The House...a start...

So here are some shots of the house. It looks a lot messier in these pictures, or perhaps we've become so accustomed to our chaos that we don't see it until we are outside of it! :D

From the garage entrance...kitchen/dining room area.


The kitchen is small but functional. We've put a lot of our "extras" in storage including our fancy dishes and our wine glasses. Guess we will have to drink wine out of tumblers or pint glasses!


There is a giant closet right behind where I was standing when I took this pic. Thanks to our Costco trips before leaving Oregon we were able to create quite a storehouse of food which is nice during these lean times without paychecks! As the food goes away and the weather cools off the closet will be filled with winter coats, scarves, snow pants, etc!



There is a half-wall between the stairs up and down and the piano fits there perfectly! The piano has also become a holder for art that needs to be framed and hung!




The main living space. Couch / chair / tv with wii and Netflix. We have had to find ways to introduce color into our living space because living with all white walls everywhere is a bit of a change for all of us. With the art up it is beginning to feel a little less stark and a lot more like home!


Downstairs is the playroom / guestroom. We have banished all of the toys to the basement which makes the other living spaces much more comfortable for the 20+ age set! The toys are sorted and I have labeling on my to-do list. Baby steps!



You may or may not have noticed that the playroom doesn't have windows which was kind of strange at first. That is until we realized in tornado weather when we go to the basement for safety the kids will at least have stuff to do! :D Also, once we get art up on the walls it will make the place feel a little less prison-like.



Just down the hall is the 3rd bedroom that we are using for an office. Of course, because this is a parent-only room, it is the last room to get any attention. We have the bookshelves organized and we are sorting through reams and reams of papers and bills and stuff to recycle and shred.

We bought a card table and chairs so when the room is finally somewhat organized I can do something I haven't done for 7+ years...a puzzle. We haven't had a room that we can lock the cats or kids out of where I can leave a puzzle out and now...well, I am going to make time dammit! :D


Upstairs are the bedrooms. The girls are sharing a room for the first time ever. We've had some highs and lows and we are hoping to even out to a nice mid-ground. The curtains and art went up this weekend and we hope that will make it feel more comfortable for them.


It's a decent sized room with a nice deep closet. We haven't gotten a good system for the dresser or closet yet but we are working on it. They have all of their books in there and it has some definite possibilities. We've had a few mornings where we've woken up to the girls chatting and singing. We are hoping for more of those mornings.


Our bedroom is by far the largest bedroom we've ever had which is kind of fun. We have the big rocking chair in there which is where we rock Fin down but it will also be a nice reading / grading nook for me at night as well. We made a wall of family photos to stare at as well fall asleep at night. Some nights it really helps us to fall in love with the kids...especially after a rough day!!! (Does that make me a bad parent?!?)


Our bedroom from the door. We also have a walk-in closet that, once organized, will be a great space as well.


It has been strange to transition from a place that was full of our personality and choices to a place that is institutional and neutral. We are slowly making it as specific to us as possible!

The three-level layout is wonderful and we are slowly getting used to climbing the stairs a million times a day but it is great to be able to put a kid to sleep upstairs while someone else is making noise in the basement and not be able to hear it.

We have some neighbor noise which is hard to get used to but we also know that we make a hell of a lot of noise as well...our kids can tantrum and Danny and I aren't the quiet wallflower type either.

Well, there's the pad. C'mon by the next time you are in the Fargo / Moorhead area. We'd love to see you!