Why building a home is expensive

Building a home is expensive, not only because well, you're building a new home, but because now you have to furnish it.

What?
Put the OLD furniture in it?

GAH!! The thought!

Truthfully we aren't buying all new stuff, but we do have some really neat decorating ideas and will need to buy a few things to fill the house eventually. Nothing is super urgent other than the washer and dryer.

 

I've spent enough time at furniture stores these past few months that I thought I'd share some of our ideas/thoughts/whataretheythinkings 

 

We are thinking of putting something like this on both sides of the fireplace since we didn't want the built-in shelves.

 

No idea where I'd put this little stand...but I kinda like it!

 

I would love to have a nice office desk so I can put my little desk/hutch in Anna's room for her to do her homework on.

 

Outdoor patio and fire pit? Yes please.

I can see all the sticky melted marshmellows stuck to the table now!

 

Maybe the main floor bathroom?

In our last home we had 2 old crates we secured to the wall. I was able to fit 2 small canvas containers in each and used them to store my makeup and lotions.

I loved those crates.

I miss those crates (I'm sure my renters are loving them now!)

...maybe I can find more and recreate that look.

If not, I like this idea of the file rack for magazines and an extra hand towel. 

 

I want to get vinyl lettering with HELLO in this font for my front door.

LOVE IT! My girlfriend thinks it should read "GO AWAY" instead.

 

IKEA. No idea where I'd hang it, but mama wants it!

 

Another IKEA find. We need 3 stools for our counter and these roll up and down for height. Perfect for growing kids, and MY budget. However the husband seems to think that EVERYTHING you buy from IKEA is cheap crap (gasp, I know!) and found stools like these online for much more. I'm hoping we can compromise and find middle ground and middle budget here!

 

We found these stools at a model home in Farmington.

They do look much better than the IKEA ones for sure.

 

Another option for stools.

 

A lot of the model homes we've walked have large mirrors leaning up against the wall, rather than being mounted. IKEA has the most affordable I've found so far.

 

 Kinda digging the birds picture! Maybe office?

 

Chairs for the front porch?

Yes please!

 

Eventually we will finish the basement, and when we do this would be a great idea for an eating station that doesn't take up much room.

 

LOVE the light fixture. Pottery Barn has some great fixtures that I'd love to change out our basic fixtures in place of.

 The husband doesn't think we need a new bed, HA! Funny little man.

I love the fabric headboard.

He thinks they are just the current trend.

Sure...CUZ THEY ROCK!

 

 I don't even know where to start for the backyard.

We've both agreed we want a large entertaining area, semi-covered.

We love this pergola set that is at another model home in Kaysville.

Maybe I'll just hang out here until my back yard is complete?

 

 

Three girls

If you had told me 9 years ago that I'd have THREE girls...I would have never believed it

 

I have three weddings to pay for

Three girls in prom dresses (x)howevermanydances

Three hormonal teenagers (oye, I know what I went through, I can only imagine it x3!)

Three talks about "becoming a woman"

Three talks about "boys"

Three girls to teach about modesty, self image and confidence

Three girls to teach to shave their legs, put on mascara and the importance of moisturizing

Three girls and the hours spent brushing long hair, Rapunzel-like hair

Three girls and the hours spent brushing their Rapunzel dolls hair

 

I'm realizing how much work having THREE girls really is

And I wouldn't change it for the world

They are fun, each so different

Each so perfect

Times Three!

 

Morning stretches

 

Anna's face when I said "let's go to Target and pick out a shower curtain for your new bathroom"

 

Anna has such a special bond with Olivia

They are so in tune with other

 

 

 

This one has style, and spunk, and an attitude

She makes me laugh and challenges me

She is a free spirit, independent and a total mama's girl

Yes, I bought her the hat. I mean how could I not, look how cute she is!

 

This one wakes up smiling

 

These two can fight like cats and dogs but at the end of the day they are each others best friend

Abby so looks up to Anna

Things part 2

Despite the obvious "my own house again" thing, here is a list of things I'm really super excited about (yes, I said SUPER excited like I'm a 13 yr old girl!)

