September 30th, 2016 marked 10 years of acreage living for my husband and me. Both of us grew up living out in the country for a good majority of our lives, but the land we currently have was the first property we purchased together. If you also live on acreage, you’ll know that it has its ups and downs. For us, I feel like the pros outweigh the cons, but on this 10th anniversary of acreage living, I thought I’d take a stroll down memory lane and share a few best and worst personal memories of acreage life so far. Let’s get nostalgic and real for a few minutes and talk all about the nitty gritty of land and home ownership out in the country. Are you a homeowner too?
Make sure to pop down to the bottom of this post to win a $500 cash gift card to use for decorating a favourite space in your home from Esurance!
I like to start with the bad stuff and get it over with. Let’s begin with my 5 worst memories of 10 years of acreage living, shall we?
#1: The moment we took possession of our acreage.
Doesn’t that sound horrible? But it’s true. When we first bought our land and the “garage house” that was on it, I felt a little sick. The house was disgusting. It was dirty, tiny and ugly, and I was a little scared. However, I think we did a pretty good job cleaning it up and making it our own. You can read more about our garage house here.
#2: When we couldn’t get our two babies to share a room.
The garage house was fantastic for us and one baby, but when Little A came along the house suddenly felt really small. My dream was to have the two girls share a bedroom, but that didn’t work AT ALL. Little A had to sleep in our room in order for both girls to sleep, and then I didn’t sleep because she was constantly waking me. I do really badly on little sleep… just ask my hubby!
#3: When our neighbors’ backyard blew up.
One night at around 9pm, I was playing on the computer when our whole little home was rocked by a violent explosion. I ran outside to see a huge fire leaping into the air in our neighbor’s back yard. Thankfully, the fire didn’t spread to their home or ours, and the fire department helped them quickly put it out. I was so thankful that no one was hurt and our homes were spared. This was one of the times I was happy that we had home insurance but didn’t have to file a claim. Phew!
#4: When I found a dead animal on the lawn.
Scratch that. Make that several dead animals. One of the joys of living out in the country is that your dogs drag the most lovely things onto your lawn and porch. And I’m not just talking about mice. We’ve had bunnies, muskrats, and all sorts of sad creatures on our lawn.
#6: When I felt alone.
Amendment: this also wasn’t/isn’t a one-time thing. Country living is beautiful, serene, exciting and rewarding but it can also be very lonely. We don’t drive into town or the city every day, so I was an am often alone with my little ones. I’m an introvert, so that’s not always a bad thing, but sometimes I can feel a little lonely and removed from my friends out here. Sometimes I long for the connection one can find in city or town life.
Now, let’s talk about my 5 BEST memories from acreage life!
#1: When we first drove up our range road to our home.
It was a gorgeous fall that year – 2006 – and I distinctly remember driving our car through the canopy of trees that leads to our subdivision and thinking: “This is the most beautiful spot in the world!”
#2: When we met our neighbors.
We have some of the BEST neighbors. They live a little further away than town neighbors, but they’re always willing to help us and visit with us. I also think fellow acreage-dwellers share a lot of common interests like gardening and DIYing, so that’s really fun!
#3: When we sent our first child to school.
I absolutely adore the little country school that’s near our home. So far, our daughters absolutely love it. Little A started kindergarten there this year, so now we have two kids going! I feel like our school is a little more personal and quieter than what a city school might be and we love that.
#4: When we moved into our new home.
We built our new home on our acreage in 2013. The first night we slept in it was amazing and surreal. We had a lot of really bad and really good experiences as we built Our DIY House, and it was such a relief to finally be able to move in! Come see our latest home tour right here.
#5: When we found out our 4 bedroom house was going to be full.
My hubby Sean was adamant that we build a 4 bedroom house even though we had 2 kids at the time. I thought the idea was fine, but little did I know that we were going to be filling that room ASAP! We learned that we were pregnant with Little B the month before we moved into our new home. She was a surprise, but what an amazing surprise she was! Now, I have three sweet girlies running all over the acreage in their princess dresses and rubber boots. I can’t wait to experience all of the new memories we’ll share together here in our home and on our property.
