First Things First

As excited and anxious as we are to get started on our remodeling, there's one little detail that needs to be taken care of first. Our house in Houston still needs to sell. It's been on the market since mid-October and while we've had several interested families, they need to sell their homes, too. Go figure, we'd try and sell our house in these weird economic times. So if by chance, you know of anyone looking for a house in the northwest suburbs of Houston, here's the link for all the details.

We're hopeful that something will happen soon. We've buried not one, but two, St. Joseph statues and trust that when the time is right it will sell. In the meantime, our architects have begun the design process and I'm having fun flipping through magazines getting ideas.

Trading Spaces

In December we said "so long" to warm winter days in the Lone Star State and "hello" to frigid arctic temps in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Our move from Houston to Minneapolis would bring many changes, no doubt. None more dramatic than our "new" house. We were going from a newly built, 4600 square foot, 4 bedroom home with a pool to a circa 1941 cottage complete with one bathroom and 1300 finished square feet. Our house is in a perfect location ~ a charming neighborhood where we can walk everywhere: school, the bank, post office, grocery store, parks and ice rinks. While we love our "little house" we knew it might cramp our lifestyle a bit. All five of us ~ dad, mom, big sis (14), big bro (11) and little sis (5)~ one big happy (most of the time) family.

How could we survive in such tight cozy quarters? It's not easy...a teenage daughter and one bathroom...need I say more??? Fortunately, this is only temporary as we have just begun the process of a home (and lifestyle) renovation. Although challenging, I must admit this "exercise" in "not so big house" living is teaching us a lot and giving us a real sense of our true needs (like a really big mudroom with benches to sit and take your wet, snowy boots off).

As we embark on this journey, I thought it would be great to keep family and friends updated on the ups & downs and ins & outs of managing a major home renovation all while trying to lead a somewhat "normal" lifestyle. Should be interesting?!?!?!