The Short List and the Not So Short List

Now that we've been here for a few months, I have a better understanding of what needs to be done! I've made two different lists. Ideally we'll be here for a good long while, but on the off chance we're not (which we should know in less than two years) I've made a list of long term goals.

Foyer

 Short List

• scrape paint off windows
• touch up paint
• paint closet
• organize/purge closet
• add rug
• add art
• console table
• change light switch and cover

Long List

• wallpaper
• flooring (quarter round)
• update hardware
• new light
• paint heater
• crown molding

Front Room

 Short List

• hang gallery wall
• add bar cart (stock)
• rug
• hang curtains (panels-rod)
• new desk
• touch up paint
• scrape paint off window
• 2 more bookcases
• change out outlets, switches, covers
• reupholster dining room chairs

Long List

• crown molding
•  add chandelier

Hallway/Linen Closet

  Short List

• add art
• touch up paint
• runner
• change outlets, covers, switches
• new light
• paint closet
• organize/purge

Long List

• flooring (quarter round)
• change hardware
•  crown molding
• redo shelving in closet 

Family Room

 
Short List

• hang gallery wall
• curtains (rod-panels)
• touch up paint
• paint sliding door black
• paint closets
• organize/purge closets
• mount tv
• toy storage
• update furniture ( coffee table, lighting, rug, tables, tv console, chairs)
• change outlets, covers, switches

Long List

• flooring (quarter round)
• replace sliding glass door (french doors?)
• redo shelving in closets
• add built-ins
• overhead lighting
• crown molding
• new hardware

Kitchen

  Short List

• paint chalkboard wall
• change outlets, switches, covers
• paint walls
• paint pantry
• organize/purge pantry
• install new sink
• paint backsplash
• update lighting
• breakfast table
• hang shelves

Long List

• flooring
•  backsplash
• counter top (butcher block)
• paint cabinets
• new appliances ( dishwasher, vent, refrigerator)
• redo shelving in pantry
• paint heater
• hardware
• crown molding

Laundry Nook

  Short List

• paint walls, trim, doors
• new light
• rug
• build under storage
• add shelf
• change outlets, covers, switches
• update storage

Long List

• new doors
• flooring (quarter round)
• paint cabinets
• new dryer (to match our washer)
• crown molding
• hardware

Hall Bath

Short List

• new shower head
• shower curtain
• replace mirror
• replace lighting
• touch up paint
• change outlets, covers, switches
• fix/clean vent
• storage

Long List

• crown moulding
• flooring
• subway tile
• hardware

Master Bath

  Short List

• hang towel bars
• change outlets, covers, switches
• fix/clean vent
• touch up paint
• fix flooring around sink
• new mirror
• new light

Long List

• flooring (quarter round)
• crown molding
• new toilet
• hardware

Master Bedroom

 Short List

• paint walls
• change outlets, covers, switches
• new dresser (Jordan's)
• paint closet
• organize/purge closet
• update vanity area
• add art

Long List

• flooring (carpet to match other bedrooms)
• replace closet doors
• crown molding
• add overhead lighting
• update shelving in closet
• paint heater
• hardware

Story's Room

 Short List

• organize/purge (everything)
• paint closet
• new media area
• change outlets, covers, switches
• touch up paint
• add art

Long List

• crown molding
• hardware
• new bed (frame, mattress)
• add overhead lighting
• new nightstand
• replace closet doors
• new shelving in closet
• paint heater

Finley's Room

 Short List

• change outlets, covers, switches
• touch up paint
• paint closet
• toy storage
• add art

Long List - Eventual toddler/big girl room

• crown molding
• add overhead lighting
• update closet
• new furniture

So, there it is! We have our work cut out for us! I'm excited to start on the Short List. I didn't add anything outside, but we do have plans for it! There is so much potential. The first room we plan on seriously tackling is the Family Room. It feels a bit like a college apartment, but with baby toys. There's just a mismash of furniture. It's really time to make the space feel more grown up!

The Complete House To-Do List

Here we have to complete list of things that need to get accomplished before the baby is born. We have 84 (probably less) days left to get it all done. I think we can handle it :) But I'm trying to stay positive. You can read about why the list is so big here.

