Hi and welcome to The MoonBird Casita blog!
I’m Gabi Flores Schooley and I'm thrilled to finally share the story of our home—a journey that began with a dream and has grown into a heartfelt labor of love. My husband Caleb and I have been together since high school (yep, 2011 to be exact), and over the years, we’ve spent countless hours dreaming and talking about what our future life and home would be like.
Fast forward to July 2021, and we achieved one of our biggest dreams: becoming homeowners. The first time we saw our house, it was like magic. Caleb and I looked at each other and just knew—this was the one. It felt like we were meant to be here.
To give ourselves the best chance in this competitive market, we decided to write a heartfelt letter to the current homeowners. In our letter, we introduced ourselves, shared our vision for the house, and promised to care for it with the same love and attention they had. We hoped this personal touch would help us stand out.
As luck would have it, we weren’t the only ones interested. Another couple also made an offer, which meant we had to increase ours. Waiting for a decision felt like an eternity, even though it was just a few days. I was constantly checking my phone, eagerly waiting for news from our realtor.
After hours and days of waiting, my phone rang—of course—while I was in the middle of a much-needed shower. It was our realtor calling with the news we’d been eagerly anticipating. Picture this: soap in my hair, dripping wet and wrapped in a towel, trying to chat with our realtor while Caleb and my entire family hovered around - talk about awkward! Then came the words we’d been hoping for: “You got the house!” The joy and relief were so overwhelming that I didn’t even have time to be embarrassed about having jumped out of the shower for this call.
We moved in a few days after my birthday, and the house was an empty, blank canvas—just waiting for us to make it our own. We were thrilled to start transforming it into our safe and cozy space. Over the past three years, we’ve poured countless hours of work, sweat, and love into every corner of our home.
Since we moved in, we’ve tackled several exciting projects. We started by removing the carpet and refinishing the hardwood floors, then moved on to updating the fireplace. We also refreshed the entryway and staircase and gave the laundry room and master bath an upgrade. Outside, we built a new deck and landscaped the area, and most recently, we created four large raised garden beds to to bring my dream of a cut flower garden to life.
And this is just the beginning! We have many more ideas and projects on the horizon, and we’re excited to continue making our house a true reflection of us.
Through this blog, I hope to document our journey both in life and in our home renovations—sharing the progress we make, the challenges we encounter, and the triumphs we celebrate. From detailed how-tos to before-and-after photos, I aim to provide insights into what worked, what didn’t, and everything in between.
Thank you for joining us on this adventure! We’re excited to share our home transformation with you and hope you’ll find inspiration, tips, and maybe a few laughs along the way. We’re all about creating a space that’s not just beautiful but also full of love and great memories.
We're so glad you're here! Stay tuned for more updates and insights from our DIY journey!