Housing a Secret

I've got a little secret...

We put a bid in on a house yesterday.

Wanna see...?

It may not be everybody's cup o' tea, but we think it's adorable and charming and drips Austin out of it's mortar. Plus it's in the city, walkable to parks, a library, and a drive-in movie theater. Because, as we all know, walking distance to a drive-in is clearly an important key to house-hunting.

Anyway, we were pretty hooked. So much so that we offered loads of money to someone right now while promising to pay LOADS more for the next thirty years. I might be freaking the freak out if I thought this was actually going to go through. But you know, I'm sure we will get the call that five other people want this same house and are willing to give up their third and fourth children to get it. (And peeps, that ain't an option here. We are having a girl come hell or high water.)

In reality... I'm more than a bit antsy. You know, checking my email like a fat kid hit the stores when Twinkies went under and losing sleep over whether or not there is a spot for a refrigerator. (Because it makes total sense to gut and redo a house without a spot for a fridge. Sane moment, Christina, sane moment.)

After not taking pics during our pre-listing glimpse the other day, I sat around all morning refreshing the computer to see if dream house number 1 had been listed. It, of course, had not, and our realtor still had no word. So instead of eating good, healthy food, I drank coffee and chewed my nails and refreshed, refreshed, refreshed.

Nada.

By 10:30 the caffeine had hit and I was like a hamster on a wheel. Except sitting. And not being productive. Or releasing any nervous energy. So when the call came in that it was time to go, my jittery, coffee-filled, empty-stomached self was barely containable. Not the best way to start your second date with the house you're trying hard to woo, but it seemed to take it in stride. We looked good together, even it could see that.

So we bid. And now sit around waiting to hear that we didn't get it. Or that we did!! That can happen too, right?! I mean, people live in houses so it MUST happen on occasion. It's totally nerve-wracking, but probably not even close to as much as it will be if and when we realize we have to actually move. That's the hyperventilate, procrastinate, and become a hoarder type of nerve-wracking.

Fingers crossed over here! What about you? Remember the first time you bought, or tried to buy, a house?? Was it sweaty palm induced panic or hours spent perusing Pinterest for decorating ideas?

Cheers to happy weekending!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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A Torn Heart

{via}

After lugging far too many bags through three airports, we are settling back in to life in Austin. It hurt my heart a bit to return. Not because I don't love it here, I do, but more because of what I had to leave behind. Practically speaking, it's harder here. No home prepared vegan meals unless we fix them; no help with the baby when we need a break; no one but ourselves to deal with the mini-dogs Tegan sheds off. 

What hurts the most though is all emotional. Leaving my parents and friends in a place where I can't just run over for a visit. Letting go of any hopes for snow. Not being present for what is most likely Ray Lewis' last game in Baltimore. Knowing that the next time my baby will experience my city he will probably stand on his own two feet. All of that is simply hard. 

Coming in the door was painful on Thursday. I cried (not that that is a huge rarity these days with all the hormones... will that never end?!) and told Peyton I was done here. Ready to be home. Ready to raise my children with a surrounding village that I know and love. But after a few somewhat harsh (though practical) words from him, I realized that there is nothing we could do about it that day. The band-aid had just come off and I had to take it. 

There are definitely ways to not just cope, but thrive, here. Like the much needed girl's night I had with other Baltimore transplants just a few hours after our return, complete with red wine, Whole Foods pizza, and lots of Ravens talk and Declan loving. Or the glorious smell of my new candle filling the kitchen air. Or sitting quietly in front of a raging fire watching Declan practice scooting. These are moments that definitively show that I am also home here. It makes it easier to simply "be" but harder to choose our future. 

Home is where the heart is, but my heart is completely torn. I love two places and two lives. (I'd probably love more if I tried, so please, use force if I attempt to add another home base to my list.) Who knows where the future will take us or what path we'll choose to walk. I can just hope that we are lucky enough to have these choices. In the meantime I will do my best to appreciate this place, these people, and this town. I will try to fill our days with love, fun, warmth, and memories of Austin that will glow brightly for years. And yes, I will probably on occasion cry. Because sometimes that's all you can do. 

Let's go Ravens!!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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Should I Sty Or Should I Go (Clean the House?)

