Updates, progress, and paint

I can't decide if it's awesome or sad that out of the rooms we have made the most progress on, Nelly's has gone the fastest.

Last weekend, Joe, a "sister" and I took a field trip to ACE Hardware with the main goal to pick up the hardware we needed for the crib, and a secondary goal to look at paint.  As usual, I went with the idea that we weren't going to find "the one" that particular day.

Of course they would be having a sale on paint.  Of COURSE we would find the sweetest sales associate, who was more than happy to pull out all her books of paint swatches and helped us find the perfect one.  We went with a light pale green (specifically "Vintage Bazaar" in Valspar), which I think will contrast perfectly with the white trim, gauzy curtains and natural wood floors and crib.  Plus when Nelly does arrive (and gets his/her actual name!), we can add pops of pink and dark brown for a girl, or blue and dark brown for a boy.

I wish I could draw architecture as well as I could write.  I'd just lay it all out for you guys.

Anyway, it's going to be sweet and gorgeous, AND be something we can work with down the road.  Go Team Nelson!

Joe has been working hard on demolishing the outdated 70s styling.  We went from this

to this

It's already SO much better.

See that nice, long weird looking patch?  That's where the owners before us (I assume) removed the original windows and replaced them with "smaller" metal double-paned windows.  I assume this was with the intent to decrease heat loss.  It just makes me sad.  I keep flip-flopping between the idea of replacing the metal windows with something of similar size to the original windows (bringing back the original look), or going double-wide, but not as long.  Either way, that's still a good five years down the road.

I also *gulp* got up close and personal with the one really, really scary part of the upstairs.

It turns out it's not as scary as it looks.  There was some water damage (I hope it was water) at one point, which stained the wall, rusted the pipe, and badly damaged the wallpaper.  What I thought was damaged pipe was actually just peeling paint.  YES, that is a rusted rag wrapped around the pipe.  I want Joe and my brother-in-law to get even up closer and personal-er than I did to determine if the pipe is still actually in use.  We THINK it's a vent for the septic system.  And by we, I mean Joe.  I'll be quite honest: I know nothing about plumbing.  To me it looks like it is part of an old (no longer used) steam heating system.

I know nothing.  I admit this!  I'll stick to interior design.

Scary as it looks, it does not have a smell, there is no visible mold and there no suggestion that there is additional damage that could compromise our ability to safely house our bundle of joy in this room.  A bit of elbow grease, some repairs, and some fresh Killz primer should spiffy this up to looking like a regular eyesore.  Thankfully it's in the closet.  Guests never look in closets!

I was hoping (itching) to get in there and paint this weekend since the sun is out and we could get away with leaving the windows open overnight, but Joe talked me into mudding the walls to even out the wallpaper lines.  I'm so glad he did: this photo shows it rough, but, again, so much better!!

I know it's kind of dark; my bounce flash needs new batteries.

Week 26 Team Green update: nothing much is new this week.  We finalized names (YIPPIE!) and I fulfilled my urge to go through all the cloth diapers we own and decide what to keep and what to sell.  I'm getting rid of about $140 worth of stuff we won't use, and keeping 48 OS pocket diapers, 3 dozen prefolds, 3 dozen newborn fitteds, 5 newborn covers and pockets, 2 Snappis and more inserts than I care to count.  The only things (diapering wise) we still need are wipes and a hanging wets bag.  MAYBE a changing pad.  This is another thing I keep going back and forth on, seeing as I conducted the vast majority of the boys' diaper changes on the floor.  It's so much easier, especially when they reach the "roll over and run for it" stage.

The good, the bad, and the very ugly

We had a bridal shower here on Saturday.  I wish that things had been a little more finished (ie., the walls painted!!) but it was still very nice.  There were places for guests to sit, eat, and socialize; and the bride-to-be had a good time!  Overall, a success.

I am really enjoying my new job--I'm off early on Wednesdays and all day Thursday, so I can get a lot accomplished around the house.  Today was "let's see if the fireplace is operational" day.  Spoiler: it is!  Once we cleaned all the stuff out of it (including SEVEN dead birds), I could see all the way up to the top of the chimney.  Adding to the list of stuff to do: mesh on the top of the chimney to keep the poor creatures out.  I also closed the flue.  Not sure why it had been left half-open for three years, but there you go.

Some progress photos:

Couch console is actually an IKEA shelf set on its side!
Eventually it should have more clutter in it--games, decorative
knick-knacks and such.

The black lines on the wall are spray paint.  Your guess is as
good as mine for why it's there.  My best theory is that it was
to mark where electrical line was run.

Note the pretty pretty paint test area XD

Obligatory dog photobomb

It looks so much better than it originally did, but we're still only part-way there to a finished product.  Still to accomplish in here for the meantime: paint on the walls, painted trim, and a light solution for the living room.  Long term is new windows that actually open.  WHAAAAT?!  Crazy concept, I know.  For the meantime, it's blistering hot in here.  I can't imagine why functional windows weren't installed when the house was updated in the 70s.  Every other room in the house has them, including the basement (wut.)

Heather's wedding is this weekend (yay!) so she'll be moving out and we can reclaim her room (mixed feelings...we'll miss you, little sis!)  I think for the meantime it'll be a guest room with the eventual idea that it'll be turned into a nursery.  No pictures of it--that's the very ugly part of this post, haha!!  It's half packed, all dark brown and miserable.  Heather started pulling down ceiling tiles to get to the light so she could change it out, so the ceiling is visible.  Sadly it does a lot to lighten the room.  I still don't understand the 70s obsession with dark rooms.  I don't want to live in a cave, thanks!!

What updates are you working on in your home?  Do you have any fun (or disgusting!) projects that you'd like to share?  I hope nobody else finds seven birds in their fireplace.

Bit by bit

Little by little, Joe and I are transforming this "interesting" house into a home that reflects our persinalities. 2 or the 3 bedrooms have the carpet up and out, the second bedroom was de-fuglified of fiberglass insulation ceiling tiles (still need to get the metal framework down) and we started the removal process of the weird paneled wall. We also removed cabinets from the kitchen to make room for the refrigerator that we got (barely used for $450!) I'll be working on a list of tasks that need to be performed and will post them either today or tomorrow. Life has been very busy the last few days! I am very much looking forward to moving into our home in a month or so.