Crawfords On The Move

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Making This House Our Home

Well, we are finally seeing a light at the end of the remodeling tunnel. The second we moved in to our first place we decided it needed a splash of Crawford. From painting accent walls,painting bedrooms, revamping the garden areas, and doing a complete demolition and remodel of the guest bathroom, we have barely had a second to relax. However, with one week remaining until our summer visitors arrive, we are feeling more relaxed and excited to see the results of all our hard work and time. We love the neighborhood, the distance to downtown is short and sweet, and the house could not have fit us more perfectly.

The pups are loving their new neighborhood, getting to know their smaller (more yappy) dog neighbors, and are enjoying running around their big backyard. I have to say I don't think they are huge fans of the renovations, but every once and a while will show their support by leaving the drywall and supplies alone.

Many other activities and events have gone on hold, but one thing we continue to do is go out on our boat. I think it is the one thing that has kept us sane and allows us to relax in between the craziness of remodeling. I have really enjoyed sprucing up the outside of the house (not that it needed a lot of work) and adding flowers beds and planting pumpkin and corn in our vegetable garden.

In one week my Uncle Carroll and Aunt Elaine Harris arrive and they will be the first guests in the Crawford Casa. We are looking forward to visiting with them and taking them all around Whidbey Island, boating over to the San Juan Islands, and anything else that peaks their interest. Not long after they head out Mom and Dad Thacher will be making their second visit out to Whidbey and this time it will be warm and sunny! Many good things to come and many more photos to come after their visit.

Hope everyone is having a beautiful and warm start to the summer and look forward to seeing many of y'all in August!

Many of the photos below are out of order so be sure to look at the captions (what the bathroom looked like it towards the bottom).

Dropping off the toilet at the dump

BFT (planted our first tree as a Crawford family)

Taking Bentley on a walk in Coupeville
and he quickly discovered this was not
a real boy and panicked!

Oak Harbor Yacht Club dock sunset

Enjoying time away from the remodel with friends in Anacortes

Bentley stealing a moment to kiss Fansters

Making sure we made our mark
on these walls!

He thinks he can drive

One of my flower beds off the back deck

What the bathroom looked like as of 8:00PST on July 9th

Lunch on the boat

The beginning of demolition

The dogs and I have made more
Home Depot runs than I care to count

Taking off the bathroom vanity

Game night on the boat with friends

Fourth of July fireworks from the boat

We have turned these two into JMU fans ;)

Taking out the toilet

The OLD bathroom

Fourth of July

Best cookies around!

The mess the demolition made

Relaxing while I weed the vegetable garden

Dad came home for lunch!!!

I have a very thoughtful husband!

Night out on the boat.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Our.First.Place

After weeks of waiting, we finally received the keys to our first place and it happens to be on an island ;) In the midst of closing on our first place I was also completing my year as a second grade teacher and Robert was very busy at work. I grew to love teaching second grade and am happy to say I will continue as a second grade teacher next year. Hopefully, I can teach second grade throughout our final year in Washington, but you never know what time may bring ;)

The pups have been very curious as to why there are many boxes around the house. I don't think my running around and making a million phone calls makes it any less confusing for them. We decided we needed to take a breather amidst the chaos of life this past month and spent time going to a Kenny Chesney concert, white water rafting with NHOH Command friends, final bonfire at the old house we rented, and definitely some time on the boat!

We also realized that we are getting closer and closer to our first trip back to the east coast in over a year. With a recent event in my family I have realized how large of a distance I am from home and close loved ones in times of need. Glad to say that all is on the uphill now and dad is in good hands. I will be home soon enough to drive that big bugar crazy ;)

We will be spending the next month settling into our new home and are excited to be living closer to town and surrounded by great neighbors. We are part of the country club community but we laugh because we are NOT country club people. However, having a beautiful golf course across the street certainly doesn't hurt. We both just need to take up golfing!
Some fun facts about the place we bought (or as I would say some signs it was meant to be our home):
1. The owner happened to be the principal of the original Oak Harbor High School, which is now the elementary school where I teach.
2. There was an old-school pencil sharpener in the closet hallway ;)
3. Our neighbor has children who went to the best school in the USA a.k.a James Madison University
4. I had randomly found it online the day it was posted, it happened to be the day I was home sick from school, and we almost didn't go visit due to being tired of looking, but thank goodness we did.
5. There is a built-in workbench and tool area for Robert
6. In the kitchen, there is a desk, just like the one we had in Orchard Park, NY.
7. We walked in and said, "We are HOME!!!"

Below are photos from the new home, end of school year, etc. Hope everyone is having a wonderful start to summer and we hope to see you soon. Much Love!