Way back in the days before I was a mama bear I wrote these new year's resolutions. It might seem to those twenty people who glanced at them that I've forgotten and put them aside, but that is simply not the case. I have remembered them every day that I fail to live up to their incredibly high standards. Next year is simple- eat breakfast and love on Declan. Done and done.

In truth, I have given some attempts at following through. I've walked more, sent some birthday cards full of x's and o's, and blogged lots of pictures. I'd forgotten about a few, such as work on our landscape and join a CSA, but luckily enough hit those nails on the head this morning when we picked up our first veggie box and later raised the backyard from an F to a D-. So not so bad I'd say. It's good to still have goals, right? Keeps life interesting.

The resolution that I have really focused on is keeping the house clean. Since many people do this automatically, I thought that it was time I give it a go. Let's start by clarifying: Peyton, no comments allowed, for obvious reasons. Apparently men have ridiculously high standards of clean, like more than one room at a time be orderly or have folded laundry. As I said, ridiculous.

So anyway, you fine folks, I think I'm getting this cleaning thing down. I've realized that keeping the house orderly ties in with my happiness and productivity, which then keeps it more orderly. Viscious cycle. So in my research on how to obtain this dream while keeping sane, I came upon six techniques that really help.

1. Make the bed. Here's a two-minute strategy that pays back ten-fold. Seeing it neatly made makes me want to tidy the rest of the room, which leads me to return the dirty glass to the dishwasher, put in some laundry, you name it. Plus it keeps me from lying down in bed, because who likes to make a bed twice in one day??

2. Always leave the room with one item. Anytime you leave a room, take an item with you. Obviously this only works if you are going to the room where it goes, so don't just grab any item for any room. It is mind blowing to me how lazy I am about carrying a plate in to the kitchen. Yet clearly, once I've accomplished such a feat I deserve some cookies. Some extra motivation never hurts.

3. dishes.laundry.bath.bed.living. I stumbled upon this lovely "Chaos Control Cycle" via 4SmartyPants and decided to give it a whirl. While I still haven't made it to bath yet, the bed is luckily done because of #1 and the living is often tidier due to #2. (Clearly, it would be wise to use the bathroom before coming over here.) The idea is that when you are starting to clean, begin with making sure dishes are in the dishwasher, the sink is empty, and counters are wiped down. Once accomplished, pop in a load of laundry, followed up by quickly cleaning items in the bath, bed, and living rooms. If at any point you are sidetracked, start at dishes and you will find where you left off. For me, it just breaks it into manageable chunks instead of a whole overwhelming mess of things to do. And it also makes me feel accomplished when I get even one done since I know it's something off my list.

4. Vacuum. Ok, grossness alert- I'm not great at dealing with dog fur. Poor Peyton dislikes fur so much that he has not only owned dobermans for this reason (among others), but has chosen the particular type that goes bald. Enter Tegan, a ninety pound mass of fur with four seperate coats; my sweet shepherd that I neglect in the grooming area a tad and only brush every few months. (Was going to add to resolutions, but honestly? Not going to happen.) So you can only imagine the fur buildup that occurs. I still have some improvement in this area. I'm thinking our spiffy new vacuum will help since it won't sound like a cat in heat, but that's putting a lot of pressure on the poor thing. When the house is vacuumed, it inevitably looks better and more put together.

5. Wash windows. It amazes me every, single time how much clean windows improve a room. It's a bit embarrasing how dirty they can get before I even notice they need cleaning, but I give myself a pat on the back every time that I do. Because yowzers. A little alcohol-vinegar water and a good scrub is all I need to take a room from musty hole to show house appeal.

6. Just do it. There are always quite a few little projects in each room that are waiting to be done, from paying the bills to posting on craigslist to popping dishes in the dishwasher to hanging up a mobile. I've found that as long as I'm not doing something important, if I come across a task that is under five minutes in length, I should suck it up and act. I get a quick accomplishment fix while tidying up a space. More productivity ensues, and voila, little Martha Stewart over here.

So there you have it. Six little tricks that I've found really help me succeed in keeping this house slightly above pigsty status. All starts with a made bed people. And a sound night of sleep. I would love to hear some of yours if you have any! Any help is major over here. :)

My bed's a-callin'. Good night!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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I Have a New Obsession...

