We've been at this so long, I have to look to the blog to figure out what week we're on!  This was an exciting week filled with highs and lows.  This process is an emotional roller coaster at times but like I've said, so, so worth it.  I mean, just check out those big beautiful leaves.  Gorgeous.  You don't get over 100 year old trees at any ol' home.  I just wish I could ask the trees a few questions about the house.  :)One of the highs and lows this week was the chimney.  I had taken ... READ MORE

While this past week again felt slow, it's about to pick up this coming week!  I can hardly wait for our kitchen cabinets to arrive on Tuesday.  I'm hoping I'll love them.  It's been 6 weeks since I picked them out and I haven't had a second thought.  That is, a second thought for the way I think they'll look.  Picking out a design on paper is quite different than seeing it in real life, but having the kitchen ceiling vaulted has given me the confidence that I'm going to love, love, love them. ... READ MORE

This could have been the shortest post ever.  Not much happened at the house this week.  It's pretty frustrating when you're ready to have a restoration project like this completed.  I understand that our contractor doesn't have us as his only project, but when you've been working at something for 14 weeks, you're almost ready to be done.  I say almost, because I really am enjoying this process.  However, I would really like to have our home completed so life can simplify a bit.This was ... READ MORE

After last week's excitement with the vaulted ceilings in the kitchen, this week felt a little boring.  However, it was not without dramatic changes to the house.  Everyday the three guys were hard at work and slowly but surely the house started to transform a little bit more each day.One of the big changes this week was opening up the entryway from the dining room to the kitchen.  I am not big on open concepts, especially in an old house.  Every time I watch HGTV and someone buys an old ... READ MORE

Full steam ahead!  After a week of pretty much nothing, this week we made a lot of progress and could immediately see the results.  Oh, how awesome that felt.  The team that is working on most of the inside is awesome beyond words.  They are perfectionists like myself and my dad and my mom and my brother... and so we feel really blessed that they are the ones working on lots of the details.This week was also a reminder of how long this process is taking.  Last summer we made plans for my ... READ MORE

One more week down.  And not much has happened.  Like most construction projects this large, I'm sure there are times when things slow down.  Our slow down happened this week.  On one hand, it was hard to walk into the house and see no work being done.  On the other hand, it was nice to slow down.  We took the time to really clean the house up in all rooms so that we would be ready for the next step.  Our first draw of money from the bank came in, and so hopefully next week things will get ... READ MORE

It's been 10 weeks.  Every week something new gets completed.  Every week I think this project will  never get done.  And then every week I look back and am thankful for what has been accomplished.  One thing I've learned through all of this, is that constructions projects are not for the faint of heart.  They are also not for those who work full time.  I do not know how some people do it.  Thankfully, I work from home so I can be at the house most days for quite a few hours.   There are so many ... READ MORE

Well, I feel like I've entered a time in this renovation process where things are getting done but they are not as drastic.  For example, the plumbing went in this week.  That's a very big deal.  I like to have water in homes that I live in.  However, sharing with you a picture of pipes, just doesn't seem that exciting nor easy to explain.  I'm not really sure what pipe connects to what pipe.  However, water.  Water is good.One big thing that was transformational this week was the back patio ... READ MORE

It was a big week.  As of today, the siding is about 95% complete.  We're still waiting for a new front door so that it can be reframed before siding, a sliver of the back needs siding and the windows need capped, but other than that, the house is sided.  And I love it.Let's take a look back, shall we.When we bought the home, the side of the house looked like this.  The bushes were very overgrown and so you could barely see the house when you drove up the lane.The bushes were ... READ MORE

We finally have progress in terms of putting the house back together!  This week was exciting as it was full steam ahead in getting the outside complete.  In fact our contractor told us that the roof, porch and siding would all be done by this coming Friday.  Exciting, right?The first big exciting change was that the siding started this week!  I don't know why I thought that the siding would take a few days.  It will take 2 weeks.  I've learned more than I ever want to know about soffits ... READ MORE