Both bad and good, the memories we’ve shared on our acreage have helped us learn and grow. I couldn’t be more thankful for our land and our home.
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Esurance wants to give you a chance to win a $500 cash gift card to use for decorating a favourite space in your home! Use the widget below to enter to win. (Participants must reside in Canada and be 18 years of age or older. See all the Terms & Conditions in the widget below). Good luck!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Esurance. As always, all of the opinions here are my own.
Thanks for sharing the hard times as well as the good times! I’ve always craved acreage living, but, alas, I married a city boy (who was raised in the country, go figure).
Our house Reno list is so long, I’m not sure where I would start with $500! Maybe build a kitchen island. I’ve been putting it off because I don’t know where to find a granite counter of the right size (I only need 3ft by 4 ft. I’m hoping to get a cheap remnant, and just have them finish all four sides the same.
We are celebrating 10 years on an acreage this spring!
Mike and I both grew up in a city, and so when we moved out west from Toronto we knew we wanted to live in a small town or on an acreage. I know the feelings you described well of that first day in your home. We had a tiny 1950’s hole in the wall for a house. Our first day there was panic-ridden for me, even though we knew that house was not the end game for us. I love the home we have subsequently built, but I would LOVE to change out some of the light fixtures and re paint the living room. Xo
We’re hoping to get out to an acerage as well in the next year or two. Can’t wait.! But right now I need a new kitchen sink!!!
Dogs and acreages, definitely always interesting. Ha ha.
Spring, summer, fall or winter I am so happy to turn down our range road every day.
We love country living. I would use the money for home decor.
I would use it to help redo my bathroom! 🙂
Thanks!
I would use it for Christmas gifts
I have been following your blog for a while now, but have never commented. A chance at a $500 gift card was just the push I needed to tell you how happy I am that I stumbled onto your blog and have been able to watch your blog grow over the years. Finding out you were also a Edmonton & surrounding area gal made me even more excited to follow.
As we are currently building our forever acreage home, I have found myself more often on your blog for DIY ideas and inspiration (those plaid roman shades.. AMAZING) and would likely spend the prize on something super exciting.. you know, like an area rug or maybe even some fabric to attempt some window coverings! 🙂
Congrats on the 10 years of acreage living!
I would use it to fix the breaks on my car so I can continue working.
What a thoughtful post – thanks for sharing! There are so many projects around here, that I wouldn’t even know where to start! Highest priority is a kitchen update – that’s where I could put the prize to good use!
I would put it towards the basement renovation. Thanks for the chance.
I would use it to freshen up my bedroom with accessories.
Ooooh, I love your house! It looks gorgeous! We just bought our own home (a condo in the city 🙁 ) this year so I’m working on fixing it up. $500 would repaint the main areas or maybe get us started on replacing the white carpet (eeeek!) with hardwood instead. Thanks for sharing your ups and downs! We live in the city now but I still dream about moving back to the country someday. I love the country and wish my girls could have the sort of childhood I did. 🙂
This makes me want to make the move to the country 🙂 right now we are renoing our basement, so first things first! $500 would be awesome to help with the remodel 😊
I would use this gift card to upgrade some things in our home. We have recently been upgrading some of the things in our home left from the previous owner. We would like to do some upgrades in our living room as well as our powder room and basement
I would use it for Christmas.
I would use it mainly for Christmas presents, but I may get a little something for me like a new pair of boots.
I was so surprised and flattered to find out that I’m on your list of best things about the country! I love having you for a neighbour, too! 😘
I’d use the gift card to finish my kids’ bedrooms. I need a bunch of fabrics for the girls’ bedding, and some wood for my son’s bed and desk.
Love the makeover pics!
Thank you Lis!
I would use it for my boys bedroom!
We’re renovating the master bathroom in the New Year so I’d put it towards that.
I would use that gift card for a new vacuum.
I would use the gift card towards new heated floors in the bathroom.
I love your reflections in this post. We didn’t have the experience of living on acreage until we bought our 129 acres. It’s hard to describe what it’s like. For me, it feels like exactly where I’m meant to be. The feeling I get driving up our driveway is magic every day.
