Life is Good

Recap time!

Over the past week we:

1. Hiked McAfee Knob and dined at The Homeplace
2. Went to a Salem Red Socks game with Chris' co-workers
3. Hosted a Flamingo Party
4. Celebrated a 40th Birthday at a block party cookout
5. Bought a new mattress
6. Witnessed a Clemson WIN against Auburn (on TV)!

How's that for one week? We're really loving it up here so far and finding plenty to keep us busy. Last Sunday we hiked McAfee Knob which is in Catawba  (about 30 mins from our house).  This is a pretty popular hike on the Appalachian Trail. It's 3.9 miles up and 3.9 miles down; the last mile up is the toughest (as they say). Once you get to the top, there is a fabulous view of the valley. There is a rock at the top that juts out and I had seen it on Google Images and my friend Megan Martin's blog when she and her husband, Mike, hiked the whole App. trail. Never in my life did I think I'd be one to sit out on the edge--I am TERRIFIED of heights. BUT, after hiking 3.9 miles up a mountain, I was determined to snap that famous picture! Here's proof.

Me and Chris - McAfee Knob

After our hike, we went to the popular restaurant called The Homeplace. It's a family style dining experience and the food is spectacular. We kinda pigged out...

The Homeplace

It was, to say the least, a wonderful Sunday. We have had some really fun adventures so far and it all just seems so easy to be here. That's not at all what I expected. I guess it really helps to have Chris experiencing it all with me.

To touch on a few more items from the "recap list" above, I really enjoyed meeting some of Chris' co-workers at the Red Socks game. Also, we hosted our first Flamingo Party on Friday. Flamingo parties consist of putting a pink flamingo out in your yard a couple days out to signal to the neighbors that you are hosting "happy hour(s)" on Friday. We had about 10-12 people show up (including some of the adorable kids on the street). Most of the time, everyone brings folding chairs and a few adult beverages and the party goes on until about 10pm. I must say, we had a really great time getting to know everyone and it was great to make use of our front porch. We have a pretty awesome, social block! (For those of you who know me best, you know I am already super excited for Halloween!!! We should have a lot of kids coming by!)

Sunday night The Harveys across the street hosted Mrs. Harvey's 40th birthday! They had family from all over drive up to join in on the celebration and the neighbors all pitched in to make it a huge success. Rev. Harvey baked her cake on the grill--I thought that was pretty cool. We got to meet more people who live on our street, too. You don't find many people in the world who are as sweet, fun, and welcoming as our neighbors have been. Again, we're SO blessed and SO thankful.

The last item on our list from the week was buying a mattress. I am absolutely ashamed to say that I have had the same mattress since middle school. It was high time to invest! (Just FYI--mattress shopping is pretty terrible. After you lay on more than 3-4, you just start to get them all confused/mixed up. Not to mention the fact that it's super awkward to lay on mattresses in a store.) We have been looking around for a few weeks but ended up giving in to the trend--we got a gel foam mattress (Sealy Optimum) and I cannot wait for it to be delivered this Thursday!  We will be working to complete our guest bedrooms in the next months now that we will actually have a bed in each room--YAY for more blogging opportunities!

Last, but certainly not least, our TIGERS WON! Chris and I ordered wings and had a very cozy night in together watching the Tigers pull out a "W." What a perfect addition to the week! Although it was very different to watch from our living room, we loved seeing them play so well. We've got a lot to look forward to this season and can't wait to see everyone for the Ball State game this coming weekend. 

I hope you're having a fantastic Labor Day! :)

Love,

The Social Butterfly

Paint Party: Before/"In Progress" Pics

We still haven't slowed down and I think it might be starting to catch up with me! I am hoping these are just allergies and not something I caught at school.

I am sorry for the wait...but I NOW finally have the in-progress photos from our paint party. Please note that labeling anything "After" may be a little misleading as we have a few things on our "to do" list--but I am sure you'll get the idea. To give you a little background, the house was built in 1929. You will notice radiators throughout the rooms and, yes, they still function as our heat source in the winter. There are tons of little characteristics around the house that make my heart sing like crystal doorknobs, original tile, barrel ceilings, and gum wood molding. We painted all the rooms in the house except for the 2nd guest bedroom, the living room, and basement. Those rooms and the exterior of the house are not featured below.

Here's the palette we worked with (thanks for your help, Mom!) and, I must say, I absolutely love it and would not change a thing.

