jillivictorio@gmail.com /

Amidst a global pandemic, I am grateful for the time spent together with my family and some of the goals we have been able to accomplish together in 2020. One of those goals was to build a house!

Are we crazy for doing this? Yes! Is this process going to give me a full head of grey hair? Probably. Is it going to be the project of a lifetime? Heck, yes!  It’s been a longtime dream of mind to find some land a build a home.  Here’s how it all began…

We have been living in our current TX home since 2017 when we moved from Seattle (Issaquah) WA.  We sold our home in WA at a great time and had only had a few weeks to find a house in TX so it was a very rushed process, but we knew exactly what we were looking for and how much we wanted to spend. I’m grateful for the home we found and knew in my heart that this was a home that we would love, add our touches, and eventually flip while getting to know the area, town, and neighborhood better while planning for a future build. We’ve really fallen in love with Granbury TX and we knew we made the right choice moving here to raise our family.

 

The Selling Process – December 2019

With patience and the right planning, I knew we’d be able to make this dream happen. We made some minor updates to our home such as replacing the exterior door and light fixtures, then we renovated our kitchen to add equity and value to the home, with the intention of some day selling.  The day after Christmas 2019, I created a FSBO listing on Zillow, wrote the marketing copy, staged our home, and took and posted the photos. I received inquiries and appointment requests immediately, but nothing serious. I felt that this fsbo listing was a great way to test the waters and see what was out there in terms of a buyer pool. We weren’t in a hurry to sell and we would only sell on our own terms (price, timeframe, and lease back). Then three months later in March of 2020, Covid hit, and real estate seemed to halt for a brief few weeks. Schools and sports also shut down, so with the extra time we had at home together during quarantine, we tackled a few home improvement and gardening projects. I was cleaning and organizing the house like crazy so naturally, our home was always clean and show-ready for potential buyers. In April, potential buyers became active again and the requests for tours continued. I made sure to have viewers practice social distancing and wear masks when touring our home, then re-cleaned and sanitized after each showing. We received multiple offers, but the blessing came in June 2020 when I got a call from a prospective buyer looking at homes for her brother-in-law looking to move to TX from CA. Her and her husband toured our home, loved it, gave the seal of approval to her brother-in-law, and the buyer made an all cash offer sight unseen. They also agreed to our lease back terms allowing us to continue living in the home while we built our house. John and I knew this was the right time and the perfect buyer we had been waiting and praying for.  We had an attorney draw up the documents and handle the transfer of the title.

 

Finding The Lot…

Finding land to purchase was probably the most challenging part of the homebuilding process for us as we were very particular on the type of land in the location we wanted. Some lots were too sloped, too close to neighbors, had no privacy, some had a ravine right in the middle, some too narrow, too small, no trees, too far outside of town, located off a blind road, the list goes on.  Our land search took about a year and half. Our main requirement was trees, lots of MATURE TREES, and privacy.  After more months of looking and visiting potential lots, I found land that fit all our criteria – a treed lot on 1.5 acres, backing up to private ranch land so we would always have privacy without any homes being built behind our lot, and located on a cul-de-sac. I’ve always loved the idea of a cul-de-sac, especially with kids. I imagine the kids being able to ride their bikes and scooters up and down our street without the busyness of cars passing through, except for the residents who live on that street.  The lot had a fsbo sign posted, so out of curiosity, I got out of my car, walked the lot, and saw a vision for a home with landscaping features surrounded by trees.  I immediately contacted the owner listed on the sign and we began negotiations. The lot being located in a beautiful private community with amenities (trails, a fishing pond, and sports courts) were some of the added perks that sealed the deal for us.

Community stocked fishing pond

Choosing A Builder…

We met with several homebuilders in Granbury to get an idea of pricing, styles, floorplans, procedures etc. We first had our heart set on a particular builder as some of our friends had their homes built with and they were absolutely stunning. We liked the idea of a semi-custom build where you can choose from a portfolio of available floor plans and can customize certain areas. Many of the lots we found could not fit the floor plans we liked and needed. We ended up going the custom build route, which I never thought we would do, but I am loving the process so far. In a custom build, there are a lot of decisions to be made about everything, things you never thought about in a home.  We found an amazing custom homebuilder we really liked and we are now working with Remington Homes DFW. After our first pre-design meeting, I felt good about Remington Homes’ services and processes, along with the individuals I met, one of them was the owner. They are family-owned with a boutique feel and a hands-on approach. I learned that they have built many of their homes from floorplans on Architectural Designs, which was the same site I had been obsessively browsing to find inspiration and to pin floor plans from – it was a good match. Remington Homes also conducted several site visits for us and walked several lots with us before we made any decisions to make sure the land was buildable and could accommodate our desired floor plans.

 

Floor Plan Design & Inspiration…

We rounded up our favorite floor plans from Architectural Designs. I spent hours on this site morning, noon and night! After narrowing down my favorite floor plans, we combined some features of two different floor plans and elevation inspirations while adding in our own features for a custom plan and drawings to meet our needs.

