Laundry day

For the past 5-7 weeks we've been coming to the laundry mat to do laundry. We had a washing machine at our rental that we purchased in August but at the end of December it quit working, right in the middle of a wash cycle.

We returned the washer to Costco and got our money back. Our new house we had just purchased came with a washer and dryer, so for a few weeks I was able to go over there to do laundry. But once we got ready to do tile we pulled the machines out and I was left with no way to do laundry.

We could have brought the washer to the rental, but the laundry room is down a level and in a tight spot. Jeremy didn't want to move it for just a few weeks. Plus I think something about the rental (the electrical) ruined our washer, because they had a newer washer there when we first moved in that they said we could have if we wanted to fix it.

So that's the long version of why we've been doing laundry at the laundry mat the last few weeks.

The awesomeness of doing laundry at the laundry mat is I can do a whole weeks worth of laundry in 2 hours--that even includes folding it.

I suggested to Jeremy that we should put 2 stackable washers and dryers at our new house so at least I can get laundry done twice as fast. Some day
I might actually do it.

Sneak peak

Our house is getting close to being done. Ready or not we are moving this weekend and there many little things left to do
Grouting
Changing all light switches-half are done
Outlet to the island
Install plumbing fixtures
Put toilets back in
Doorknobs on
Lights up
Finish kitchen backsplash
Install mirrors
Put in shelving units in master closet
Finish stair railing
Clean out garage

The biggest hang up is the painter isn't done yet so a fair amount of those things we can't do until he's done, which won't be until Friday.

A picture of a before and after of the kitchen (although the after kitchen doesn't have the backsplash done).

Progress

Our remodel on our house is about half way done. Hopefully we'll be done in 3-4 weeks. It's so hard to be patient, I just want it to be done now.

It's going to be worth the time and money spent, but right now it's getting hard to keep up this pace of splitting our time and attention between trying to keep up with regular life (meals, laundry, etc) and spending every spare minute over at the house getting stuff done. I especially feel bad for Jeremy who works full time and then spends so many hours at the house working.

Out of necessity we've hired out jobs we were planning to do ourselves, but we just can't do it all.

The kitchen is mostly done, the counters are coming today. The floors have to wait until all the doors get replaced, which should happen on Friday. All the exterior doors were very inefficient and leaked cold air in like crazy. It wasn't part of the original plan to replace all the doors, but it seemed like a good time to do it while everything is torn apart. It just added time to the project we weren't planning on (not to mention the cost, we have 6 exterior doors-2 in the garage, 1 from the garage into the house, the front door, a back door out the laundry area, and a side door--way too many doors if you ask me).

Besides being anxious to move into our own space and have plenty of room for everything and everyone, I am getting so impatient because I want to see how it all comes together. Seeing the kitchen in gets me so excited for the style we've chosen. We don't have the doors and trim in yet but the picture I've included is the style of door trim we are doing.

I still have many final choices to make, the tile for the master bath and shower, the faucets, half bath vanity and the light fixtures. I have ideas of what I want, but finding them in real life and at affordable options are proving difficult.

Our rental

Our rental in Twin Falls is small, but homey and cozy.

These pictures are from the rental add and it is not our stuff in the photos.

Some ideas for our update

I don't know if we will get to do our updates sooner our later on our new house, but we definitely want to update the kitchen and bathrooms.

These are some of our ideas we are gathering.

We have a new kitchen layout that would take out the wall between the kitchen and front room so we can have a large island--one of my favorite features in a kitchen.

I love bright spaces so I'm thinking white cabinets.

How about a subtle yet fun backsplash of crackle glass tile.

We don't have our budget set yet, but if I can get enough good deals I'm going for hardwood floors through the kitchen, dining and living room.

Also some ideas for wall color for bedrooms.

Our new house

We are buying a house and hope to close in the next few weeks.
We hope to do some painting and updating, but for the most part the house is move in ready.

It has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths in 3000 square feet. Being split level is awesome and it has a family room on the main floor and each of the 2 lower levels.

We are so excited to have a garage and storage space (something our current rental doesn't have).

We saw Santa

Becca's Birthday

Becca turned 6. She got a stuffed Hello Kitty and some art supplies. We bought a premade white cake and then decorated it with a gingerbread house theme.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. All of the Smyth family were there at Spencer's house in Idaho Falls. Mike traveled the furthest from South Carolina and the rest of us live are all closer to home now that we have all graduated.

The cousins had a fabulous time together and played many games, the favorites being clue and rummikub.

This is the first time in years that all my siblings have been together. For the past three years most of us have been in school and scattered across the country.