What did you do with your tax refund?

We received our federal tax refund and, in addition to putting some in savings, paying off a credit card bill, and donating to our church, we spent it on a few small projects around the house...

A new shower head of the mom and dad (definitely so much better than the old generic one!)

New tile in the half bathroom downstairs (with a hope of doing the same in both bathrooms upstairs this summer). Thanks, Pops!

A new ceiling fan in the living room....finally "Hawaiian Paradise" is gone!

And finally, as where all money is going these days, paying for daycare for these precious angels...

So, what did you spend your tax refund on???

Happy Anniversary, Adams Farm Parkway!

We spent last Labor Day Weekend painting and moving into our new home. I REALLY cannot believe we have been here a year already. I went back to this post where I kind of gave a "2 week update" of how things were going, and I wanted to revist, one year later, things that I thought I would miss about our old house and things that I thought I would love in the new house. So....here's an UPDATE to the UPDATE one year later. My new comments are in purple.

Things I will miss about Eagle Road:
It's our first home: Well, it does hold, and will always hold, a special place in my heart, but as I stated before...it's just a house. Um...not really missing it so much now...:-)
Brooklyn's first (and only home): She made many memories in that house, and I look forward to the many will be make together here at the new house. After months of wanting to "visit" the old house and wondering who lived there now, she is asking about it less and less.
The backyard: We have a great backyard here- thank goodness! Chad has done a great job maintaining our new backyard. We have added a swingset/playground, and despite a "bee problem" right now, we have spent many hours outside with Brooklyn.
My gardenias: Seriously, I am kind of over them already. Sadly, I never did have a green thumb. However, Chad keeps telling me that we will plant some more gardenias in the front yard...probably in the spring.
Vaccuming: I have found that I can vaccum the new house using two plugs, so that's not too bad. Since becoming pregnant Chad has done most of the vaccuming so this really hasn't been an issue for me. :-)
The hole: Dad and I looked, and although we don't have a wall where we can make another hole, the space is open enough, I think we will be OK. :-) I am surviving without a "hole in the wall." The Stevensons: We will always miss you guys! Actually, the Stevensons bought a house closer to us, so even though we are not a block away (a mere 60 second run proven by Jon), we are still within 5 minutes. :-)

And now an update on things I had looked forward to at the new house:
Duel sinks in the master bath: Honestly, the duel sinks are not that great (more to clean) but the COUNTER SPACE is incredible in the master bath! Still loving the bathroom and counter space. No complaints here.
Cool sink nozzle/sprayer in the kitchen: Yup, love it! Still love it though I have been so busy lately its amazing I even SEE my kitchen much less cook in it.
Hardwood floors: Spills have been great to clean up downstairs (no stains on the carpet upstairs yet!) I should probably mop them more often, but I do like not having the stained carpet in high traffic areas.
A place to have a big Christmas tree (in the LIVING ROOM): Yet to be determined since, thankfully, I have a few weeks until the holiday season. We had a GREAT first Christmas in our new home. The tree (about 8 feet) fit GREAT in the space and we were very excited to have Christmas in the living room and not our kitchen/dining room as in past years.
New carpet and paint upstairs (that I didn't have to do!): Some rooms I like, some not so much now that we are moved in with our stuff (like the master bedroom). Over the summer, Chad painted the master bedroom and both full baths upstairs. I love the new colors and am very excited about doing some more "decorating" in the next several months.
Side by side fridge with an ice maker (that's connected!): Once I figure out the best way to store food efficiently, it will be great. Fridge has been organized; ice works; life is good.
Retractable, remote controlled awning on the patio (cement, not brick- yay!): We've already spent a lot of time outdoors and that extra shade has been nice. Still LOVE the awning and back patio.
Neighbors with kids (three years old, too!): We met Peyton, a three year old, next door- VERY cute and friendly! Peyton and Brooklyn still love playing together and its nice to have a young couple our age living next door.
A dutch barn (as opposed to the "out house" looking contraption we call storage now): Already filled with crap; I'm gonna have to get in there and clean! Filled with lots of baby stuff and empty maternity clothes bins that will soon be in use or given away over the next few months. It's been great to have the extra storage.
A bonus room (or as Brooklyn calls it, "her dancing space"): Been a GOD SEND for all her toys. Now, is also the home of an elliptical trainer and the office furniture so it's a bit cramped now, but still a great space for us to have.
CLOSETS: Like the dutch barn- already filled up but up for a good cleaning out when I get the chance (or when we move again, whichever comes first). They are currently filled with tubs of my regular clothes and maternity clothes that are "off season," but after November, they will be GREAT wrapping paper and craft storage closets.
A breakfast table (more chairs for everyone!): We LOVE our new table from World Market. Still love it and wish that we ate at home more to enjoy it. :-)
Surround sound: Not hooked up yet; Probably will never be. Actually, Chad did hook up the stereo so we have sound coming from our two main speakers, but as for surround sound, nope, not yet. :-)

