So I don’t think my life crisis is completely solved just yet, but I do feel better knowing that I am taking steps toward a happier me.  Life is just too damn short to be unhappy for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week!

I have really missed blogging and I am hoping that now that I’m back to a normal schedule I can get back into the swing of things.  I’m spending this week to try to catch up on what you all have been doing then I’ll get back to work on updating you on my projects!  To start things off, let’s look at my to-do list for the year and see how much I have accomplished so far (spoiler alert: it's not much!).

2014 House To-Do List

1.  Install kitchen lighting – 100% complete.  I installed under cabinet lighting to show off my fancy painted backsplash,     and my dad helped me install a pendant light above our sink

2. Complete the study - 70% complete.  This is the main project I have been working on, but since the weather got nice I kind of put it aside to do some sprucing up outside.  Here’s the updated to-do list for the study:
    a. Rip up carpet and install hardwood floors – 100% complete
    b. Paint – 100% complete
    c. Built-in desk – 100% complete
    d. Built bookshelves for on top of the desk – 80% complete
    e. Paint free-standing desk – 95% complete (need to apply a 2^nd coat of wax)
    f. Install crown molding – 0% complete 
    g. Paint old filing cabinet – 0% complete 
    h. Buy or reupholster high-back chair for “reading nook” – 0% complete  
    i. Decorate – 40% complete (I installed curtains and bought a rug and some wall décor)

3. Complete the guest room – 5% complete.  I haven’t done much with this room.  We have a bed and dresser in there, but I have big ideas for a beach themed re-model.  This will be a project for the fall hopefully. 

4. Paint and install decorative molding in the foyer - 0% complete.  We have gone back and forth on whether or not to hire someone for this, and I think we are going to go ahead and pull the trigger.  It’s a two-story foyer, so it would require scaffolding and I just think a professional could do it much better/quicker than me. I’m hoping to get some quotes for that soon.  

5. Install trim in first floor doorways - 0% complete.  Again, a project for the fall hopefully!  

6. Paint master bath – 99.99% complete.  I painted our master bath a nice relaxing blue/green color and I love it! It’s my ocean oasis!  (I still owe you pictures!).  I put 99.99% because there are still two pieces of tape on the ceiling in the water closet that I missed and I’m too lazy to bring the ladder up again to take them down. 

7. Build landscape/retaining wall - 0% complete.  This is my #1 goal for this summer!!!  

8. Plant more trees and shrubs - 50% complete.   We planted another Japanese maple, an oak tree, two crepe myrtles and some more flowers around the sides and front of the house.  I still want a lot more trees and shrubs though!  My goal for this summer/fall is to get the retaining wall in and at least get that area landscaped.

I can’t wait to catch up on what you guys have been up to!  Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you’re working on!  I have missed you all!!