Safety First!

So today we were very excited to embark on our first project... the plans were to change the locks (since the previous owners rented it out and we had no idea who might have keys at this point.. we only got 1 copy in closing) and then maybe trim some of the landscape to prepare for painting and actually decide on final paint colors...

But somehow the seemingly small task of switching out the locks took much longer than expected! and it was all we got done... Part of that was my fault though... as when we pulled up to the house and tried to get in- I quickly remembered that I had locked the door from the inside with the lock that we did not have a key to!

SO... we had to figure out another way to get in! First idea... back door. It was obviously locked too but Antonio thought he could push in the security screen behind the glass.. and as he pulled the glass open it immediately broke!:


bummer... at least we will be getting a new door anyways!


when that obviously wasn't working, we remembered the window on the front side of the house (in the guest bedroom) that never could close all the way.. so in front of some of the new (probably now suspicious) neighbors, antonio managed to pry the window open and irreversibly bend the screen in so that he could slip through.. and SUCCESS! we were back in :) and now the guest bedroom window has moved to a much higher spot on our to-do list!


now that we were back in the game, we got all of our materials out and ready to start!

front door "demolition" haha:

antonio working hard and looking at me like an idiot for taking AWESOME pictures! ;P

the old ugly knob:

the pretty new shiny knob!:

and we did it! one whole set on... try not to get distracted by the hideous door it's on... it is a temporary fix till we get a pretty new front door!

and another speed bump... the bottom inner frame piece does not fit:

so we left it off for now.. this will have to eventually be fixed- too ugly to leave alone:


on to the back door:

he had some issues getting the old knob off lol:

but definately more quick and efficient the 2nd time around! and again, sorry for the gross door... just focus on the pretty shiny locks!

after all this we sorted through some stuff in the garage and found some really neat things! crazy old pictures and paintings and more china and letters from the 1880's.. here is an original st pete times from 1963 when kennedy was assassinated!:

well even though this tiny little thing took way longer than it should have, and it's still not completely finished.. it feels good to have done our first project! i'm a little nervous about the bigger things- like gutting the master bath and remodeling the kitchen... but we are prepared to just take things one at a time and hope for the best!