Full Bath

Fill in scratch marks (from Annie)

Paint room light gray

Hang towel hooks/ring

Replace middle part of the toilet paper holder (from Annie)

Re-organize drawers and under sink

Make room for baby items

Buy/build cart

decorate

Half Bath

Deep clean - including walls

Hang full mirror on door

Hang more art

Touch up paint (from Annie and Kitten) ((you can read for about that here))

Hang towel hook

Add new rug

Staircase

Fix HELLO

Hang gallery wall

Upstairs Landing

Hang art

Touch up paint on doors (from all animals)

Add more storage? Still not sure how or what

Linen Closet

Organize shelves

Purge

Make room for baby items

Entry/Dog crate area

Replace dresser? Possibly

Organize dresser

Organize coat rack

Fill in art

Add shelf above crate

Create "pet" area

Decorate

Living Room

Touch up painted wall (don't ask...)

Hang curtains

Add art

Decorate

Kitchen

Add long shelves over table

Hang art over coffee bar

Style shelves

Fix pantry door

Deep clean everything

Hang curtains over sliding door

Organize cabiets

Make room for baby items

Laundry Area

Add shelf over washer/dryer

Organize cabinet

Hang ironing board

Master Bedroom

Hang curtains

Move bed

Buy/build dresser

Organize dresser

Organize closet

Move bookcases

Paint

Hang art

Remove shelf/vanity

Repaint small dresser

Add mirror

Decorate

Nursery

Repaint dresser

Organize dresser

Add art/shelves above changing table

Buy/build crib

Add mobile

Create under crib storage

Add art

Hang curtains for canopy

Story's Room
Move bed
Rearrange storage units
Purge, purge, purge
Organize clothes closet
Organize toy closet
Hang curtains
Hang gallery wall
Add rainbow stripes?
Update lighting

This is all I have thought of so far. I've gotten a lot done in the master bedroom/nursery. It's been my main focus after we put the house back together. I feel like I'll be able to almost finish the room after the shower. Which is in just a few short weeks. Eeek.... Don't even get me started on that. So many projects to do and not enough time (or warm enough weather) But back to the house list... Once the nursery is completed I plan on focusing most of my attention to Story's room. She needs the added attention. We talk a lot about baby and getting the baby's room ready. I think she's feeling a fit neglected. The other rooms should be fairly easy. There are just a handful of small projects that I think Jordan and I could accomplish together in a weekend. You know, the whole weekend we get to spend together. Not.

Weekend Projects

Taking a cue from Kayla over at Home Coming, I've decided to start a "Weekend Projects" series. Hopefully it will keep me on task and held accountable to getting this house finished started. I probably won't be able to finish a project a weekend. Mostly because of my work schedule. But, this weekend I have two days off!

My first real project for the townhouse is the powder room downstairs. Because it's such a small space I assumed it wouldn't take too long to finish. Boy, was I wrong. There are so many tight corners, I have a lot of trim work to paint. And to top it all off there is a slat door. UGH!!!! It's taking way too long to finish. I gathered a bit of inspiration, enjoy!

 

source unknown

 

via 

 

source unknown

 

via 

 

via 

 

via 

 

via 

 

via 

Notice a theme yet? Beside being the slowest project ever, I have a feeling it's going to look super cool. I hope to have it finished and photographed my Monday. Wish me luck! :)

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National Infertility Awareness Week {Join the Movement}

I never thought I'd be writing about this. I had a baby. I had an unplanned, uneventful, wonderful first child pregnancy. I was 19. I assumed because it had happened once, it would happen again.

Fast forward four years. We are happily married, starting exciting careers, finally getting on top of our finances. We decided to start trying. I was surprised at how long it took to get pregnant. (but in all honesty it wasn't long at all) We tried for five months before we got pregnant. It was a couple of weeks before Christmas. We were so excited. We couldn't wait to tell everyone, but we knew we had to wait. Just for the off chance we had a miscarriage. We waited, week after week after week. Second trimester was right around the corner. We starting planning how we would tell everyone. And then one day, 10 weeks in, we weren't pregnant anymore. We had a miscarriage.

In that moment, everything, everything changed. An entire lifetime planned out, and it was gone. I didn't know how badly it would hurt. I felt the biggest void. How do you move past it?

Time. Time is how you heal.

We knew we weren't ready to try again. It was too soon, too raw. But, we got pregnant again. It happened, against all odds, we were to have our baby afterall. Everything I had read said not to worry about miscarriages again. Having one didn't increase the chances of having another. We were still cautious, still very scared. And then one day, 5 weeks in, we weren't pregnant anymore. We had another one. The second time around we weren't as emotional invested. It never seemed real.

