*home sweet home

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort. -Jane Austin

I must confess, the first time we looked at this beloved property that we now call home, I hated it. Really, I did. The land was great, and so many things we were looking for in a property were right before our eyes.  The house - left a lot to be desired.  I have changed a few things such as painting, flooring, rearranged some light fixtures and general scrubbing and cleaning.  Those things have made a difference.  What has also made a difference is my perspective or perhaps my motives.  I will not bore you with all the long drawn out details on how my priorities or motives have changed, they just have and you'll just have to trust me.

Since the Sanders abode is currently clean, I thought I would take a few pictures and give you a before and after look of some the common rooms in this lovely place we now call home.  

This is the large laundry/pantry room.  We removed the make shift table structure at the back of this room.  We removed the linolum from the 1970's era which was dry rotted and crumbling.

Another view of the same room. We took the cabinet doors off of the cabinets, making it more use friendly.  These are the cabinet doors that we used when we made the "Chicken Tractor".  I love recycling materials! 

A can of paint, a screw driver, a helpful teen, and new tiles - voila!  

Before.  The flooring was cracking and pulling up in many areas due to some water damage, so much so that you could trip over it if you weren't careful.   The wall color.. not my favorite at all.

The only thing I loved about this room was the fireplace. It is amazing.

This was NOT a good day for us. We drove 12 hours to close and the sellers had not done some things they should have done prior to our travel.  Sadly we had to drive back to NC and come again in 30 days for our closing which took place a few days before Thanksgiving. 

After. We removed the flooring and put down tile, changed the wall color and moved one light fixture from one room to another.  I love this room, it is the hub of our family as well as our living room.  We still have molding to get in place, and in time that will be completed. 

This room has had a big transformation too.  This flooring was peeling up as well due to the water damage, so it was also ripped out.  Eric being the diversified handy man that he is, framed up and closed off the opening between these two rooms. The far room was the dining room area, but serves as Eric's office.  The room Eric is standing is is now our living room.  Eric also did an excellent job constructing a build in to hold all of our blessed books. 

It seems that Julie was following me around, she is in several of the pictures of the different rooms. After many months of looking and I do mean many, I found these awesome couches on Craigslist. We paid $75 per couch and though the set is used I feel like we walked away with a super deal.  The color is not my favorite because soiled areas will show up more easily, but I suppose it helps us to be more conscious about keeping it clean. 

She thinks I am holding a photo session all about her - because that is how she rolls.  Julie's world revolves around Julie. 

After reading Franziska's comment below, I went back and hung the quilt rack (then added this pic). Thanks for that direction. I love it!

One day we might get some artwork hung up, or maybe not. It seems that most of my daylight hours are spent outside these walls. I do so enjoy being out doors working with the animals or tending the garden, so it is a joy and not a chore.  When our days work is done we often retire to the front room for some reading or possibly sitting together eating dinner while watching  Pawn Stars or American Pickers or possibly Deadliest Catch!

It seems that my thinking has changed a bit since we moved. I am not saying that the move itself has caused my changes, simply that it is happening.   I feel totally spoiled and overwhelmingly blessed by this home/property and many times have had to repent for my poor attitude about the house.  If I was who I am today back in September when we were looking at houses we would not have looked at any of the other houses besides this one. I would not have turned my nose up at this house because the light fixtures didn't all match, or that the door knobs were brass which matched (still matches) the brass light fixtures from the mid 70's. One of the first things that I was demanding when our house sold in NC was that we changed all the light fixtures out to polished nickel, as well as the other hardware throughout the house.   These kinds of things are not of high importance to me any longer. These things will not be change out (unless someone give's us the hardware).  Oh, I said I wasn't going to bore you with all the details of my mind change, sorry. 

But every house where Love abides 

And Friendship is a guest, 

Is surely home, and home, sweet home;

For there the heart can rest. - Henry Van Dyke

This really is my desire, that all will find a place in our home where their hearts can rest.  I am coming to the conclusion that everything does not have to be perfect for rest to be found.  My heart did not rest much when I was growing up because my father was an alcoholic, a loving kind alcoholic, but nonetheless plagued by the power of the bottle which certainly had an effect on all of us.