(From Left to Right) Mountain Air- Guest Room #1, Sleepy Blue-Chris' Bath, Ramie-Dining Rm, Favorite Tan-Kitchen (not tagged with a post-it), Netsuke- Foyer, Gray Screen-My Bath, Balanced Beige-Master BR

And now, for (an abridged) tour of our new house! If you want to see the WHOLE thing--I guess you just have to come visit. ;) Drum roll please....

Foyer (Before)

Foyer (After)

 I am a HUGE advocate for getting things put up on the wall. And the entrance rug is NEW from Target! 

Dining Room (Before)

Dining Room (After) 

You'll see our fur babies in several of the pics...they like their time in the spotlight too. :) We definitely took our chandelier with us from Summit Dr. Thanks to Jeff and Chris, it's already hanging! Oh, and aren't you glad the mustard color is g-o-n-e? Umm..me too.

Kitchen (Before)

Kitchen (After)

We'd like to add curtains in the kitchen over the window. You can't tell from this pic, but there's also a nook to the left of the door. I'd like to repeat the curtain fabric on two bench cushions, make a small rustic table  and create a quaint breakfast area. I already found a fabric I like and may just have to put it on my birthday list. ;)

My Bathroom (Before)

My Bathroom (After)

 My next purchase will be a dark gray bathmat and white monogrammed towels. I am going for a crisp/refreshing look in here. Btw--I am IN LOVE with the original mosaic tile floor and the dove gray walls.

Guest Bedroom #1 (Before)

Guest Bedroom #1 (After)

We are adding a bed once we get a new mattress in our room. This is one of our first projects on the list to conquer this Fall. If you're planning to visit before then, have no fear! We still have an extra bed for you!

Left side of Chris' Bathroom (Before)

Right side of Chris' Bathroom (Before)

See the left side for a better idea of the 'before' color. As this is Chris' bathroom--the pink had to go!

Chris' Bathroom (After)

I would like to get some new brown towels and add a more masculine block-style monogram to them for Chris. The blue shade is just one shade darker from the color in Guest Bedroom #1. Subtle but just enough change to add some interest (and GREAT for resale!).

Master Bedroom (Before)

Master Bedroom (After)

We need to add a rug at some point (I am thinking a white-ish alpaca/fluffy to add some texture) and I still want to add a chocolate brown pillow between the two Euro shams to make everything really "pop." Also, I'll probably dress the windows in linen (maybe chocolate brown also)?

There's still plenty more of the house to see and I have to leave ya hanging a little bit. That's it for the painting portion of the Before/Afters. Stop by again this week--I am planning on recapping our first weekend here alone!

Love,

A Sherwin Williams Fan

Paint Party 2012

This weekend was fabulous; (most of) my fam came to Roanoke, saw most of Roanoke, and conquered a $&*%-ton of painting!

 That's the short version. So stop here if you don't want to go through a zillion pictures and hear the nitty-gritty deets.

Overlook at the Roanoke Star from Mill Mountain

For you poor brave souls reading on--there's plenty more to share. Friday my Mom, Dad, and brother, Robert, came to the Valley to see our new place and to serve as "The Help" (as they referred to themselves). ;)  They got into town late on Friday and we quickly decided the painting could be put off until morning. After a full tour of the new house we got into the car and set out for a tour of our new city. We drove up to the Roanoke Star on Mill Mountain. For those of you planning to visit (and you better!), we've decided this is a must-see when you come up. If you don't get your picture taken from THE STAR at some point when you visit, you're missing out. On second thoughts, we might just make it mandatory.

After the driving tour of downtown and our adventure around the neighborhood/other parts of town we indulged in a happy hour (or two) (or four) then got the grill fired up to cook out some burgers. We ate all together in the (new to us) dining room.  We broke out the backgammon set and had a low key night. We knew the tasks ahead of us Saturday were looming and inevitable. 

Man's BFFs: Dog & Grill

The grub line.

Oh, there's strategy involved.

 Saturday came early and after a good dose of coffee for everyone we got to work (except for Chris, who, insanely enough, doesn't drink coffee). We had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, the dining room, foyer, and kitchen to tackle. Chris and I chose a different color for every room and the "Paint Crew" was just thrilled with that. ;) We (with some hearty advice from Mrs. Jennie Morgan) decided to choose a very neutral palate so that the rooms would flow. Actually most of the colors downstairs are on the same paint strip (they just vary in tint). [Special shout out to Robert Farry for hooking us up at Sherwin Williams!!]

Complete Before/Afters are coming soon (in the next post!) but, for now, I am gonna show you how much fun the Morgans/Winchesters can have (even if we have to paint 7 rooms in one day).