When I was little, around the same age as my daughter is now, I used to beg my parents for a brother or sister. I wanted one so badly. All of my cousins and friends all had siblings. I just couldn't understand why I didn't get to have one too. Every birthday, every coin thrown into a fountain, every Christmas, I would ask for the same thing. My parents, they would avoid the topic.

Story asks all the time when the new baby will come. We never told her about any of them, but its just something she's set on. She wants twins, and boy baby and a girl baby. She will then show me how she will hold them and feed them and where they can sleep in her room (it's normally in the closet) She doesn't understand the immense pain each question brings. In her mind, its not a big deal and she's a little mad it hasn't happened yet.

I don't think we are infertile. I don't think it's hopeless. I know it's only twice and that our struggle is miniscule compared to so many others. But it's also not nothing. There is a problem. Something that will have to be fixed if we ever want to have another baby. I know it's me. I know that I am going to have to be the one to make the biggest change. I am the one with the disease. While we were trying to get pregnant the first time I researched Celiac's Disease and found that it does cause infertility. I didn't take in to account the effects it has on carrying a baby full term.  This is our fertility struggle. We don't seem to have a problem getting pregnant, we have a problem staying pregnant.

So this is my sadness. Not that we can't get pregnant. But that we did, twice. It's so hard not to think about the babies that would have been. To imagine what would be happening at this moment. How different every day would be.

Memorial necklace -Distinctly Ivy

http://www.resolve.org/infertility-overview/what-is-infertility/
http://www.resolve.org/national-infertility-awareness-week/about.html

Bedroom To-Do List

Oh boy. This has been a pretty slow winter over here. I have started and stopped a handful of projects. All the while creating messes all over the house.  Right before Christmas I shoved everything into the bedroom. We had company coming over and I wanted to have the house as "ready" as possible. Believe it or not we are still unpacking things. I thought after Christmas I would get things out of the bedroom and into their proper places. I didn't. I didn't do anything with the bedroom, until today.

Over the weekend we took a family trip to Ikea in West Chester, OH. It was one of the most miserable experiences of all of our lives. It was so crowded. We couldn't get Story into the Playland because of the wait. So she was really upset about that. To make matters worse for her there were no carts left in the store. She had to walk and didn't get to play with her Leap Pad. I had spent weeks talking Jordan into going. (it's a 5 hour round trip and he didn't think it was worth it) So of course he was right and it wasn't worth it. I was freaking out with all the people around. It was impossible to really look at anything in the showroom and people were so pushy in the marketplace. Anyway, the entire trip wasn't a complete bust. We were able to get a handful of things for our bedroom.

After living in this apartment complex for almost nine months I finally have an idea about how I want our bedroom to look. Here is a reminder of what our bedroom looks like.

The plan is to completely redo almost everything in the room. When we lived in North Carolina I wanted the room to be light and airy. The room was so small and didn't get much light. This apartment is different. For starters, it's huge. I would say it's almost double the size. It's too big. I want to do something to try and shrink the size without overwhelming the room with furniture and junk.

Here are a few inspiration photos!

 

 via Liz Marie Blog

I'm taking away a few things from this photo. I LOVE the headboard and plan on having something similar in our bedroom. We also have the exact same bedding. I also want to get big mirrors to place on either side. 

 

via Habitually Chic 

I absolutely love this color blue. It is amazing! I want something similar if not exact in our bedroom. The plan is to only paint one wall, the one that will have the headboard. I also really like the eclectic look of the frames. We kind of have that look going all over our house. I want to add it to the bedroom as well. Possibly on the wall between the main wall and the windows.

 

via Design Sponge 

I'm also mildly obsessed with antlers. I have no idea where it came from but I can't seem to get enough of them. I would really like a few as pictured above somewhere in our room. 

I guess the main vibe I'm going for in the bedroom is moody and eclectic with a hint of rustic. I can't wait to really get started on it. We rearranged a few things today and got the big pieces in place. Jordan still needs to build another dresser. 

Here is a complete list of things still left to do.

build dresser

paint new dressers

stain bed

sand and paint old dresser

paint accent wall

replace hardware

build headboard

stain headboard

find mirrors

hang curtain rod for window

hang curtain track for room divider (more on that later)

pick out curtains for window

buy leaning mirror

buy new rug? 

