One month down…. A lifetime to go!  It’s crazy to think we have already been living in OUR HOUSE for an entire month as of today.  To say the month has been eventful would be the understatement of the year.  But, we’re enjoying our spot in Erlanger, KY!

Just a fun snapshot of our view as we watched the movers work.

Slowly we’re learning the fun things that come along with the title, Home Owners.  Nicole’s older brother, Nick, said to her, there will always be something!  Boy oh boy did he speak the truth!  Nothing major has happened but we’ve had our fair share of little things happen to us over the past few weeks.

If we are being 100% frank, this first month was nothing what we had envisioned it would be in our first house.  Our dreams included having our family and friends over to show off the place, spending weekends shopping for couches, bickering while Ryan hangs up the decorations, and of course, spending family time together!  But thanks to the Coronavirus, these things did not happen…. yet.

Well, life has a way of shaking things up and forcing you to adjust.    And adjust we have.  Right now, the majority of our things are unpacked and mostly organized.  There are a few things we need to purchase for the house, but until the Stay Home orders are lifted, we’re hunkering down to spend our time watching end of the world movies.  We just can’t help it.

To commemorate our first month, we wanted to share the good, bad, and just plan crazy of things that has happened during this time:

• The week we moved into our house, the Coronavirus Pandemic broke out and we’ve been under quarantine practically the entire month.
• Found out our basement was finished in amateur DIY style (not us… the previous owners), including the electric, and we couldn’t run outlets as we had planned. But our amazing electrician was able to find an alternate option and we can have our office/nerd cave!
• Nicole managed to pull off the cabinet door within the first week.  Ryan was able fix it quickly.

• The furnace wire became loose and it wouldn’t work.  So, we’ve already had out first service call.  Thankfully, it was till under warranty. 
• Pixie decided to jump on the bathroom sink and pulled it off the wall!  (once again…. part of the DIY project from the previous owners). 

• Hoodlums were running amuck around the neighborhood one night and tried to break into our cars.
• The lawn is out of control and needs a haircut, badly.  Due to COVID-19, we haven’t been able to make it to the store to buy a lawnmower.
• Our living room is currently empty, except for a ladder shelf, a small end table and a few boxes as we only own 1 couch and 1 tv stand which made there home in the Nerd Cave with the new TV.
• Someone shot at our windows with a pellet gun and we have 2 bullet holes in one of our kitchen windows.  The pellets only penetrated the first pane of glass. Hello, first visit and hopefully only visit from the Erlanger Police.

• We’ve worked from home together a few times… Nicole’ realized Ryan is the “everyone’s buddy” kind of guy.  Ryan just complains her work meeting calls are very loud.
• Pecko has decided she needs to cuddle on Nicole’s chest when she’s trying to work from home. 

and sometimes she just naps on the keyboard…. what can you do?!

• The great toilet paper hunt included a total of 7 stores. 
• In the span of a month, we obtained and lost the title “Newest Neighbors” in our cul de sac. 
• Pixie gain the Quarantine 15 and has become a fluffy ball (and we’re not talking about her fur) due to her love of wet cat food.

• Nicole’s car hasn’t moved very much and she hasn’t put gas in it for more than 3 weeks.
• A crazy storm came along and caused part of our fence to come down just a couple of nights ago.
• During the first day of homeschool (at our place), Caleb played a real life game of pick up sticks after the storm brought branches and sticks all over our backyard.

We will say, even though our first month has been a crazy one, it has also been a memorable one.   In a few months, when life is back to normal, we will be able to laugh about the craziness with our family and friends as they tour our house for the first time at Thanksgiving (just kidding…. Hopefully). 

Have a fantastic Friday,

Nicole & Ryan

P.S. Just for fun…. A nice snapshot from Nicole’s new game… Unpack while Drinking.  The results were funny and Ryan thinks she just made a bigger mess.