house tour - part 3 (we've had enough just shut up about it already)

i can't stand this subject any more (right now). we need to get on with discussing the boys swimming lessons and marriage plans and whatnot. but if i must...i will show you the last little finishes on the house. did i ever mention that my mom got tears when she saw the finished product?!? she was pretty pleased with how it turned out.

this is the way the front porch looked prior to construction. at one time it was a screened in sleeping porch with a slammin' screen door and tiny wood steps into the yard. i guess the grandparents closed in the porch for convenience and added that wheelchair ramp and deck. the wheelchair ramp...boy was i sorry to see my grandma's motorized wheelchair go (and the ramp). we sure had a lot of fun on that ramp in the motorized wheelchair...hee..hee.

during construction...the porch was the one thing i insisted on having despite the cost. it is still my favorite part of the house. and check out the finished porch below. i have been told countless times that nobody ever uses the front door in this house. i know this. that's why it's my favorite place in the house. i planned it that way. and i decorated it with pumpkins...and a red door. despite the fact that i have been told countless times that no one will ever go trick or treating on our street. noted.

and here, the fireplace, converted into wood burning stove.

we don’t have time to chop wood. and really who does? between potty training, planning next year's garden, and grocery shopping, my wood chopping time has really been cut short - so to speak .

because we need the fireplace to heat our main living space, we chose a gas fireplace.

before the remodel, the living/ dining room was always dark. when i visited i spent much time opening blinds, doors and windows to let the light in. going possibly to the other extreme, i am in desperate need of curtains. this really is a small town. we were able to enlarge two of the windows and keep the look of the old wood windows. we chose energy efficiency for our new home and decided to insulate!?! it as well. because of the structural pitfalls we ran into (read: the factory built houses for employees with lightspeed and although they have lasted 100 years cannot structurally support sweet pea and beans) we were able to add a loft area (play room and office). the boys have doors into their secret hiding places (storage areas on either side of the dormer). the train tracks are in the bench...they've already been assembled once and put away. now we're onto castles and ships and far off lands.supposedly this is our quiet place to work and relax and enjoy the view. perhaps a design flaw for this space to be housed so close to the play area!

check out part 1 and part 2 of the tour.

check out the hooked on houses party.