The M's could play on my lawn...

Many of baseball's best outfielders have blessed the field that is Safeco. From Griffey...to Buhner...to Ichiro...to the future great of Adam Jones. And that is just naming Mariners! Not to mention all of the visiting teams who have made the trek to the rainy city.

All of them have walked, ran, and played....won and loss...and experienced the game on the grass at Safeco. And well, they could do the same in my yard if they so choose :)

Because the grass at Safeco is the same that is in my yard....straight from Country Field Turf Farm.

If only I cooked!

Beyond the delicacies of mac & cheese and top ramen, my kitchen time over the past six months has pretty much been slim to none :)

But now I have a reason to venture back into the realm of the unknown: The Kitchen!

From my new dishes, to gorgeous cabinets, to stainless steel appliances, and the "bling" (as my dad likes to call it) on my backsplash, I should have no excuse not to spend as much time as possible in my new kitchen. Maybe I'll be adventurous and whip up a bagged meal ;)

My Dad's own Sistine Chapel...

For over 4 and a half years, Michelangelo painted the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. He spent that entire time up on the ceiling to perfect his pristine and intricate masterpieces. About this work, Giorgio Visari said, " anyone who is a painter no longer needs to concern himself about seeing innovations and inventions, new ways of painting poses, clothing on figures, and various awe-inspiring details, for Michelangelo gave to this work all the perfection that can be given to such details."

Like Michelangelo, my Dad had his own Sistine Chapel; though luckily it did not take him four and a half years to complete! He created a cedar masterpiece on my ceiling, and gave to this work all the perfection that can be given to such details.

"Painting is very easy when you don't know how..."

"...but very difficult when you do." ~Edgar Degas

It's a very good thing that we didn't really know what we were doing then ;) A couple weeks ago I had a painting party, since there definitely was not a shortage of walls to paint. I'm lucky enough to have such great friends, who were willing to spend their Saturday doing manual labor and enjoying my wonderful company!

Thanks to Amanda, Brett, Mandy, Goby, John, Raina, and Amy!

Risking life and limb to prime the media center :)














Amanda is painting the sky blue...ok, she's painting my ceiling sky blue.

Latte goes on the wall upstairs, and coffee downtstairs!



My room is a nice and relaxing jade green

And my bathroom is a serene blue...

Of course, the house wouldn't be complete without some crimson (Tibetan Red to be exact!)

The writing is on the wall.

If you have ever seen the HGTV show Color Splash, you know that Designer, David Bromstad creates at least one custom piece of art for each room/episode he undertakes. While painting, I channeled my inner David, and created a custom piece of art for my dad. It's a piece titled "Thanks!!" and it will live on my fireplace until covered up by tile here shortly :)

Thanks Dad!

Brick by brick...

Earlier I wrote an entry titled "board by board..." and this in contrast is aptly titled "brick by brick." This project was truly the largest and most complex puzzle I have ever seen!

European Castle Stone: Chardonnay














We placed this stone along the two front pillars and on the Great Wall of Small. While one of the most tedious of tasks (I'm speaking for my Dad here), for me personally, it was one of the most rewarding to see. While each brick/stone was a piece of this puzzle, the colors also consisted of another puzzle. Each item was picked seperately and individually...and as everything was purchased, every finger was crossed in hopes that I made the right choice.

Fears of clashing colors and tacky decor filled my dreams!

But as I saw the pillars progress upwards, I was also able to see how the stone tied everything together. From the grey trim to the almond siding...the crimson hardie planks to the crimson-flecked roofing. Everything came together so perfectly and beautifully, that I knew this house was meant to be. Because I for sure don't have superior interior/exterior design skills! It was a touch of luck and a lot of love and faith that brought this all together.

Kevin Arnold was so wise...

Since I work online, as I scouring the web I came across content for the show "The Wonder Years." As one of my childhood favorites (I'll be honest, I had a huge crush on Kevin Arnold and wished I was Winnie Cooper!) I took some time to look around and reflect back. One quote greatly resonated with me...

"Growing up is never easy. You hold on to the things that were. You wonder what's to come. But that night, I think we knew it was time to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. Other days. New days. Days to come."

I wanted to put this up here, and write about my thoughts because it seems so applicable to where I am today. Growing up is definitely not easy...making your own decisions, and having others trust in the decisions you make. But growing up is also fun and exciting! I've been able to figure out who I am over the years, and be comfortable and happy with the person I've grown into. I've had horrible jobs and great jobs, but all of them laid the foundation for a successful career. And I get to look ahead of what can be. Other days. New days. Days to come...

I get to look ahead to the days when I'm officially a home owner. Days when I get to unpack in my new home and live my life there. Make memories there. And one day look back as I am now, and think about how my time building the house and living my life in that house further shaped my path. And when I've done that, the cycle can continue as there will always be other days, new days, and days to come...