Here we are! 5 years later. Some days I didn’t know if we’d make it a year here, haha. Five years has gone by in a literal blink. If you’re new here, I write this post every year. I blog our progress on the home, updates we’ve made that year, and all the heart and soul that goes into it.
2020 is different. And while I want to share one big update we did, and I will talk all about that, 2020 has just been different. In total honesty, its been hard. Its been hard for the world, its been hard for our nation, its been really hard for our household.
Nick lost his job this year. We had a new baby. Truthfully, the anxiety in our home was at an ultimate high. At one point, we were both on unemployment. What was once an incredibly stable home, in what felt like overnight, flipped completely on its head. I’m a worrier in my nature, I didn’t cope well. The fear of our future in our home, and in our world really started to break me. It was a rollercoaster, some days good, some days just fine, and some days downright devastating. Nick used his time wisely and in the height of the pandemic chose to go back to school and get his real estate license. It’s always something we’ve thought of doing, just never really had the opportunity presented itself so much. I am so glad he did this. I think it will really serve us well in our long term goals. As time went on, and weddings were canceling constantly, we quickly realized that two self employed parents in these times just wasnt going to work. We craved that schedule and guarantee/stability that a job in the corporate world can provide, and had for us for so many years. I am so proud to say that after 6+ interviews and countless hours of preparation Nick accepted a consulting & sales position at Paychex. He worked SO hard to get here, and his incredible accomplishments in the past made him the obvious candidate. It’s not easy to get a new (and good!) job in the middle of a pandemic. I am very proud.
So much relief has come for us in the last month. My work picked back up tremendously, and while I’m not out of the woods with wedding postponements and cancelations, I’ve made great strides in returning to a full work load to support our family. And now with Nick’s new job we can breathe again. I am so grateful. I AM SO GRATEFUL. Is it not so crazy that one year you are living your life basically “perfectly” and then so many elements out of your control literally flip your world/confidence/stability upside down. I’ve never been more thankful for simple things. Simple joys. Basic needs. I’ve never EVER been more thankful for a warm, safe, beautiful place to call home. I have never been more thankful for Our Humble Hideaway.
Home is always where my heart is. It always has been. But this year, home is where everything is. When you are living in a pandemic, home is almost all you have. When going out isn’t safe, when staying home saves lives, home is literally EVERYTHING. I love our home. I love our home because its ours. I love our home because its been with us through the best of times and through the worst. I love our home because its proof of a dream come true. I love our home because it provides an income for us. I love our home because it reminds me to live simply, to go outside, to garden, to chase Porter, to play, be out for hours as the sun drops in the sky and falls behind the horizon. I love our home because its walls and a roof, where we are lucky enough to eat good and healthy food and feel safe every day.
At the start of the year we committed to our garage renovation project, and while the timing felt wrong, it was again a nice distraction and something that had been on our list to accomplish the last 5 years! We still have to add our barn light, and a couple style items, like planters and decor, but the main project is done! You know I have big dreams to make it look less like a garage andddddd maybe a chicken coop off the side if I can convince Nick!
Here is a before photo of the garage that I pulled off of the original listing. Big and brown haha. It was such an eyesore! But it is such a useful storage place. For our cars, motorcycles, vintage truck, mowers, tractors, equipment, and of course all of the kids outdoor toys. We have big plans to update the siding on our home (eventually!) but we’re really trying to think that one through. We have talked about adding an addition, installing a new deck, and we don’t want to do the siding until we figure all of that out! That is likely NOT a 2021 goal haha. Our home reno goals are slightly halted due to a hard 2020. And thankfully, so much here is done! Our list gets smaller and smaller every year! Our big project this year was the garage!
We have started working on the basement renovation. We actually just discussed possibly having a contractor come in soon to finish what we started since Nick’s new job is 90% virtual he needs a fresh and organized space to work. We basically just need some electric, paint, and flooring and we’re done. So I’m sure that will be on next years blog post!
We enclosed the center opening and attached the two garages. We now have more indoor space to store the tractor and our new stock tank pool for the winter :)
I want to add cedar planters and growing vines up the building to break up that white space. Hoping that can be a Spring or Summer project!
I have a wreath door hanger on its way from Target right now haha.
I wanted to share some photos of us from this past year. While it has felt like the hardest year of our lives for sure, there have been so many moments of joy. Welcoming Nolan Henry in January! And all of his milestones following. Porter started preschool and turned 3 this year. He is growing into the literal funniest, coolest, most spirited and full of wonder child I have ever met. When we felt so fragile and uncertain, we have always had two things, each other and Our Humble Hideaway. And to us, its really all we need.
Welcome Nolan Henry, January 7 2020.
Nolan 3 months.
I turned 32 this year. We planted a Zinnia garden that brought so much joy. I literally LOVED planting, watering, cutting, and enjoying these flowers all Summer.
Nolans first apple picking. Lynd Fruit Farm September 2020
Lots of picking things haha.
Porter’s new animal room. No more crib. He did amazing. Saying he loves his room is a HUGE understatement!
Happy 3rd Birthday Porter Gene!
Halloween 2020, an Elephant and a Lion.
Cousins in matching PJ’s always a highlight of my year!
This year was truly nothing we expected. I think pretty much everyone feels that way. But, our household is doing our best to get back to this new normal. I’ve always wanted this blog to be a place that you could go and get happiness and joy, home inspo and see our family life, but it’s also been so important to me to be authentic to who we are. Whether that is struggling with infertility (how this blog came about) or navigating our way through unemployment and a pandemic. This is us.
Thank you so much for all of the love and support over the years. Community has carried us through so much. It really has inspired me to pay it forward and be the best person and mother I can be. So thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I usually reminisce on all of the renovations that we’ve done in the last 5 years, and this year I didn't. So, you should click back at past posts to see our Kitchen, Studio, Bathroom, and whole property renovation. I make this post every year!
There really is no place like home for the holidays, and this year — stands true. From Our Humble Hideaway to yours, Happy Holidays!