a new addition

We have a new addition to the family....a beautiful 150 pound elliptical trainer. "Ellie," as she will affectionally be known, has been accepted wonderfully into the Johnson family, and we hope to have many great 20-30 minute/ 3-4 times a week memories with her. After her birth in the office, we decided to move her to the playroom where she can watch cable TV, cool off under the ceiling fan, and keep watch over Brooklyn and her toys. Brooklyn is undecided about this new member of the family, but she knows that Ellie's job is to make mommy skinny, so she has asked everyday if mommy is skinny yet. :-) I don't think Brooklyn likes all the initial attention Ellie has received, but we hope that she will learn to love her as much as Chad and I have in the short time we have known her. So, Ellie, welcome to the Johnson family!

House pictures part 1

So, you have all been very patient. I finally got a chance to take pictures of some of the rooms in our new house. Brooklyn was asleep in her room when I got home to take pictures late last night, and our room was a disaster, but here are some shots of the rest of the house.

The bonus "playroom" upstairs above the garage:
The living room:

The "formal" (and I use that term loosely) dining room:
The breakfast area:
The kitchen:
Brooklyn's bathroom:
Not pictured: The office, our bedroom, our bathroom, Brooklyn's bedroom, 1/2 bath downstairs, garage, outside, etc. Maybe next month!

more house updates...

Here's Brooklyn sitting on the kitchen counter in our new house.....it's proof that yes, we are actually moved in, but I have yet to clean up a room enough to take a nice picture to post. :-)

Some updates to my post "Late Night Ramblings"...
Things I will miss about Eagle Road:
It's our first home: Well, it does hold, and will always hold, a special place in my heart, but as I stated before...it's just a house.
Brooklyn's first (and only home): She made many memories in that house, and I look forward to the many will be make together here at the new house.
The backyard: We have a great backyard here- thank goodness!
My gardenias: Seriously, I am kind of over them already. Sadly, I never did have a green thumb. Vaccuming: I have found that I can vaccum the new house using two plugs, so that's not too bad.
The hole: Dad and I looked, and although we don't have a wall where we can make another hole, the space is open enough, I think we will be OK. :-)
The Stevensons: We will always miss you guys!

And now an update on things I had looked forward to at the new house:
Duel sinks in the master bath: Honestly, the duel sinks are not that great (more to clean) but the COUNTER SPACE is incredible in the master bath!
Cool sink nozzle/sprayer in the kitchen: Yup, love it!
Hardwood floors: Spills have been great to clean up downstairs (no stains on the carpet upstairs yet!)
A place to have a big Christmas tree (in the LIVING ROOM): Yet to be determined since, thankfully, I have a few weeks until the holiday season
New carpet and paint upstairs (that I didn't have to do!): Some rooms I like, some not so much now that we are moved in with our stuff (like the master bedroom)
Side by side fridge with an ice maker (that's connected!): Once I figure out the best way to store food efficiently, it will be great.
Retractable, remote controlled awning on the patio (cement, not brick- yay!): We've already spent a lot of time outdoors and that extra shade has been nice.
Neighbors with kids (three years old, too!): We met Peyton, a three year old, next door- VERY cute and friendly!
A dutch barn (as opposed to the "out house" looking contraption we call storage now): Already filled with crap; I'm gonna have to get in there and clean!
A bonus room (or as Brooklyn calls it, "her dancing space"): Been a GOD SEND for all her toys
CLOSETS: Like the dutch barn- already filled up but up for a good cleaning out when I get the chance (or when we move again, whichever comes first)
A breakfast table (more chairs for everyone!): We LOVE our new table from World Market.
Surround sound: Not hooked up yet; Probably will never be

So, that's a quick house update...I promise to post pics soon.

In other news, we had a GREAT Saturday with my girlfriends from UNC and their sig others. To celebrate Loryn's birthday we went to Chateau Morisette winery in Floyd, VA for the day. It was a day of eating, drinking, laughing, and sitting! It was a wonderful day and I should have more pics to post soon, but here is one at the end of the day.
McKenzie, Jaclyn, Loryn, Heidi, and Jennifer (Marisa had left at this point but I think I will have a pic of the six of us soon.)

We're still here!

It's been quite a week and a half (and feels like a year!). It's been 5 days with no cable, phone, and internet (quite refreshing actually!). It's been countless trips to Home Depot, Lowes, Target, Linens -n- Things, Babies R Us, American Furniture Warehouse, World Market, and Pier 1 (and I'm still not done).

But...we are moved in to our new house!!!

More updates later, but we are loving it and can't wait to share stories and pictures soon.

late night ramblings

So, it's not often I am stuck awake, trying to fall asleep. But so I am, here in the office, at 11:48pm awake with my mind racing. You can't really blame me though. I mean, we have a lot of big stuff going on in our lives.