It's called the Antique Mall. It's a huge space with all sorts of vendors that I can, and just did, walk around for hours. Seriously, I had to drag myself out! There is such a fun mix of stuff, from kitchenware to decor to art to clothes. Plus I got to scratch my buy-things-itch without spending too much.

I originally went to find an old blue Mason jar to make this beaut:

{via pinterest}

Back story to the project goes.... About a month ago Peyton and I decided to hold each other to the plan of never leaving dishes in the sink. To some people, this may seem obvious and simple. To us, it was a big deal. Surprisingly, we've been doing an excellent job! The kitchen looks prettier and we feel better when we follow through, so follow through we have. But it's also meant more time at the sink, and the ugly Seventh Generation soap bottle has just been bugging me. So this cute mason jar DIY was just the solution. Until I read about the lids corroding and decided in other pictures I really didn't like the pump top sticking out. So around I perused until I found this gem:

Funky, fun, and a beautiful blue color. It's an old milk of magnesia bottle that cost $7.00. Right now I just have a cork in it, but for practicality I might add a little pour spout in the next few days. I then added this mat:

Nothing too special there, but I had been wanting another one after I washed the floors yesterday and then this guy appeared for just $1.99. Not too shabby, plus it ties in with the soap bottle. And to round off my blue mood I had to snatch this old farmhouse looking bowl for $4.99:

It had me at hello with its charming beaten-up teal paint and dark blue rim. I feel that in its past life it sat on an old wooden table, greeting children with freshly picked strawberries and peaches as they slammed the screen door. Sadly, its life here won't be quite as glamorous, but it will be useful for Peyton as a wallet and change depository after work. No more little piles on the table!

So there was my trip for today. I'm so in love with that place that when I go again, I may never return.

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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Get Your Paint On

Good morning and happy Tuesday!!

The up-and-at-em chipper bug has caught me.  How can it not when:

A. We just returned from a wonderful vacation.
B. The house smells like yummy cologne (thanks to our new roomy Manny!).
C. I have no obligations for a week.
D. I am actually feeling inspired to conquer my long list of to-dos... annnd
E. That instead of that list I am finally blogging.

I am very excited to recap the trip with delightful memories and pics, but sadly I left the camera 1,600 miles away so that post will just have to wait. Instead I will finally share the biggest thing we've done in the past few months. I've been meaning to put this up since May, but that means going through pictures, which means taking said pictures, which means getting the right light (yeah... I try, albeit unsuccessfully), which starts with cleaning. And that whole process apparently alluded me for quite some time. But here I am, three months later, sharing the simple, yet oh so gratifying, project that we conquered. We painted! And I feel like we did it right. Even though officially we aren't finished (booo to trim). But so it goes.

I've wanted to paint the main area since I moved in. It was a tired looking white that just made the whole space feel blah. We both loved the idea of a cooler neutral, so we decided to try to find a gray that was virtually the color of the white paint when shadowed.

It began with samples colors. This is something I've never committed to doing before, but for an extra ten bucks was sooo worth it. All were Behr Premium Plus Ultra and the four colors are as follows:

Top to bottom:

Manhattan Mist (760E-2)

Burnished Clay (UL260-12)

Subtle Touch (790E-1)

Graceful Gray (UL260-10)

And another look:

Graceful Gray, Manhattan Mist, Subtle Touch, Burnished Clay

We wanted to see how they would look near the floor since ours has a fairly red finish. We have hopes and plans to change that in the future, but we also don't want to live with some huge clash until then. Manhattan Mist was immediately out since it was too blue, as was Subtle Touch for being, well, too subtle. So we were down to Graceful Gray, which had a slight green to it, and Burnished Clay. We loved Graceful Gray, but I had worries that it might be too dark, so we slapped on some more.

All was looking snazzy so away we hopped on over to Home Depot and grabbed two gallons of Graceful Gray. And so followed came the "fun" stuff. Jamming out to "Rock Lobster" and the occasional Depeche Mode definitely kept us going.

And after hours of painting, an extra gallon of paint, three rollers, and some intense concentration on doing the edge work by moi (I was previously deemed unfit for precision work, so I mustered all the focus I had to finish what remained), we were left with a beautifully painted living room. And let's just say some boogying and cartwheeling ensued. Sometimes the mister is simply uncontrollable. :)

So let's take a gander at some before and afters:

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Living Room After

Fireplace Before

Fireplace After

Wall Before

Wall After

Kitchen Wall Before

Kitchen Wall After

So it definitely is a subtle change, especially in pictures. But in person it is just enough contrast to really freshen things up. Hopefully my picture taking abilities will improve by the next post, or at least I'll remember to get befores and afters in the same spot...

