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2.18.2016

Home Tour-The Craftsman

A house tour! That's what we are doing today. I really feel this is relevant because I know bare minimum-we clean the place it would look lightyears different. Painting will make it look like new. But we have even bigger plans. So the before is essential. Keep an open mind. Remember the "P" word--Potential. And be thankful it's not your project.

We have bought ourselves a bit of a "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" situation.  But the transformation is already so fun. We love old houses and all their quirks. So far we have our sanity intact and are enjoying the process.


Welcome to the foyer. Beautiful new windows fill the home with delicious light. Although not all these pictures showcase that. For some reason this day I didn't want to touch the 50 year old roller shades to let light in every room of the house. 


This closet thing? It's just screaming for some cubbies, shelving, hooks, and pretty baskets. 

I apparently don't have a very good picture of the dining room but I will tell you the floor is awful linoleum tiles with wood under. It has an awesome built in cabinet and the doorway to the hall is an awesome angle.
Kitchen. Hi Grandpa! 

This is it. Original cabinet and cute door pass through are staying. The rest? Needs to go, go, go clearly. So much pattern. So busy. Kinda almost gives me a headache. You too? Weird.


The middle column is the brick chimney. That will become exposed and the right set of built-in is leaving-kinda, to make a bit of counter space by the stove and open the space a little. The left built-in is staying. 


Hello to the reason I bought the house. A pantry. Honest to goodness walk in, prepare in, store in, feel the history, freaking adorable pantry. This space will get a facelift with bead board, butcherblock, fresh paint. refinished floors and, and, and...the list is endless it feels. 


Living room and the second reason I bought the house-these built ins.


Living room again. The house is very segmented I guess you would say. Totally defined spaces. Right now the trend in homes is open floor plan this. Open layout that. I can see why one would like that too. This house has doors, doors, and more doors.  I love how it's almost all in a circle. Connected by multiple you guessed it, doors. So unique and full of charm. We appreciate the architecture. There will be no wall knocking out. We plan to respect the design and find the ability to close off rooms-like the foyer-practical for heating and cooling purposes.

That thought makes me an adult right? Lame-I know. 


Bedroom #1. It has a window seat with storage but a tiny closet. You win some you loose some. But overall is a great sized room.


Built-in again in the hallway with my goofy brother Evan. Just reliving his senior picture posing moments. 


Bedroom #2. Basic Room. No closet. So technically it's not a bedroom but we plan to add a closet. And loose the wallpaper. Millie's already got to work.


Bathroom...dare I say my least favorite room? The bathroom has just been renovated and I'm told it didn't function before the work was done. So for a working bathroom, I am thankful. For the the lack of character in fixtures and finishes? I'm sad. But I've got some ideas to work on the character and maybe someday we will get to all the fixtures and finishes. 

It was all made handicap accessible by knocking out the closet in the Bedroom #2- a positive and negative. However, that made the bathroom a large space, which is nice since it's the only bathroom right now. 


Finally we have the back porch/laundry. Tiny room, another puzzle, just day in the life of the Craftsman Reno. 

The list is long and we are slowly but surely plugging away. Rewiring is happening now and I've started peeling wallpaper. Count is 4 layers so far and some of them are actually pretty, but still leaving. The linoleum is all up and I *think* we have decided on cabinets. 

No clue on move in date. The goal before move in, is to have rewiring done, kitchen done enough, and floors refinished. I'd also like to have our bedroom clean of wallpaper and painted so our clothes and resting space isn't a construction zone. A girl can dream right? 

The basement is large, clean, dry, and adds to the "P" word even more! Sometime I'll go down there and share. Now it's kinda a mess with wiring. So another day another time. I'll update again soon. Maybe I'll have monumental progress...maybe I'll have little bits. Either way it all needs done. 

Pray for us. 

Blessings! 

2.08.2016

We Bought A House


Almost a year ago while cruising with Jerrel and a sleeping baby in the back seat I made an arbitrary statement. "THAT is the only house I could consider moving to town for." He said "Oh. It is a nice looking house."

I should really learn to keep my mouth shut.

The thing about living in an incredibly small town is that you hear things and I heard that this house in particular had lots of original character. ...Like has barely been touched since the build...Stuff they just don't build anymore. So I was mildly curious about the interior and the exterior was pretty so that statement seemed safe to say. HA.

Then in October said house had a for sale sign in the yard and I said crap. We went and looked and it needed WORK. But I could see the "P word" (potential) as my dear ol Dad kept saying and I said crap. Then Jerrel said he loved it and I said crap again because I too loved the house. But it was in town. I've never lived in town. I've never wanted to live in town. There's too much town around when living in town. Town was never part of my plan. But the house had me smitten and I didn't want anybody else to have it. They might fix it wrong. Part of my possessive, obsessive, and competitive nature.

So we took it to the Lord and felt the nudge. We made the decision to move forward. Until the last signature was on the paper we just gave it up to Him to either make or break the deal. We were going to be ok with whatever happened. Snags in the process would arise and solutions would just be found. The way things just kept working out was crazy. Slowly but surely the only house I'd move to town for became ours.