I feel like the hardest thing is going to be staining. I've never done it before and I'm not sure if it's something I can do inside? Or if I have to wait until it's warm enough to do it on the porch.

I am so excited about this room. I have a feeling it's going to be really amazing :) I want to do it all right now!

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A Look Back At 2012

First off, am I the only one who is still writing 2010 instead of 2012? What is the matter with me?! 2013 is going to be difficult to get used to.

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The number one post of the year is still the kitchen change in our old house. It's the number one post on my blog! :)

New Kitchen Layout

Y'all seem to really have a thing for my kitchens! 2012 brought about a move for us. All the way from North Carolina to Indiana. Number two post of the year is of our first apartment's kitchen.

Indiana House : First Look {Kitchen}

After I showed you our new kitchen I finally got my act together and did a house tour. 

Indiana House Tour

Back to our North Carolina duplex for the fourth top post of the year. After changing the layout on the kitchen we finally finished painting the cabinets. I say finished, but we really only did one side of the room. We never got around to the other side because we up and moved the next month!

Cabinet Reveal

Something completely un-house related comes in at number five. I picked out family outfits for an upcoming photo shoot. It was a lot of fun going through our closets and finding coordinating outfits. The best part is I didn't have to buy a single piece.

Picking Out Family Photo Outfits

And here it is in action!

(slightly different due to the weather)

Keeping up with the clothing a WIW is coming in at number six. I'm always surprised at the top outfits.

What I Wore

Another WIW is a close seventh.

What I Wore

A more recent post comes in at number eight. I copied an abstract painting from Tanya at Dans le Townhouse

DIY Canvas Art

Another kitchen post is my number nine post of the year. You all gave such positive feedback that I was able to update it enough to have my number one post!

The Kitchen Redesign {list}

The last of the top ten posts of the year is yet again another kitchen post. (This has really motivated me to finish my current kitchen!)

Small Kitchen Update {New Apartment}

It was a lot of fun looking back through this past year. Hard to believe we've moved twice! Overall it was a pretty great year. Jordan has been promoted twice since he started working for Target a little over a year ago. I've been able to find a job I really like as well. Our sweet little is now in Ballet Class and is writing her name like a champ. Kitty is still here, and didn't get fleas. I can't wait to see what's in store for us in 2013! I have a feeling it's going to be a pretty amazing year.

Some Exciting News

We have a pretty exciting event happening here in the Pike household. As you all know we've been having a bit of trouble with our upstairs neighbors. We've been in talks with the apartment management, and they've pulled through for us. We are moving to a top floor apartment in a different building!!!!!!!!! This is some of the best news ever!!! And, we get to move in on our anniversary. Can't think of a better gift. That means we have a little over three weeks to prepare. It's not a gigantic move, not like moving to a new state or anything, but it's a move regardless. We won't have to pack every little thing but we will have to box up our lives again. I'm not looking forward to that so much, but I am so thankful we are getting away from this building. Management has been wonderful through all of this. Those ladies are real life savers. I plan on putting together a thank you basket for them.

The best thing about this move (other than the obvious fact) is that it gives me a chance to really set up the apartment. When we moved into this unit we had only seen it through pictures. Now that we've lived here for a few months we really know what we want out of the spaces. It was like a trial run apartment. An issue that we have with this unit, and I'm assuming they are all the same, is that there are long base board heaters that are on every major wall. We didn't think much about it when we moved in, but now that summer is nearing the end (already!!!!!) We do have to take into account the heaters. I expect there to be furniture changes in the new unit.

These are just a few ideas I've had.

 via 

I really like the color of this bathroom. Ours is small, but I think this color, along with a gallery type, would add a bit of drama to an otherwise boring space. 

via 

When we moved the last time we finally had a space where we could add a few bookcases. I really like the storage they've given us, but they are so dark.... I really like the idea Diane came up with, by adding fabric wrapped cardboard to the back of the bookcases. The idea is not that different from my bathroom redo. I think adding a lighter fabric will really make all of the accessories pop. 

 

via 

I really want to paint our front door. I haven't decided on the color yet. I guess it would depend of the furniture placement, because I want to paint stripes on one of the living room walls.

 

 via

And stripes in Story's room. She really wants them to be blue.

 

via 

I want to add a loft bed in Story's room. I think it would add a lot more playing space for her. 

