House Renovation. So Far. Before and After Pictures.

Once upon a time we had a waterfall spout from our kitchen ceiling.

Try after try we could not find the leaky culprit so in a five minute decision we took hammers to the bathroom that sits above the kitchen and gutted the whole thing down to studs and subflooring.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Or history in the making since we're not actually done with the whole domino effect yet.

From the bathroom redid the kitchen ceiling which used to have a drop down ceiling and florecent lights.

Then we turned a walk in closet next to the bathroom into a second laundry.

We were already re-doing the plumbing, we might as well, right?

While we're on the subject of tearing up our house, let's work on the main floor.  It needs a facelift.

And though we are far from done with the changes that will be made to our house, I present to you, our house and what we've done so far.

Ignore the fact that we haven't actually decorated yet.

This is just showing fundamental changes.

We'll get to the frilly fun stuff soon.

I hope.

I apologize in advance that a lot of these pictures where taken with my phone and I'm no professional photog so they're not edited or anything for better quality.

Bathroom Before:

We'd already started pulling up carpet, I'm just glad I had the presence of mind to take some before pictures before we really tore into it.

During pictures can be found here here here.

Bathroom after.

Ignore the fact that we don't have mirrors above the sink yet.

 The Man made the room bigger and rearranged the layout.

We now have a private toilet room so the mirrors and sinks can be used while someone needs a little privacy.  Kind of a big deal when you have half a dozen kids.

Quite the difference, huh.

The office before:

We'd already moved the furniture to begin but I'm still glad I got these pictures because the difference blows my mind.

Office during here here

Office so far (since we haven't decorated):

TV Room before:

This room always felt so dark, even with the blinds open and the lights on.

Once again I took pictures after furniture had been moved and we were getting ready to tear into it.

TV Room so far:

(Like the beach towel that we're using as a rug in front of the door to catch wet feet?)

Dining Room before:

Before paint and new floor:

After paint but still before new floor:

Dining Room so far:

It's still a work in progress.

And we still have plans to end our love affair with those pink counter tops.

But for now it's time to pause the tearing into the nitty gritty of the house and start decorating and finishing the rooms we've done.

I'm so in love with this house.

Screw the Mantel, I Don't Even Have A Dining Room Floor Right Now.

Remember to enter for the double book giveaway here.

The Navigator is still in the shop.

On Friday I drove the monster truck.

On Saturday I drove the monster truck.

On Sunday I drove the monster truck.

Do you know what it's like to scrape snow off of windows that are above your head while wearing a skirt and heels?

The Man needed the monster truck today so I'm on my own.  Actually, I was pretty okay with that.  I had some time off saved up at work and I thought, "I can clean up all the messes that have accumulated during the construction of our house and wrap some presents."

So I emailed my boss and told him I still didn't have a car and I would just take a personal day and stay home.

He responded with, "you shouldn't waste your personal days.  You need to use it closer to the holiday when you can be with your kids and be doing Christmas things.  I can send an agent to come and get you."

And I shrugged my shoulders.

Whatever.

I didn't really want to clean anyway.  More dust will be made.

Over the weekend we crossed off two of my December bucket list items (here).  We watched The Muppets Christmas Carol and had a hot chocolate bar.

The pinterest picture I was taking the idea from was this:

{pin}

Let's be real.

My hot chocolate bar was by no means this cute.

And I'm okay with that.  I think we, as mothers, put way too much pressure on ourselves to make the things we do over the top presentable.

I sat the bags and boxes of goodies on the counter and told the kids to have it.

Where they disappointed that it wasn't in individually labeled cups?

No.

And neither was I.

We seriously need to give ourselves a break.  We can't get caught up in the little stuff that doesn't even matter.

My kitchen was full of giggling and excitement as the kids threw all sorts of goodies into their mugs.

This December is starting out on a good foot for me. We only have a Christmas tree up, no other decorations of any kind.  I don't have lights on the outside of my house, I don't even have stockings hung, and I certainly don't have my mantel decorated.

Screw the mantel, I don't even have a dining room floor right now.  (Which is the room where the fire place is).

And yet there is still magic in the air.

The kids laugh together and whisper around the tree.

They randomly break out into Christmas songs at the top of their lungs, or hum them while doing their chores and homework.

They curl up together on the couch while we watch Christmas shows on TV.

They secretly whisper to me about the plans they have for the sibling whose name they've drawn this year.

And it isn't about the decorations.

It's about the feeling.

The feeling of doing things for other people.

The feeling of knowing that we have a Savior.

The feeling that we're a family and we're creating these memories.

*Remember that year when we had to eat Christmas dinner on the office floor around the Christmas tree because we didn't have a dining room floor?*

And we'll giggle because it was the best Christmas ever.

As long as Santa doesn't fall in the holes when he comes down the chimney.

(Also this weekend we tried hot chocolate in the crockpot, another December bucket list item and oh. so. good.  Do it now.  Find the pin here).

(Also, we made these mini peach cobblers.  Like a snickerdoodle with peaches. Do it now. Find the pin here).