Going Green...

It has been a very busy June so far. Lino has been on vacation this week, and it has been a working vacation. We always seem to pick the hottest days to do big projects, and this week it was not any different!





This is a picture of our house when we bought it, November 2002. We didn't move in until March 1, 2003, because we were renovating the inside (kitchen and bathroom) And by we, I mean Lino, as I was very pregnant and not able to help. It also took a while due to Lino's work schedule, retail at Christmas time doesn't allow for very much free time at all.

All but 2 of those plants in the picture were removed the Spring of 2003. We kept a rose bush (it was still flowering) and the green one on the far left. I have absolutely no desire to garden, and although the previous homeowner had fantastic things growing, it just didn't appeal to me at all to try and maintain all of that.


Unfortunately, we think that Lino pulled up 2 hydrangea bushes. We didn't realize at the time what they were, since they were just big green stick looking things, but I wish we had kept them. I just adore hydrangeas, and after our current project is done, we will be planting some on either side of the front stairs!

Back to our project of the week:



Painting! It was time, 5 years ago the paint looked okay, but it was really starting to look old. So, Lino started scraping and sanding (on the 2 days that were high 90s this week!) and we sat down and picked out some colors!

I just love to paint and was very excited to be able to help. When we bought the house and got around to the painting part, I was very pregnant, and wasn't allowed to help. Then, when we finished our basement to a family room, I was pregnant with Nate and not allowed to help again!

Lino was very glad that I could help this time, he HATES painting!


Here is the start of the front:





And our helpers. They were so excited to help, and were very glad when we reached their turn!

Yes, Nate is wearing his winter hat. He loves that hat and wears it all the time. He put it on when Lino asked for a hat as a result of his newly buzzed head getting really burned. Nate didn't want his head getting sunnyburned either. (Notice Cassie's hair isn't past her bum? She finally let me trim it, I cut about 4-5 inches off and it is just at her waist now.)

So, we finished up the second coat on the front and did the first coat of the side near the breezeway yesterday. We still need to do the shutters, but Lino wanted to take a break from painting today.

We will probably have the shutters done sometime next week, and Lino will start the scraping sanding on the left side of the house so we can get that done next.