NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

We have a (very expensive) hole in our yard

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Despite the rain last week, our contractors were able to dig the basement and pour the footings. There were happy dances being danced. (By me.) In case you are following along, I thought I’d share the process. We chose our contractor after getting a few quotes. We haven’t needed to hire many contractors, but have found a few […]

Creating a slide on a deck platform

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Who needs to build a full play set (for thousands of dollars) when you can simply make your deck into a slide? (In other words? Who’s too cheap/lazy/busy to invest in a full play set? Us.) Henry loves slides, and with living farther out on the country, having one on the property is something I had planned […]

Container gardening with DIY window boxes

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I love planting lots of flowers in the spring – it adds a much-needed pop of color to the yard, before many of our perennials come up. It’s the ultimate way to add curb appeal. This year, we needed this more than ever because our barn has little to no landscaping. To help, I asked […]

So many unfinished projects

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We have had very little rain in the Midwest this spring. Like, almost none in the entire month of April. And then, on May 1, it started raining. Why is this significant? Because our county/township has weight restrictions on our roads through May 1. That restriction kept trucks off our roads. Which has kept our basement from being […]

Upcycled rake as jewelry holder

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Friday was my 31st birthday, and I celebrated the way any self-respecting woman should – going out to dinner at Olive Garden and seeing a movie of her choosing with her husband. I’m officially an old woman. Further revealing this point – when Ryan asked what I wanted for my birthday, I said I wanted him […]

Geothermal basics for new construction

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One of the big decisions (and big budget items) for our our new house is heating and cooling. And since we’ve been knee-deep in making these decisions (and writing painfully large checks), I thought I could share some of the process with you. Our captive audience – lucky you. When we began designing our home, Ryan had his […]