Sunday, January 6, 2008

Normal goings on for my crazy house....

I almost forgot to even take photos or even mention this. It's been so common place in my life over the 7 or 8 years we've been home owners that I hardly even notice anymore.

The day after (thank you hubby for waiting!) our big party for all his cousins, my husband took a wall out! I think it helps him relax and although the process is NOT relaxing for me, I love the final results.

I'm sure I mentioned this but we didn't by our dream property for the house. In fact our pet name for the place even before we'd put an offer on it was "the crazy house".

I remember telling everyone, "Hey we bought the crazy house." and they totally knew what I was talking about. We try to play up the yard....which is why we bought the place. After living in Calgary for 8 years, it feels like paradise!
part of the back yard
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part of the front
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Back to the house....
It was painted all different colors inside, like some insane preschooler got to pick the paint and carpeting. One basement room was purple, one was a pink and a reddish brown carpet covered the play room floor (these rooms all connected) and don't forget the chandelier dangling in the entry or the mural wallpaper in the office. We had a planter built into the living room, crazy disco lights and more than a couple of structural issues. Nothing too serious but I'm sure whoever did the last few renovations had never heard of a level. It wasn't even like he/she eyeballed it...sorta seems like they just leaned it up and nailed it in. Needless to say, it needed some work before we could move in. My hubby did as much as he could in the 6 weeks before we came out but there it sat, mostly unfinished.

We don't plan to keep the house so it seems foolish to spend too much on any major renovations, however I've been finding the kitchen increasingly hard to live with ... so that's pretty much brings up up to the wall removal.

Now you see it...(sorry couldn't find one without kids in it. We never think to actually take real before pictures.)
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now you don't...(please don't look into my poor door-less pantry and crazy horrible fridge - yikes)
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Way better for having 25 people over! Not the same congestion around the table and kitchen which is where everyone seems to want to be.


Oh and then there was the door to the deck that wouldn't close properly or stay closed or seal.
So he did that today. You can tell from these pictures that there were many projects that came before this one and many that will come after.
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all in....
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And here are the dogs. See our dog Bree and how happy she is to have cousin Molly over?!
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We had to put them behind the gate because they kept trying to eat the wood chips and nails and yucky old insulation. The gate sort of keeps the kids downstairs too... okay it doesn't really but it makes them have to slow down as they race through the dining room.



We have a plan to do a complete addition and renovation but these are still a few years out, until then this should help me use my space a bit better. It aint perty but it works ;-)

I'm very thankful to be married to a handy kinda guy. Stay tuned for more from "the crazy house".....

18 comments:

Badness Jones said...

It's hard to spend money on 'temporary fixes', but they really can save your sanity! Especially since 3 or 4 years out sometimes turns into 7 or 8!

We live in a 100+ year old house, that is filled with charm....and annoying idiosyncrasies! I've got a hate on for the fireplace and carpet in the living room, and although we painted everything when we moved in and it LOOKS pretty, the layout in the kitchen is awful. Everything has to be moved including gas, electrical and a window, so it's a big project I have to wait for. My hubs is pretty handy too...or we wouldn't have bought this house...but the waiting is hard.

You've got a gorgeous property though, I can see why you bought it! Once you have the dream house I'm sure you'll look back and this will all seem pretty funny...

Until then, I'm here for sympathy anytime you need!

Family Adventure said...

Your yard is to die for. I can totally see why you'd want to live in such a paradise!

And taking that wall out is a great idea. Where exactly is the dining table?? Is it in the kitchen or in the room that the wall was taken out from? Regardless, it really does open up the place, doesn't it?

My husband fancies himself a handy man, but I quake in fear every time he picks up a tool. I'd never admit this to him, but it's true!!

Heidi :)

Don Mills Diva said...

Handy men are worth their weight in gold! That yard looks like it makes it all worthwhile...

Kellan said...

He is a man after my own heart - I am the wall tearer-downer in our house! I love the new look - it seems as though it will offer a lot more room! I love your great yard - it reminds me a lot of ours. Have a great day. Kellan

Leanne said...

