Project: Life

Sometimes there just isn't a lot to post about on the home remodeling front.  Sometimes life is paramount and by life I mean birthday parties, sick babies, crappy weather, and laundry.  There have been behind the scenes negotiations between husband and wife about combining the 2 blogs for simplicity sake.  Some seasons of my life require all my energy and time and little is left to worry about paint colors and which way the toilet should face.  Here is a few pictures of my life in the past month.

My Noah turned 8 last month.  He constantly impresses and surprises the pants off his parents.  We love him and wish we had 4 more just like him.

At our house, when you turn 8, it means we plan another big day for the baptism.  Lots of family, lots of food.  All Noah wanted for his birthday this year was a black "sweater" for church.  "You know the kind with the secret pockets..."  He wears his new suit coat proudly every week to church.

And here we have Mikael.  Doing what she does best - playing "office".  And since my office is right off my front door, I have lots of explaining to do when guests come knocking.  She can have my desk cleared off and on to the floor in about 2.5 seconds.  Don't even get me started on what she can do with a basket of folded laundry.  This baby was sick this month.  Throwing up and diarrea for 7 straight days.  I felt horrible for her but thought I was going to lose my mind.  Thankfully, an antibiotic took care of whatever was causing it.  But it has literally taken weeks to get my house and life clean and back in order.  Sort of.

Jace did manage to get a few house projects done without me this past month.  Fixing steps, repairing sheet rock, moving toilets, and installing our new/permanent appliances.  And have I explained the turquoise table in the middle of the kitchen?  It is obviously a temporary island.  It covers and semi hides the water and electric pipes coming up out of the concrete floor.  One day a custom island will replace our turquoise table.  Soon I hope.  We literally eat 75% of our meals here.  It is quite comical trying to fit all 6 of us around it.

And while I love the look of my new stove, I'm sorry to say my other stove worked better.  Dang it.  I have almost burned the house down 3 times and melted the babies high chair tray.  The front control touch screen is sensitive.  And I don't think I have ever mentioned my finished concrete countertops on the blog.  For $180, we are pleased with the result.  We learned a lot and we are enjoying them.  Now, I just need to make up my mind on back splash tile and find a better hiding spot for the microwave.

My new counter depth fridge.  Can't say it enough.  If you are contemplating spending the extra cash for one - do it.  I can't believe how much nicer this fridge looks, than my older fridge that was regular depth and stuck out like a sore thumb.

And wait I lied.  I did do one decorating project.  It took me 3 weeks to get Jace to cut and then trim it to the right size but I'm loving the cork board in my black ikea frame.

Spring break is around the corner.  I have told Jace we are headed to the valley with or without him.  Hopefully with.  4 kids are much easier to manage with him.  I am ready for a break from this wind (and snow storms!) and my dirty house.  I need a trip to Ikea and Target.  Thats all I ask for and a little sunshine.

The writing on the wall

We celebrated 11 years of wedded bliss yesterday.  We are so old and wore out that we yawned our way thru dinner, ditched out on the movie, and then fell asleep next to each other mid conversation.  I am not even sure Jace noticed I had chopped me some bangs yesterday morning.  He is so sweet.

I have had one of those weeks.  I have had this inner dull ache begging for some change.  I was talking dramatic all week.  Making threats that I would cut my hair off and/or buy expensive dining room chairs.  And I kept finding gray hairs. 

And to explain how I was feeling this week a little better, I share the following story:
The only shopping in my small town is done at thrift stores.  I am a frequent customer.  I don't have much luck but it feeds my need to buy something.  Even if it a .50 Harry Potter book.  Well, after all that loyal patronage, the thrift store manager reminded me this week that I should no longer be trying to buy clothes off the size 6 mannequin, "because the mannequin has really thin arms."  

I cried the whole way home.  

My children could not make heads nor tails of what just happened.

I still haven't told Jace this story.  The wound is still too raw.

I'm boycotting the thrift store.

Probably until this coming February.

My new dining room is large.  And empty.  I gave Jace a couple options, explaining that the dining room was going to put me under this week.  We had to do something.  Anything.  And fast.

