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Friday, December 30, 2011

The Year in Review: Part 1

Hi friends,
A new year is so exciting. A time to reflect upon the past year and look fondly towards the upcoming year. As I reflect upon the past year, it's been a year of change for my household.

I resigned from my career in education with Fairfax County Public Schools in Fairfax, Virginia after almost 20 years of service.

I staged our sweet little brick Cape Cod one story home in Annandale, Virginia. We received 3 offers after being on the market less than one week.

We spent one weekend touring homes in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina and made an offer on one house that was in a great neighborhood with awesome space. We've spent the last 9 months decorating our new home.

My daughter started kindergarten at our year round neighborhood elementary school. My son started preschool at a local Montessori preschool.

I joined the Math Solutions company (they're in partnership with Scholastic) as an educational  consultant specializing in elementary mathematics.

Here's our old sweet 1950s brick home in Annandale, Virginia that we renovated during the 5 years that we owned it:






This was our first home as a married couple. Our children were born here (well, not literally....Bryce came early while we were visiting my husband's family on HIS birthday in Charlotte, NC and Brayden was born at the nearby hospital). Steve worked on the landscaping a lot! Here's the backyard:






We put in the french doors and had the deck redone:


Our kids loved playing the backyard! We had many cookouts, get togethers, and birthday parties back there.

Let's move inside to the living room:







Dining room:


We renovated the kitchen:


We wish Matt and Penny who bought our old house the best of luck! It's a sweet charming house and they're a super cool couple! Stop back by my blog tomorrow and I'll show you more of our old house that I staged before selling.

Happy decorating & living,
Megan
megan@cottagebluedesigns.com
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5 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 30, 2011 at 4:22 PM

    I am amazed at how much you did to renovate that house! You guys did such a fabulous job - almost no room untouched! We loved living there and are glad you did too! I just wish I had even half of your decorating ideas and know how!

    Beth

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  2. Cottage Blue DesignsDecember 30, 2011 at 5:29 PM

    Thanks so much Beth! It was a sweet house! We had such good times there and will always remember our first home together where our children were born. Thanks for selling it to us! Glad we've stayed in touch. Happy New Year! Megan

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  3. BarbDecember 31, 2011 at 8:42 AM

    This house is adorable , and I could live in it and be happy. I love your renovations...especially the kitchen. So nice. I can't wait to see more. Bring it on. Your decorating skills are wonderful.

    Barb

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  4. BarbDecember 31, 2011 at 8:52 AM

    Just asked Glenn if he knew where Annandale was since he lived most of his youth in Falls Church. He said sure he knew it...he lived in Annandale on a street called Gamma Place off of Alpha Drive. Lived there from age 2-7. Kind of funny all the things we have in common.
    His house built in the 50's.

    Have a Happy New Year....leaving NY today to go back to NH.
    B.

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  5. Cottage Blue DesignsDecember 31, 2011 at 9:50 AM

    Thanks so much Barb! Glen lived right down the street from us. I taught at the elementary school that I think he would have gone to for 11 years. Smalll small world! We did love that sweet house but it's nice to have a larger space now with the kids getting bigger and I do think the sun shines more in North Carolina! :) Happy New Year! Megan

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