For anyone wondering where April’s Superlatives disappeared to — here they are. Last week was supposed to be all about organizing, but we didn’t get this post shared on time. So before May slips away, here’s a look back at everything we crossed off the to-do list in April — presented in yearbook-style superlatives. We also included a few never-before-seen moments for fun. You can find our monthly superlatives going back to January 2011 on the archive page, which compresses over a year’s worth of projects into just 15 posts. To kick things off, here’s my newest obsession. Consider yourself warned.
Most Addicted: Me, when it comes to Instagram. We were slow to join, but now this iPhone app is basically my Pinterest equivalent. Follow us (username YoungHouseLove) for behind-the-scenes snapshots, pretty things, random shopping finds, and lots of cute photos of the kids. We’ll post many of the same shots to Twitter and Facebook too, so you can catch them there if you don’t use Instagram. Just another way to over-share.
Favorite New Hashtag: After our bathroom window frosting project inspired @kandisebrown to frost hers, this hashtag was born: #nomoreeyecontactwithstrangerswhilepeeing
Most Improved: The toilet situation in our master bath. Thanks to a little loo-switcheroo, we replaced the squat, space-age almond toilet with a standard-height classic white one. We Craigslist’d the old unit and bought a new toilet for a family in need. Update: Habitat for Humanity let us know that many of you generously donated to that family too — they’re one step closer to their new home. Thanks for helping out.
Phat-est: Eminem, at least according to a 17-year-old Sherry, who met him on MTV’s Fanatic. After avoiding the footage for a long time, she finally owned up to the clip that’s been floating around YouTube. She still covers her face when I mention it.
Biggest Succa: These succulents — technically the one on the left — that Sherry planted in glass containers. They’re thriving and have grown a lot. We’ll share updates soon.
Most Transitional: The transitions we installed in the kitchen to smooth the slight drop between the new and old floors.
Most Inspiring: Our visit to Richmond Homearama, where we toured eight houses full of creative ideas. We still haven’t picked a favorite.
Most Avant-Garde: Clara, whose squiggles we turned into fabric. She insisted they contained lots of worms — which made her very proud.
Most Helpful: A LivingSocial deal for professional landscaping advice. The tips were valuable, but more importantly the session pushed us to stop hesitating and take action in the yard.
Best Worn-Out Face: Mine, after digging up some struggling bushes at the front of the house so we could add fresh plants and transplant the survivors.
Least Likely To Share Her Worn-Out Face On The Blog: Sherry, who tried to stay composed while digging up brick from our front planter bed so it could actually become a real planter.
Narrowest: The walkway to our front door — at least until we cleared out the bushes that attacked you from both sides.
We hope to have an update soon about attempting to grow grass there.
Most Problematic: Our patio, which became overgrown and littered with leaves over the winter. A big clean-up and some fresh planting brought it back under control.
Most Likely To Be A Rockstar: Clara, thanks to how much she uses the rock box we built her. Rainy days are a tragedy for Clara: The Girl Obsessed With Rocks (say that with conviction — think Katniss: The Girl Who Was On Fire).
Most Fleeting: The rock box in its pre-rock days as a sandbox, the structure’s original intention.
Most Delayed: Building the sand/rock box itself, which had been on the to-do list for nearly a year. Better late than never.
Spring-iest: Our mantle, which Sherry refreshed with seasonal colors while taking a moment to look back at its past arrangements.
Least Straightforward: Swapping out a bathroom fixture, which turned into a drywall patching project when we discovered a large hole hiding behind the old light.
Class Artist: Sherry, for the painting she created that we hung in the bathroom to add a pop of color.
Closest Shave: Our bathroom door, which had a small piece trimmed from the bottom so it could open fully over the grate and accommodate a bath mat.
Weirdest: Sherry, for defying logic and embracing some ORB flair. Side note: as a teen she was unanimously voted “weirdest family member” by several relatives — and she still proudly holds that title.
Most Likely To Get Replaced: Our HP printer. After an update on how some purchases are holding up, we received many recommendations for better options. If we can’t resolve its issues soon, it may be getting the boot.
Most Likely To Induce A Whale Obsession: Our visit to the Richmond Craft Mafia’s Spring Bada-Bing show, where several pieces of whale art — along with alligator, ostrich, bird, bacon, cactus, and zombie creations — caught our eye.
Longest: Our updated to-do list. It’s not as long as it used to be, but it’s still plenty long enough to keep us busy.
Most Unintentionally Naughty-Sounding Post Title: The post titled “You Down with O-R-G” raised some eyebrows when a few readers misread it. Sherry liked the rhyme with OPP — and that it echoed her other guilty pleasure, ORB.
What did you accomplish in April? Did anyone else tackle spring organizing or unearth vintage footage of their 17-year-old self? Do you keep a list of accomplishments to look back on? Use the comments to share what you’ve done or a few highlights. It’s helpful to pause for a moment and appreciate what you’ve checked off — it keeps our momentum going, especially with projects like the deck and Clara’s big second birthday party coming up this weekend!