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For months, I think I was saying it to try and convince myself:
Living in a smaller space is going to be great. Less room for clutter… easier to clean and care for…
As I cleaned the house for our house warming party earlier this month, I was surprised to realize that this is quite accurate. A smaller house is indeed easier to clean and care for. We have only one bathroom floor for a little boy to pee all over. One shower to clean. One sink full of crusty toothpaste spit.
The laundry doesn’t get forgotten because it’s not sentenced to the basement. And the lint and dirt spewing from the dryer gets swept or wiped up every time the little boy overshoots and pees on the bathroom floor. (This is a nearly daily occurence.)
Even if the kitchen table is covered in games and homework; and the floor is full of dried mud chunks and dog hair; and the living room is full of toy parts and snack dishes… it takes less than an hour to get pretty much everything back into place and wiped off.
I’ve even been thinking about dusting. I know. The apocalypse must be headed our way.
I’ve discovered that I don’t mind sweeping. Maybe it’s because I’m completely infatuated with our beautiful hardwood floors over which I have bled, sweated and cried. Speaking of which, I know I promised some photos of the floors awhile back…
The first two photos capture the living room floor. It started off stained a dark reddish color.
And the kitchen:
We had a housewarming party over the weekend, and it was a lovely eclectic group of our friends and family, all of whom had come out to help us in some way with our house, from roofing and installing windows, to sweeping and watching children. We are so humbled by the long list of friends who came to our aid and encouraged and loved and fed us along the way.
During the party, we burned the massively huge pile of brush and junk wood that has been growing exponentially since September. I was a bit concerned for the pine trees to the south of the fire. They didn’t go up in flames but I suspect that few branches will wither away.
We filled our house with friends and family even though the house isn’t “finished.” We’re out of money, so it will have to stay that way for awhile. We are living and functioning well in the new house despite the absence of finished pieces of wood stuck to the walls along the edges of the ceiling, floors, and windows.
I suspect that moulding will not make my life more meaningful or complete.
Even so, it was tempting to wait until everything was beautiful and trimmed and finished to have a party. I’m so glad that we went ahead with it anyway.
The fellowship of people we love is the sort of thing that actually does make our lives more meaningful and complete.
Even better than having a clean house is sharing the house and warming it up with friends!
We debated about whether or not to tear out the kitchen. We’d probably be moved in if we hadn’t torn it out.
I can’t help but think we made the right choice, even though this is arguably the most work we’ve done in one room yet.
Behold, the wall transformation:
That’s brick-patterned wallpaper. Complete with soot from some past toaster fire or something.
I’m loving the red walls, complemented by a tasty brown.
This kitchen is going to be awesome.
Well, I realize I’ve disappeared from the blog world for awhile.
[Insert unnecessary apology here]
The progress on the house continues, although we are still living at our Spring Lake house. (Otherwise known as the “Spring Lake Estate” …and when you say it, you must do your best impression of Thurston Howell III.)
When asked, “When will you be moving?” our automatic response is: “Two weeks.” We wanted to move before school started, but the first day of school photos took place on the front stoop here for the last time.
I’m going to cover updates a room or two at a time. We’ve made so much progress! Here’s C and J’s room, walls and insulation torn out:
Somehow, I haven’t snapped a photo of the completed sheetrock in the room. Seams are even coated twice. A quick touch up coat and some sanding, and it will be ready for paint and carpet.
The next shot is from the last day of roof replacement. Going up the stairs, I could see right out the roof…
Making pictures of our house is going to be decidedly more boring when all the walls are up.
We’ve struggled with what to call it. It’s an old house, much older than the house we currently occupy. So I’ve squirmed a bit about calling it the new house.
But it’s starting to look new.
And we’ve officially hosted a small family gathering, complete with take-out supper because we have no stove yet. It felt good–and right–to have my folks and my sister’s fam out for some relaxation. (Okay I guess we did finish installing one window while they were here.)
Yes, that’s a central air unit. It’s hooked up and it WORKS! It will be the first time Sean or I have ever lived in a house with such a luxury as central air.
