Entry Way (1/2 complete)

We've lived in this house since May of 2013. Right before moving in we removed loads of wallpaper and painted just about everything white. Since then Chad has changed jobs 3 times and I have had 2 more pregnancies. To sum up, we are now a family of 5 living in a house that 80% of the projects we had dreams of doing have not been done. (I originally was going to estimate 90% but as I was writing the list below, I realized everything we have accomplished, I felt 80% was a better estimate.) Right after moving in we discovered that our septic needed replaced ($$ OUCH) and then we replaced our furnace, from a fuel oil furnace to natural gas (also $$ OUCH). Pretty much, home ownership is expensive and motherhood is tiring. Which adds up to projects not being done.

BUT!

I want to briefly talk about what has been done. (I will be saying we in these statements, but let the record show, much of the we business is Chad and his dad and his brother doing the heavy lifting and physical work. Thank you wonderful men!!)

First, we replaced our front door right before winter two years ago.

Second, we replaced the back porch so it wasn't rotting and scary.

Third, we tore out the bushes and plants that were overgrown, dead, or dying.

Fourth, we replaced our basement windows, which had been cracked and broken letting in water and bugs and who knows what else.

Fifth, the men built me a fence, by far one of my favorite things ever!! I'm looking forward to sending the kids to the back yard this winter without worrying that at any moment they will be running out to the road.

Sixth, I began painting in the entry way.

Seventh, most of the lights in the house have been switched to LED fixtures. The decision to switch the lights over got bumped up on our to-do list after a bad box of lightbulbs began exploding without notice, one in Brian's room right before bedtime. That was enough to scare me away from the light switches.

So, about the title project. The entryway is what we call the room coming off of the back porch and in from the garage. There is a bathroom connected to it that will be a total and complete gut project for much later, but for now, I just want to tackle the function and cosmetics in this entry way.

Step one, paint. This is what the room looked like when we moved in (well, what it looked like when it was cleaned up anyway)

And I'd say I'm halfway through right now. I've painted the doors and ceiling, primed the walls, and picked up the paint for the walls. I still plan on taking off the closet doors (painting them the same color as the doors in case we want to put them back up), but for now, I've just got clutter and junk to mess with before I can get the walls and trim painted. If you are afraid of chaos, perhaps stop scrolling now, what you see next may shock you.

Hope to bring you some progress next week!

Mrs. Troyer