The task force.

Mrs. Jennie Morgan

Chris had a little helper

According to Robert...(L + C = WORK) 

As you can see, we have an amazing support system! They MUST love us a whole lot to drive 4.5 hours to help paint our whole house, right?! We finished up the painting at 5ish, cracked a few well deserved beers, and had time for a little R&R before our night out on the town. Here are a few action shots:

Backgammon again.

This was the first time Dad beat Chris in ping pong!

Me and my Stella

Cheers!

We managed to pull ourselves together, shower, and head out on the town for a late dinner. Each time we go out, Chris and I are also trying the restaurants for the first time with our guests (for the most part). We elected to try Blue 5 and, boy, was that a good decision. They not only have a great menu with a little bit of everything for everyone, the atmosphere is incredible. This place has Blues inspired decor and they even had a guest band to entertain. After a few songs, we all had to pick our jaws up off the floor. Robert even commented that they were (by far) the best band he has ever seen in a bar. Come to find out, there's a big reason for that; the band, Mac Arnold & Plate Full of Blues, has some serious history. Mac Arnold has played with the likes of James Brown, Muddy Waters, Otis Redding, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, produced Soul Train, and he originates from Greenville, SC! We not only got to watch him perform, we all MET him and got autographed CDs. Talk about a reward for a day of hard work.

Mac Arnold & Plate Full of Blues

Mac playing his wireless Gasoline Can Guitar around the restaurant

All of us with Mac Arnold

Dad and Mom chatting it up with the band members...Those groupies.

Needless to say, we had a phenomenal night out! Sunday came early and after a small breakfast of cinnamon rolls and grits, we had to say our goodbyes until next time---the Ball State v. Clemson game. A few short hours after my fam departed, we had our second round of visitors! Katie (Chris' sister) and her boyfriend, Danny, stopped by on their way back from their summer roadtrip to Long Island & DC for lunch and quick tour. It was SO sweet of them to come and we had a great time. We ate at Grace's Place, a little pizza joint, in the small downtown called Grandin Village area near our neighborhood . Here's the proof!

Clearest day yet from Mill Mountain

(Mandatory) Roanoke Star picture

Grace's Place

 This weekend I learned how to play backgammon, that I love Blues music, painting parties actually fun, and family is completely priceless. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all our visitors this weekend. The support our first weekend here together is huge. BIG thank you to Mom, Dad, and Robert for your love and hard work!

Love,

Someone Seeing Stars

Home Again, Home Again

We MADE it! We are officially Virginians! I guess I should catch you up on all things Winchester. ;)

So, after spending a glorious week with my family on Folly Beach I drove to Greenville this past Saturday to stay at my parents' house. Sunday I woke up and packed up the car then headed to Roanoke with 9 potted plants, all my luggage, lamps/shades, cleaning supplies & dogs in tow. After 5 hours (lunch stop included) in the car we made it! I dropped the kiddos off at the kennel then went straight to the corporate apartment that Chris has been living in for the last month. It was so great to be reunited with him! He cooked me a great dinner of salmon, baked potato, and green beans with Prosecco (one of my favorites).

HOME! :)

Monday morning he went to work and we met up for the closing at 9am. All went well as we signed our lives away (for the second time!). Keys in hand, we parted ways and I went HOME! I am not going to lie--as I pulled in the driveway, walked up the pathway and opened the door I think I skipped then danced my way into the house. I was absolutely elated to say the least.

The movers showed up at about 10am and I stood in the yard and directed them in the placement of all our boxes/furniture. They finished up by about 3pm and I think I did ANOTHER dance. (Small victories, ok!?) I didn't waste any time either. I started unpacking the kitchen until Chris got home to pick me up. We went to the corporate apt and got all our things out then locked up. From there we did what was completely necessary--got a Hot 'N Ready from Little Caesar's and cracked a bottle of bubbly. :) After our dinner of champions we got busy to work and finished the entire kitchen!

Since then I have been busting it to finish the rest. Tuesday I started on the dining room/den and got those finished then yesterday I did the master bedroom (mainly closet organization), the bathrooms and tons of laundry. I have to finish the basement today and it will be DONE! This one little paragraph makes it all seem like a piece of cake--but rest assured--every single part of me just flat out hurts.