Lots of old-house-style modification to get the windows to fit…
Still cleaning up roofing materials in the yard…
Last weekend, the two Marks descended upon us. And just like that. A closet under the stairs (and another torn out room!)
I’m a couple weeks behind posting photos. It’s a good indication that I’ve been too busy working to work on blog posts!
More to come from this past weekend! Windows are going in…
My sister Becca and I had such a fun email exchange last week. She asked how Sean was recovering from knee surgery (they scoped him and removed some torn cartilage), and I told her that he was up and moving around without crutches.
I was worried that he would push himself too quickly and that recovery would take even longer. I went on to describe the many ways that our house projects are gaining momentum and all the different people who are helping us make it happen.
She has been renting the Little House on the Prairie series for her girls and my comment reminded her of the episode where Pa breaks a rib and has to finish stacking the bags at the mill to pay the mortgage. Mary and Laura try to do it for him, but of course the men of the town swoop in and stack the bags and save the day.
I vaguely recall the episode… I remember the tape wrapped around Pa’s ripped abs. Well, maybe he wasn’t THAT ripped.
Anyway, she said that it sounds like our house project is coming together Walnut Grove style.
I like that.
I’m cheesy that way.
The latest project includes a new staircase to replace the steep farmhouse steps we ripped out last week.
Our skilled friend Chad brandished a tape measure, saw, and nail gun to make it happen. It was amazing to witness the process. It started with a TON of measuring and dividing and marking on the walls. Apparently there are more rules for stairs than just about any other place in a house. A few cuts into the first boards and we had a platform:
Once the boards dry out well and the roof is fixed to prevent more water (and the resulting mold) problems, we will be able to finish treating the mold, and then insulate and sheetrock the walls inside the staircase hall.
Here’s our hero of the day! A million thanks Chad! If anyone out there is looking for a contractor to hire for a remodel job, I know of a really great guy…
We still need to cut into the ceiling to make more headroom. For now, the opening is perfect for munchkins.
C has decided that the platform is a stage. What a surprise. Like mother, like daughter.
There will be finished southern pine boards for the skirt along the wall and the edges of the steps, and we will install a carpet runner in the center of the steps.
This last one makes me smile.
Geez, maybe someday we’ll look back at all this and say, “We were crazy.”
I’m sorta basking in it for the moment.
Prize Mania! Thank you kids for picking up sticks!
I ended my Memorial weekend feeling absolutely blessed. Blessed by fabulous friendships and by God’s amazing and humbling synchronicity at work as we charge ahead.
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We have bartered a wood stove for window installation (and are getting the windows at a deep discount besides!).
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The labor for our roof tear off and installation is being donated.
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The application for a permit for our driveway has been approved, mostly because of who we know.
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The labor for our stairway installation is being donated.
Each one of these items has a long involved story to explain how they came about. The point of all of it is so clear: We are being blessed!
I also have to interject a few words about partnership and marriage. I have felt for a long time that this project is one giant metaphor for me and Sean and us taking time and energy to rebuild our life together. Moving forward prayerfully and intentionally. Establishing new financial habits. Being kind and respectful partners with a common goal: a safe, functional, spirit-filled home for our family. Few goals are so worthy!!
With that said, we were blessed this past weekend with a visit from the Malveys, who maintain a permanent spot on our list of our favorite people in the entire world.
I get giddy when we have plans to visit and our time together is never enough. Thanks for your help with everything this past weekend Malveys! I have a few more pictures I didn’t manage to get resized last night with this round, so keep an eye out for another round of Memorial Day shots!
Sean, Craig, Me and Lori hanging out on the stoop:
The ceiling above the stairs… or where the stairs USED to be!
My new favorite picture.
In the interest of preserving our lawnmower blades, we had a contest to see who could pick up the most sticks out of the yard. Complete with cheesy prizes! (Photos forthcoming.)
The kids formed alliances, in true reality TV style. J and L formed a team:
Against J, C, W, and A. Forces to be reckoned with for sure!
After a Saturday full of destruction and a Sunday full of mud and tape, the tile floor is installed at last… the plan is to apply grout this coming weekend. My knees and back will live a happy and complete life if I never install tile again.
