Way overdue for an update! We MOVED IN!

And here it is at 10:00 at night and I'm finally sitting down to try to write an update. Technically, we moved on Saturday, December 28, 2013. We actually slept at the house on Friday night, on the floor. We needed to be out of the rental by January 1st when another tenant was already planning on moving in. The problem was, we (by we, I mean Mike, mostly) were still working on the house! It was crazy stressful! Kitchen and Master Bath counter tops only got installed that Friday. Some trim and tile was finished up in the last two weeks, after we moved in. But, we made and and we're here!!! We are so happy and thankful. I finally found my camera last week and had time to upload some pictures last night. I will try to get some more recent pictures and update more, soon. I also plan on creating a Pinterest board based on our home with some actual house pictures, paint colors, etc.

Here is the last big project Mike was working on right up until the week we moved in. We got a great deal on hardwood floor. Since we also saved on labor, the wood floor cost us less per square foot than our carpet. We put wood floor throughout most of the first floor except for the master bedroom. Here is Mike, starting in the dinette. 

 We had Direct TV installed the weekend before we moved in. The kids figured out how to work it right away and were kept "busy" for quite a while while Mike and I cleaned and got some more work done. They didn't even move when I put their Home Sweet Home sings up.

I took some random pictures to share. Here, I am standing in the dinette looking into the kitchen. The garage in down that hallway.

 If I turn left from the same position I took the above picture, while I'm in the dinette, I can look to the front of the house through the living room. You can see the profile of the fireplace on the left.

Now I'm standing in the kitchen looking out into the dinette.

Here is the master bedroom from the door from the living room. The opposite doorway leads to the bathroom.

I used the same neutral color throughout most of the house. Each kid got to pick out an accent wall color.

Mike built this beautiful fireplace. We added brick around the opening. I'm sure I'll share better pictures in the future.

The big news that I've kept quiet? We have a secret room! It is tucked into the rafters between Mike's office and the hallway that leads to the kids' rooms. Mike let the kids draw and paint anything they wanted, each on their own wall. They have a blast in this room. Who wouldn't? It's like getting a secret passage in your home!

Here we are on Saturday morning, moving day. The kids are all ready do go! What you don't see is that we were also in the middle of the stomach bug making it's way around our family. I told you it was a stressful time!!!

Finally, we really, truly are home, sweet home.

In between holidays, snow days, freezing cold, work, school and soccer, we have been making progress getting this home together. The only room with curtains so far is the mater bedroom. And we are still missing one in there. But, all the beds are put together. Mike and I area still organizing our bedroom since we just got the master closet set up last weekend. There are going to be little things we are working on for quite a while. The half bath toilet came in broken. Twice. We have back-burnered that project for now while we keep getting other things done. Hopefully, though, that will get fixed soon. I am still putting together my craft room. The counter came an inch short and just got fixed last week. I need Mike to help me hang quite a few things in there, but Mike has been working hard at getting his office put back together. Life doesn't stop just because we move!!

On that note, I will try to post some pictures tomorrow to share what we as a family have been doing over the past month besides moving.