CATCHING UP

Let me be real with you for a minute: renovating a home is hard. Sure, making decisions and being patient are tough, but living out of suitcases and other people’s homes is the real challenge. We are at that point where every night, we go to bed after having a conversation about how straining it is to be in the middle of this process. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to have either no one to stay with or people who were less hospitable than my family is, but some days we do dream about having the financial capacity to have stayed in the last home while in the process of creating this one.

But we don’t. And there are really, really hard days. Days where we go visit the house and no progress has been made that day or the only change from the day before is that there is even less ceiling in the house. As a matter of fact, that is our new joke. We know that the process is moving forward if there is less ceiling at the end of the day! Despite all this, we know this was the right move for us. With each wall that falls, each can light that is installed, every piece of insulation floating down from the rafters, we can see this dream of ours continue to take shape. I know that life is being restored to this home and that it is getting the attention it so deserves all these 41 years after being constructed. I know that we are doing it justice and preserving and enhancing a piece of Caldwell’s history.

And that is worth every little bit of discouragement we’ve experienced.

We also have started missing things that I didn't think a person could ever miss. Things like washing our own dishes, cleaning our own home, and doing our own laundry. Yes, you heard me right: my dear sweet mother has been doing our laundry since moving into their home. I would love to say that I am an adult enough to insist on doing it myself but, some things you have to just accept when the opportunity arises. But those types of normal, household, life things have slowly become the normal types of things we long for. Although I am sure that a year from now, after gaining back our normal lives, I will read this paragraph and kick myself.

Now for an update on the current state of the house:

It is in shambles, but we are sneaking up on the point where progress actually means progression rather than regression. Sheet rock was installed this week, closing up massive (scary) holes in the ceilings and walls, and pretty soon here, we will actually get to paint the walls and begin piecing together our kitchen cabinets. We committed to waiting until the end of the remodel to begin purchasing furnishings, but then, as we began stumbling upon the perfect pieces for the home, our self-control quickly faltered and now we have piles of boxes and décor in our garage, anxiously awaiting a place in the home. One fantastically lucky find was our kitchen shelving! After watching Boise Boys on HGTV, I was reminded of Habitat For Humanity Restore and decided to check it out, just in case. We are doing exposed shelving rather than uppers in the kitchen and have been wanting floating glass shelves that were out of our budget. Much to our excitement, Habitat For Humanity in Nampa had the exact shelving we have been picturing for two dollars a shelf! That puts us at a whopping $18 for the shelving in our kitchen, just one of the killer deals that have kept our spirits high while remodeling.

Another incredible find I have to credit to my sister-in-law, just one of the countless family members who has been so helpful in pointing out the oh-my-gosh-it-is-so-perfect-you-have-to-have-it items since we closed on the house in November. There is a fabulous mid-century modern vintage store in Boise, with a wildly helpful owner, the most expansive and fair priced stock, and an on-site woodworker and upholsterer to perfect anything you would like to change or fix on a piece of furniture. If you are looking for the perfect, most heavy duty and well-made credenza imaginable, Sean at Boise Vintage likely has what you are looking for. There are credenzas and desks and sofas and chairs and tables as far as the eye can see, along with other incredible pieces of history that would be amazing in any home. We were able to pick up a gorgeous bench for our entry way as well as our sofa and I am so excited to share photos of them when we are able to get them into our home!

So, when all is said and done, Caleb and I are exhausted and exhilarated and discouraged and completely amped about the adventure we are on.

Are there any questions you have for either of us about the remodel process? We would be happy to share what we know! Feel free to contact me and we can chat about it!

-LR

The ceiling is back in the den! Those boxes you see are all of our kitchen cabinets.

Here is our past and future kitchen.

The scary holes where the soffits were are all closed up now.

This is the view of the bathtub alcove.

The view from where the head of our bed will be into the bathroom and closet.

Just a couple of our new goodies for the home and then literally all of our other belongings as well! ha-ha