We knew we wanted to build a modern farmhouse style home with an open floor plan with a lot of natural light.

On my wishlist for a floorplan included a kitchen sink against a window (my number one ask), a butler’s pantry, mudroom, a private guest suite, a study/home office, game room/play area for the kids, a front porch, rear patio, fireplace, outdoor kitchen, and a detached shop. A short wishlist right?

Here were some of our favorite floor plan inspirations:

Favorite 2-story plans:

Main level

 

 

 

Second level

 

Main level

 

Second Level

 

Favorite Modern Farmhouse Elevations

 

 

Breaking Ground 2021

January 2021

A couple of months after closing on our lot purchase and waiting for the necessary approvals, we started 2021 by finally breaking ground this week! I can’t tell you how exciting it is to see dirt being moved.

I will be sharing the details of our selections (flooring, tile, countertops, lighting, cabinets, etc) in the next blog post, so stay tuned!

You can also follow along our homebuilding journey on our Instagram build page dedicated to all things homebuilding and design: IG @our.farmhouse.at.the.ranch

Thanks for reading! What are your favorite features when designing or building a home?

jillivictorio@gmail.com /

Earlier in the summer season, my dahlias made their appearance. Of the 5 tubers I planted in the spring, I was able to harvest about half a dozen bouquets. I’ll definitely be planting more next year! I hope you’ve seen some of the beautiful blooms on my Instagram page @jillivictorio.

I remember the excitement of planting and growing my first dahlias in Issaquah, WA. It all started with only three tubers I ordered from Floret Flower in 2017. As soon as the first Breakout Dahlias bloomed, I was hooked. I’m so happy I’ve been able to grow a few here in North Texas, as the flowers I tend to love most (peonies) are not suitable for hotter climates and mostly thrive in the NW. Dahlias however, thrive here, so I’ll be growing more for sure. My dream is to plant hundreds of dahlia tubers on acreage for my own mini flower farm to enjoy fresh bouquets at home, and to share with neighborhoods, family, and friends.

Here’s a look back on my flower cutting garden’s progress this summer. This year, I’ve stuck to dahlias and zinnias. Next year, I hope to plant more floral varieties.

Dahlias in June

Dahlias in July

 

 

At late summer,  Zinnias have taken over my flower garden beds.  I’ve been growing zinnias for a few years now, but this year has been my favorite batch of blooms. I sowed only one pack of zinnia seeds, and we’ve been graced with a ton of these beautiful blooms all summer long, even after they are cut! Zinnias are the flowers that keep on giving. They are truly one of the easiest flowers to grow!

Zinnias in June

Zinnias in July

Zinnias in August

I’ve cut down these zinnas almost weekly to encourage more flowers to bloom, and to my surprise, they’ve doubled the amount of blooms! I’ll definitely be purchasing this variety of seeds again for next year. I order a lot of my seeds from Eden Bros and have had fantastic results every time. This was my first time ordering Pumila Zinnia seeds from Eden Bros. According to the description, the more you cut, the more they bloom!  If you want easy to grow, bountiful blooming flowers all summer long, I highly recommend Pulimia Zinnia seeds!

What flowers have bloomed in your garden? I would love to hear from you.

jillivictorio@gmail.com /

A few weeks ago John and I celebrated our 12 year wedding anniversary in our garden. It was a change of scenery compared to our anniversary celebrations in the past where we’ve usually travelled somewhere or made dinner reservations out at a special restaurant – (Darn you Covid!). But it was a beautiful night nonetheless and just as special celebrating at home. We enjoyed a delicious meal John cooked – one of our favorite dishes, Rack of Lamb with Risotto. He’s perfected his recipe over the years and I always look forward to him cooking it for us!

A CASUAL SUMMER TABLESCAPE

To create an elegant and effortless table, I set out a white linen tablecloth, white linen napkins, and cotton placemats.  I put out yellow dahlias I picked from the garden with pink anniversary peonies from John in a ceramic vase for a relaxed, summery look. Tapered gold candlesticks completed the table.

FLOWERS

I clipped these gorgeous dahlias from my garden that morning and mixed them with these lovely pink peonies John gave me. Photos don’t do justice for how these flowers pair so well together for a stunning bouquet. Peonies were our wedding flowers 12 years ago, so I love that I get to enjoy these special flowers every year during this season.

SUMMER DRESS

Since Covid started and with businesses being closed, we hadn’t had a reason to get dressed up and go out, but we liked the idea of getting dressed up for a special dinner at home to celebrate our anniversary. I wore a dress by Callahan in Rust. I wanted to wear something comfortable, still dressy and look romantic and this wrap style dress fit the occasion. For shoes, I wore my favorite white Sam Edelman block heel sandals.

Although we do miss dining out at restaurants, making our everyday surroundings at home elevated with little touches is just as special.

Happy Anniversary John! I love doing life with you. Hopefully we’ll get to travel again and celebrate somewhere afar next year.

