It has been a crazy couple weeks around here. Today was the culmination of the majority of our craziness. We have put the realtors off for a few weeks now because we just weren't ready to have pictures taken. After many late nights, many boxes, many rolls of tape, a few thankful garbage days and lots of hard work - today, we were ready for the bus to move.
All of this gives an entirely new appreciation for While You Were Out or Extreme Home Makeover. The realtors came the end of February and gave us a list of things we had to do. We went through stages of excitement and frustration because so many things were trying to happen all at once. We got off track and found a house just doors away from the new shop. We have not seen the house inside but decided that seeing it would be our prize for working hard on our house now so we can move.
Chris has been great at reminding us to keep our eye on the prize. Chris and her "team mate" Nancy have been awesome through this process. The first time they came, I was really nervous because I knew I would have a huge homework list. Today when they arrived, I was so excited and relieved. We told them we want to be in Spring Grove in June - with today's market, we'll see. As of today, the house is officially listed. The "sign guys" will be here in a couple days.
Here are some pictures before, during and now.
Some of the before pictures are really old but you get the idea.
Yikes! This is the original kitchen with our kaos added. When we moved in 10 years ago, the appliances were new and it had a new paint job, that's it.
Again, when we moved in 10 years ago Drew did an amazing job on the bathroom. It needed to be painted and Drew & Ashley decided it was too steril and needed some color.?!?
The basement! I have become my mom. We have too much crap! I stopped counting how many trips I have made to Salvation Army with the truck full of stuff. I have thrown out a lot and given much away. I remember when we moved in, Laurie telling me we had better have some great parties - as she was filling an entire drawer in our linen closet with cocktail napkins. Sorry to say, they are almost all still there.
I have found things that I know I haven't seen since Vernon Hills.
We were just about at the point of too bad when we decided last Friday to redo the kitchen. (Originally Chris & Nancy were coming Monday!)
Ok, so the kitchen from the 1950's... We ripped out the upper cabinets and the countertop. We got rid of the absolutely hideous wallboard that they must have put on with tar.
Drew refinished the drawer boxes - they are still good.
*Note - Daisy is not part of the package and there are no critters on the walls.
Drew is just now finishing up putting up the new "lesser in value and sentiment" dining room light fixture. He must think we are completely done packing because I can hear him jumping on the bubble wrap that came with the chandlier that will go with the house.
Who's kitchen is this? Finally the shoemaker's kids have shoes. Isn't it pretty! The entire house sounds different now. It echoes like crazy yet it is much quieter. New upper cabinets, countertop, hardware, light fixture, blinds and sink.
These are the stairs going to the attic. I didn't take pictures but the attic even looks not bad.
I knew my stuff when ordering boxes, tape and bubble wrap from Uline. Those moments on the UPS line paid off. Everything is well marked and up off the floor.
The microwave has been moved down to the bar. The smell of popcorn really makes the cold, musty smell go away.
We bought a 5 gallon bucket of white paint for what ever painting we were going to do then found a small can of yellow in the cellar. Can't remember what it was from but Drew used the gravy laddle to add yellow for painting the bathroom. Yellow isn't a color I associate with us but from the Feng Shui Cronicles I get, yellow is a good color. It does look pretty but I'm glad I will not have to live with it.
When Drew went deer hunting in November, I switched our room. It took a while to get used to sleeping in the other direction but it makes the room look bigger, I think.
A kids room is a kids room. Fortunately today, this is a clean one.
The porch, our favorite feature of this house when we first moved in.
The patio looks great. There is our annual token patch of grass and yard of mud.
I'm hoping we can go visit the house in Spring Grove soon.
It's now time to make some dinner and enjoy a great fire Alex has made. We've got some other cool things to update you with but this is it for now.
