come on in!

I feel a little silly posting a "tour" of our new home, but I'm doing it anyway. Out-of-town family and friends have requested it, and I can't seem to figure out how to include my commentary with a slideshow on Shutterfly. So, here it is! I feel like we are finally to the point of being pretty much settled in, although this is most definitely a "keeping it real" tour. You'll spy some boxes on the floor and lots of unfinished decorating.

Welcome to our new home! We have been here almost one month and have been so happy here already. God really provided just what we were looking for in a new house. One thing that is HUGE to us is the location. We are just down the street from where Josh & I both grew up, so moving here has been like a homecoming for us. My parents' house is 1.2 miles away and Josh's parents' house is 1.1 miles away (yes I clocked it, and yes our parents live .1 miles from each other!) This is a wonderful home in a wonderful area to raise our little family, and we are happy, happy, happy to be here. Thanks be to God! There are little quirks and issues that come with buying a 35-year-old house, but we are here for the long haul and thankful for a happy home. 

(you'll have to excuse my terrible photography!) 

Come on in! This is our front entry. Notice the mirror sitting on the floor--nice touch, huh? Someday I hope to find the right table to go underneath that mirror. In the meantime, I suppose I should move the mirror before one of the wee ones knocks it over. 

  

Our dining room is to the right when you walk in. It is not the color I would have chosen, and the walls are completely devoid of any decoration, and it could use a rug. In good time I will spiff it up :) We did score the table and chairs for a steal on Craig's List! I'm so thankful that we now have the space to have people over for dinner, because in our old house all we had was our tiny little 4-seater kitchen table.

To the left of the entry is a formal living room, which we have decided to use as an office. Again--no rug, no decor. Someday I hope to get Josh a big, nice desk, put some french doors in, and create a nice office space for him. 

Walk straight down the front hallway and you will end up in our cozy den/family room. I love the color, the built-ins, (which I think I have re-decorated 3 times already), and the face that all our furniture fit in just perfectly. It still needs a few decorative touches--most glaringly something to hang behind the couch. I'm at a total loss of what to get, though, as the decorative paneling is really throwing me off! Suggestions are welcome :)

Here is a terrible photo of the half bath :)

Next up is the kitchen. This is the view from the dining room. I have more counter and cabinet space than in our old kitchen, but I do miss the breakfast bar a little bit. I love the big windows in the breakfast area, they let in so much pretty light (hard to tell with my lacking photography skills!)

This is hard to portray in photos, but I have to show you this potentially great room behind the kitchen! First, here is the little area when you walk in from the garage. This is looking from the kitchen. To the right is the back staircase, which leads right up to the bonus room side of the upstairs. Next to those hooks is the garage door, and those accordion doors on the left are where the washer and dryer are located. Then behind here is my future favorite room in the house :)

I'm not sure what to call this room, but someday I envision it as a mudroom slash craftroom (slash homework room?) The previous owners built those big cubbies to the right and added the cabinets but never painted either of them. We plan to move the big cubbies to the garage and build something a bit prettier/less bulky that I saw on Pinterest. I want to replace the fan with a smaller light fixture, get a rug, frame the chalkboard rectangles (or perhaps hang framed bulletin boards in their place?) and really I'd love the paint the room but let's be real about what I'll really get around to!

Bad photo of the long table-height (is that a real thing?) counter. I can picture myself sitting here crafting while the boys play in the backyard outside that window, or can picture them someday sitting at two little chairs getting their homework done while I cook dinner in the kitchen next door. I am nothing if not a dreamer :)

Okay let's head upstairs where I will try to be a little less wordy!

This is one side of the L-shaped upstairs hallway, just to give you an idea of layout. Those two doors at the end of the hallway are the boys' rooms, to the right just outside the picture is the master bedroom, behind is the boy's bathroom, and to the left is the other side of the hallway. 

Terrible photos of the boys' bathroom:

Here is Sam's room. I still need to figure out what else to hand on his walls, and I need to finish re-purposing the existing valances to make them work with his stuff.

And here is Noah's room. He had big vinyl stickers of construction vehicles in his old room, and for this room he requested a plane and a helicopter :) This is the only room we had to paint before moving in, it was BRIGHT pink before!

This is the master bedroom from two different angles. I love my little balcony, although I haven't really been out there :) You can't really see it well in this picture.

Master bath. Nice spacious counter and a huge tiled shower. I miss my Jacuzzi but oh well.

For perspective, here's the other side of the upstairs hallway. This is looking straight down the hallway from the master bedroom. Someday I want all this walls to be filled with family pictures. Oh, and there's Sam saying hi :)

Keeping it real: this is the 4th bedroom in it's current state. No furniture for that room quite yet. I'd love a nice guest room.

At the end of the hallway is the bonus room/playroom. This is a huuuuge plus for us! It's wonderful having a place for the toys and all the fun stuff. The boys love it! I've had fun decorating it but of course have more in mind! Always. All the furniture, pillows, etc. are done but I need o work on the walls now.

Now let's step out back. Our #2 reason for loving this house, right after the location. This backyard is a dream! Despite the heat wave, we have enjoyed time out there almost every day since moving in.

 Ok out-of-towners (you know who you are!) there is your tour! Now come visit us SOON!