I have to mention that I have been to the hardware store quite a few times in the last couple days (courtesy of my GPS). By the way, Mom and I named my GPS "Wanda" just in case I bring "her" up and you have no clue what I am referencing. Anyhoo--Wanda and I did a little exploring this week. I was quickly reminded of my time in Italy when I ventured out for the first time. Thank God they speak English in Virginia. ;) We went to Lowe's, Home Depot, several Krogers, TJ Maxx, & Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I am not sure what it is but I must have a perma-look on my face of "I am confused." I swear every store I go into the employees ask "You look lost...can I help you." First of all--they have NO idea. Second, thank GOODNESS they care. Third--I think that "look" is subconscious for "please someone speak to me." As most of you know, I am a pretty social woman and I'll make friends anywhere--even in a grocery store aisle.

I was successful in my errands and managed to fix the dryer, make two meals in my new kitchen (LOVE IT!),  make copies of our keys (and color code them), get odds & ends for the bathrooms, etc. So I guess the exploring has paid off for us.

Oh, random aside, we have met two neighbors so far and they are SUPER nice. What an excellent perk!

So, there you have it--my first few days in the 'Noke (as I have heard people refer to it). I am pretty stoked about my family (minus SA--boo!) coming tomorrow! They have offered to be our paint crew and I am sure we will find some time to show them around and enjoy a few good meals! Stay tuned for an update and maybe a few "Before/Afters" from this weekend.

Love,

The Homeowner

P.S. Lowe's is better than Home Depot.

For the last time

It actually happened. I knew this day would come, I just had no clue how bad it would hurt and how quick it was really coming. Today Chris began our move to VA and just pulled out of 1060 Summit Dr. for the last time. I'll be staying here in G'ville for a couple of weeks to go through the closing on this house and keep the dogs until our VA house is closed on.

Today was strange. We woke up, I went to grab breakfast for us at Dunkin Donuts (our pantry and fridge are now bare). I brought breakfast home and we did some things around the house/packed up clothes in wardrobe boxes. For lunch we decided to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Compadres, one more time. They know us so well they don't even bother to hand out the menus. We ate a very good lunch (that salsa is oh-so-addicting!) then came home to realize we had locked ourselves out of the house.  The last thing we wanted to do was call a locksmith on a Sunday to let us back into our own house. [Side note: If you've ever been through a move, you know how pricey it can be.] For such a mindless mistake we knew there was likely a (yet another) big price to pay. The locksmith came out and it turns out we have an upside-down lock (and it was impossible to pick) so he had to replace the whole darn thing. TWO HUNDRED dollars later--it was fixed.

Of course Chris also somehow managed to lose/misplace one of his shoes and his sunglasses (which only added to the chaos of the day as he was trying to get packed up and out the door). The contractor doing all the house repairs was banging on the house fixing board after board. Eventually, we both just couldn't take any more stress, noise, to-dos, bills, or phone calls. All the little things and much bigger things were mounting up.We just held onto each other and cried. In that moment in my busy brain I knew it was the last time we'd be standing in our first home, the last time we'd be in the space we tried so hard to make ours. Flashbacks of eating pizza on the bare floors on move-in day, putting up the icicle lights at Christmas, eating our chili on the porch as trick-or-treaters arrived, cooking glorious meals in our kitchen, having our friends and family over, landscaping the yard, planting our garden, picking out new furniture and paint all just whirled around making me dizzy with emotion then extremely still.The world just stopped around us and things felt quieter. The dogs even felt it and stayed right there with us. I fell in love all over again. We had made all those memories together. Chris eventually walked out the door for the last time, got in the car, pulled out of the driveway and signed an "I love you" as he always does through the car window. I reciprocated  by signing it back then holding up "2" fingers as I always do. That, my friends, will never change.

Before

 

 

 

After

I know I will be okay as long as I can just be there to hold Chris and tell him I love him, feel it back and have our pups by our sides. No matter where we live or what we live in--that's what will matter most. There are new memories to be made.

Love,

Missing Him Already



"If I lay here, If I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?"- Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

Falling (HARD) into Place

 Moving is quite the process and such a huge headache; at this point, I can vouch for that statement. As most of you know, Chris and I are moving up to Roanoke, VA as he has been given an amazing opportunity to work with GE Energy. It's hard to believe that us two Greenville natives are packing up our first home on Summit Drive and moving two states away. If I had to describe this experience in less than three words I would simply say, "a lot" about covers it. It's just a whole lot of stress, planning, time, expense, emotion, coordinating, goodbye-saying, etc and I am definitely a get-it-done/rip-the-band-aid-off-quick kinda gal.

I'm tipping my hat to all this change by renaming my blog.Obviously, "Reaching Summit" wouldn't get you very far anymore when it comes to visiting these Winchesters. ;) I was driving in the car and it hit me that the perfect name for this blog is "Remaining Anonymous."

