Merry Sneezemas and a Happy Flu Year.

Heads Up: This post was written pre-Christmas, but I ran out of time to actually get it posted (and pictures shot) when I wrote it. Whoops! So, without further adieu...

Ed and I are hosting Christmas at RHN this year and seriously couldn't be more excited! Well, I'll tell you what I'm not excited about - this damn cold that latched onto my face and has effectively taken over my hearing, speaking, and sense of smell. Merry Sneezemas everyone (and I DO NOT have the flu. It just fit in the title).  Anyway, we have about 14 people coming for Christmas dinner so that means major-clean-up-get-the-boxes-put-away-time. It also means house tour time. Yup!


Live from LaGrange it's Red House Nine!

Remember the days when there used to be a closet there?

The upstairs hallway. As you can see we are still missing a few doors. Hey, we finally got the bathroom and linen closet door on so yelling to 'not come upstairs' wasn't the only form of privacy. Yea, we're classy alright. Straight up class-masters.

That WAS the kitchen when we first started demolition on it. It's cool to have no words because honestly anything besides WTF?! isn't really sufficient.  

 We are working with apartment sized furniture at the moment. Eventually we will have grown-up, more matching furniture; for now we live vicariously through youth laden small couches and 5'7" rugs.

 

A true kitchen Before and After:

 We also have received our counter tops - obviously. They are gorgeous and fabulous and perfect and Ed and I couldn't be happier (with the final outcome. The process through Home Depot is a whole other frustrating story. Let's just say they get a 2.5 out of 5 stars). No, we aren't use saying that, and yes, we want to make out with them. Or at least I do.


The color is Blanco Taupe. It is a true granite (not all granite counters are. I know, I don't know that either until Jess and Scott came over - so cool!) according to our friend Geologist Jess (hi Jess!) and it cost less than the engineered counter tops - Corian, Staron, etc. would have cost us. It is sealed for 15 years for those whom are in the curious bunch and we added no upgrades. The edges are bevel, the corners are 3/4", the sink is under mount, the faucet is an American Standard with the fancy spray top nozzle that detaches from the top, and the overhang is a whopping 10.5" off the counter to create a bar/breakfast nook/eat-in feature and the total square footage is 52 sq feet of counter top space. Yea, it's pretty massive.

I have stools picked out for underneath that counter and a very clear idea of what type of dining room table, chairs, rug, and chandelier will occupy the glorious dining room. The living room needs help in the furniture department as well and someday we will get there. We have been throwing ideas around as of late that will seat may a visitor comfortably.


So, there you have it. Our last but not least massive project for the hizzy. It's not the end - not even close. We just semi-finished the tip of the iceberg and still have the rest to go. As you can tell, we have molding to install and floor thresholds to finish. There's also the front and back yards to 'renovate' and the basement/rec room to finish, Frumpka's room... Yea, that's next. It's a disaster right now - they all are.  


I leave you all wishing you the Merriest of Christmas, the Happiest of Hanukkah, and all things wonderful in the New Year. Please accept my blog hugs and smooches to each of you - they won't get you sick! We heart you all. Cheers.

The Bathroom Revealed.

We have been cra-zay insane busy. We have been diligently working away like two little giant elves preparing for Christmas at RHN. I know, I know, people say it doesn't have to be perfect because it's 'just family', but let me tell you, in my little world it does have to be as close to perfect as possible. Label it 'you crazy girl' OCD or just plain OCD, but everything has its spot and it needs to be there and only there and look purdy. Sue me.  


So, let's talk about the bathroom, shall we? I owe you a giant picture loaded update of the one room in our house that has fought with us every.step.of.the.way. This bathroom went from disgusting to pretty decent. From ugly duckling to beautiful swan. From crusty and dilapidated to smooth and sturdy. So, what did we change in the bathroom? We changed EVERYTHING. Ok, with two exceptions: the door and the window (as in the physical window because it was new). Everything else is brand spankin' new. EVERYTHING. So, shall we take a trip down memory lane and visit the cringingly-ugly moldy bathroom?

UGH. ugh. ugh. Ew. Yes, they're technical terms for my disgust. 