So, these are just a few things I'm hoping to add the next time around. I'm going to start packing this week, and I'm not too thrilled. Before I do, I have a few other projects I completed that I haven't had a chance to photograph. The lighting has been strange around here. 

Wish me luck! :)

Indiana House : First Look {Kitchen}

Hello everyone!!!!!

 My computer tells me it's the last day of April, but in all honesty I have no idea what day it is. I'm not even sure how long we've been here. Our move was so stressful and tiring. We rented a 17' truck on a Friday afternoon. The plan was to get everything on the truck that night. Mainly so we could get the tow car attached. Ha! Such a funny joke we played on ourselves. By 10 that night we still had so much left to do, and the truck was practically full. We were freaking out! What would we do if it didn't all fit? Could we get a bigger truck? Could we get a small trailer to tow? Would we have to leave it all? After a fitful last night, on the floor, of our house we got up and just packed as much as we could. We would just have to store the rest. So by 5 Saturday evening we were all packed up and ready to leave on our 10+ trip to Indiana. The trip was very slow going. We had to go 50mph most of the way. We stopped to rest in Charleston, WV around 2 a.m. Sunday morning. So, at 4:30 Sunday, we were into our new apartment. We unpacked the truck (this time with help) and finally rested. I guess it's been a week now. The first thing I did was get the kitchen functioning. Then I tackled the bathrooms. We have our bed set up, but still need to put Story's together. Jordan had to start work the day after we moved in, so we're waiting for his days off to get the big stuff put together.

The kitchen is coming together nicely. Even though it is smaller than our old one, I feel like we have more space. More functioning space I should say. It's obviously still a work in progress. We don't have any of the decor out.

Oh yeah. we're painting the kitchen the same color as the old cabinets.     The kitchen has fluorescent lighting, and we hate it. So for now we are using the small light under the sink and over the stove.

The plan is to put shelves on the wall over the dishwasher.

Our island fits really nicely against the long wall. We will probably put more shelves above the island. Not sure about that. It might just be a really awesome piece of art, that we don't have yet :)


Each room in the house is about this put together. I did move a lot of random items of the way. For now, storage is complicated. I'm storing boxes that will eventually be unloaded after I get a certain area put together. It's a weird cycle. But, it's getting done. It's slowly getting done. That's the beauty of moving.

Thanks for sticking with me. I will have a lot more to share in the upcoming weeks!

5/25 update

The kitchen is almost completely painted!

You can see the rest of it here and here.

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New Kitchen Layout

We are still plugging away at painting the cabinets. The top cabinets are almost finished. I'm having a hard time deciding about the vinyl wall quote. I don't know whether to keep it there or use a stencil on the top.  With all the kitchen stuff on the brain I decided I wanted a change in here. I had originally wanted to turn a small corner into a coffee bar area. We had it set up like this for a while, but it just wasn't working for us. So I changed it, and pretty much everything else in the kitchen.

I created an "L" shaped island out of our two pieces of (mismatched) furniture. ( Jordan is on the "don't paint wood" bandwagon. I think the dark cabinet would look great the same blue as the cabinets) I moved the Ikea island away from the wall to create more wall space, and work space. It's been pretty difficult for two people to use the island at the same time. Especially when one is left handed.... With it off the wall it creates two separate stations. It also gave me enough room to add the coffee bar. Another bonus is that I didn't have to hang any more shelves. I just reworked the  shelves.

I really enjoyed putting this area together. I wanted it to be fun and quirky. The hanging cows are probably my favorite.  I do plan on adding a few more frames.

By moving the coffee bar I opened up the wall next to the fridge.

I decided to move the pantry cabinet from next to the washer and put it next to the fridge. This placement makes sooooo much more sense. -We had to put the pantry next to the washer when we first moved in because we also had a dryer.  When we decided to get a front load washer we knew we wanted to get a matching set. With the outlets and pipe placements we couldn't move them around, in turn, blocking the entrance to the hallway. We opted to hold off on buying the dryer.- Which brings me back to having extra room next to the fridge. Where I put the pantry, leaving space next to the washer. And here is where I will put the family command center I've been wanting to have, and an official place for the vacuum, mop and broom. 

I think the room is coming together nicely. very excited about the new layout. It has taken some time to get used to the island sticking out. We have to make bigger turns now :) The cabinets should be finished this week. Hopefully tomorrow! I can't wait to show you all how great that side of the kitchen looks!



Everyone enjoys a good before and after ::

Before

After

Before

After

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