The obvious- the house. Here we are, ready to move on with our lives, on to bigger and better things. I mean, we are going from 1190 square feet to an unimaginable 1900+ house (plus two car garage). It will fill up quickly, but we are so blessed to be able to make the move and "upgrade" our surroundings. I have told people from the beginning. A house is a house. It stays where it is and people move in and out of it. Your home is where your heart (and your family) is. It's where you live, breathe, sleep, work, play, laugh, and love. So, though I try to look at everything objectively and say "Eagle Road is just a house. We are taking everything we love with us." It's hard to make my heart believe that sometimes. I mean, Eagle Road has so many memories and a special place in my heart....
-It's our first home: Chad and I had only been married 9 months when we came upon home ownership. It was a scary and exciting time, and we were excited to have the opportunity to OWN, and not rent, so quickly after marriage.
-Brooklyn's first (and only home): She took her first scoots, crawls, and steps in that living room. She drank her first bottle on the couch. She cried for her mommy and daddy from her bedroom. She peeled the wallpaper from the wall above where she could lay on her changing table. She bathed (and peed) in the tub. She snuck in our bedroom at night. She moved to a big girl bed. She learned to use the potty. She played in the backyard.
-The backyard: Ahhh, it was our pride and joy. So lush and green. How we will miss you.
-My gardenias: I didn't even know what they were when Emily helped me buy them, but they are beautiful and bloom so often. And I don't even have to remember to water them. :-)
-Vaccuming: One plug reaches the whole house. Need I say more?
-The hole: That hole that my dad put in the wall between the dining room and the living room made all the difference in the world. It opened that space up more than I ever imagined it would.
-The Stevensons: Jon and McKenzie are literally a 58 second run away down the street. Close enough where they were our "go to" family for anything we needed in a pinch. I think we kept their flashlight for about 8 months. We'll miss sharing Eagle Road with you, and just remember guys, I have been scoping houses out in AF for you already!

So, I know that these are little things and I have taken enough pictures of everything to last a lifetime, and I have many things to look FORWARD to with the new house. To name just a few initial excitements:
-Duel sinks in the master bath
-Cool sink nozzle/sprayer in the kitchen
-Hardwood floors
-A place to have a big Christmas tree (in the LIVING ROOM)
-New carpet and paint upstairs (that I didn't have to do!)
-Side by side fridge with an ice maker (that's connected!)
-Retractable, remote controlled awning on the patio (cement, not brick- yay!)
-Neighbors with kids (three years old, too!)
-A dutch barn (as opposed to the "out house" looking contraption we call storage now)
-A bonus room (or as Brooklyn calls it, "her dancing space")
- CLOSETS (or as Brooklyn calls them, "her hiding spaces")
-A breakfast table (more chairs for everyone!)
-Surround sound

So, these are just things that I see from just a few visits....there will be more, I am sure, and I am sure I will lose sleep over the next week or so worrying about everything that will transpire over the next week: from closing back to back houses, to painting, to moving, to moving the BIG stuff, to remodeling, and finally, to closing the door to Eagle Road one last time with the keys inside and saying "Goodbye." It's an emotional time and I am not an emotional person, so this should be interesting to say the least.

Some prayer requests: Pray for us as we make this move. And please pray for me as I deal with some pretty complicated issues at work ("Stress at the Girl Scout office?," you might say, "Really?") You would be surprised. And finally, pray for our band, Grace Reigns Down, as we have been afforded some great opportunities over the next several months and we are working to discern God's path for us and how we can best be His servants.

Am I tired yet? Did typing a long post help? Kinda....but now I have to research baby gates for stairs. Never had to worry about that before, and even though Brooklyn is 3, I am dead set on having a gate at the top of the stairs for her "midnight visits." :-)

well, we're moving on up...

If all goes well and the papers get signed, on August 28th we will be the proud new owners of 2330 Adams Farm Parkway. Please keep us in your prayers as we embark on this new journey. (And when I say, we are moving on up, I mean WAY up- the driveway is very STEEP!). :-)

The house is a three bedroom (+ bonus room) vinyl home with a two car garage and Dutch barn in the back (Chad's favorite). We love the area (though a little farther from work and church), the storage is GREAT, there is room to grow (not for several more years!), and the street is very "kid friendly." There is only one wallpaper border to remove (see kitchen below) and a few walls to paint....and those of you who remember Eagle Road know I HATE wallpaper. :-)

The backyard has grass (yay!) and is backed by mature trees, which we love (no crazy neighbor kids walking through our backyard!). My favorite? The retractable awning over the patio.

So, again, please pray for us as we continue to work towards closing on our old house and closing on our new house (both on August 28), as we go through the house inspection tomorrow, and as I (gasp!) pack up our stuff!