Our HOUSE!

It's official - we are homeowners as of today!

As if that wasn't exciting enough for one day, we also picked out flooring today for the entire main level ... and started the remodeling/re-doing process!

Some things we did today:

• Removed cabinetry above kitchen island - what a difference ... its so much more open now!
• Removed wall paper from 1/2 of the kitchen
• Removed the old hardware and knobs from all 36 (YES - 36) kitchen cabinets
• Replaced 8 knobs on the kitchen cabinets (they were our "models" and they passed)
• Removed all the switch plates and outlet covers (will be replaced with brushed nickel covers)
• Removed draperies/window treatments
• Installed new door locks on front and back doors

More tomorrow!

Fiiiiire

Tomorrow we close on the house! YAY!

I've been looking into purchasing one of these fire "pits" to put back by the deck area. I found this one at Kohls and really liked it. It was originally 219.00 ... and I got it for $10.22!

On sale for lowest prices of the season for 89.00

$50 gift card from my dad for my birthday.

Less 15% with a coupon.

Less 10% since it was the floor model.

Then, since I spent over $50 ...

I got $10 of Kohl's Cash.

So, I ended up paying $10.22 for this!

Wooooo hoooo!

Now give me some fire and a bottle of wine and we'll be good to go! ;-)

Paint Selections

A few paint colors have been selected ....

Our house is white.

We are adding some trim color to the porches ... and probably adding shutters in this color eventually.

This is actually a little more gray in person.

Half of the downstairs is one big room, that is really open to another room. It's a combo of a dining room, sitting room, front entry way (actually its own little room), and the living room ... and now that I'm thinking about it, there's a hallway too that we'll probably make this color while we are at it. We are replacing all the floors in the main level with a dark finish "wood" laminate. This will be the wall color in the whole big space:

The kitchen color. I couldn't find the "perfect" color on the computer, but its actually more "creamy" and light in real life. Not SO green. The countertops are a buttery yellow color ... so we needed a color that would go great with them ... an off white would actually go perfect with the countertops ... but living in apartments where everything is stark white ... I need a little color!

The downstairs bathroom will be this color. We are replacing the vanity so this will be a nice contrast to the dark wood.

Upstairs bathroom. Again, couldn't find exact colors. This is WAY more purple than the paint will be, but you get the idea. The "real"color will be more gray, with a slight hue of lavender.

The upstairs hallway will be a lighter version of the living room color.

The bedrooms ... I have no idea yet! I might be a little more inspired once all the wall paper is down! ;-)

I will of course post pictures once the painting of the actual rooms is complete!

For now, its fun to plan and dream about what it's all going to look like!

Today...

We purchased some more items for the house. Sears was having a GREAT sale (30% off appliances if Energy Star) - so we ordered a fridge and a washer + dryer since the house didn't include those items. All set for delivery on May 8th! We couldn't get a spiffy fridge ... I wanted a side by side, but the cabinet space we have to fit it into only allowed a 29 inch width fridge, so we ended up getting the kind where the freezer is on the bottom. Hopefully I won't regret that! :)

In other news, I also began planning a new color + design scheme for the living room. Right now, we have tan couches and I have red pillows and a throw quilt on them. I'm getting sick of the red and need a fresh, clean cut change for the new house. After pondering different color ideas with Chris today - sage? lime green and orange? brown and green? I searched every online decorating store imaginable without much luck of anything I "loved."

Then I stumbled upon these on Etsy ... and I ab-sol-ute-ly LOVE them! I love that they are so detailed and gorgeous. Plus, they are being sent from the handmaker in India, so that's kind of neat. LOOOOVE them! Also - I have been collecting some antique bowls that will go perfectly with them. SO excited to start decorating!

I'm also contemplating these bed linens ... I love the look. We shall see how scary the bank account looks after we pay all of the closing costs!

Ten Questions.

