Back to Everything

Man, how long has it been, guys? Three weeks? We've been gone way more than we have been home in the past month. So, let me briefly catch you up on our adventuring, side-business start up, and fixer upper stuff.

TRAVEL

Addie and I went to Colorado Springs to celebrate my grandma's 80th birthday the first weekend of August, and the next weekend we went to Virginia and Washington DC to see Caleb graduate from Officer Candidate School for the Marines. While all of the traveling took a lot out of us, it was a great opportunity to make some awesome family memories. I couldn't believe how great Addie was during all of this traveling, and not only powered through hours and miles of walking, but stayed cheerful through all of it. She's three! I'm an adult and I was giving myself internal pep talks not to slide into a sweaty, tearful puddle. Addie and I had great one-on-one time in Colorado, and the three of us loved getting to see the few things we had time for before our flight in Washington DC. Here's some pictures and some more details in the photo descriptions:

She loved rock climbing at Garden of the Gods. <3

Y'all, the weather was so perfect in Colorado Springs. If you don't feel sorry enough for yourself living in Oklahoma heat, just go to Colorado for a weekend.

I love this picture so much because Nate is too cool to look at the camera. The four Compton bros after Caleb's OCS graduation ceremony. <3

She loves her Uncle "Celba" the Marine. 

We were gonna say "what's up" to Obama but he was busy or whatever. Blake and I are trying really hard to make a trip back to DC happen soon, when it's cooler so we can see more!

BUSINESS

We have finally launched our Etsy page for our side business, Simply Stated. We have also announced our Facebook page and continue to post on our Instagram account. We shipped out our first Etsy sale yesterday, as well as sent off our first tshirt mock-ups to a client for consideration. I have had a few people come to me about future collaborations, and I have sent out some emails for some hopeful wedding collaborations in the future. I'm also looking forward to working on some custom wall art pieces. Not only do I love getting to hand-letter and the therapeutic creative benefits I have received from this work, but I love working with Blake on our bigger projects. I love seeing his work turn mine into something even bigger! He's an amazing business partner, which comes as no surprise to me since he is the best husband, father, and man I know. 

I love doing this hymnal art SO MUCH. It's been a great opportunity to teach Addie the classics. 

One of my favorites :) If no one buys it I'm keeping it.

HOUSE RENOVATION

Since the last bit you saw of the kitchen, Blake built, installed, and sealed a BEAUTIFUL counter top. He and my dad also came up with the coolest backsplash idea; it's metal with a wood trim. I also love it because I can use my chalk pens or dry erase markers to hand letter! I immediately filled up this half of the kitchen so I could finally make some room in our dining room. 

I'm obsessed with that counter top. And the backsplash. AND JUST ALL OF MY KITCHEN SO FAR. 

I've been working on a family history display for our kitchen, which may have to also reside in the mudroom or the breakfast nook eventually; it kind of outgrew my original vision! I don't think I will be able to hang any of it right away, as we still have the other half of the kitchen to finish. 

BUT the other half of the kitchen may come to fruition earlier than I thought. Or, it may not. I'm trying to keep my expectations wide open, not too far toward skepticism but not too far toward my dishwasher hopes and dreams, either. However, something did happen that led me almost to tears of joy and relief: Blake surprised me and bought our kitchen sink yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I'll never let go, sink. Also, yes, there's still wires hanging out of the other half of the kitchen. 

Sweet, sweet sink. I promise to never take you for granted. I will keep you so clean and dish-less. I will treat you with the respect you deserve. You're going to shine like a thousand stars to make a wish upon. I will do everything I can to get you out of the box you're trapped in and snug and cozy in your cabinet home. *whispers* You're home now. 

PUMPKINS FOR LYFE

In the meantime, I did make time to get all of my fall decorations out of their boxes and up in our house where they belong. Each year when I put them away I let them know how much I can't wait until next year to see their cozy, warm ambiance again. Yes, I know it's August and isn't actually autumn yet. You know what else I know? That when I'm done writing this I'm making pumpkin bread. Ain't no pumpkin-haters bringing me down. Also, check that cool furnace! Blake found it at a garage sale! Isn't it nifty? I like it so much better than an ominous, firewood-less hole. 

Finally, school is starting for all three of us. Blake starts full time nursing school, I will be taking Music Education through OBU's Lifelong Learning program, and Addie is sort-of starting homeschool. It's more like unschooling. We're learning letters, chores, eventually some musical stuff, and we're going to work on memorizing Scripture together (want to make yourself do something? Make yourself teach your kid to do it). Hopefully, somewhere in the midst of all this, a house might get finished. But if it doesn't, I know it's for good reason--that while we're doing a daunting work on a house, God is doing big work in our family. I know I can look hopefully toward whichever is coming to fruition first, and that the harvest will be joyful. Through screen fasting, "taking life slow," relishing in memories and moments this summer, and continuing to practice what good waiting looks like, I hope I'm making good Spirit-savoring habits. 

