Well, technically we've moved already. We're not quite into our new house yet, but at least we are in Georgia! We've been staying with Grandma and Grandpa Morgan for the past few weeks while our house is being renovated. And by that I mean that Chris, along with his family, a waiter-turned-painter named Raphael, and a guy named Lenny are completely flipping the house. Unfortunately, we didn't take many true before pictures, but let me assure you, it was a disaster. I knew it was going to be a fixer-upper, but I had no idea just what we were in for. We did at least take some intermediate pictures. Here's a look at the progress.
You would think this picture is the kitchen, but, no, it is the office. We are just storing a fridge there while the kitchen is getting redone. Please note the horrible linoleum floor.
Here are a couple close ups of the linoleum - and what would've been a nice hardwood floor underneath if the previous owners hadn't covered it up with some sort of weird putty.
This is the only "before" shot of the kitchen that I took. I suppose the cabinets had some potential, but they were filthy and the drawers didn't open and close well. Not to mention it was cramped, crowded and dark.
So instead we opted for a new Ikea kitchen! In this pic, the cabinetry is about halfway set-up, and we are waiting on countertops. Chris widened the entry from the kitchen into the dining room to give it a more open layout (which is all the rage these days, in case you haven't been watching HGTV obsessively).
And don't forget the original kitchen floor....all 6 layers of it. You can also really appreciate the wood paneling in the background.
Due to the fact that the house had NO insulation (save a bird's nest in the attic) we were forced to redo all the walls so Chris could use spray insulation. He's always wanted to wear a hazmat suit.
Our lovely new sheet-rocked walls, before we met Raphael the Painter.
The bathroom. Callie and I spent the afternoon stripping wallpaper, only to learn the next day that the walls were coming off completely. Sadly, I do not have a picture of Callie's husband, Jimmy, standing on the DIRT, after he fell through the bathrooom floor while pulling up old tile.
The master bedroom is starting to take shape! Replacing the paneling with sheet rock and a fresh coat of paint really brightens it up, and the fireplace has definite potential!
And finally, the room below may not look like much, but it will be our new laundry closet! This is a huge step for me because at our house in NC, the washer and dryer were in the basement. At the new house, the washer and dryer were in a tiny woodshed out back, not actually connected to the house. I suppose since Chris worked hard to provide indoor plumbing, I will continue to wash his scrubs for him.
So there you have it - the project Chris and I (and many, many helpers) have spent basically every waking moment on for the past month. (Except for the days were were actually working, like, at our jobs.) It has come a LONG way, and we are anticipating moving in today or tomorrow. Yay! Maybe tonight I will take some pictures of the (almost) finished product.
In the meantime, Michael has been staying down in V-town with Granna and Uncle Kris. They have been having a GREAT time. Michael has been to see big-rigs, fire trucks, tractors, and choo-choo's. He's gotten to pet and/or feed cows, pigs, and goats. He's eaten LOTS of McDonald's ice cream, and slept til at least 8:30 every morning. Basically, he's living the good life. I don't have all the pictures collected yet, but I do have a shot of him enjoying some breakfast!
