Yes it’s true… I have been sadly absent from the blog. Missing out on spring linky loos, and decorating parties. While I was busy not completing house tours, or blog spots… I was very busy packing our life up to move into a perfect little home half the size of the one we were moving out of. After much painting, sanding, cutting, drilling… and more painting, we sold our sweet first home in one day! What a blessing… but also a whirlwind. The couple asked for a closing date 5 weeks away, with the busiest 3 weeks of our year (spring clean ups and recital mayhem… as we call it at our house) falling on week 1,2 and 3. Leaving us 2 weeks to start finish packing! This is where I thank my family and friends for their help and support before, during and after the move.
It’s kind of amazing how God works things out… because, we have ended up in a little piece of our dream. You see, there is a lake about 25 minutes from where we lived that we had been eyeing for a while. We had really wanted to build, but, with all that is going on in our lives right now, really felt it would be a bit to much to add to our plate. And so, we looked at places in the city, and asked God just what he had for us… do we rent something, buy something? What…. and then I spotted a little “cottage” at the lake on a 1/2 acre. But it was only a 917 sq ft house, with 2 bedrooms. It didn’t meet our list of must haves, which were meant to help us narrow things down. (did I mention it doesn’t have a basement?) So, I clicked on…. but not after showing Matt as a “huh, isn’t this interesting… a little property for sale at the lake…”
And then… while we were driving out to our good friends place, Matt decided to do a drive by… and then we called the owner to arrange a showing. And then, we looked at it… went back to our friends and thought, deliberated, and brainstormed.
When we walked through the house, I was met by original hard wood floors, glass knobs on every door, chunky wood casing, doors, and charming wood windows…and cedar planked walls. Yes. planked. When my husband looked at me… he knew I was smitten. We wrote an offer with a quick possession… and now, it’s ours! We have been here 2 weeks… hard to believe, and are loving our cottage at the lake. We are a block from the path down to the water, and I love our little spot.
There is much work to be done… like stripping all of the windows and repainting them… aqua green isn’t really my color. We will eventually reside, and hope to build an addition… but for now I am keeping busy with the following to do list:
- unpack! each and every room… and hopefully downsize in the process
- paint the living room
- paint the living room’s ceiling boarder
- add crown moulding to the living room (and eventually each room)
- paint the cedar in the kitchen
- paint the living room window casing creamy white
- paint the living room windows creamy white
- paint the living room door casing and baseboards
- put up board and batten in the boys room
- paint the boys room
- replace light fixtures through out
- wall paper hall
- trim out the cedar in the living room
- replace the front door
We will eventually reconfigure things in the kitchen, and completely reno the bathroom… but it will all stay as is while we work out the details! I plan to keep you up to date on the progress… be sure to follow me on instagram for sneak peaks, or on twitter if you aren’t into instagram… @ashleakoo
I still want to take you on a full before and after tour of our first house… and will pick away at that when I have time!
Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope to share in all the fun as we make this little cottage our own.
Oh! And, most importantly, the boys are loving our new home… which is lovingly referred to as “mine new hooooouz” by G. They spend most days outside running in the grass and digging for worms in our big (dandelion ridden) yard! Yay 😉
-Mizz Ash
this is so exciting! what a lovely new cottage!