update on the apartment

Well,

Ryan and I are in the process of applying for the apartment. They have approved our credit, but there is a few things that the county needs to varify before we get the apartment (such as the fact that I'm a full-time student, that Ryan works for the bank, etc). Everything's looking good so far, and they seem to want us as tenants, so that's encouraging. We were hoping to hear if we got it by Christmas, but it shouldn't be long now. In the meantime, we're keeping our fingers crossed and our phones near by in case they call. I'll let you know as soon as we hear anything more.

Update on the barn

As you all know, the plan has always been that the barn would be renovated into an apartment, and we would move in immediately following the wedding. Although we're still planning on moving in, it won't be quite as soon as we had thought. Due to a couple unexpected structural difficulties with the barn, it's going to take a little longer than planned. As a result, Ryan and I have been looking around for some possible apartments we will live in until the barn is all ready. It's been fun looking at different apartments. We've had the chance to see what possibilities are out there, and trying to picture ourselves in our first home. We're very excited about one particular apartment. It's low-income housing, so the rent is amazing! It's a brand new building, very pretty, very clean, and very spacious. It's an energy efficient building (which includes a windmill), so the energy bill generally comes to about $50 a month. All the other utilities are included. It's also in a perfect location. Very safe, close to both our families, and a halfway point between work for both of us. Even though we agreed from the start that we wouldn't let ourselves get our hopes up, we're really excited and hopeful about this place. We are still very excited about living in the barn, but until then, we're hoping to get this apartment. I'll keep everyone updated as we learn more.

Christmas time

It's been quite a while since I've posted anything, but I doubt anyone really reads this thing anyway.

So, we've been getting ready for the Christmas season. Ryan and I have been enjoying celebrating together. We decorated our little dollar store christmas tree that we purchased together last year. Think "Charlie Brown christmas tree" and it's a pretty good image of our own. We decorated it with two little trumpet ornaments and some homemade quilted heart ornaments. We topped it off with a creepy plastic santa head. It's perfect. This is a very significant Christmas for us both, because it is the last Christmas we will have before tying the knot. We know that next year we will have to juggle celebrating with different households, so this is the last year of Christmas simplicity for us. We're really enjoying being a part of each other's family Christmas traditions, and we can't wait to form our own. Christmas is such a great time of year. It's a season of curling up with a warm blanket, countless cups of tea and hot chocolate, festive neighborhood lights, and promise of special moments spent with friends and family. I'm so thankful to be spending such a beautiful time of year with my husband to be.

The love of my life

Not to embarress Ryan or make him feel uncomfortable, but I feel like the luckiest person in the world to be marrying such an amazing man. Ryan has always been there for me. It doesn't matter if I'm in the best mood or the very worst, he's ALWAYS there showing me love and appreciation. He's so deliberate about doing anything he can to help other people, and he's got the best sense of humor out there! He's so kind and compassionate, and he's such a generous soul. He'd give the clothes off his back to anyone in need. He's so incredibly bright (which I could tell since day 1). He asks such good questions and thinks things through so well. He's such a responsible person and so incredibly dependenable. He's the most amazing man. He always inspires me to appreciate the little things in life and to always stop and smell the roses. He's always trying to better himself and learn new things. He always makes me laugh and his quick wit never ceases to amaze me. He's the most loving, kind, considerate, amazing person I've ever met. I can't believe how lucky I am to be spending the rest of my life with my best friend.
I know this was all really sappy... don't judge me. I just love him a whole bunch!

~ Kelly

Making a house into a home

As stated in my last post, I don't want our place to just be a house; I want it to be a home. Lately, I've been observing what exactly makes a house feel more welcoming and homey (other than the people). What I've found is that it's usually the little things. Family pictures on the walls, indoor plants, home made knick knacks, etc. So, in preparation for our own home, I've been making a lot of things we will use in order to make our place feel more homey. I've been making quilts, afghans, pot holders, christmas ornaments (yes, I know it's early), and things like that. There's something so rewarding to stitch a quilt and think about how one day you'll use this same blanket to wrap your children in on a cold winter night, or perhaps after they've had a bad dream. It's nice to be able to provide for my future family, even if it is small and insignificant. Then again, as I said before, it's the small things that make a house a home.

~Kelly

Hospitality

As we prepare to make the barn into our very first apartment together, I've been thinking a lot about what kind of home I would want us to have. God has been teaching me a lot about the importance and beauty of hospitality over the past few years, and it's really made me think about how I want it incorporated into our home.
I've learned these past few years that having a house that feels like a home to everyone who enters it is a wonderful blessing. I want so badly for everyone who enters our home to feel warm and safe and nurtured. I've had the awesome experience of that in other homes before, and sometimes it is the most refreshing experience you could have. When you feel tired and emotionally spent; when you feel lonely or scared; sometimes all you need is to step into an environment that just seems to reach out and hug you. To sit on someone's cozy couch sipping tea and talking can be the best form of comfort and reassurance. I want to offer that to people so badly. I want our home to be their home-- even if it is for just a few hours. I want it to be a safe haven for the tired and far from home.
I've been given such a gift before, and now it's my turn to give that same hospitality and inspiration to others.

~Kelly

Decluttering

We've been trying to clear out all the crap we have in order to prepare for moving into the barn. Since space is limited, we both want to come into a new home with as little junk as possible. It's been a cleansing experience for us. When you get rid of all the crap you've accumulated over the years, it brings a sense of simplicity that's so calming. I definitely recommend decluttering your home. You might be surprised how much it affects your mood.

P.s. When decluttering, a good rule of thumb to use is, "If I threw this item out, would I miss it?"
Go declutter!! I command you!

Laundry and Dishwashing Detergent Recipes

I found these recipes on youtube, and they've worked really well for me. It's a good way to save money, and it's better for the environment than using store bought detergents. These recipes are very simple, quick, and effective.

Laundry Detergent

1/2 cup Borax (found in the laundry aisle at target or grocery store. This is a natural cleansing mineral found in a green/white box).
1/2 cup Washing Soda (also found in laundry aisle; note: this is different from baking soda)
1 grated bar of soap (I recommend Dove)

Grate the bar of soap with a cheese grater (this won't mess your grater up) into crumbles. Don't worry if they're not very fine, they'll desolve in the washing machine. Add your borax and washing soda and mix it. Use 1 tablespoon of the mixture for small loads, and 2 tablespoons for large loads.

This averages out to be about 6 cents per load.

Dishwashing Detergent

1 1/2 cups of Borax
1 1/2 cups of Baking Soda.
1 cup salt (optional)

Use 1 tablespoon per load.

~Kelly

If you can't make it out...

You can see the pictures of the construction at www.ryanandkellybarn.shutterfly.com

Most of the pictures were taken to help us decide where the urinal should go.

- Ryan

Raising the barn

Well...the construction on the barn has officially begun. Everything has been cleared out, the siding and roof are gone, and we are left with a shell of what will be our first home.  This blog will document the progress from beginning to end and probably many rants and raves in between.  Our vanity will most Likely cause a few posts about non related things along the way...so please don't judge us.