Thanks for sticking with us, friends. 

Please Wait While Kitchen is Loading

A little over a week ago Blake was reminding me not to get my hopes up about doing much out of our kitchen, as refrigerators--even used ones--are pretty pricey. On Friday, Blake's mom texted him from a garage sale to tell him about a vintage refrigerator someone was selling, circa the 1950's. I declared that I was going with him to see it, and coached myself to remain chill.

When we got to the garage sale, we couldn't believe how perfect this refrigerator was. It was fully functional, and even had the original ice cube trays that came with it. We asked if the man would take $175 for it, and he squinted at us and said, "Are you actually going to use it?" We nodded so enthusiastically we probably looked like weird, over-zealous refrigerator museum curators. He sighed and said, as if speaking about an old farm dog that he couldn't take with him when he moved, "I just want it to go to a good home. So, yeah, okay, deal."

This is all of my refrigerator dreams come true.

We gleefully brought it home, Blake cleaned it up, spray painted the bottom portion black (as it was just a tad too rusted to clean up), and we plugged it in to hear the happy little refrigerator hum kick on. Pretty soon, I was almost in tears as I slid the casserole I was going to cook for dinner that night onto it's long shelf and exclaimed, "Blake! I can fit a whole 9x13 casserole dish in here!"
"Wow," Blake responded, "I guess if I want to make you really happy, I just need to take away something from you for six months."
I told him that probably wasn't a good idea.

I think the fridge likes living here. At least if it had feelings about that it would. 

Something about seeing the new-to-us fridge in the kitchen must have fueled Blake's renovation motivation, because the next day he set out to install the shelves for the cabinet he built, and also installed the floating shells on that side of the wall!

LOOK AT THOSE SHELVES. LOOOOOOOOOOOK

In case you haven't noticed, we really like modern-industrial style. 

Unfortunately, he didn't have the right size screws he needed to add the...I don't know, cuffs? Shelf-reinforcements? I could Google these things, I guess. 

Google is not helping me, because I'm not even in the realm of the right term.

 

Well, there you go. Pipe straps.

So, like I was saying, Blake didn't have the right size screws for the pipe straps, so I am forbidden from putting anything on the shelves yet. But that's fine, because it will make for a more beautiful before and after later. :) Also, remember that the stove is temporary.

So, all that remains for this cabinet is for Blake to build the counter top. I would tell you in detail what is going into that, but Blake is in a meeting so I don't want to keep texting him questions that I can't answer with Google. He said it will look similar to how a bar counter top looks; it's going to be made from cedar, I think. 

I also wanted to give you a peek at a project I've started in our bedroom: a wedding-themed gallery wall! I will be out of town this weekend and next weekend, so next week I won't be able to blog anything. You're kind of getting two blogs in one week!

I'm not completely satisfied with the layout yet, but I'm giving myself a little grace, because I also want to add more to it. Either way, I had to get these things off the floor so Addie would quit trying to play with all of it! 

I may add these to the gallery wall permanently, but at the moment they are place holders until I get a few of my favorite wedding and honeymoon photos printed. :)

If this server gets a little too tarnished I'll polish it, but at the moment I kind of like it. Makes it feel antique :)

This is the first time we have had a place to display our "guestbook." Instead of the traditional guestbook, we had our guests sign a guitar that my dad spray painted (guitar enthusiasts, don't freak out; this was just a Walmart guitar). 

Oh, and as if doing all of the work in the kitchen this weekend wasn't enough, Blake finished building my closet doors. :)

This is a relief, because all of our guests could see my bras.

Well, friends, I'm happy to say that I have found myself with some more DIY wind in my sails lately. I've heard that people begin to like running when they discover the second-wind phenomenon. I have never personally experienced this made-up sounding term (as my first wind is very short and my misery is long), but I'm thinking the Fixer-Upper second wind is a similar thing. I'm hoping to see more kitchen change soon, and a long-awaited before and after post in the near future. 

Filtered, but flavored.  That's why it's red. Because this is how a recovering pop addict copes. Also reppin' this really great church in Norman, New Life Bible Church; if you're in the area and looking for a church to visit, I highly recommend this one. I am especially fond of the worship leader.

In the meantime, I will be drinking ICE. COLD. FILTERED. WATER. Because our water filter pitcher fits in our fridge. <3 Look at that condensation. It's enchanting.

P.S.!

If you haven't listened to The Modern Post yet, DO IT! This is an excerpt from their song "Rejoice!"

If you're on Instagram, I'm doing a giveaway on our Simply Stated account (@simplystatedok)! Not many people have entered, so if you want to win this canvas, your odds are pretty good! Follow the directions in the caption to enter. Winner will be announced this Friday!