For everyone asking where the April Superlatives went: here they are. We meant to post this sooner—remember how last week was all about organizing? Clearly we still had some organizing to do. Before May gets too far along, here’s a look back at everything we checked off our to-do list in April, yearbook-style. We even included a few never-before-seen moments for fun. You can browse all our monthly superlatives going back to January 2011 right here — it’s more than a year’s worth of projects condensed into just a handful of posts. And fair warning: we’re kicking this roundup off with my latest little obsession.
Most Addicted: Me — to Instagram. It took a while for us to join, but now it’s my go-to for quick, behind-the-scenes photos just like Sherry uses Pinterest. Follow us (username YoungHouseLove) for random pretties, quick shopping finds, and plenty of cute kid photos. We also push many shots to Twitter and Facebook, so you can catch them there if you prefer. It’s just another way to share the small stuff we love.
Favorite New Hashtag: After our bathroom window frosting post inspired @kandisebrown to frost her window, this gem was born: #nomoreeyecontactwithstrangerswhilepeeing.
Most Improved: Our master bathroom’s toilet situation. Thanks to a small loo swap, we replaced an old, low almond model with a normal-height white toilet. We were thrilled to sell the old one on Craigslist and donate it to a family in need. Update: Habitat For Humanity sent a letter saying many of you kindly donated to help that family — you rock.
Phat-est: Eminem — at least according to a teenaged Sherry, who met him on MTV’s Fanatic. After years of avoiding the clip, she finally admitted to it, though she still hides her face when it’s mentioned.
Biggest Succa: These succulents — technically the leftmost one — that Sherry planted in glass containers. They’ve thrived and grown a lot; we’ll share updates soon.
Most Transitional: The threshold pieces we installed in the kitchen to bridge the small height difference between new and old flooring — a small detail that makes a big visual difference. See more in our transitions post.
Most Inspiring: Our trip to Richmond Homearama, where eight model homes sparked tons of ideas and design inspiration. We still haven’t chosen a single favorite from that day — too many great details to pick from. (More in our Homearama recap.)
Most Avant-Garde: Clara, whose squiggly drawings — which we turned into fabric — proudly featured “lots of worms,” according to her. She was delighted.
Most Helpful: A LivingSocial deal we bought for professional landscaping advice. The consultation gave us practical tips and the push we needed to stop procrastinating and do something with the yard.
Best Worn-Out Face: Mine, after digging up tired front-yard bushes to make room for fresh plants and to transplant the ones worth keeping. It was tiring but totally worth it for the curb appeal boost (more here).
Most Likely To Hide Her Tired Face: Sherry, who quietly chipped away at brick in our front planter so it could actually become a real planter bed. She played it cool the whole time.
Narrowest: The path to our front door — at least until we cleared the overgrown shrubs that made it feel like a gauntlet. Clearing them opened the entryway and gave us a chance to rethink the landscaping (details here).
We’re also planning a grass-seeding update there soon.
Most Problematic: Our patio, which collected leaves and debris over winter. After a big cleanup and some fresh plantings, it looks far more inviting again — a quick win that made a big visual difference (see the clean-up).
Most Likely To Be A Rockstar: Clara — at least when it comes to the rock box we built her. She’s obsessed with rocks (Truly: Clara, The Girl Obsessed With Rocks) and uses that box constantly. Rainy days are the only things that slow her down (the rock box story).
Most Fleeting: The rock box before it filled with rocks — originally built as a sandbox and enjoyed briefly in its sandy form (more on that).
Most Delayed: Building the sand/rock box itself — it had been on the list for nearly a year, but we finally finished it. Better late than never (the build).
Spring-iest: Our mantel — Sherry refreshed it with a seasonal remix that brought in color and a nod to the mantel’s history (see the mantel update).
Least Straightforward: Replacing a bathroom light fixture. What seemed like a simple swap turned into a drywall patching mission when we discovered a big hole hiding behind the old fixture (the full story).
Class Artist: Sherry — we hung one of her paintings in the bathroom to introduce a splash of color and personality (see it here).
Closest Shave: Our bathroom door, which had a small piece trimmed off the bottom so it could swing fully clear of the vent grate and accommodate a bath mat (details).
Weirdest: Sherry, for ignoring convention and trying a finish she liked — and for proudly holding onto her teenage “weirdest family member” title. See her ORB experiment in this post.
Most Likely To Get Replaced: Our HP printer. After an update on how our purchases are holding up, we received multiple recommendations and may retire it if we can’t resolve its issues.
Most Likely To Induce A Whale Obsession: Our visit to the Richmond Craft Mafia’s Spring Bada-Bing show, where several whale artworks — along with alligator, ostrich, bird, bacon, cactus, and zombie pieces — caught our attention (the show recap).
Longest: Our updated to-do list. It’s shorter than it once was but still long enough to keep us busy and excited about upcoming projects.
Most Unintentionally Naughty-Sounding Post Title: This one — “You Down with O-R-G” — which some readers misread. Sherry liked the rhyme with OPP (and the nod to ORB), despite the eyebrow-raising confusion.
How was your April? Did you tackle spring organizing, unearth vintage footage of your teenage self, or check meaningful items off your list? Use the comments to share what you accomplished or highlight a few wins. Taking a moment to celebrate finished tasks keeps us motivated — especially with projects like the deck and Clara’s big second birthday party coming up this weekend.