Before & After: Round 1

I told you we have been busy!

Remember my mention of the cinder block walls? I wasn't kidding. Most of the house is built on them. Here is our before of Miss Honey Girl's Room:

After:

The kids' bedrooms are below grade, so they were in need of brightness. A high gloss white did the trick. We sealed the cinder blocks, threw some paneling over them with liquid nails, replaced carpeting, added her furniture and bam, a whole different room!

We have downsized significantly from the start of our marriage (a 3,200 sq ft home) to now (1,300 sq ft). I am happiest now! It's much easier to clean. We have gotten rid of so much unneccesary furniture and "stuff", it feels clean, fresh, and minimal. Everything in this house has been repurposed in some sort. After purging so much furniture, I feel sick to my stomach buying new again--our goal is to stick to only that which is needed and used. Everything else is not welcomed!

The mirror has seen three coats of paints for three different purposes in different homes... I think it's grateful to be a chalky coral!

The table was our coffee table from the last house.

This little dresser was so dwarfed in her room, so I added casters and a small pallet to fill the space a bit.

Honey spends a lot of time in here. The boys do too. It's a really bright and cozy room.

I made the fitted crib sheet using a tutorial online (sorry, no source)... I will never buy a sheet again! So much cuter and so much less expensive!

Honey's favorite is this little chair. She spends a lot of time getting up and down on it.

I'll be back with the boys' B & A later!

Home

We're home. Having lived in the house for one week today and having owned it for near three weeks, a lot of work has been done. We are TIRED. Moving is stressful; adding a renovation and three little ones to the equation and we are all hurting for needed sleep and coping skills. God is good, though. He has allowed everything to flow as smoothly as it can given the degree of change and work that has been required from all of us.

The kids are in heaven. I'm in heaven. It feels like that literally as I lie in my bed at night, viewing stars from the window above and to my right.

I watch my kids run down the long driveway, climb the fallen trees, and explore their large surroundings. This is what God had for us? In the past few years of change and unsettledness, I nearly weep with gratitude. We're home.

Speaking of home, the renovation process has changed it's look entirely and for the first time in my life I look around and feel like my house is "me". That's comfort. That's home.