I keep threatening to take down the wall between my kitchen and family room. Hubby keeps saying, "Wait for the reno."

I'm getting sort of tired of waiting though. Can I borrow your sledge hammer?

Aunt Becky said...

I'd love to have a handy husband, even if it was just on loan :)

Unknown said...

my partner and I are in the process of finishing our brand new house. but for some reason the bedrooms are too small. when you walk in its fine, but if you want to open the wadrobe door it blocks you from either goin gin or out. so annoying. I'm thinkng of getting one of those bunks beds which have cupboards built underneath for jordon's room. then he will have storage space...

My partner is a builder and its really weird to see a house before it is finished, there are bits and pieces everywhere and you just dont understand how it is all going to go together!

Anonymous said...

At where I'm (Hong Kong), almost everyone stays in apartments. Kind of miss living in a house with a yard like yours for a change. :)

Mighty Morphin' Mama said...

Hey! Now our kitchen's match!
The yard is looking terrific though, wow.

Chey said...

So is this the crazy house as in the house is crazy or as in the people INSIDE the house are crazy......or both.

I love it. Handy hubbies are the best.

Oooh, we had another small episode of Random Inconvenience last night. It involved the cutlery drawer. I finally had to tell him to stop already, I got the point!! LOL.

shay said...

Bad - Awww I love 100+ year old houses! Well not as much as hubby does but I do love all the history and character. They do come with some nasty surprises though so I feel your pain too! I hear ya on the looks pretty but hides a multitude of sins ;-)

Heidi - the dining room and kitchen are beside each other so we just removed the wall between them. It wouldn't be my first choice for location but then as stated...not our dream house ;-)

Don Diva - Yup yard is great! Also needs a lot of work and that's one area neither of us really have any clue about...I'll think on that much later though...too overwhelming!

Kellan - I am not that brave! Go girl!

leanne - I threw a little fit..complete with tears and those little quick breaths which led to minor renos before the major one. Maybe you could borrow that instead of the sledge hammer ;-)

shay said...

becky - you can't have him! He's all mine!

tanya - Oh married to a builder! Does that mean your house gets done last?! Sounds cool though. bummer about the rooms!

tot's mom - I should stop whineing now shouldn't i?! I lived in an apartment with my boys were tiny so I feel your pain!

Kris - Yup. Matchy match lol. Fun times were had by all. Do you have a new table and chairs yet?

Chey - YES! To all the questions. Crazy house. Crazy people. Crazy dog. Just plain craziness over here. I love that btw...random acts of inconvenience lol!

LoriD said...

Oh how I wish I had gone for handy over handsome for a mate. My husband, cute as he is, cannot be trusted with a hammer.

Jess said...

This is so exciting! And also to tell the truth I like the pictures better with the kids in them.

Trixie Twatwaffle said...

Could your hubby please teach stuff to my hubby? I love him lots. Don't get me wrong. But if he could do some of the handy stuff around here that we need done? Wow...

And, may I just say, OMG the absolute cutenss of your puppu. Seriously. More puppy pictures, please???

Lizzy in the Burbs said...

It's amazing how just removing one wall can make such a big difference, isn't it? Your house sounds alot like mine, always in a state of transition. Seems like we just finish one project and then another rears it's ugly head! So, why do people refer to your house as the "crazy" house anyway? Is there some strange history behind it, or did you mean just because of the decor?

Lizzy

Unknown said...

You know, a handy husband IS something to be thankful for!

Anyway, your property is so beautiful. No wonder you bought the house "as-is"! Having that wall open must be so awesome for you.

BTW, I just tagged you. You're it!

Hunny Bee said...

I think your yard does look like paradise. Once, when I was really young we went on vacation to Canada (Ontario and Agua Canyon or something like that).
When we got home a few weeks later I woke up one day and told my mom that I had a dream that I went to Heaven. Then I added "or maybe it was back to Canada".
At any rate, your misty yard with all the green and the trees reminded me of that. Happy weekending!