Eliot

Pura Vida Pennsylvania!

Costa Rica has a saying, if someone asks how you are doing, and all is good with you, you answer "Pura Vida." Kind of a life is good, all's well, living the dream kind of answer.

I used to have the gypsy curse. I used to run around and want to be everywhere and want to live everywhere. Every place that I would visit or work in I would wonder why I didn't live there. That was an especially strong feeling when I lived in New York. I would wonder why I was putting up with this teeny, ugly apartment and the crowded subways! I would wonder why I chose the life I was living. I would think these people had it figured out, quiet town, beautiful things, quality of life.

Because I believe that we all have a choice of where we are and who we are with and what we want to do.

I don't wander anymore. I am happy now.

I was in the jungles of Costa Rica, in treehouses over waterfalls and rainforests and black sand beaches, and nothing made me want to live there more than where I am now. I was among all of this wild beauty and it just made me think how lucky I was to have my own beauty now.

To have my own forest, and my own little tiny waterfall in the backyard.

It made me happy with the space WE have chosen and the life WE have chosen, and most importantly it made me so happy with WHO I have chosen to be in this world with.

Pura Vida Pennsylvania!

Their Creek:

Our Creek:

(I know what you are thinking.  .  . even better than theirs! hehe)

HOLD ON!

Flowers and Progress

I was gone for almost two weeks to Nashville then straight to Costa Rica for work. I missed my husband and I missed our home so much. I was so excited to get home.

And this is what I came home to:

Flowers and Progress!

While I was gone Brad painted the final glossy paint on the wall in the kitchen, bought this INSANELY perfect island in some secret location somewhere, began the tiling for the backsplash, shined up the counters, and put up a hand rail on the steps! 

We have to finish the tile, putting black grout in it and and putting the trim tile on top, just a rounded edge, clean up the floor, finish the ceiling and trim. . .and im sure some other stuff but it is SO amazing!

The best homecoming gift is a beautiful home to come home TO!

HOME AGAIN.

Wood You Be Mine

Brad and I both own big SUVs. We have that in common. Another thing that we have in common is that we both own BROKEN SUVs. So here we are, off roading in the snow to pick up large pieces of wood.  IN. . .a honda. . . . .

 It doesn't quite fit. . ..

But with a littttle finagling. . .

It fit!

Chasing the Sunset

"Hi, we are calling about your barn wood? Yea.  . . .uh. . . .Yep. . .. ok. . .. yep.  . .ok. . . .thanks."

Brad hung up.

"SO???"

"We have to get there before sunset. You need to change your boots. Let's go." 

So there we were chasing the sunset trying to get to the lumber graveyard (which is my sweet little nickname for the place)

After a few small towns, a few wrong turns and a few big dogs we found it. And I mean we FOUND IT! This place was amazing. All the treasures hidden under all of that snow?! We walked around, picked our kitchen shelf off a pile on the ground and promised we would be back in the spring. With our trucks. And our dollar bills. 

We pretty much hit the gold mine. Or, my other sweet little nickname for it, the COLD mine. 

NOOOOOOO

This is a picture of our tool closet/ soon to be powder room on the first floor. Look closely. 

This is a picture of an entire gallon of spilled Behr Ultra White Hi Gloss paint. 

On so many levels . . . ouch. 

The Shaffer Speakeasy

Otherwise known as. . .our basement.

We inherited the bar, and the dart board. The candles and the rest we just happened to have hanging around. . .the basement.

It's all about lighting. . . .