The dream and journey of The Flower Bungalow

Note: I originally wrote this post in 2021.

The year 2020 has thrown a lot of crazy curveballs our way, including The Flower Bungalow. This site and the accompanying content is inspired by our new home and all the joy that comes with it. I mean, these days, it’s about all we have since we are taking pandemic precautions seriously.

Sowing seeds of the future at The Flower Bungalow

There’s many points of this story in which I can start at, but you’d have to go way, way back to before I even met my husband and his family. The home itself, built in 1947, actually has two houses on the 1-acre property.

But what I mean is that the circumstances we find ourselves in now, living in this house while my in-laws are next door. That seed was planted many, many moons ago.

For years, there had been “jokes” of a family compound. In fact, we have some friends had recently done something similar and we were intrigued when we’d visit them. It was just a really cool property and a unique situation, for sure.

At that point, we had literally no plans of moving into a two-home property. We were content living in our Old Town Scottsdale home for the foreseeable future.

When dreams become reality

Anyway, bring it back to February 2020. My imaginative 5-year-old daughter (who I now call clara-voyant) told us about a dream she had the night before. She dreamt that we lived next door to my in-laws. She recalled running in between the houses in her dream.

I probably said something along the lines of “that’s nice sweetie,” haha. These kids and their crazy ideas.

At that time, my in-laws were on the market for their forever home, As luck would have it, they found a home they absolutely loved only 2 doors down from our house now. As reality had it, there was already an offer, but you never know. So we toed the line of excitement and trying not to get our hopes up along with them.

Fast forward a week or so later, they were in the area and noticed a garage sale going on a few doors down from the home they were waiting to hear back about. My mother-in-law has an eye for vintage treasures. As they browsed, they overheard something interesting.

Divine garage sale intervention

There was a conversation happening about the property going up for sale. My mother- and father-in-law’s ears perked right up. After speaking with her, they gave us a call.

My mother-in-law called us to tell us that an interesting devlopment had occured. Two doors down from the house they already fell in love with, there was another property for sale — that day! Oh and one more thing, there’s 2 full sizes houses on one property!

Interesting development, indeed. Sounded like an amazing location and a possible opportunity. Most importantly, this was shortly after our daughter dreamt that we lived next door to them. I still get goosebumps when I think of this.

It seemed overwhelming to think about at first. If we went for this, we would have to coordinate the sale of not one, but two houses.

On top of that, we quickly learned that the “main” house was completely gutted and ripped back to the studs. The second home was freshly remodeled and expanded. But the main house though, that needed a complete remodel. Or to be torn down and rebuilt (likely what the previous owners assumed would happen).

The day we met the Flower Bungalow

We agreed to go and look at it with them. We had to wait over a weekend which was complete torture. But you best believe I totally crept by it a few times in the meantime, haha!

At the time, we lived only 3 miles away and this property totally took my breath away. I was excited and hopeful, but it was too good to be true. It would take a lot of work to get to that point, but it would be so worth it.

When we went to see the homes, there was a lot to consider. It’s safe to say we left with a lot of mixed feelings. But the North Star of it all was that dream our daughter had. What are the odds?

After some consideration, our family made an offer on the property. Right about that time, was when we all made a new friend named COVID-19. So there was a lot of uncertainty and some challenges around that along with everything else.

I’m happy to say though, that it all worked out in the end.

Gratitude starts at home, and you know that’s where the heart is.

As we approach the end of a very strange year, my heart is filled with gratitude and a lot of anxiety, but mostly, gratitude. The Flower Bungalow has opened up many realms of opportunity and joy as we navigate a new reality.

I can’t wait to open its doors to friends, family and neighbors when things are more safe. I dream of sharing the lush yard with my kid’s friends and their families and just simply enjoying the beauty it has to offer.