The New Digs

Hello, folks! 

Matt and I now are officially residents of the Big Easy. We are pretty excited about our new home. The last week or so has involved much unpacking and organization. 

Although I am sure that someone out there has articulated their own theory about the stages of unpacking and settling in to a home, I am going to make up my own terms. Because I can! Muhahaha.

1) Stage 1: The Moving Truck is History
Everything is now out of the moving truck and located inside the home. This a considerable accomplishment and a moment to be savored. 

2) Stage 2: Heart of Darkness
As everyone knows, unpacking gets worse before it gets better. 

3) Stage 3: A New Order
In this stage, order of some kind has been created. Problems have been identified but not solved. 

4) Stage 4: Home Sweet Home
The name says it all. 

It was difficult for me to capture Stages 1 and 2 in photos, due mainly chaotic nature of those two stages. However, here are some photos that give you an idea of how things were during the first week or so. 

Kitchen

Bedroom

Family Room

After a lot of work this weekend, here are how things look now (Stage 3!). 

Family Room

As much as we love our camping chairs, we would prefer a couch. :)

Dining Room

Bathroom

Note the need for storage of some kind!

Bedroom

Audrey is up!

Can you tell that I need an armoire?

Kitchen

I need to buy something that helps me take advantage of these tall shelves...

This clock should look familiar to some of you...

Trying to figure out how to organize this area.

Even if there remains a lot of work to be done, each of us is beginning to settle in to our new home. 

Eternal Summer

It's been a busy summer. Although it's already October, the weather in Los Angeles has been so hot, for so long, that for many of us in LA, it only just starting to feel like autumn. 

But, overall, the last four months have felt like a long "Welcome Home" party.

There were visits from dear friends. 

And times of exploration. 

There were several birthday celebrations...

...and good times spent with the family.

Cool decorations...

....And baseball games.

There were hot dog extravaganzas. 

And trips to northern California. 

Matt and I celebrated our third anniversary. 

And we were foster parents to three tiny, abandoned kittens. 

Who are not quite as tiny now...

All in all, it was a wonderful summer. 

Glad to be back, California. 

Embracing orange!

My friend Stephanie came to visit us in June and we decided to put her to work...helping us paint our kitchen wall orange!

Before

After!

We were initially concerned because the paint color appeared alarmingly similar to the colors of the Home Depot logo. 

But, as we started putting it on the wall, the paint looked pretty good. 

The guy at Home Depot (who mixed up the paint) told us "...well, you won't need coffee to wake you up in the morning. Not with that in your kitchen." 

I don't think he approved. But I felt pretty confident that we would love it. 

I have been embracing orange a lot these days. 

 

Thanks for all of your help, Stephanie!

We love our new kitchen!