It's been a wild ride...

Wow… today is the day. Yes, it is the first day of fall, (my readers are soooo astute!) but a bit closer to our hearts, it’s our school house anniversary. We are celebrating three years of blissful home ownership today. 3!! Wow. It seems like just yesterday we were a couple of kids in our early twenties, newly engaged, and on the hunt for some digs to call home. Now look at us! We’re in our late-ish twenties, (but kids at heart) will celebrate our second wedding anniversary next month, and still trying to improve upon said digs.

Let’s reminisce a bit, shall we? Here I am 3 years ago, smiling like an idiot (in a weird farmer-ish shirt, by the way) with Matthew holding up our new house keys. With that amount of keys, you’d think we’d just bought a janitorial company. Quite to the contrary, we purchased an old, neglected, worn-down but potentially charming money pit that we would slowly try to turn into a home.

First day of home ownership!

We were welcomed with a bottle of bubbly left by our hard-working relator (he was not only there for all of our potential house tours, but was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable during the nearly 6-month home buying process due the house’s tricky status as a short-sale). I was also welcomed by a big planter of orange mums that Matt picked up as a surprise. It cemented my hunch that I had made two very sound decisions within a week of one another: (enthusiastically) agreeing to be that man’s wife and choosing to buy a house with him.

Flowers and wine = perfection.

I mean really, who could turn down a face like this? Especially when it’s peeking up at you from the basement through a hole in your living room floor?

A

I couldn’t have done any of it without the center of my world: Matthew. I may have most of the “visions” that make our house a home and I may have been blessed with a better eye for color, but without my man, nothing we have achieved thus far in this home would be possible. He infuses my dreams with life and love. He possesses an unmatched blend of knowledge and common sense that can turn any project or problem into a solution of which I am unashamedly proud. He loves me for me and this house for this house: both a work in progress ;)

This house we share has created for us three years of irreplaceable memories, and as we continue to move forward on this life path we’ve chosen, I can’t think of any place I’d rather be. The company of this guy doesn’t hurt matters.

Griffin favorite!

To celebrate our three big years, we’ll be enjoying a sweet bottle of Schramsberg bubbly (which we acquired on our honeymoon in 2010) and a night in. After you work so hard at something, nothing beats relishing in it’s beauty with a glass of champagne and a look back on all that’s been accomplished.

As promised, I am going to give a Target gift card to one of my faithful followers. $40 worth!!

Free for you. Use it for funky house decor or a new pair of jeans! A garden planter or a framed print, perhaps?

I have loved, loved, LOVED writing this blog over the past six months, and have found it to be a great creative outlet for myself that serves to entertain not only myself, but my friends, family and even a few strangers turned new friends! Thanks for ALL of your support over the past three years - we couldn’t have done ANY of it without you.

To be eligible for the gift card, simply leave a comment below. (Click on the “comment” button at the end of this post.) Cheers! You have 3 days to enter and the winner will be randomly chosen using Random.org and then I’ll contact you via e-mail! Good luck and love to you all!

Not sure what to write? How long have you been in your place? What’s your favorite room in your home and why? Any new projects on the horizon for fall? What are you most proud of from this past summer? If you don’t feel like sharing anything about your home, share one fun thing you’re looking forward to this weekend. I just want to hear from you!

#House Anniversary