Entryway Redo

I have had a plan for our entryway for well over a year. But between life, crazy work schedules and just other things coming up (Hello, new air conditioner!) we just hadn't gotten around to it. So when Christmas time was approaching and Andrew's work schedule finally slowed down for the year, we tackled our entryway. I couldn't love how it turned out any more! 

Our plan was to get this done over Christmas break since Andrew had some time off. Well, the week before Christmas (Friday the 20th to be exact) Andrew and I had a date night and went to dinner. At dinner we thought, why not get all the things we need tonight? So we headed to Lowe's to grab our materials. What wasn't on the agenda was terrible weather and it was sleeting/icing and so the ride home with all the supplies was a little interesting. 

 

He's a keeper. 

         

Don't all date nights look like this? 

Our plan was to shiplap our entire entryway and convert our entry closet into an open closet with a bench. Shiplap is a simple way to make a statement and is a really affordable update. We had already measured our space and knew we wanted our boards 8 inches in height so the task was simply to find quarter inch plywood and have the fine people at Lowe's rip them for us. We also got some trip pieces to help finish off the space, supplies to build our bench, paint, and some odds and ends that would be needed for the project. 

The next morning we emptied the closet, took out all the junk coats, and took the base trim off. Andrew marked where the studs where on each wall so when we got started, we weren't constantly searching.  

Since we have angled ceilings that go into our cathedral ceiling in the living room, we started our first board at the top of that angled wall BEFORE it angles. {In essence, where the board would meet the corner of the connecting walls and the ceiling without needing to have an angled cut made.} We then lined up with our first board all the way around to give us a starting point to go off of. We did one more row all the way around before going back to the first wall and completing it. 

To create the spacing in our shiplap we used nickles. We also use an air nailer with staples to attach our wood to the wall. The project went fairly quickly. We had to make several cuts on the two walls with the door and the closet because the boards were too long (obviously) which was probably one of the most time consuming parts. We had interruptions that Saturday (going and picking up the boys from my parents and hanging with them) and on Sunday was my family's annual baking day for the holidays so that day was pretty shot. With that being said, by Sunday evening, all the wood was on the walls and on the wall inside the closet. See---QUICK! Sunday night I filled the staple holes with putty and then sanded everything day so on Monday I could paint. 

We put two coats of white semi-gloss paint on our shiplap and our trim. We used the same paint on the bench Andrew built as well. To give our entryway a POP, we painted our front door and sidelight black. I just love black interior doors! 

By Tuesday evening the shiplap was done, the trim was back in place and all that was left was to rehang the decor that had been on our entryway wall previous to the project. 

We were so happy with how it turned out and to have it all done before Christmas was even better! 

We have about a million and four more projects to do to make this house our forever home but we'll get them all one day! 

To a New Year...

Two weeks into 2017 and I am already excited about all the possibility that this year holds. 2016 was a great year for our family, filled with wonderful memories and special times together. But as much as I love looking back, I love looking forward even more.

Gabe ended 2016 with a 6 month progress check with both therapists.  Our main purpose of therapy was to get Gabe talking. When we began the process in July, he was quiet all the time: during play, during play with others and only had a few words. There were some serious concerns the first few months of therapy as to why Gabe was lacking in just this area. We had him assessed for a tongue tie in October to discover that he had not only a tongue tie, but a lip tie as well. We've really seen progress and his latest report showed quite a large jump in growth. Although his articulation is still not strong, he is gaining new words, phrasing and becoming more confident in trying to speak! This was such a HUGE blessing. We still are nowhere near where we want him to be, but we are hopeful that progress will continue. We are so proud of him!

Another exciting adventure for our family is the beginning of the process to adopt. As a family, we came to the decision that we felt called to add to our brood through the process of foster to adopt. Through prayer, conversations with Andrew, talking to some couples who gave us so much insight into their own personal experiences, we feel ready to take those first steps. We are meeting with a person who specializes in licensing and will begin soon our classes. It is a step of faith and one into the unknown but one we are beyond excited to take! 

And if three boys and the potential of another weren't enough, I am pretty ecstatic to be teaming up with a friend on a new business venture. Making a house a home is something I love. I appreciate that your home should be a place you love no matter the size, budget, or style. To get to make that a reality in the lives of others on any level is extremely exciting. We have already begun working through our first trial clients and it has already been so much more than I imagined! 

Here is looking to all that 2017 has to bring!