Kids bathroom - I love my children. Let me state that again. I LOVE my children, but I don't want to share a bathroom with them again. The toothpaste globs and empty toilet paper rolls. I'M OVER IT! Actually I'm more excited about having a bathtub again and not just a shower. Sometimes they just want to play in the tub and well...it's kind of hard to have fun with rubber duckies if it's just a shower! 


Kids Bathroom
I want to find a fun shower curtain that isn't too character or baby-like.
I'm thinking a trip to Target will solve this!

 Walk in closet - So the husband and I have been sharing the closet in the spare bedroom at my moms. Problem is...it's all shelving and no hanging racks. Which means I had to buy a rolling garment rack which are set up in the corner of the bedroom to hang all my man's suits and dress shirts on. Can't have the big money maker going to work in wrinkled suits right! Not only did I buy one for the suits but I had to buy a second one that is in the kids room to hang all of our winter coats , jackets and ski pants on (my mom has this teeny tiny hall closet where she hangs like 12 winter coats of her own. I've been lucky to squeeze two kid jackets in there...I'm not kidding about the 12 coats! She has a different coat for any and every occasion!) The good thing is I now have 2 rolling garment racks that I can use in the laundry room and store coats on in the basement until our big storage closet is finished. So score there, right?!

Mud room - with backpacks and jackets and diaper bags and car seats scattered all about the living room, I cannot wait until we have a dedicated space (hidden and out of the way) to store all that crap. Even if I have to label each hook with our names like an elementary classroom to get everyone to use it, I'll do it!



Mud Room
The builder will install little coat hooks, but I've got BIG plans for this little area.
Oh yes dear husband, BIG plans!

 Separate toilet - Let's just say most mornings the husband and I get ready at the same time. I won't go into details, you can imagine for yourself, but I'm excited that in our master bathroom the toilet is in its own little room. Door closed, fan on. Hallelujah!   

NEW everything
I'm excited to have everything new! New paint on the walls, new faucets, tubs, counters you name it! New CLEAN carpet especially. Olivia is just about mobile and well, the carpet at my mom's house has seen its share of hard times. I can't tell you how old the carpet is, or how many cats and dogs have come and gone. Unfortunately the male cats my mom had weren't the best cats and they've left their mark (literally) well after they are gone from this earth. I will NEVER own a male cat just for this reason, and the thought of my little girl crawling around on dirty cat stained carpet is gross. SO...new carpet, no pee...clean baby and happy mama!!


I cannot believe Olivia is already 5 months old and rolling all over the place.

Things...

As we get closer and closer to moving into our new home, I can't help but thing of things I will and will not miss.

Let's begin.

Things I WILL NOT MISS...

1. In the apartment complex behind my moms house, there is a car whose alarm goes off EVERY FREAKING MORNING. I'm not kidding. 7:15am and HONK-HONK-HONK-HONK, you get the point. Every day. Without fail. I won't miss it. (and I'm sure Chris won't miss hearing me say "EVERY FREAKING DAY?" when it does goes off in the mornings while we're getting ready)

2. Not having a garage to park in. Which means I park under the neighbors pine tree that hangs over the driveway. Now that doesn't bother me, but the multi-family pigeons who have taken up residency in that tree do bother me. My car has been crapped on more than the lawn surrounding a duck pond! And that shit (literally) doesn't just easily wash off. You've got to put some serious muscle into scrubbing!

3. NOODLES ARE THE DEVIL! My mom is convinced that putting a few noodles down the sink drain is just like backing up a cement truck to the window, and unloading 1,200 lbs of fresh concrete into her drain. A NOODLE! The first thing I'm going to do in the new kitchen is pour a freshly cooked bag of ramen noodles down the disposal! I kid. But seeing as my cooking skills are lacking, that drain will see its fair share of mac n cheese and ramen noodles anyhow!

4. The freaking dogs. Two beagles and a black mutt (who has serious mental issues I swear). These dogs bark at EVERYTHING. They'll bark if they see a car drive by, they bark if someone in the apartments is close to the fence. The black dog barks at motorcycles, and the garbage man and when she sees a car pull up into the driveway. And it's a HIGH pitched bark. The kind that pierces your ears it hurts. I won't miss them. Not even a little bit.

