Making My New House a Home: Sunflowers, Furniture Finds, and Adventures with Family

Well, my darling readers – Hello from Spokane, WA! It’s been a minute since my last update, but life has been a whirlwind of excitement with my new job and new rental since June. While I haven’t done much traveling, I’ve had some fun adventures both through books and real-life escapades.

Before diving back into my usual travel content, I wanted to share some quick highlights from the past few months. Summer always pulls me outside, making it tricky to stick to a blogging schedule, but I’m excited to get back into the groove for the rest of the year.

So, let’s jump right in, shall we?

Table of Contents

Making My New House a Home: Sunflowers, Furniture Finds, and Adventures with Family

Moving from a cozy 800 sq. ft. one-bedroom apartment in downtown Seattle to a spacious 1,050 sq. ft. townhouse in suburbia has been quite the change! But, to my surprise, I’m loving it. There are pros and cons, of course, but nothing that makes me regret leaving the city.

The biggest shift? How much I use my car! In the city, my car would sit for weeks, but now I’m driving daily. And I really miss the charm of mom-and-pop coffee shops. I’ve found a few nearby, but they’re just a bit out of the way for my regular work routine.

The Local Gym

I found a gym and I’m loving it! My knee is finally on the mend after that unfortunate fall in Hawaii. I’m taking it slow and steady, aiming to be back to running a full 3 miles by the end of the year. It’s a cautious approach, but I’m all about avoiding another injury!

Furniture Finds and Refurbishings

I’m practically living at the thrift store these days! My mission is to source as many pieces as I can while keeping costs low and embracing the whole reduce, reuse, recycle mantra. I’ve snagged the cutest wooden chairs, which I’m slowly reupholstering throughout the month. My goal is to tackle at least one each week until they’re all sparkling new. I’m in love with the fabric I chose—it’s got that Anthropologie vibe without the hefty price tag. I snagged 5 chairs for just $30 and 3 yards of fabric for $15, so a grand total of $45 for 5 fabulous chairs!

I’m considering stripping the stain off the chairs, but I’ll dive into that later once I do a bit more research. Meanwhile, I’m having a blast hunting for little treasures to fill my space.

Bookshelves have been a bit elusive, so I’m leaning toward grabbing a few from Ikea and setting them up behind my couch. I’m envisioning a cozy reading nook for Autumn, complete with my favorite electrical fireplace. It might not be real, but it’ll definitely set the mood for some great reading sessions!

If you’re interested in more updates and behind-the-scenes looks at my life and travels, be sure to check out my newsletter! I send out a new edition every two weeks with sneak peeks and personal stories.

Sunflower Farm & U-Pick Blueberries

One of my favorite days in my new area was a sunny Saturday when my dear friend Shanna hopped on the bus to visit me. I drove us out to a delightful sunflower farm that was hosting a festival. But that’s not all—we also discovered a u-pick blueberry patch on the farm, and it was the perfect day for picking. The berries were incredibly sweet and ripe, like nature’s candy! It was everything I adore about summer packed into one fantastic day.

I ended up freezing the berries because I didn’t have supplies for jam at the time. But no worries—I’m planning to use them for a scrumptious cobbler when I host family dinner next month!

Family Adventures

Even though my parents live nearby, I haven’t seen them as much as I thought because we’ve all been busy helping each other. Last weekend, I had a little retreat in North Bend, dog-sitting for my youngest sister. It turned into a knitting marathon, and I finally finished the green sweater I started last year!

This weekend, I headed to Spokane to help my sister-in-law with my nephew while my brother is away. I’m also looking forward to helping my middle sister move into her new apartment this week. It’s exciting to have everyone closer, but it still makes me sad not to see my nephew every day. He’s growing up so fast!

Thanks for catching up with me, everyone! I’m looking forward to sharing more of my adventures and updates with you soon. Until then, stay tuned for more fun and travel stories soon.

Wishing you all happy summer days and cozy soon-to-be autumn moments!