Not Quite There... Almost Close Enough!

Not quite finished.... really really close.  Maybe not close in the amount of hours we still have to spend filling nail holes, painting, changing outlets, putting in the kitchen window, electrical, installing backsplash, doors, door casing, installing cabinet knobs, etc., BUT we are there.  It feels good.  Really good.  It feels good to eat meals as a family around the dining room table (as opposed to the kids mini craft table in the basement).   It feels good to cook (I haven't done that since October!!!)  It even feels good to clean the kitchen (I know I'm still in the honeymoon stage with it!).  It feels good to host (Yay for Monday nights!).  Regardless of how much time we still need to spend finishing projects around the home for it to be "complete" it feels good to finally feel at home.  I am so SO PROUD of Chris and all of the hard work he has put into this house.  He has spent many late-nights and early-mornings tearing out ceilings, installing wood floors, painting, cutting, cleaning... all the while still helping throw two-birthday parties, a graduation party, a shower... hosting relatives... building Christmas presents... serving at church... loading and unloading staging furniture... and leading our family through a super difficult time with total reliance and faith in God.

Below are some before and after pictures.  Please pardon the dust. :)  As soon as things like backsplash and windows go in, and other areas are completed I will be sure to share those too!

Below: From the front door looking straight in.  

   

Above: We tore out the walls and raised the ceiling in the entryway.

Below:  From the entry area looking left towards the dining room.

Above:  From the entry way you no longer look at the large dividing wall but the entire room.

Below: From the dining area looking back towards to entry way and living room area.

    

Above:  The sunken living room was filled in and the dividing wall was taken out.  The ceiling was raised and reclaimed barn wood beams were installed to support the ceiling.

Below:  The fire place/living room (the before picture has the old owners stuff in it)

Below:  The kitchen looking from the living room.  (The before picture is missing the island already)  

  

Below:  The kitchen

  

Below: From the dining area looking towards the front door and front windows.

  

Below:  The kitchen from the living room.  You can see how taking our the wall on the left and raising the ceiling opened up the space.

  

Below are some more pictures from around the house. 

Above: Our granite is in! It's a leathered granite.

Below:  Under the island are our boxes of backsplash!!!

We just had Chris' parents, sister Kelsey and fiancé Paul in town for Kai's 3rd Birthday/Belated Christmas.  Before they left we tried to get a picture of them with the boys.  This is just a few of the many pictures we took trying to get a decent one.

Below:  We celebrated Kai's 3rd Birthday with a soccer party.  So much fun!

Below:  Our friends Josh & Lilly are bringing home their little girl sometime very soon!  We had an "Around the Clock" couples-shower.  It was so much fun celebrating them and helping prepare them for parenthood.

Thanks so much for all of your prayers and encouraging words as we continue this process.