Literally, the meaning is quite ironic. Who the heck writes a blog with an intention to remain anonymous?? (That meaning is just my literary genius shining through.) teehee! Another interpretation is that the title has something to do with the fact that we won't know anyone in VA, but I certainly don't intend for it to remain that way. Lastly, another meaning that can be seen as a goal in life that I strive to accomplish--to be a servant to others and the Lord and to do it "anonymously" without the need to be recognized.

All of these are fair definitions but not quite the root I was intending. The real meaning is very personal and close to my heart. Through the years, one of my favorite quotes that my dad often says is "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." If I wrote down every "coincidence" that has occurred during this moving process --much less my whole life-- you'd be completely blown away. This is where my faith has grown the most. Coincidence is where God "speaks" to me. He gets me through everything and his purpose is made clear for me every day as he speaks.

I would agree that there's no doubt that, as my cousin Jenn said, "God is shining down on this move." Here are a few examples of some recent coincidences I am talking about below. Some are so intricate that I may lose you so I'll keep it to three:

-We needed to sell our house very quickly. I prayed it would go to someone young who would love it as much as we do.  It sold in THREE WEEKS to an adorable young teacher who is so energetic and excited to live in it and she even appreciates everything we did to it.

-We also had to find a new house to call home in VA. We had seen about 30 homes up there and eventually decided to wait until our house sold before really looking anymore. Our house went under contract on a Friday (the same day that Chris had driven back home from training in Roanoke). Despite every fiber in Chris' being, we decided to drive back up to VA the very next day to look at houses--talk about whip lash! According to our Realtor, there was a new one on the market that would get snatched up quickly and she thought it was just what we were looking for--it was a must see! We fell in love and put in an offer and had a contract on it a couple of days later.

-I got two job offers this week and accepted a job in the best school District in Roanoke as an Instructional Assistant. Two phone interviews and an in-person interview later, I secured this position that will allow me to gain experience in a classroom and work one-on-one with a student. I feel pretty darn lucky considering the fact that certified teachers are struggling to get jobs up there right now.

These are just a small sampling of  "coincidences" surrounding our move. People say that things "always fall into place" but this just seems miraculous and I am so thankful.

Roanoke, VA at night--our new city!

 Love,

Waiting Patiently for the Next Steps


(From now on, I won't sign my posts with a real name. Sticking to the theme, Pseudonym = Anonymous, right??)


 P.S. Sorry this post was so long! Next time, I'll add more pictures.

Reason for the Season #2

Honestly, nothing makes me happier than making our house our home and being there; this especially applies this time of year. Home means Chris and two loving dogs. Home means curling up by the real wood burning fireplace. Home means cooking and inventing in the kitchen. Home means wrapping gifts by mixing and matching paper with sparkly wired ribbon. Home means cleaning for guests to arrive. Home means potted pansies by the door. Home means chocolate after dinner. Home means a relaxing bubble bath. Home means saying prayers with my husband. Home is just, well, good.

At home the other day, I realized that there's one small and seemingly simple part of wrapping gifts that, subliminally, is a much bigger deal. You know when you get to the bow-tying process and you need someone to push down on the ribbon with their finger to tie the knot? Yeah, that's actually not necessary. If you had to, you could just do it yourself. I think there's something more to it. I started thinking about how ridiculous it was that I actually called Chris in from the other room and had him put down everything he was doing just to press down the ribbon for me to tie a knot. In actuality, I just wanted to see him for a minute and know that, in a way, he helped me complete that gift. To give and to be with those you love. Both a tangible part of Christmas and the season among so many crucial intangibles. In that moment, I had both and my heart was very happy.

Please Come Home for Christmas

by Charles Brown

Bells will be ringing, the glad, glad news;
Oh, what a Christmas, to have the blues;
My baby's gone;
I have no friends;
To wish me greetings, once again;
Choirs will be singing, Silent Night
Oh, Christmas Carols, by candlelight;

Please come home for Christmas;
Please come home for Christmas;
If not for Christmas, by New Year's Night;

Friends and relations;
Send salutations;
Just as sure as the stars shine above;

This is Christmas, Christmas my dear;
The time of year to be with the one that you love;
Then will you tell me, you'll never more roam;
Christmas and New Year will find you home;
There'll be no more sorrow;
No grief or pain;
'Cause I'll be happy that it's Christmas once again

 

If you have anyone to spend the holiday with, be joyful! Be thankful. Give, love, and be loved.


Merry Christmas,

L. Winchester