A New FIREPLACE!

We added a fireplace! And I love love love it!!

In my and Adam's first house we had a gas fireplace and we used it everyday in the winters, once Ares was tall enough to reach the light switch he turned it on every day no matter what the season.

When we were house shopping a fireplace was first or second on my list of must-haves (tied with a large bathtub), but the house we ended up with checked every other box on Adam's list and mine except for the fireplace. 

I don't promise that someday will put in a fireplace. Ideally we would have gotten one that pushed out of the house instead of coming into the house, but where Ryan put the power line to the house it would not work out. I think I'm glad about that though, because this is a real statement in the living room. And I LOVE it. 

The contractor that installed it forgot to support the floor, so he has to come back to reinforce the floor joists, and the logs and the Mirrored piece in the back are on backorder, so we can't run it for a long period of time, but still.... I HAVE A FIREPLACE!! AND ITS **REALLY** NICE!!!

and last weekend it was a beautiful day and perfect bonfire night. 

Gone with the Trees!

Let's get rid of those giant trees swamping the house

Yeah, we'll just pull them out with my car and a big ass rope

Well, the 400lb rope didn't hold, so I guess we'll
cut the damned trees out

Trees are gone - although, the stumps are not.   MUCH better!!!

Project List for House

I knew I had one of these earlier, but I have no idea where it went.  I need to get my ideas down on paper --- errrr, blog. 


Outside:

• Teak stain the swing set
• Seal the driveway
• Build Pergola
• Build a raised garden (Adam's dream)
• Plant better grass
• Get nicer furniture (once Pergola is there)

Basement:

• Fix up a better more efficient workroom for Adam - maybe the spare bedroom in the basement?
• If we do that, then move the bins and things to the current workroom (build shelves) and turn the closets into 1) a craft closet, and the other 2) into a toy/game closet. 
• If that happens, I'll need nice, strong shelves in the unfinished part for bins and such. 
• Paint the walls
• Move toys down here - including super hero artwork

Toy Room:

• This won't happen for a while, because Atlas is only 2, but I'd like that to have a nice couch or love seat and chair and a cute chest or buffet or something to hide adult games.  Maybe a tv (smallish) for the  kids to have their own programs as they get older.
• Put toys into basement
• Move travel canvas here?  Or into living room? Or keep in basement to conserve space?

Dining Room:

• Caulk the ceiling and chair rails
• add some additional molding or plans to the lower section of the walls for aesthetics
• art work? 

Kitchen

• Paint Color
• New floors (long ways away)
• Cabinet color change
• Way way future - new counter tops

Hallway

• Art work, or photos or something up the stairs.  Have Kate come over to help me plan that
• Eventually a different paint scheme
• New floors (not pink tile!)
• some big art on the very open wall.  (World map with countries visited?  Let's wait until the boys can travel with us
• Clean out closet

Living Room

• Paint color - more neutral colors.
• New Carpet (once what's there goes bad, I'm good with the color and type for now)
• More adult type art.  Move the wall clock to hallway or dining room or....?    I feel it's so busy
• LONG LONG LONG future - when couch is no longer usable, add a fireplace, with a rock face matching what's in the morning room.

Office

• Clean out desk, put art project stuff upstairs/downstairs, keep shredder readily available
• put printer on a small side table - one like what our humidifier is on.
• Paint - light gray - use purple or teal accents around the room.
• Get everything out of there, keep small desk
• Buy another file cabinet - (use that to put envelopes and other office things in)  but no big furniture
• Shelves behind a small desk that has the printer and such.  Move the large bookshelf to the basement? put something much smaller there for the boys' school project bins, but not big furniture to dwarf the room - buy small side desk like what our humidifier is on.  Put the boys school project bins under and printer/silhouette on top.  Paint fun colors to match room décor. (purple/teal). 

Half Bath

• Something fun and classy that won't be outdated too soon.  I originally wanted dark tile, but maybe not now.... ?

Bedroom

• Seriously, this is not a joke:   Pay someone to help me design it.  It's such a large space, I'm clueless- do I want light and airy (the houses I am starting to like look like that) or dark and inviting (what we typically do)
• Board and batting- simple stuff, chair rail height. 
• Sliding barn door going from room to bathroom. 

Master Bath

• Hang art up
• New shower door
• Shelves under sink - preferably pull out for functionality, like what's in the kitchen.

Atlas' room

• Give him a big boy room - Ohio State?  Super Hero?  Star Wars?
• Paint walls (probably gray if it goes with carpet) then it's neutral for any designs he wants in the future.    

Boys Bathroom

• Paint something Neutral
• Put shelves under the sink, preferably pull out for functionality

Spare Bedroom

• Put luggage somewhere??? 
• Hang art up
• Paint walls gray

Garage

• Hang bikes up

Whole house:  

• Go with a different paint scheme - after the kitchen floors are changed, I want to go with a light gray wall color. 

Travel Trailer

• buy
• decorate
• make functional storage
• update if needed
• get awning
• travel electronics and linens
• Google Chrome?  how would that work without wifi?    

Today is the Day!

We get the keys tonight! I'm SOO excited! The unfortunate thing is that we're in for a "colossal' storm this week, and I'm not confident the move will go smoothly. Oh well, I may be out there at 7:30 AM Friday morning shoveling snow while Adam's picking up the new mattress for our spare bedroom!

-- UPDATE--

We moved ALL of the stuff I had boxed up, plus the bicycles and Ares' birthday present last night. It only took 4 trips and 2 SUV's. It was a busy evening, thanks to Auntie Cindy for picking up Ares.

This is our first meal in the new house. 'Cheeseburger peeaaasse'.