Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Finding the Inner Gem: Our Own Trash to Treasure Story

So a year and a half ago we bought a house on five acres.  The listing agent tried to steer us clear.  That says a lot.  It was rough...super rough, but what no one accounted for was our ability to find the hidden sparkle.  The house had great bones.  Its roof was in great condition.  The inner framing was impeccable.  It was all the cosmetic that was hideous.  So we bought it with the intention of giving this lovely lady a makeover, and that's what we did.  Do you remember this?


This is what is happening with it now.


We are finally getting the siding put up.  It going to look so awesome.  


Looking at this made me take a long look back at the memories we have had in this house.


Stripped out all the sheet rock, electrical and in some instances, walls and floors.


This was the house where we put in our dream kitchen.  Careful it has been known to induce drool.


Señor Hotness's brother, Señor Senior custom build all our cabinets for us.




We even built our own cabinet doors. (while potty training)


I personally sanded.


Then primed,


and painted all of the cabinets.  This room use to have a wall in the middle of it, and was approximately postage stamp size.  So this was for sure one of the rooms that got a wall removed and a new support beam put in.  A lot of work, but worth it.  


We even customized things with unique features.


Like this.


and this.  



We did most of the work ourselves.


We were able to pick out personalized touches


Like these rad doors



and replaced all the windows with new more energy efficient ones.  We also put plenty of insulation in walls/attic that before hadn't had any, and added a energy efficient heating and cooling system (also something this house had been lacking)


This is the house where we put in new flooring.  Which was beyond warranted when it started our looking like this.


The carpet wasn't the only gross thing about this room.


The new dark brown carpet looks so nice, and it is super soft.  We put a floating vinyl in the other areas that you can see in the kitchen pictures.  


Then we bid adieu to our old place of residence.


That's right.  It got moved out on wheels.  I'm pretty sure there are no less than 20 redneck jokes that can be made concerning this little fact.  


This is the only home that our two youngest girls will probably ever remember living in.  This is the house where my baby grew so much.


Playing for the first time in the newly carpeted family room.


She learned to delicacy of floor dining.


This is where my girls found the joy...


in one another's company,


camping under the kitchen island,


 and making a bed out of the stools.


This is the house where naps were had


Walking can be tiring business





This is where snuggling was both given...


and received.


And where after bath snuggles started happening in mass.




This is the house where an unholy love for My Little Ponies developed




This is the house where I conquered the laundry


Only to have it rally, and overwhelm our perimeters again.






This is the house where Señor Hotness has had such a hard time finding matching socks




This is the house where Destructo Girl really learning the fine art of getting into EVERYTHING.


Thankfully fresh acrylic paint can be washed out of a sofa.



and off of a table.


Fingernail polish however is there forever.





This is the house where sister pranking began.


Let me know when you get it.


This is the house where we got our first chickens




and worked together to get the coop built




This is the house where my oldest started wearing make-up.


and started experimenting on her younger sisters



During this process is when I learned this was my very favorite spot in the Longview Lowes



This is where we worked so hard to make this house a home.  So it is with great sadness that I say that we have decided to sell our.  When we bought our little paradise in the country we hoped that we could purchase some of the surrounding land to give us more than the 5 acres that came with the house.  That will not be a possibility so we have set our sights on a beautiful piece of property not far from here that we hope to buy and build our dream home on.

So from here on out most of my blog posts will be about finishing up the last few things that needs to be done, and staging rooms to sell.  So if you know anyone interested in rural living send them our way.