Our ‘Almost Farmhouse’ – 2 years in the Making

Making our Almost Farmhouse into a home. The progress we’ve made in the first 2 years of loving our fixer back to life and the plans for the next year.

I can’t believe that we just passed our 2 year anniversary of moving back here to Tennessee. And I can’t believe that my to do list for this house is still as long as it is. And I wish we could be sharing cup of coffee right now. I’d tell you all the juicy bits of our gypsy musician lifestyle from over the years. Then I would show you all the things I still dream of doing with this house.

And that’s when it hits me that I’m home.

I’m still dreaming of what this house can become.

I have a confession to make.  I stalk homes. Really.

I’m constantly looking at listings on realtor or zillow. I love to see how people style their spaces, in a real natural way, not a magazine, cookie cutter type of layout. It’s always tempting to see what’s out there and see what we could get for our house.

But when I realize that I still have big dreams for our Almost Farmhouse then I know I need to stay.

I call it an Almost Farmhouse because we, by no means, live on a farm.

We have a wee little acre, which is still a lot. Coming from a 6100 square foot yard (with a 3800 square ft house on it!) our one little acre is HUMONGO. But to call it a farmhouse is just make believe.

There are cows, goats, chickens and mules all within walking distance and we see tons of wildlife, but it’s not a part of our little land.

So I pretend, and dress up our Almost Farmhouse as if surrounded by miles of land and crops. And I take in the beauty of the vast expanse across the street from my home that belongs to someone else.

It was such a scary step to walk away from an industry we loved and relocate to a new city leaving that Big City behind.

Big City where it was hustle and bustle and entertainment at your fingertips.

Big City where there was lots of traffic just to go 3 miles down the road.

Where the houses were stacked one on top of the other,
…but you didn’t know your neighbors.

Now we live 45 minutes from the big city of Nashville.

Where everything here is nice a slow.

Where you hear conversations about bush hogging and friends give us eggs from their chickens and corn from their fields.

A place where city friends don’t visit because we’re considered to be out in the Boonies.

Where we can step out on our front porch and see the Milky Way.

And I love every single drop of it!

The boys went from playing in a neighborhood like this where our conversations were constantly interrupted alerting the kids to a “CAR!!” coming down the street to this.

Little boys playing in a fort or catching fish in the creek.

Hours will go by before a car drives down our little country road.

Last year, I posted a big To Do List for our Almost Farmhouse, and after a year that lead us down a few different paths, that To Do List is pretty much the same.

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I still haven’t painted the treads on our stairs, or the bathroom upstairs. I’m still sick of my kitchen floor (which I plan on ripping it up this summer whether my husband is aware of it or not!)

Lots of necessary and not pretty, shiny, bloggy things take priority on that List. Not many blog posts share the new water heater, or the energy savings we’d have if we get new windows. Alas –  they are an ugly necessity of home ownership.

I love our Almost Farmhouse and who I share it with. These are moments that are quickly passing through my fingers like sand. I plan to enjoy the Beauty in the Blemishes while they’re here.

If that means the To Do List gets a few less ticks this year, then I know that I spent the time with my family growing memories.