1 1/2 Years

 As of today, June 23, 2012, we have been in our new home for 18 months.  Wow, that seems so hard to believe!  What seems even harder to believe is how much we've done to this house since we bought it a year & a half ago & how different it looks now.  Not only on the inside since we've painted almost every room, put in new countertops, new appliances, etc., but look at the outside differences. The above picture was taken the day we put our offer in on the house....would you have purchased this house with the grass looking like that???  Granted, it was in November, but still....we thought for sure we were going to have to completely re-sod the entire yard....seriously, it was that bad!  But look at it now, a mere 18 months later (yeah, I should have closed the garage door before taking this picture, huh?):

We have grass! And it's green :)  And it's growing like crazy!  Our secret....fertilizer :)  But not just any fertilizer....Triple 19 fertilizer.  This stuff is AWESOME!  Our grass is so thick & soft now & to think, we thought it was hopeless.  We also just got our sprinkler system working this year....the previous owners actually took the controller box when they moved out....seriously!?!  So after installing a new box & a new back flow (the old one was rusted out), we have 11 wonderful zones of sprinklers....yep....11!  The sprinkler guy said they kinda went overboard with all the sprinkler heads we have, but then he also said it's better to have too many than not to have enough.  Now I'm just scared to see my water bill!  YIKES!  But it'll be worth it cause my grass loves it & so do all of my new gardens :)

We're in the process of getting quotes for our next project(s)....a stamped concrete walkway going from the driveway along the side of the garage to the step area.  And eventually, a deck, although that project may be waiting another year.....or two.....or three.  But all in all, we absolutely love our home & our neighborhood....it feels so good to be 'home' :)

Benita