5. The freaking dogs part 2. These dogs HOUND my mom. Now she's enabled them over the years and has never really taught them any different...but they are the neediest freaking dogs EVER. In the morning they wait at the door to the stairs for her to come up. Whining impatiently and once she's upstairs they bark until she's fed them. If you're standing in the kitchen, for whatever reason, they think it's a need to get a treat (which if it's anyone OTHER than me or Chris, they'll usually get one). They are probably fed 10-15 treats a day in addition to 2 meals with all their begging. Drives me insane to see a dog be in charge like that.
Bear is very much a part of our family, she was MY first baby after all, but at the end of the day she is still a dog and I am still her "master" and I refuse to let a dog be the boss of me that way. Pretty sure Bear is going to need Manners Bootcamp after this last year!!

6. Not having a separate shower/toilet area (see next post of THINGS I'M EXCITED FOR)

7. The apartment complex behind the house. Lets just say there are quite a few interesting people that live there and they all seem to have a very loud, very colorful language to them. I've never heard so many f-bombs dropped as when they BBQ on a nice sunny Sunday afternoon. Swear if you must, but that F'ing burger didn't jump from the f'ing plate by its f'ing self!

8. Space. Or major lack of. Try being confined to one bedroom between two adults and one infant. Then try containing a 5 and 8 year old to one bedroom with all their toys. My moms poor basement has been overrun by Monster High dolls and stuffed animals. I tried my best. I bought storage buckets and containers. But Christmas came and brought a castle and a pirate ship and an RV and motor home and more tiny step-on-with-your-bare-feet toys than you could imagine. Chris and I have already agreed that when we move into the new house we're sending the kids away for the day while we go through EVERY SINGLE TOY BOX/BIN/BASKET/BAG and will donate, chuck, melt, bury or anything else you can think of to get rid of some of their toy inventory.

9. The damn dogs again. Their beds are in the hall way. Why? Because the dining room and family room are gated off. So they sleep on beds in the hallway. Which is right outside the bathroom door and our bedroom door. I can't tell you how many times I've tripped over their beds or worse, them. Seriously, will.not.miss.them.

10. The solicitation calls. This was much worse when I was home all day, I bet that house phone rang 5x a day with telemarketers. I've added my moms phone number to the do-not-call list, but they still call. And my mom refuses to answer. So that means they either A) leave a message on the machine or B) let her phone number cycle through their system again for the next caller. I can't tell you how many times I've picked up the phone and said "PLEASE REMOVE THIS NUMBER FROM CALL LIST". "But ma'am..." Click!

Things I WILL MISS...

1. My mom. Even though we can get on each others nerves at times (who? us?) I will miss her. She's always up for a walk around the block, chocolate ice cream, going shopping or dining eat. 

Moving right along

 

I am LOVING the white cabinets.

When we were deciding on the kitchen, our interior design rep said to use Pinterest to save down anything and everything we liked. Well when I brought my iPad to our design meeting, we looked through all the pictures I had pinned and 85% of them had white cabinets. Chris decided to add in the stained island which I'm so glad we did. I've seen so many pictures of kitchen who have done the 2 tones and they look amazing! Once our hard wood floors are installed it's really going to pull everything together.

 

And I don't care if white is "trendy" right now. I love them and a lighter kitchen makes me happy!

 

We did spend a little (*gulp*) money to upgrade the cabinets. That's a really big cost if you do it later, so we spent a little upfront to get what we want and what will look nice.

We also had an entry way added from the kitchen to the formal dining room (just left of the pantry in the picture). We took the bottom cabinets that would have been there and had them to our island.

 

 

We kept the same style cabinet throughout the house, but stained the ones that go in the bathrooms. This is the master bath with double sinks.

Fireplace mantel is also in!

I think the white mantel really helped to break up the tile and wall color. It's always hard to tell in pictures, but the dark grout looks good against the white. Our carpet is going to be a really dark brown, so I'm anxious to see it all together. 

Exterior of home is done! They painted the eves white and painted my shutters black. Front door will be painted black too.

Now we just need our driveway, porch railing and front steps!