Husband and I closed on our first home on May 15.

It was a surprisingly smooth process from shopping to signing, and we are incredibly grateful for that.

We weren't looking for a house in earnest when I found this home on a real estate website. I was mostly just trolling around, looking at property and prices. It had been listed for several months prior to me finding it, and to be honest, I wasn't that impressed based on the pictures. But over time, I grew curious, and eventually set up a time to look at the property. There was already an offer in progress, so I figured it was a no-pressure situation and we wouldn't end up serious about it.

It's a three bedroom, one bathroom on a half an acre. The dormers were built out and the roof redone a few years ago. There's a little laundry room built off the back of the house.

I knew as soon as we drove up that we had to pursue it. We spoke with our loan officer, expecting to hear that we weren't in a position to buy yet, but she informed us that due to the home's location, we would be eligible for a HUD Guaranteed Rural Housing loan, which does not require a down payment. WOW. We made an offer, it was accepted, and we sleepwalked through our days until closing when it finally became real.

The home is located just outside the county I work in and "in the country," so ordinances are less restrictive. It's at the bottom of a hill by a lake, with a boat launch a short walk away. We've got well water and a septic. Propane heat will be a new adventure for us.

Thankfully, both of the upstairs bedrooms are in good shape and freshly well-painted. One will by my craft room (Craft room!!) for the time being, and the other will be a guest bedroom. (How fancy!)

My parents came to town to help us move, which made the process infinitely easier. My dad was a house painter in a past life, so he helped us make the place our own. My mother has great skill with a Clorox wipe, and she helped us get the place clean. Painting took about five days from start to finish.

Living Room: Before

I wanted bright, bold colors in my house. I've been apartment living for too long, and white just won't cut it anymore. The main color for the livingroom and the bedroom is buttery, pale yellow. We chose "Lion's Mane," for the accent wall, to match a subtle yellow from the sofa. (Look at these floors, by the way!)

This room has suffered many poor paint jobs: the last round involved an over-saturated paint roller, leaving an unsightly, uneven texture. We first tried to fight it with a sander, but to save our sanity we eventually opted to use a texture spray to even out the effect. I think it turned out quite nicely.

(The puppers are Betty, our husky mix, and Meeka, my parents' dog.)

Living Room: After

Bedroom: Before

I eventually want to get a little more texture on my bedroom walls; a fun wallpaper or fresco effect on the butter-colored walls. But this green accent wall was in my vision since before we moved in. "Globe Artichoke" took three coats to even out, but it's well worth it. Once there's some art on the more subtle walls, I think this is going to be a great room.

Bedroom: After

There's still much to do.

The kitchen is a bit of a mess, with slightly crooked cabinets and appliances living in the middle of nowhere. It's functional for now, but a while down the road we want to redo it. Husband wants a propane range to feed his cooking passion, and I want a little more counter space.

The trim and doors need a fresh coat of paint; they were poorly done in recent coats and have been dinged up and dirtied. We also mean to paint the bathroom and kitchen.

For now, we're taking a little break from intensive projects and just taking the time to enjoy our first home. Our dog is the happiest she's been in a long time, with her own dog run and full-prowl of the house while we're at work. Husband is throwing seeds and fruit bushes in the ground. We're visiting with my parents while they're still in town. It's a good life.