He hated the velvet Ikea drapes and said no to the blue shutters. And that is where the black chalkboard stripe entered my life.  Have you ever painted with chalkboard paint?  It doesn't erase.  It is causing me some anxiety.  So I'm not sure what direction the stripe is going to go but it does change things up, now doesn't it?

4 people snubbed me at the swap meet this morning.   I must be unrecognizable.  It must be the new bangs.  And my fat arms all this new change in my life.

p.s.  Tell me my thirties are going to be a little more sexy.  And exciting!  We have kind of got off to a rocky start - me and my thirties. 

Holiday Tour

Holiday Fun 2011

How was my holidays,  you ask?

Eh.  I've had better.

And let's just leave it at that.

Kitchen - Before

Over the holiday break, the original owners and builders of my current residence came for a tour.  Whoa!  I was so excited.  Finally, someone who could appreciate all the work we have done.  I pictured us reminiscing about funny stories that happened at my house, hugging, then promising to have FHE together once a month.  I just knew they would be thrilled to see my sweet, little family here living and working together under the same roof they raised 9 children under.

Kitchen - before

Kitchen - After (not completely done)

Their cabinets had been ripped out, rearranged, and painted.  The linoleum floor had been scrapped up and the concrete stained.  Which can be a confusing concept for some.  I think they were wondering when the flooring was going to be installed.

Kitchen - after

Master bathroom - before

Lights that used to hang in their master bathroom, have been spray painted and given a new life in the office.

office - after with the old vanity lights

The master bathroom was almost unrecognizable to them after the renovation.

Master bath - after (and not complete yet) 

No more carpet in the bathroom.  New vanities, tub, and walk-in shower.

Macy's bedroom vanity - before

And that fancy bedroom vanity upstairs?  Gone.  They were disappointed.  I kind of was too.  It was a battle I lost to Jace....he won a walk-in shower....which I kind of love too.

Macy's vanity - after

Painted furniture and mirror was a poor substitute.

loft - after (furniture less)

They wondered how and why the beams were white.  I think this was the biggest blow.  White beams.

They never got past the beams to tell me how they loved the new light fixture in the loft.

My dining room - a work in progress.  It's really killing me, this room.

Their last comment was, "Well, maybe when you get your artwork on the walls."  Their comments made me chuckle and made me realize just how much more work we have to do.  Seeing my house through eyes that once knew this house in all its glory humbled me a bit.  We probably bit off more than we can chew with this one but this wouldn't be the 1st time the Baums swam in that pool.

I told Jace about the tour later that night in bed.  He asked if I thought they would have been more impressed, had they known our remodeling budget would have fit in Ezra's piggy bank?

I said, "Naw, I don't think so."

Jim....Dixie.....we love you and your old, beloved house.  You are invited back for another tour. 

In 10 years.

;)

 p.s.  Know that it is killing me to post after pictures that aren't quite done or perfect.  One day.

I'm not mailing you a Christmas card.

Can't do it this year.  If you live nearby you might get a package of cookie dough with a poem included about how the Baums hope the neighbors and Santa don't mind milk and cookies - the unbaked kind.  Don't be jealous that you have a kitchen stove and you don't get to write catchy holiday poems about the cold, blank hole in your kitchen wall.

Some of our highlights this December (and reasons you aren't getting a card in your mailbox this year) are as follows:

My Ezra - bottom left.

We have been attending preschool Christmas programs.

We have been rearranging furniture to make room for our new dining room table and not mopping the floor but lets focus on the table here.  My Dad made it for me for Christmas.  Jace found the carved post legs buried out by our barn when we bought the casa last summer.  Pretty sweet, eh?  It was exactly what I had envisioned.  Love it when that happens.

Mikael has her daily lunch date with the kittens, dogs, and peacocks at the back door.  And that white stuff on the ground is not going away.  Looks like a white Christmas here in Snowflake, AZ.

A cold, snowy December and 3 wood burning stoves has given our kids lots to do.  They make about 15 trips a day, down the hill, with the little red wagon full of firewood.  I love it.

