How did we get here?

  So how did we get here?  Shawn and I met in 2005 and were married in 2007.  We bought our first home, in NJ where we both were located.  It was perfect although big for a 1st home purchase.  We did some renovations including a new kitchen and bath, new downstairs family room and extensive outside work.  (Let me also add that Shawn is a master carpenter and contractor so there is definitely some expertise there!)  

After a few years, we knew this wouldn't be our forever home.  I have been breeding Japanese Chin for 20+ years and actively show them (and other dogs for clients) so traveling was something I did often.  We have even renovated several RVs over the years to accommodate the dogs (another blog entirely)!  I often would travel south and every time I was in NC I loved it.  We have several friends in NC too!  So, the last few trips I talked Shawn into coming and he fell in love with it too.  We knew we wanted land, we knew we couldn't afford anything brand new (nor did we want it) and we knew which areas we loved.  The housing market was nuts (January 2022) and homes were selling within minutes of being on the market.  We had no time to drive the 9 hours to see the homes so we enlisted the help of our friends and they would go see them or drive by.  When our home came on the market we facetimed with the realtor and bought it on the spot.  We sold our home in NJ in a hot minute and April 1st we moved ourselves and our 13 dogs to Greensboro, NC!

To say when I first walked in I was taken back is an understatement.  The house needed far more work then I expected but Shawn had looked at the pictures over and over and he knew exactly how to bring it to the vision I had in my head.  

Here are some pics of the outside of the home:

Pretty rough eh?  And that is just the inside.....it sits on 6 acres with two barns and lots of trees.  It is way back from the road, and EXACTLY what we wanted!

We were lucky that Shawn could take off a few months to do most of the major reno as we were living in it as we renovated.  

Check back soon as I post each renovation room by room, starting with the upstairs!

Our "Trance" welcoming you in!