1. When do you feel happiest?

When I stop in a moment and realize how great life really is. It's all about the small things. (Although, I do admit, I do feel pretty great when I'm shopping, as well).

2. How do you take care of yourself?

I try to treat myself every now and then to things like ice coffees, a new shirt, or giving myself time off of photography work on a weekend. Also, I try, though not always a huge success, to eat healthy foods.

3. Are you internally (by yourself) or externally (by others) motivated?

Definitely internally. I honestly have started to care less about what others think, and do what I know will make me a better person.

4. What do you do for fun?

-bake goodies

-hang out on Facebook, Bloglines, etc

-go antiquing

5. What intimidates you?

Meeting and talking to new people.

6. What is something you're proud of?

-That I'm able to buy a house (as I just turn 24 today!)

-My ambition to work and to continually want to be better.

7. Finish this sentence. I never_____________.

...want to lose my sense of adventure.

8. Favorite vacation spot.

Two.

I really liked the Dominican Republic...for the beaches.

I really like Mexico... for the shopping.

9. Today is a (rate from 1 - 10).

Today is my 24th birthday.

Lunch with Katelyn, presents, and dinner with my family and husband = 10

Bank bothering me multiple times today to run around getting documents together and faxed out = 2.

10. Finish this sentence. If you knew me really well you'd know_____________.

I absolutely need my coffee everyday and that I truly do believe April 16th is the BEST day of the entire year!

(Picture is me today on my 24th birthday.)

House & Stuff

Obviously, the house project became so big that I didn't have time to update every day! The project took us an entire week ... Monday-Monday ... it was long, tiring, and I'm so glad I won't have to do that again! The re-appraisal passed, so now the bank is moving forward with finishing our loan.

Best case scenario - we'll close on April 23.

Worst case - we'll close by the very end of April.

Neither one is too far off. :-)

We can't wait to just close and be done with all this drama with the bank. I hope we are all done with sending them info they "need" to process our loan. SO many faxes have been sent their way - it's unbelievable!

So, that's that with that subject.

I'll update again when we know more.

Until then, here's a little peek into my weekend:

Self-portrait from an AWESOME salon in Fond du Lac this weekend where I was shooting a wedding ... also, check out that coffee bar. I think it's so cute! (And I kind of want one in my new house!)

*Almost* Done

Our re-appraisal has been scheduled for sometime between this Monday-Friday. Nice timespan, I know. So, it could be Monday, so we absolutely need to be done by tomorrow night. We have two family Easter celebrations today, but we have so much to do yet, I'm making a solo appearance at one for about an hour, and then I'm off to the house until the next one starts. We'll probably eat dinner at Easter Celebration #2, socialize a bit, and then head back to the house.

I seriously thought we'd be done by Thursday at the latest. I did all I could by myself during the day yesterday, and then when it came time for Chris to come help, it started to rain and our projects had to stop.

Here's what we have left:

-Upstairs toilet fixed ... some valve and a bunch of parts need to be replaced

-Upper deck - 1/2 priming is done, now just needs to be finished priming + painting

-All basement storm window frames have to be scraped as well as the actual frames on the house ... then all primed. And all painted.

-ALL paint chips on the ground have to be picked up ... if you've been following all of the projects we've had to do .... that's a LOT of paint chips. No joke when I say that could take an entire day. Esp since it rain and I bet they're all stuck now.

Tomorrow we were supposed to go to Chris' parents house up north for Easter for the day. We are going to have to get there early so we can actually spend time together, eat lunch, and come right back to finish the house.

Additionally, our loan has not even begun processing. We are doing all of this so we are able to get our loan. I am PISSED the bank has drug their feet so long and not even started processing it and we've busted our assess every waking moment of daylight that we haven't been at work this week.

So frustrated with so many things and so ready to just be done with these projects.

Even more so, I'm ready to know the house will actually be ours and that we aren't doing all this work for no reason and spending all of this money for no reason.