A Tour in Pictures

Welcome to our new house. You'll notice the front-attached garage; I am so glad that it's large enough to fit my big honkin' Suburban because I hear the winters this far North can get pretty nasty! You will also see the cute little front veranda. I'd like to put an Adirondack chair on it this summer, so I can have a nice little spot to hide out from all the noise.

Now we're standing just inside the front door, looking at the room we are referring to as the "front living room." Right now this space feels kinda cold and echo-y to me, but once we get a nice area rug and a chair to cozy up in, I think it will will be perfect for visiting.


For all the pictures, I'll try to leave some overlap so you can get a sense of how all the rooms flow together...

This is the dining room, attached to/ right behind the front living room. To get this picture I am standing directly in front of the stairs that head up (which are just inside the door and to the right). Make sense???


Just past the stairs heading up is a hallway - imagine that I've just turned right and walked down it. Welcome to the "fireplace living room" or "TV room," depending on who you're speaking to. You can see a little munchkin cozied up in the new chaise watching TV. We finally gave up on our 12-year-old plush furniture and splurged on some new (discount store) stuff. It is very comfy and easy to clean (an important feature in this household).

The TV room adjoins the kitchen. I am still getting used to having my kitchen and dining room so far apart (you can see the dining room near the top right of this picture - see the candle hanging thingie?). And those stainless appliances...let me tell you about them. Very nice looking, modern, the latest in thing. Mmmmm-hmmmm. Imagine your entire kitchen covered in mirrors where small children can admire themselves and rub their sticky little hands all over. You can easily wash those hand prints, but if you don't want to leave streaks you must also dry them. Several times a day. Or, if you're me, not! Our family now considers fingerprints a decorative feature. :)

Tucked back by the door to the garage is a special little room - the office! Oh how I love having a room that is JUST for the computer. And the forest green paint below the chair rail and on the crown molding (yes, they really did dare to paint the crown molding forest green)...well, it's growing on me. LOL.


Back by the office is a little half bath (I figured you all know what a bathroom looks like) and the stairs to go down. At the bottom of those stairs you can go left (bathroom), right (family room), or straight ahead (Abbey's room).

Abbey is quite pleased with her new set-up. She's got a fort and a desk all rolled into one. And look! Her bed is made! As you will notice, that is an anomaly in our home.


Here's the family room. That little sectional was a steal I found on kijiji before we moved, and it's got a hide-a-bed in it for when we have lots of guests to house. (I just love that there is enough room in each of the kids' bedrooms to add bedding on the floor for more. So if you were thinking of a visit, we've got space...) That LaZBoy chair is part of the 12-year-old set. It's pretty worn, but the kids don't care what their furniture looks like.


There's a little nook built in to the family room, I think intended for a bar (you can see the plumbing hook-ups on the right wall). But since we're more likely to be hosting family game night than anything, we figured we'd put our exercise equipment in the nook. Funny that two people who prefer sitting on the couch to any and all alternatives have so much exercise stuff, eh?


And turning another quarter-turn in the family room you will find the "toy den."


Did you see that peek of blue at the top right corner of the last picture? That was the doorway to Braeden's room. Notice the bed - now that's more like it! He just scored a comfy double bed from Grandma and Grandpa. The downside is that he has to move out whenever we have house guests (and our guests get to cuddle like they haven't in ten years).


Now imagine that you are running up one flight of stairs, turning left down a little hallway, taking another left and heading up another flight of stairs (this house should really be helping me get my cardio in). At the top of the stairs is a landing that didn't warrant a picture (with TWO linen closets that totally warrant a mention). At the top of the stairs you can go left (master bedroom), straight ahead (bathroom), slight right (Kai's room), and far right (Meg & Shea's room).

The girls have plenty of space for their little playhouse and vanity. Beds unmade, as usual. And their dressers and closet are just out of camera range to the right.


Malakai discovered the joy of hopping out of his crib before we moved. And since Braeden got himself some new digs, we convinced him to pass along the famous car bed. I will throw a party when he stays in bed the first time we put him there!

The master bedroom needs two pictures for you to grasp how much I love it. This is the first time ever that we have had more than just one foot of space to maneuver around the perimeter bed. In this picture I'm standing just inside the door. Notice the his and hers closets to the left. We have finally established who the true fashion diva is in our house, and I won't name names, but let it be said that my closet has a LOT of empty hangers!

Yes, we really need a picture above the bed there. Yes, I know that most grown-ups make their beds. And yes, those are separate blankets. All the stuff you never wanted to know about me...


Now I'm standing next to the closet door looking the other way. I bet you would have appreciated it if I closed the toilet lid, eh?


And though I've resisted posting any bathroom pictures for your viewing pleasure, I could not resist showing you the corner of our en suite. Because who doesn't love to sink into one of these babies?! (Now we just need a new hot water tank so that we can actually fill it enough to run the jets. Hahaha.)


So there you have it, for all you curious onlookers. And if you weren't curious - well, now you have successfully wasted half an hour. My apologies.

You know, I got to thinking that this would have been way easier to do in video form. But then I'd have to start all over again. Nix that idea!

In case I didn't mention it - we've got some space here for cramming in friends and their kids. So make a date to come visit. We'll make you hot dogs and macaroni and play board games with you. As long as you can bear the pungent fragrance of dead mouse trapped within basement walls, that is... But that's a story for another post