Columbiana FD BBQ

We absolutely love our farmhouse and new town and we'll happily tell just about anyone who'll listen all about it! For us, the hardest thing about moving somewhere new was being farther away from family and friends and the fear of losing the sense of community that we had grown to love in our last neighborhood. But we knew without a doubt that we were making the right decision for our family and so we took the leap. Aside from a few immediate neighbors (who were incredibly welcoming!) we didn't know a single soul in our new town... And so it began - Operation: Make New Friends.

Brett is a career firefighter and noticed the local fire department the first time we ever drove down Main Street in the City of Columbiana. He has a habit of doing that.. noticing fire departments, hydrants, trucks. Basically, anything related to the fire service in any town we visit. We closed on the farmhouse last Fall, but by this Spring he was ready to introduce himself and get to know a little more about the local station. I am so glad he did! Over the last few months he's gotten really involved. Teaching classes, attending meetings and picking up shifts. But best of all, he's forging new friendships.

A few weekends ago we hosted a little farm party for the local fire fighter families. What a WONDERFUL group of people! We had a great time getting to know lots of new friends and enjoying some beautiful Spring weather at the farm. Plus, we'll never pass up an opportunity to put our fire pit to use.

To our new community and all our new friends - Thank you so much for embracing our family and being so kind to us. We promise to be good neighbors and great friends and give back to this wonderful town as much as we can. We love you all and we love it here.

- Lauren

Do you love the serving ware I used? You can purchase the 3-Tier Tray right here from one of my favorite shops! 

(affiliate link)

The Franklin 3 Tier Tray - Affiliate Link

                                 

Who Wants S'mores?! - Our Latest Project

The day we found this piece of property I spotted the PERFECT spot for an outdoor project we've been dreaming about for years. A flat, grassy knoll perched just high enough to enjoy a panoramic view of the entire property. Although we have what seems to be an eternal list of to-do's for the farmhouse interior, we decided to jump right in and start this project first so that we could enjoy this beautiful fall season to the fullest. To say we're thrilled with how it turned out would be an understatement! It's definitely one of the coolest spaces we've ever created and we're already having a blast hosting our family and friends.

S'MORE PLEASE!

Before you see the finished project, I wanted to show you a little of the build process. This was definitely a labor of love, but SO worth it! Brett is a ROCKSTAR and we completed this entire project ourselves in about three weeks. (Mostly comprised of late afternoons and a few weekend days.) The project was inspired by a popular pin on Pinterest and we added a few customizations to fulfill our vision for the space, as well.


First things first, we had to decide how big we wanted to build this thing and plot out where we were going to place the posts. We initially struggled with the post hole digger, but I'll let you guess who won that fight. (Hint: The support posts are now set nearly 4 ft. in the ground - with concrete. They aren't going anywhere.) ;)

The Perfect Spot

One afternoon I thought I caught Brett in a death trap as he was placing the top beams with the tractor bucket. Alas, the beams are secure and Brett survived. Thank goodness.

Brett completed the fire pit and then we had to figure out a plan for seating. We knew we wanted several swings because they represent everything we had in mind for the space. They're peaceful and southern and just plain awesome. I don't know anyone who doesn't enjoy some good porch swingin'. However, the frame of the structure was so large that we didn't think the swings would be close enough to enjoy an intimate fire. Our dilemma: porch swings are expensive we hadn't budgeted for additional seating. Brett is incredibly talented, but we were worried that if we attempted to build all the swings ourselves it would take us so long to complete the project that we wouldn't get to enjoy it very long this season. Thanks to some great referrals, we found someone local who built us SIX 6-ft porch swings and we spent less than half of what we budgeted! (HAPPY DANCE!) Brett then built six additional adirondack style chairs to surround the fire pit that turned out beautifully.

The last addition we made to complete the project was an area that would serve dual purposes: firewood storage and a table top. Brett crafted a bar style ledge that is the perfect height for dining and serving. We're planning on installing some exterior outlets on the back so we can easily use crock pots, carafes and other party essentials out there, too.

 

We still need to stain and seal the structure but it's completely functional right now and we couldn't be happier! This is our little piece of farm heaven.

Happy Camper!

Soooo....... WHO WANTS S'MORES???!!!

xo-Lauren


**We are so excited to partner with Remodelaholic to offer a detailed tutorial on this project! Click HERE to check it out!**

**UPDATE**

Here is an updated photo of this area after we completed staining it!