Now it has morphed into: 

There you have it. Our morphed from yuck into palatable bathroom. Like many other instances, these pics don't really do the room justice. I want to say right off that the art work was done by Cman in the second grade. LOVE it. Ok, so...We installed all new: insulation, sub floor around the toilet and tub, holy sheet!rock, bathtub, tile in the tub (white subway), plumbing, window molding, electrical outlets, sconces, light switch, floor molding, floor tile (marble), sink, vanity, toilet, shower head and faucet, recessed light, fan, accessories, etc. I don't know the exact total budget for this project, but my close guesstimate is around $2100.00. Considering we gut this puppy down to NOTHING and had to replace integral elements within the structure (sub floor anyone?), around $2100 isn't too shabby. Of course, that $2100 is pure parts no labor costs since my dad, brother, brother-in-law, Ed, and I did all the work ourselves. We didn't have to rent any tools (we had most of them, and whatever we didn't have Ed celebrated xmas early by buying the tools), but I have to confess the color wasn't always that pretty calming gray/blue (Behr's Urban Mist). The original color was drama-llama-queen peacock blue. Oh it was so pretty, but oh so wrong for the space. Want to see?

Yes, the latter color chosen was definitely the better choice. Oh well, don't know until you try, right?

So there you have it kids, the big ol' bathroom reveal. What are your thoughts? Does everyone approve? Disapprove? Was it worth the wait? Am I asking too many questions? Who wants ice cream? 

I'll be back this weekend with a new and improved house tour. Riveting. 

I.O.U.

I know I owe you all a HUGE update on whats been happening around here on the grounds of RHN.  Will a suitcase full of I.O.U.'s suffice? 

Hold on to your tuckus. We will be back soon! 

Just A Quick Note...

Just quickly popping in to wish my sister, Ellen and best friend, Kathryn a very, very Happy Birthday today!!! They both mean the world to me and my life would never be the same without them. So cheers to best friends that are sisters and sisters that are best friends. Love you both! 

Bomb-Bomb-Bomb-Ba-Ba-Ba-Bomb. You Don't Say Bomb On An Airplane!

What movie is the title from? How many of you are saying 'that's from a movie?' 


The hizzy is a mess. It is full on a-bomb-went-off-in-it certifiable. Why you ask? What's different than what it usually looks like? Well we moved in. Mostly. The beds are residing in their new respective spaces - aka the bedrooms and the cabinets are full of stuff. It's funny, you don't realize how much stuff you really have until you unpack it all after 2 years of not using it. Ninety percent of the big furniture is still all cluttered in the living room along with the tools and the other couch is still in the garage. It's okeydokey, though...kinda.

R2D2. The Russians measuring 'compudor'.

The counter guy came to plan out the template Monday morning and Tuesday Ed went to go and pick out our slab. I have to tell you all a little about the counter template guy. This man was huge - probably 6'4' and big. He was Serbian/Russian and mumbled a lot in Russian-English. Ruslish? Engssian? Anyways, he talked a lot, asked a lot of really non-relevant wtf questions, criticized Ed a lot, and get this - was scared of the dog. Yes, scared of Mama. The dog that will lick you to death (well, after she's done barking as if she's going to tear you to shreds and leave you unrecognizable).  I do believe his words were 'You dog. She is little dog with big bark.' Then he continued 'my wife want dog, the one in our back yard. How much is cost to have dog in your country, the USA?' 'I tell my wife - we get little dog like on commercial. I say little dog, little monies.' Ha! A 6'4" Russian with a chihuahua. This was one of many gems he came out with. Yes, this the new and exciting life of Kelly and Ed! Slab picking-outting, Russian wrangling, and unpacking. Try not to be to jealous, ok? I know it's somewhat difficult.


We have our Christmas tree up and lit and I LOVE it. It fits perfectly in our living room. I will put up some pictures once we clean this place up fully this weekend. I also owe you pictures of the bathroom and I will get to those as well. So, this weekend will be another full one. I would like to get our washer and dryer installed and working and we need to clean. Honestly, what we really need is a bulldozer and a black hole, but the attic is going to have to suffice. We schedule our installation for the counters today and by Christmas, we will have them in to cook/serve Christmas dinner for the fam. Yup, this Christmas dinner is going to be casual and casual...well, that's the plan anyway.