A House in the Mountains

After several months of leisure filled house hunting, we found a diamond in the rough!

It was a big enough house for all we wanted, but with a cottage feel, covered porch, and a country exterior, complete with blue hardi siding and a columned porch entry, flanked with aspen trees.

Sitting only a mere 15 minutes from the entrance of Garden of the Gods with unobstructed views of Pikes Peak, we entered a bidding war, paid over asking price, and outbid the competition.

We then immediately, the first weekend after closing, gutted the entire lower level.

We ripped down kitchen cabinets, took out all the flooring, removed all the trim, gutted bathrooms, threw out all the appliances, removed all the lights, and scraped ceilings.

It was lots of work, but oh so much fun!

Our kids were the happiest of helpers in those sawdust filled rooms full of sheet rock dust and paint samples.

David, being ever the handyman, bought wood flooring and installed it himself.

We knew it would be a fixer-upper house, one we hoped to eventually sell for profit given its excellent location. We therefore chose finishes we loved, but not necessarily top of the line.

The house, having an open concept feel, required us to lay the same flooring throughout to help in giving that cohesive feel we were after. Here, David is laying flooring in both the dining and formal living room.

We were happy to have our favorite friends- the Gaughans- over for a visit soon after closing.

This is our bare, gutted kitchen- no cabinets, no appliances, no sink.

But with new grey barn wood floors, a fresh start was just what it needed.

Laying flooring in the Greatroom

Shopping for shiplap for the dining room ceiling

Our new extra wide craftsman style trim, ready and waiting for David to cut and hang.

The gutted powder bathroom with new floors and vanity

We ran our hardwood up the walls for a fun accent wall

While we were knee deep in renovations, Easter arrived, bringing with it biting wind and snow.

My kids were too sweet to agree to one coatless picture for their mom!

: )

New appliances arriving!

Powder bathroom almost finished

Shiplap going up in the dining room on the ceiling

My attempt to find the perfect gray for the walls of the great room

Our dining room became David's cutting station

David also ripped all the trim- every inch of it- out of the lower living level and installed a wide craftsman trim instead.

Here is the finished front door from the foyer.

Meanwhile, life with the little ones in our temporary apartment continued.

Harbor brought cupcakes to a Star Wars themed Scout meeting and I made the toppers.

My Hollin

After school at the local park

More snow into April

Hollin tackled her first Poptart.

This picture makes me smile SO big.

More snow falling at the end of April

Our neighborhood view of the mountains from our new house, and we are so ready to shed these winter coats. It has been, after all, nine months of winter and snow at this point.

: ) 

Another lost tooth!

Harbor, age 7

After a long, long trip to World Market to order a dining room chandelier, a trip to Pet Smart to see cats was in order!

More snow in April, blowing large drifts onto our 2nd story porch

Snow fun!

We celebrated David's 35th birthday late one night after he had been hard at work installing our new kitchen cabinets.

Only about five more posts before I'm fully caught back up!

Whew! 

: )