Home Improvements

We have recently done several home improvements. These photos show our new cinder block fence, on the east side of the house. Maybe someday we will do the south and west sides as well! But that it not planned for the imediate future.
We also had six new double-pane windows installed in the great room. These have been great at keeping that part of the house warmer at night. Also, the two outermost windows open, so the swamp cooler should run more efficiently this summer. We hope to have the upper windows replaced in the near future as well. We also replaced some blinds. Most of the house had fairly good faux-wood blinds, but the ones on the back door were cheap plastic. They now match the rest of the house.
Also in the last year we have added a second swamp cooler, and my dad refinished the front door. We get a lot of comments on how great the brick red and sage green door looks. The door had pet damage from the previous owner but replacing it was not in the budget. A coat of paint and some new hardware made all the difference!
Right now we are in the midst of a room renovation - converting our balloon-themed guest room into AnneMarie's frog-themed bedroom. So far we have replaced the door (old one had a hole in it), and replaced the light fixture with a ceiling fan/light combo. We also bought a captain's bed off of Craigslist. My dad has been SO helpful in all of this. Next step is painting the ceiling and walls and replacing the baseboard heater. Pictures to come soon, I hope!