Couldn’t agree more 🙂
I would use it for Christmas
I would use it for Christmas
We’re in the process of moving from a 13 acres property on a gravel road to a 100 acre (family) farm. I’d use this money for moving costs as we have to move over 600kms!
Wouldn’t trade country living for anything!
Besos Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
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I would use the money to bring some life to my front entrance. It’s very sad at the moment. We underwent some major house renovations during the summer and my front entrance didn’t receive any love. Just a little TLC and maybe a bench would do wonders
I’m so happy to have read your post . We are currently squished in a subdivision . Our dream is to have acreage in the next couple of years . I changed the whole paint scheme in our our current house and our light fixtures look awful now so I would use that money to change them . Keep up the great work on your blog I really enjoy reading all your posts and your photography is great !!
i’d use it for Christmas presents
great memories
We just moved recently to a small town after living in the city for over 40 years!! Our home is in dire need of new furnishings and accessories, as we had to get rid of most of our old furniture after having 5 kids, 2 dogs and 2 rabbits!! I feel like we are starting a new chapter in our lives and I am so happy to have found you on Instagram! 🙂
I would buy some bedroom decore
I’d put it towards a new living room set. Our couch is falling apart 🙁
I would use it to help redo my spare bedroom
We bought an older home that is well over 100 years old and our restoring what we can to bring it back! I would love the extra to do the kitchen with the bead board and older trim!
I love your new house, thanks so much for sharing your DIY adventure with us. I live in the city but have often dreamed of moving out to the country but we haven’t taken that step yet. I would use the money to fix up a few things in our house like the ever leaking tap and the broken screen door.
I would use this card to buy Christmas presents for my family.
I would love to get a new coffee table and a new Christmas tree with the gift card.
I would use the gift card for an alarm system for my home!
If I won I would put the money towards a new kitchen floor. Mine is in bad shape.
I would use this towards a new sofa
I would use it to catch up on some bills
I’d put it towards finishing up the basement.
I would use the gift card towards Christmas gifts for my family..this is wonderful..thank you for the chance
I would like to use the money to purchase items that would make my home smarter and energy efficient like LED bulbs or programmable thermostats.
I would put this gift card towards a vacation!
We are currently renovating our basement rec room so I would use it towards that 🙂
I am a country girl at heart and always will be my home is in desperate need of a facelift so I’d spend on paint and decor
I would use it for renovating my bathroom!
I’d use the card for paint; pretty latex paint for some chalkpaint projects, and some neutral wall paint to redo my somewhat skanky bathroom :0
I would use it to buy my mom a KitchenAid stand mixer! She has always wanted one and I would love to surprise her with it!
l would use it to go towards my home renovations!
I would use it to help with our patio renovations!
I would love to get some new bedding for our spare room.
I would use it for new winter clothing for my kids.
I’d use it towards bathroom renos.
OOOHHH I would use the prize to spruce up my living room, Its been stuck in boring for about ten years now and for sure could use a revamp 🙂
This gift card would really help with installing curtains in the bedroom.
I would love to put it toward building a third children’s bedroom – my youngest son and daughter have been needing a siblingectomy for quite some time now.
Fantastic giveaway, thanks for the opportunity. I would use it to fix up my bathroom. It definitely needs some tlc.
I would use it to buy paint for the living room – have been putting off painting because of the cost
I would use it for some paint!
I would use this to paint the inside of my house.
I would use the gift card for some paint to repaint a few rooms in my house.
back splash in kitchen
We need to buy a new bed so I would put it towards that if I won.
We would spend the $500 to decorate our living room area, we have a small living space and could use some updating!
The gift card would be helpful for decorating our bedroom
I would use it to spruce up our new home! We move in 4 weeks, and it would be awesome to have some extra cash!!!
It would be terrific to win a $500 Cash Gift Card from Esurance.
In response to your question of
What would you use this gift card prize for?
I would buy myself a new pair of running shoes
and buy some Christmas Presents for my family.
Thank you for having this giveaway.
I would put towards flight from Calgary to Toronto to see my Family for the Holidays
I do a makeover of the Master Bedroom.