Count those fingers.  This lovely young lady turned 10 yesterday.

What a stinkin' doll.

She is my shadow, my babysitter, my fashion consultant, and my reminder of how I want to live my life. Jace and I hit the lottery 10 years ago with one Macy Baum.

And because I'm in a holiday spirit tonight, I'll show you what else we have been doing but not before I remind you what it used to look like:

And my new office:

There is more to do and more to see in this new room but so far it is my favorite (warm) hangout.

The wood paneled entry before:

And now:

Ignore my attempt at being crafty.  Those glitter words spell "Cheers."  But the new wood floors, stair railing, paint and light fixture didn't turn out half bad, right?

Merry Christmas!

Priorities

We are suppose to be busy finishing a house.  The house we are moving into next weekend.  But things keep getting in the way.  Some of the things cause me to stomp my feet and growl when I talk.  Like the new chicken coop for example:

Remember when the chicken coop use to just be the kid's tree house?  And it looked like this?

Sometimes I may not know when to pick my battles.  And this is not one of those times.  I know you will all agree with me that my bedroom should be completed before the chicken's.  All of you except Jace and the other crazed chicken sympathizers out there.  The saddest thing of all is that 4 year old Ezra thinks Dad built him 2 tree forts now!  Who is going to break the news to him that this newly constructed "fort" is for our feathered friends only?  Not me.

Distraction #2:

Jace gets a little Phil Weston on us every Saturday morning.  He loves to win.

He is the only coach in the league running up and down the field with his players.  Yelling.  It is pretty fun to watch.

And this little guy is so fun to watch.  He has had another great season.  Our Noah never fails to surprise and impress us.  Another reason I love this kid?  Check out his Obi-Wan Kenobi costume below.

All that he needed was a robe.  He wasn't worried.  He told me after the trick or treating that "everybody knew who he was."  Sweet, because his older sister had just a few wardrobe meltdowns.  "Everyone thinks I'm a pirate!"  And I don't even have to point out what the younger sister thought of her piggy costume.  She. Was. Not. Having. It.  And Ironman there in the middle was a repeat of last year.  Love that.

Remember those boring tile pictures I promised?

Enjoy.

Master bath.  I tried to talk Jace into doing the entire bathroom in the white marble.  As you can see he didn't think that was one of my best ideas.

But I don't mind the beige tile he picked.  It's kind of growing on me.

Kid's bath.  Was hoping for dark brown subway tile.  But white will do.  It will do.  

Downtown house - On the Market

I know what you are thinking.  If she is trying to sell the house why start with the before picture?  Well, I'll tell you.  This was a sad little house in the middle of town - in a great neighborhood (poor neighbors, right?) exactly one year ago.  Jace and I immediately saw this house's potential.  If you have been driving by this house for years on your way to Little League or dropping kids off at school - you probably never noticed it or if you did it just made your heart sad.

BEFORE:

  AFTER:

Is your heart singing now?  A happy song?  

After lots of work this sad little house is now adorable with it's laid back, California cool charm.

And just like the exterior, the inside was in desperate need of a make over.

And a make over it got.

We tore down walls, bumped out closets, and ripped out the fireplace to make room for our new living room.

We should all quit lying to ourselves.  We live on our computers these days.  We can't bank, cook, decorate, blog, shop, or communicate without them.  Every house I touch I plan for an office space.  Even my little houses.  I love the function of this space.

The only thing in good shape when we bought this house was the kitchen cabinets.  We savaged all we could, rearranged, and painted them.

Inspiration for the kitchen was found here.

Just know that nothing was left untouched or undone.  Jace did the hard work for you.

We have loved living in our little downtown house.  We absolutely love the location (kids walk to and from school!).  We absolutely love the neighbors.  We will be sad to leave it all. 

But we have another house calling our names.  Another sad house in need of our services.

The Baums are moving on.  Again.

My downtown house is for sale.  Spread the word.  Come enjoy small town life in this charming, perfectly priced house.

Click here or email here for more info.