So now town is part of the plan-rather this house is part of the plan, not the whole plan but this part and we are hesitantly happy. The house needs so much love and later this week I will do a home tour for you. I'm going to do my best to show progress and keep you all updated because it's already been quite the story! We are calling it The Craftsman and my new name is Nicole Curtis--I love Joanna Gains but Nicole "gets" old houses like I wanna "get" our old house. It's almost 100 years old. I love that. So we bought a house. A little house to make our home. Stay tuned it's going to get interesting.

Holy Crap. We bought a house.

Blessings!

2.05.2016

Snow Daze-Part 2

It's the much anticipated Snow Daze part 2! The next morning we woke to sunshine and stunning views. I looked out our sliding glass doors and got all sorts of verklempt, sentimental, and was feeling all the feels. The prairies, the wide open spaces, the freedom of it all gets me that way every once in a while. I'm weird. 


I said to Jerrel why would we live anywhere else. He doesn't get it, he was just ready to get outside because he's 8 years old. We got around, ate, and bundled up.

Millie ended up looking a little like Randy from a Christmas Story. But she was pretty in pink and pleased as punch to be outside really truly experiencing and playing long and hard in the snow for the first time.



I can't get up! I can't get up!



The snow and wind did some pretty amazing things. Giant drifts, filled the ditches to the brim, and made amazing waves.


Jerrel took to teaching Millie about snow forts and she took to the idea quite naturally.




Snow on the mittens meant they came off. She just couldn't handle it.


Sorry for the over exposure in the picture. I have to edit it a bit. My settings were hard to find for all the white! But it was good practice for this hobby photog. I love this picture though of fort building.


Suddenly our -rent-a-farm- area looks pretty quaint and dreamy in white.


And suddenly my daughter looks 5 years old. How does that happen? 


Again. Open spaces...all the feels.

Including the feeling that Chester is a ninny.


A funny ninny.


And a handsome one.


Daddy's are the bestest. 



I need some winter boots. Any recommendations? My garden boots aren't cutting it. Shocking I know. But I have a child now who loves to play in the snow so some good boots should probably be priority. And cute snow boots are also a priority.


Paths had to cleared for the cows to be fed so now we are surrounded by snow mountains. Jerrels dream. He almost went and got a snowboard and took off. He's hankering for some mountains and fresh powder.


Of course Millie thought she could climb herself up to the top. She is fearless. I love it about her and am terrified by it. Daddy came to save the day.


My people.


In the afternoon we made snow ice cream because everyone else was doing it and Millie loved the process! She is still grunting telling me about it!

Got it babe. I was there.



We topped with chocolate chips because Momma needs her chocolate and who doesn't like feeling like a rabbit visited the snow before you did? The snow ice cream was alright. A fun activity but not something I'll be craving anytime soon.

That was our snow daze. The last two days have been back to normal, business as usual and I like this business just as much. Thankful for two days home with Jerrel, our girl, and that crazy dog.

Blessings!

2.04.2016

Snow Daze-Part 1

I've been home all week. Haven't left the yard and that's kinda a record for me. I also haven't seen my mom in 4 days. Another record. We had a blizzard around these parts. A real honest to goodness prairie blizzard. Some are still pretty bent outta shape about it and I can understand their reasons but I'm still doing my happy dance for almost 18 inches of snow. 

And yes I have dug out from it. I've scooped the walk, a path to the chickens, a path for the chickens, changed waters multiple times, fed extra and dealt with snowy boots, shoes and wet clothes. 

Still dancing. 

Monday Jerrel had to work. The snow was to start sometime that day. And with him getting off after dark I was a bit concerned. At 6 in the morning I had the forethought to say "Take a blanket with you to work, and a can of food. Tuna, maybe." So he did. Thankfully he made it home safe and sound Monday evening and we hunkered down. The next morning we woke to the blizzard and Jerrel woke hungry. He requested biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Chili and Cinnamon Rolls for lunch and he'd let me know what he wanted for supper. Apparently "blizzard" is synonymous for "gain twenty pounds." Breakfast was easy then I got the chili on and was missing an important utensil. Can opener. 

I asked Jerrel if he had seen it. He said "TUNA." Oh. Yeah. He had the forethought to grab the can opener...he's so bright. So it was in the car and I wasn't going out and he wasn't going out. He said, "Jesse (his brother) has used this before all the way around. I'll get them open." Jesse is an interesting fellow and my snow day just got a little more interesting.


And dangerous. As Jerrel walked away he said, "Don't cut yourself." I know he said this because he wasn't going to take me to get stitches in this weather. Thanks. 

Next was rolls and I had good help. 


Good, cute help. While we waited for the rolls to rise and bake we got our Valentines Day craft on.


Millie loves to paint and it's just my go to. I like her having free expression, no examples, or instruction. Just GO! I need to get some new tricks though. 


We got messy and so again, successful craft.


Rolls done.


Rolls frosted. That was snow day one. Jerrel was to go to work the next day. Thankfully he works at one of the best places. They called and already had reworked his schedule, all he had to do was ok it and he had snow day two to spend with us safe and sound. The roads were NASTY and the snow and wind didn't stop until evening on Tuesday.

We spent the rest of the day inside. Munching away at snacks and playing. Jerrel stained my BAKERS TABLE! and we watched a movie in the evening to round out the day. It was lovely. Stay tuned for Part 2.

Blessings!