The Life & Times of E1: June 2015

Friday, June 26, 2015

Kitchen Design

We met with our contractor tonight and will be purchasing all our appliances, cabinets, flooring and counter tops next week. Our bank account is crying already just thinking about it...but not as much as Eric is! hahaha

We had 2 kitchen designs done and were surprised how much we ended up loving the design done by a local business. So in preparation of our new dual purpose space (we're combining our utility/laundry room with our kitchen and adding a half bath), here is our future kitchen design! It includes a bar seating area where a wall now stands. I can't wait!!!!! The wall you see behind the seating area/next to the wine rack is going to be the new half bath that leads into mom's "senior apartment" as she calls it. ha

Keep in mind, colors are just place holders. We have picked everything out already, but I will share those details another day. :)

Thursday, June 25, 2015

We Bought a House!

Well...some of you may have read about a month ago that we would soon have news to share! That time has FINALLY come!

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE.

That's right...today we signed the papers to officially buy our home. It's been in my family for many many years. My grandparents bought this house when they moved back to Indiana after WWII, added electricity, raised 2 kids and 3 grandkids here, then my mom bought the house from my grandma when I was a Senior in high school and did some slight remodeling, and now here we are...in the midst of leaving our mark on this home.

The fun of remodeling continues! ha #pleaseletitbeoversoon Seriously though. We've been waiting for 2 weeks to sign the papers and be able to move forward with buying the new appliances, cabinets, flooring and counter tops. We meet with our contractor again tomorrow night to hopefully finalize our plans.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Memory Lane - FFA Days

Every June there is a special week in the life of Indiana FFA members....State FFA Convention.

It's hard to believe that 15 years ago (where did the time go?!?), my own life changed in ways I could never begin to imagine, all thanks to State Convention. I am beyond blessed to say that I am a former Indiana FFA State Officer. When I left convention and headed home to pack up my belongings so I could move into the FFA Center for the next year, I had no idea that the other 6 people would become my brothers and sisters. We would have our ups and downs. Don't all families? ha We have experienced life together up to this point in time....college, joys, loss and sadness, weddings, babies, time and distance. When you share as much as we have over the past 15 years, it doesn't matter how long we're apart, we always seem to pick right back up where we left off. And that my friends is the essence of real, true friendship.

So here we are. 14 years ago we were anxiously awaiting our very own week-long convention to begin. We were anticipating how our legacy would be remembered in Indiana FFA history. We were looking forward to the next steps in life and having new roles within the FFA experience...something we lovingly and jokingly refer to as "the has-been club" aka The Past State Officer club (PSO).

It is a hard experience to sum up in a few words. There is a limited number of Indiana kids who can say they've lived the same year of experiences as I have...and there is a limited number of State FFA officers throughout the US with the same experience as Indiana FFA State Officers. I will forever remember the days we spent at the State Officer house at the Indiana FFA Center. A dream was realized when I was granted the opportunity to travel the state for 1 year while serving as an ambassador for a phenomenal youth organization....and I got to do it with 6 of my closest friends.

These pictures are a drop in the bucket compared to all the photos we have from the past 15 years of living our lives...so thankful!

being announced on stage as the NEW State Officer Team - June 2000