I would use it for a really nice light fixture for my living room.
Home renovations. Thank you for the chance
some paint to spruce the place up
I would use this gift card prize for updating my room!
I would use to for Holiday gifts and items to make my home smarter 🙂
I would use it toward a new chair for my living room.
I would love to reno my kitchen as its looking pretty worn!
I would use it to buy new bedding
I would the cash gift card to purchase some items to help organize my home.
I would put it toward a new couch for the living room
Im in the middle of renovating the basement, this would help a lot, to buy paint and supplies like that!
I would spend it on my two boys, wife, and dog!
I would use this for Christmas shopping.
I know it may not seem exciting but i would use this for groceries and necessities like toilet paper and such over the holiday season when things are so tight for money.
i would get a great christmas gift for my mom.
🙂
hmm.. I would use this gift card prize towards a trip. or towards rims for our all season tires (waiting till spring to pay for that currently) or… if i was to spoil myself maybe some makeup on the side 🙂
I would use this towards a new TV as my 3 year old broke ours last week.
I’d buy a comfy chair for my living room.
I would use it to paint a few rooms and the rest in fixing the bathroom !
I would put it towards work to be done in the house.
Our bedroom is pretty sad right now – I focused so much on places that people would be (living room, spare bedroom, bathrooms, etc), but I forgot about our space! I would use this GC to make our bedroom beautiful!
i would use it towards baby girl’s room, add some decorations or fixtures for her nursery
I would use fir a bed couch my son moved home to take care of me fighting cancer and he’s in my couch he needs a pull out bed
I would use the gift card to repaint the house both inside and outside.
I would use this gift card to fix up my spare bedroom with a bigger bed.
My grandson has grown so tall that he has out grown the twin bed I have in my guest room.
Good Golly Miss Molly , I would use the card to volunteer to repair , paint, etc the animal shelters, senior homes, etc.
I’d put it towards a futon, or a really top shelf cot or air mattress, for when we have company sleep over during the holidays.
My house is really old and in need of renovations. I would use the cash in the renos budget.
I’d use the gift card for all those things I buy on a regular basis and it is sure to be spent in no time. For example, pet food.
I would use it towards refinishing my hardwood floors.
I would use it toward my artwork. Thanks for the chance!
I would use it to buy a few Christmas presents.
I would use it for food and to get my toddler some new clothes he needs them. Buy a few things needed but with single mom budget is limited and stuff was put on hold, that kind of thing.
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I would use it towards getting a few things for my new house.
I would put it towards a new couch.
I need some new lamps
I would use it towards some very badly needed home repairs. Thanks for the chance!
Id buy decorations for my new home (more to decorate than my apartment)
I would love to get some paint and do a couple of Accent walls. New bedding would be awesome. I need towels. A set of pots would be nice. Lol I have 2 pots from the 80s.
I would love to put this towards new flooring for my kitchen.
I would put it toward organization materials such as shelving, totes, baskets. My basement gives me anxiety with all the clutter & I’d like to have everything neat & tidy with shelves & labels and have it be clean!
we have renovations going on right now in our family room so i would use it to buy flooring!
I would put it towards fixing up my kitchen.
The after Christmas bills, groceries 🙂
I would use the card to update my linens!
my kiddos have been wanting a trampoline for quite some time, and we too just moved to a house with acreage last summer, and finally have the room. I would use this card for that. Good luck everyone!
We could reall use a dishwasher and to repaint our bedrooms, we’d be using it towards both of those things!
I want to have a new kitchen table
My bathroom needs some renovating and so this would be a handy help.
we have a medium scale renovation going on right now and another one lined up for right afterwards so I would use this towards the costs as they’re adding up!
I would use this for getting my office more organized and pretty
I’d use the money to get a video camera. So that I can capture my two year old kid’s moments.
I would use it to buy things for the house
I would use this gift card towards a new dining room set
I’d like to replace some of the shelving in the basement, I’d probably use the gift card prize for that.
I would use it to treat myself to some new clothes! 🙂
I would use to pay for bills accumulated from the holidays.