Planting roots in Michigan

Well here goes nothing! My first blog post! This post is all about our move to Michigan, planting roots, and how we lucked out with our farmhouse fixer-upper! I thought today was the perfect day to launch my blog considering the farmhouse is officially ours! We just finished signing all the papers and got the keys, so I'd say it's pretty official! This is a huge dream come true for Josh and I. We have been waiting patiently ever since moving here to find that perfect house. The one we could grow into, raise a family, make memories, and live happily!

Our first few years living in Michigan weren't exactly ideal... We started off by moving in with my parents during the build out of our frozen yogurt shop called Notties. This was what originally brought us to Michigan. We live in a resort town, which is extremely busy in the summer, so finding a house wasn't exactly our priority at the time. Obviously, It was making sure our brand new small business was up and running. Once our first summer came to an end we started house hunting. Another thing to know about our town is, being that it's a tourist town with tons of rental properties, its almost next to impossible to find a house in budget!! We moved here from Chicago, so we know what expensive housing is... this is right along side Chicago prices!!! To make a long story short, we eventually found an adorable apartment that wasn't a seasonal rental and allowed us to pay month to month, so that once we finally did find a house, we weren't stuck in a lease.  Josh and I were always checking the sites for houses for sale, even started searching in bigger areas like Grand Rapids, Rockford, and South Haven. It started getting very frustrating for us, almost like it just wasn't meant to be.

Until one day, September 22, 2017 to be exact!

It was the first day of many great memories at our new farmhouse. My grandma was in town and my mom wanted to take her apple picking to make homemade apple sauce. We headed over to Cranes orchard, picked apples, and grabbed lunch in their dining room. In walks a gentlemen that we knew from around town and we got to talking. We chatted with him for awhile and he informed us that his wife was going to be opening a business down the street, but due to some complications they ran into, it wouldn't be happening. He told us that she is having a farmhouse sale tomorrow, 80% off all of her inventory!!! Of course our eyes lit up, because who the heck would pass that up! He told us that we should go check it out a day early to reserve anything that we liked. After lunch we headed toward the house, which just so happens to be right down the street from the orchard. We pulled up in front of this big white farmhouse that looked like the love had been stripped right from it, but still stood tall and strong, waiting for the perfect touch of a new owner (I was praying that would be me).

---

---

To the left of the house was a big, red, beautiful barn. This is where my heart fell in love. Its perfect, mint condition wood walls on the inside, up against its red metal exterior drew me in! I was in love with the barn, the property, the adorable little chicken coop that I was already envisioning as my future babies play house! All this and I hardly stepped foot out of the car! We went into the barn where we met the wife who owns the shop. We began chatting with her about her business idea, what her plan was for it, and why it ended up not working out. As we were talking my mom asked what they were going to do with the property after the sale... she literally took the words right out of my mouth! Her and I were definitely thinking the same thing... that this was PERFECT for Josh and I. She replied with "we will probably fix it up and sell it". Music to my ears! Without knowing anything about the property, I reacted and said "I want to buy it! Just as it sits!" She handed me the keys to go in to take a peak inside.

---

From that day on I was in love! I called Josh and told him that I found our home that we have been searching for! He was excited, but not quite as sold as I was just yet... The next morning we both got up, had a cup of coffee, got dressed, and headed straight for the barn sale! The entire time shopping the sale we had smiles from ear to ear. We were taking pictures of inside the barn, Ironically enough, Josh took a picture and

sent it to his dad saying, my future house!

We purchased 2 framed pictures one of an American flag and the other of an old rustic barn, we also bought a bunch of cereal bowls that would go perfect in a farmhouse. We had all the mind set that we would one day own this farmhouse. Now 4 months later we do!

---

Its so crazy how when things are meant to be and it's not forced everything works out! We have waited patiently and have finally found a place we are both equally as excited about and that is a great feeling! As anxious as I am for the project to be done, I am just as thrilled to watch this beautiful old farmhouse built in 1890 come back to life!

Thank you for reading my first blog post and check back soon to see more on our fixer upper journey!

Xoxo,

Allie