So yesterday was my husband’s birthday, but he went fishing for the week with his Grandpa and Dad and Brother, so the huge dinner I made last night was for Bryan and Nikole! I’ll post the recipes later (‘cause it was so yummy), but we had a wonderful appetizer of toasted French bread with baked brie and walnuts finished with a honey drizzle, pasta with a homemade red sauce that included Italian Sausage (my FAVORITE) and a beautiful salad. YUM. Oh yeah, and Key Lime Pie for dessert which was a fortunate impulse buy because it happened to be Bryan’s favorite. We talked about dog training and being home owners, since we all have dogs under a year old and own homes. I asked Nikole if people were often surprised to find out that she is a homeowner, she said absolutely. She just started a new job and since she just turned 20 this summer her co-workers were a little shocked. I wanted to find out why they had decided to purchase a home so young. We all agreed on the benefits of such a choice, but how did the conversation come up? As it turns out, Nikole’s mom was the one who suggested to Nikole that it might be a good idea to buy a home. Nikole agreed since she was tired of being restricted by the rules in a rental property and she wanted a place of her own to make into her space. It wasn’t necessarily a new home that her mom had in mind, but as Nikole and Bryan talked to friends and family they found a lot of good advice about buying new over re-sale. Since the payments were about the same as their rent, buying a new home made a lot of sense. Also, Bryan’s sister had just purchased an Antares Home and loved the energy efficiency. Bryan and Nikole both view owning a home as a hobby and another full time job. They have projects planned for their back yard and have even hosted a wedding! Congratulations Bryan and Nikole on your new home at Ashford Park!