Time to go wash some dogs, do some shopping, and show congress how budgets are made!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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Life is a (Hopefully) Long Road

At least that's what I'm trying to remember today. For the past month or so Peyton has been interviewing for a promotion in Delaware that seemed like a sure thing. And it was. Until yesterday, that is. Politics in his company held him back (while potentially opening up another great opportunity), so our Delaware dreams are no more.

Now, without insulting anyone from Delaware too much, we weren't thrilled about living in or around Dover. Moving from one of the best cities like Austin to a small, seemingly simple town like Dover was a bit tough to stomach. But that's where the excitement came in for me. It's easy to come to Austin and to love it, to take it in, to be encompassed by its unique culture. It's a whole other deal to go to a city where there isn't live music nightly, abundant happy hours, outdoors sports and activities of every and all types (stand-up paddling anyone?), and always a new restaurant to try. These are the cities that you have to dig for the gems. You work to find what you can make yours, what will make that place unique. It might be as simple as walking around exploring until you stop in the sunshine on a beautiful street with lovely old houses, shady trees, and birds singing the most lovely songs. Or it may come from trying hole-in-the-wall restaurants until you find "your place." And it might take time. You might have to slowly meet people, find groups, go to the same spots and realize one day that this place holds a piece of your soul. The place that you thought seemed simple and empty, has awakened a part of you that you never knew existed.

So this is how I saw Dover. It was an exciting chance to explore and discover. It was a shot for Peyton and me to create memories in a place not touched by any others and to grow closer in the process. And I couldn't forget the fantastic fact that it was 1.5 hours away from Baltimore. This, of course, led to dreams of me swooping in for a girl's night with my MAC ladies or a quick trip to the only dentist I've ever seen (yes, this was actually in my daily thoughts) followed by a Harbor East Whole Foods run (and maybe a swing by Lululemon??). I envisioned having babies that frollicked on the beach on weekends year-round and got to see their grandma more than four times a year. Babies that would grow up belonging to the east coast and knowing the seasons. Who would roll down hills of lush green grass and come back with stains on their clothes. Who would sail the Chesapeake, visit Deep Creek Lake, and get bundled up like little babushkas in the winter. (Thanks Camille for that image, seen here. Umm... Adorable, anyone?) So clearly the news dashed the dreams I held for my future loves.

But, and there's always a but, this is when I have to remember that life is a long road. Would I have ever guessed four years ago that I would be married to a wonderful man from Tennessee, living in Austin, Texas, and about to graduate with a science degree and a 4.0? Not in many, many guesses would I have gotten that. Who would have thought that dropping out of school and getting a job as a carsales[wo]man would have led me here. And I have to say, it's pretty great. I may miss things up north, but I also love things down south. I love the warmth and the great weather. I love the music scene, the Texas state parks full of cactus and dried wood and cedar, the way at any moment I could see a striped lizard scurrying away from me. These are things that I would have to trade if we moved away, and I'm not sure I'm ready to do that. Our babies may not have the beach every weekend, but they could grow up getting colored mohawked hair at the Austin City Limits music festival every year. Or eating vegan milkshakes from Toy Joy. Or counting armadillos on hikes. We'd figure out ways to see the grandparents more often, and those trips would be sacred and special in a way that weekly ones wouldn't. We could be the proud parents of Austinites who would be just as beautiful as Delawareans.

Or maybe we won't. Because (I tell myself YET again) life is a long road, and it's an amazing adventure. Two years from now we might be in New York or San Francisco or back home in Baltimore. We might be in the process of adopting a little bean because we can't have our own, or rubbing my swollen ankles since I'm about to pop. Even though I don't know where we will be or how we will get there, I'm sure we will do our best to soak up the good. We will create the best moments we can. We will explore what the world has to offer and create a life full of love and happiness, a life we can be proud of. Because life is a long road, and we're in for a superb ride.