June 21, 2008; San Juan Island WA

jillivictorio@gmail.com /

Seemingly overnight, our way of life has changed, and a lot of us have been feeling anxious for ourselves, our loved ones, and the future. When businesses, schools, and workplaces closed in March, I found myself retreating to the garden for comfort and to observe some of my early blooming flowers. These early spring flowers that surrounded me brought me comfort and peace. It was only a matter of days when the trees would start filling in and the weather would start warming up so I could get my hands in the dirt again to dig and plant.

Wisteria March 18-25, 2020

There has never been a better time to grow your own food and cultivate a garden. Looking at this pandemic through the lense of gratitude, I am grateful that this pandemic started/is happening in the spring.

Looking back in March, when grocery stores started experiencing shortages in supplies and food, it was understandable that some folks would start putting two and two together. Even if you have a healthy supply of food now, what would happen this summer and into fall? Will there be food shortages? Will my family go hungry? Maybe it was time to revive the Victory Garden – to plan for the future, just in case.

US government War and Victory Garden propaganda posters from World War I (left) and World War II (right), respectively. Images reproduced under Public Domain

 

Historically, for the average American during World War II, the Victory Garden was a practical way to contribute to the war effort. The ideal Victory Garden produced fresh vegetables in season and plenty to be preserved for winter and produced a significant amount of healthy food, allowing agricultural produce to be used for the military and the Allies, and reducing the use of tin and transportation.

(Source: Lingeman, Richard R. Don’t You Know There’s a War on? The American Home Front 1941-1945. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1970.)

 

Today, a Victory Garden doesn’t need to be big, nor does it need to have everything under the sun and provide for the masses.  It can be as personal and as intentional for todays modern families. This is our third year or gardening in North Texas, and we continue to modify our plans each year based on what we’ve learned, loved and didn’t like from the year prior.  For our family, we know what vegetables we love to eat with almost every meal, so we based our garden plans this year on those preferences: tomatoes, basil, peppers, herbs, beans and peas. Personally for myself, I love flowers, so I knew I would always grow flowers in one of the garden beds.

 

The Process

In March, we cleaned up the backyard and our raised garden beds to get them ready for the new season and new seedlings, while making space for annuals that would reemerge. To get started, we sowed some seeds indoors, kept them warm and gave them plenty of light and water.

In April, we moved the seedlings outdoors and planted them in the dirt and in containers. We also took a lovely social distancing drive out to the countryside to support one of the local farms selling seedlings and brought home a few more. With folks self-isolating, self-serve farm stand stations and honor systems were a godsend. We planted a mix of homegrown and store bought seedlings in our garden beds for companion planting, and added some pollinators to attract bees and butterflies.

 

Honor System

 

Pepper containers

 

Pincushions as pollinators

 

It’s now May and in just a month and a half’s time, I’m enjoying the peace and beauty our garden brings. John added these string lights to add some ambiance to our garden oasis.  Even though crops aren’t ready for a while and flowers haven’t bloomed yet, it is this little plot that brings us joy every day watching the progress and growth during this unique time.  The butterflies and the bees are doing their job and now we let nature take its course.

I can’t wait to see what June brings to the garden and how it will shape up by then.

What are some new things you’ve planted this season?  What are you growing in your Victory Garden? Share in the comments below!

jillivictorio@gmail.com /

Easter 2018 with a real live Easter bunny, Dallas Arboretum

Easter is going to look a little different this year, but not too different from Easters in the past. I love the Easter season almost as much as I love Christmas. I may not go all out with Easter decorations around the house, but I will put a bunny or two out and have lots of spring floral stems scattered throughout. The only difference our Easter celebrations may not have this year is going to church and Easter events around town i.e. pictures with the Easter bunny, easter brunches, etc, which I am totally ok with missing if it means we are doing our part in social distancing and slowing the spread of the virus. The one thing that remains steady in our home is the Easter egg hunt John and I set up for the kids outside in the garden at home.  We’ve been doing our own easter egg hunts at home throughout the years, and we are looking to maintain some level of normal in the midst of these extraordinary times we find ourselves in today.

Easter morning is another opportunity for us to spend time outside, enjoy the spring weather, hunting for clues and little hidden treasures sprinkled around the yard and garden. After the hunt, we rush to the patio to see what the kids got and help them eat their candy. Once we’ve had our sugar fix, we settle in for a yummy easter brunch with our favorite breakfast and brunch foods that I’ve whipped up that morning – bacon, quiche, pancakes, fruit and pastries. Easter dinner consists of rack of lamb cooked by John. 

Easter 2019

Easter Baskets

by David & Leanna

I got started on the kids’ easter baskets a little earlier this year and I’m glad I stashed some things, not because of the virus, but I just have a habit of collecting small quantities of items and supplies throughout an extended period of time rather that buying everything all at once.  I usually build my baskets based on age of child, interests at the moment, and something they’ve been wanting, along with the traditional easter candy of course.

Here’s what I’ve put together for both boys. I started with a neutral basket I had from last year that works year round. Hearth & Hand (also shown above) makes these great wire baskets.

Then I start to fill it with the following items:

Since the world will be staying home during Easter this year, how will you celebrate the spring holiday at home?