Home Improvements!

I have had my home improvement projects brewing on the back burner of my life for the last several weeks. Those projects are now starting to finally get cookin'. It has been a lot of work...and a lot of fun. At this point...I'm not sure which point would win!!

Last week, while trying to juggle our astronomical soccer schedule, as well as do laundry and pack for camping, Tim and I burned the midnight oil ripping out carpet and linoleum. The reason for this? We finally bit the bullet and replaced it all with laminate flooring. I have been dreaming of this for the longest time. I feel so blessed that we finally did it. Sticker shocked, a little. But feeling blessed all the same.

The other blessing in this is that Tim allowed us to hire the job out. He had wanted to do it himself...but I knew that he really had no time to do it. I, for one, could not see it getting done without living in chaos for months on end. I was thankful that my sweet hubby listened to reason. It was a bonus that it gave work to a friend that really needed it. Another bonus: He did a great job!!!

The crazy part of it all...is that I am having so much fun cleaning my floors!!! The first time I swept down the stairs I was torn between doing a jig of joy and crying my eyes out!! I can't tell you how much I have hated trying to keep that carpet clean. As far as I am concerned it has all been worth the tiring work of last week...and the breath-taking checks we've had to write. My house already seems cleaner...and bigger.

Tim has been a little worried that this project will lead to more changes. I'm like...well, duh!! I have this Fabulous Aunt who has wonderful taste....and she's been helping me plot out my paint color changes and such. It is a good thing that I had already decided I wanted to paint....because my beautiful, new floors makes everything look so grungy. I can hardly wait to pull out my paint brushes and get painting!! It is going to be a lot of work...but oh...I can hardly wait!!

So, for fun....I thought I would show you some demolition pictures...and some after shots. The kids even got down into the business of demolition. Luke lost interest in it pretty quickly, but Daria and Caden hung in there for quite a while. I told Tim to take a picture quick...no one would believe that they helped. Daria is dangling from the table because she refused to put on shoes. Her Dad told her she could not walk on the floors with out them. That was her compromise.



The next three pictures show the living room, dining room and stairs after everything had been ripped out and cleaned out. It was just minutes before we left on our camping trip. I was exhausted!!





Okay...now for the drum roll!! Please don't pay attention to the lack of trim work. We left that off so that painting would be easier....and Tim can do the installation. Saved us a little bit of money....and tapework!!


Here is probably my favorite part!! Though it is definitely hard to choose....


And here are my kids enjoying my beautiful living room. I threw them in there for good measure...and so that you would know it really is my house. It almost feels like it belongs to someone else now!!