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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The Tour of Our Home

It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes pictures to start improving on your house. "Really?" You might say. To which I would respond, "Absolutely! Positively!" and then add in quieter tones that I certainly hope so. In fact, I've already caught myself in a bit of a fib, because we have made some changes to our nest prior to pictures (sadly, because they would be nice to show.)

You see, two and a half years ago I pulled up to my new home after a thirty hour drive from Baltimore and unpacked all my belongings in a house of black, white, and orange (strange combo, I know... more on that another time.) I made a cozy, colorful, Christina haven in my room. There was blue, purple, green, orange, pink. It was a bit too wacky for me even, so I then toned it down and painted the walls brown. I was convinced I would make my single room Austin home "me," and was going strong until my world expanded.

As Peyton and I progressed, my decor kingdom grew immensely. Once we were married, I was given my half share in the upkeep and design of the house, about ten more rooms than I was managing before. It became clear that what housed my temporary room now would be home. This house has progressively become more akin to my spirit, but sill has quite a ways to go.

Now don't get me wrong here, I didn't get married with plans to change all things B.C. (Before Christina... My name is so convenient in times like this.) The first real project Peyton and I did together was redoing our bedroom, and that is the one room we are fully content with (at least for now!). Through that transformation Mr. P caught some of my excitement towards decorating and now is on board for the long haul. We make our design decisions together. The difference is he is content in many types of spaces while I feel the need to nest, to create, to feel one with my surroundings. For instance, the shower curtain we use (a relic of my Baltimore life) was once described by a friend as "Christina in shower curtain form!" And it's true. It will be a sad day when I have no place for that anymore. So, like my curtain, we have been gradually adding and creating things that embody "us" throughout the house, which is why the pictures you are about to see are not the true beginning. Some of these rooms are "In Progress," but for our blog I will keep them all as "Befores."

So without further adieu I give you the grand picture tour, as long as you leave your judgement and shoes at the door. Enjoy!

I've decided to start from the back of the house and work forward. Just as if you woke up in the morning (in the bathroom apparently?) and then started heading to the door. This is the master bath that holds the storied s.c. 

The bathroom is connected to our bedroom, seen below. The first pic is from the hall door; the second you can see the bathroom entrance. Plus, though sliding glass doors may not be the most attractive, they are oh so helpful for a dog that wakes you every day around 7:00 to use her facilities.

That dog, Tegan, decided to make an appearance.

Our amazing fertility goddess statue created by our wonderful friend Jenn.

So now we will take a peek down that hall in the above right. 

Exciting stuff that was. So let's take a gander to the immediate right in the hall, where we have our spare bedroom. This somehow, as you will clearly see, has become a hoarder's haven. I feel that this blog needs to be full disclosure though, so please shield your eyes if you are scared of carnage.

Whew! Glad we made it through that one. And on we go to the guest bedroom, down the hall to the right.  This also is not in its normal working order, but more on that with our goodbyes.

See Clementine making a guest appearance in the mirror.

Next to this bedroom we have the guest bathroom. We decided to paint it a deep, intense yellow and actually kinda like it. Either that or we've been too lazy to paint. (Small, low-light bathrooms are hard to capture accurately, so put your imagination to work a bit.)

And onward march to the living area! We have a big open dining room/family room space that has had to work with a semi at home movie theater arrangement. It's tough to make such a large space feel homey, but especially difficult when you have a wide expanse of room that has to be left empty. 

You've just stepped out from the hallway.

To the left we have our second war zone: the office.

One thing that we really love about this house is that its fireplace, the white wall behind the foosball table, is basically in one giant pillar that is between the living room and the kitchen. This picture is the little passage on left side of the pillar (between it and the office.) Two fireplaces in one. Woot woot!

And finally we end in our kitchen/dining area. It is also one long room broken into a few shots.

Just walked in from right of pillar.

Home through the back door , with Athena there to greet you.

So there you have it! Our humble abode. We are so excited to share our effort and progress with you. Even more exciting are that change is a'brewin this very weekend. Maybe not major ones, but enough that you might think we don't keep rooms in pig sty shape. You see, next week our house becomes the fabulous Hotel Murray and we have nine guests visiting. You heard me right. Nine extra adult humans will be added to our space for Austin's South By South West (SXSW) music festival, so we have our work cut out for us to make every room livable. I should go get my cheer on to pump us up for the work ahead, but stay tuned and we'll keep ya posted!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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