Gemstone For Sale

We present - House Beautiful - the real thing this time.

We were extremely lucky when we purchased this house. We could have never built it for what we paid for it. The price dropped significantly several times before it was ours. We've enjoyed living here these past 5 years. We've learned a lot about being large (as in square feet) home owners. We would like something much smaller and more manageable in Minnesota.

It took one entire day (in early June) of practically nonstop work to spread 34 cubic yards (2 massive truckloads full to give you an idea) of this mulch throughout all of the landscaped areas. Andrew, Augustine, Maggy and I hauled most of it from morning until the afternoon the day it arrived. Gabriel helped when he came home from school and Daddy finished most of the job after work until the late evening at dusk. We were pooped! We used one wheelbarrow and 5 winter sleds to transport the mulch. It did the job. The sleds are now filthy and I'll have to soak them in Ajax or Oxyclean and leave them in the sun.

We decided early on after purchasing this home that we'll never have this much landscaping again. It's pretty to look at, but very time consuming to maintain. We even mowed over and pulled up 50 percent of what was originally here and it's still a ton of work. No thanks.

There were several jobs we had to hire out because we were either incompetent of the task or pressed for time. I underestimated what the Knight was capable of and I finally agreed to let him restain our front door. He did a super job and saved us 400 dollars in labor for the cost of a small pail of stain. So happy! Maggy and Johnny helped me plant the petunias flanking the entrance. Oh, and I have to mention the doorbell button. It had a hole in the center (as most of them do so our realtor told us!) Nathan was going to replace it without shutting off the power. I advised him THAT was not a good idea. So he started flipping off  and on every circuit breaker in the house until we found which one belonged to the doorbell. It took more time to turn off the power than to replace the doorbell. Go figure. Sometimes the littlest things take the most time.

I had kept the mudroom fairly clean over the duration of the last 7 months since Bijou arrived. In past winter months, I had allowed things to get out of hand and our outdoor winter apparel was strewn everywhere at all times or tossed in a big wet heap. Because I had a new puppy to potty train (and take in and outside through the mud room) this solved the dirty dilemma and it stayed clean all winter. Big smile!

We were tempted to get the new leather couch we've talked about off and on. No money, honey! Instead, I found a knock off Pottery Barn linen slipcover at Target for less than 50 dollars and voila. Add two cheap button top mellow yellow pillows from T.J.Max and we had a whole new look. I replaced the oversized lampshades with two smaller ones that matched the pillows which I found at Hobby lobby for 50% percent off. These simple and inexpensive makeover tricks really made the living room come to life. I must add that we hired a painter to add a fresh coat to the living room, kitchen, main floor bathroom and mudroom. She was VERY reasonable and did a great job. The previous color was so drab and very dirty from all the little people touching/marking the walls.

This has nothing to do with the makeover, but I feel compelled to note what a great steal we got this table for on Craig's list about 3-4 years ago. When I first saw it, the pictures did not do it justice. I was desperately seeking a dining room set that could fit all of us together (we had long outgrown our old table.) I asked them to retake the photos and to include one with the two table leaves in it since they only showed it like we have pictured here for our home staging. I was so excited! It was so much more gorgeous than their original photos. The lady's husband bought this set for over $4500.00 but she wanted something more modern and did not like the traditional look. Wow! I tried to stay calm, but inside I was screaming with joy. They were only asking $800. I asked her husband over the phone - $800? As in eight zero zero? Sold!!! We had to drive to Kenosha to get it, but the gas money was only another $50. Unreal deal!!!

Lizzy was holding Joachim while I took home photos. They were sitting there in such cuteness that I couldn't resist.

Dare I say how dirty these tiles were in the foyer? They were very dirty. Until I started scrubbing the grout with Mr. Clean sponges, I had no idea just how dirty they were.

I have a secret. See that floor vase? The price tag is still on it. I plan on taking it back to Hobby Lobby if our home sells before the receipt expires. See the useless knickknacks on the table? The price tag is still on those too. I'm taking those back to Pier One. bwahahahaha

I miss our great big St. Therese statue that used to greet us here. sniff sniff She is being hosted at Maggy and Gussy's catechism teachers house:)

I could not pack half of my books away like recommended. Forget it. No way. I started to and put the books back on the shelf. We still live here.

My cute little puppy followed me around as I took photos. She's so happy lately. She went through another transition this week. She acts more grown up and less like a puppy. She's eating way better and I'm spoiling her more. I never thought I would say this, but I now see why people become attached to pets. I'm glad she's a part of our family.

Lizzy's room. She finally finished cleaning it after coming home from college. Do all teens turn into slobs when they return from college? She got back and dumped everything on her floor and most of it remained there until this week. She has two jobs this summer. I'll stop in at one or the other or both and surprise her some day soon. 

This is Augustine and Gabriel's room. They fight constantly. They still have to share a room regardless of how they feel about one another. Eventually, I hope it makes them saints.

I went and picked out a new bedspread for Andrew tonight. This is really pathetic. His room does not show well. This is an old bedspread that he insisted on using because he didn't want me to buy a new one. He's always been super frugal and will wear things until there are holes in them. I don't see it as a character flaw at all, but there is a time to spend and presenting your home to potential buyers is one of them. He also has a pile of electronics in the opposite corner of his room. I'm not thrilled about that, but maybe I can talk him into moving them into the basement storage for now.

The boys' bathroom. I hope no one notices that the right corner of the shower curtain rod is barely screwed into the wall. At some point I think someone may have accidentally ripped it out and tried to put it back in. It's a complicated ceiling/wall arrangement and would require a bit of work. Sigh.

Jean-Marie and Joachim's room. This was cleaned months ago and has stayed that way mostly. Insert smile!

This does not look like our bedroom anymore. I miss my photo of the Holy Family above our bed. I looked at it every single day. It was replaced by a painting I would have NEVER otherwise purchased. I plan on returning this to Bed, Bath and Beyond. The pillows with the buttons are going back to Kohl's too. They were WAY overpriced and I have no use for them. I'm not into extravagant decor. It's time consuming and a waste of money.

There is the love seat that should be paired with our living room couch, but we needed something cozy on that side of the wall and so we decided this would work. Add another slipcover and clearance priced little grey bench from Target and we're done. Previously, that side of the room had our mini home altar and kneeler which are currently being stored at my dear friend Cheryl's house.

This bathroom shower stall. This one. What a pain. We had not used this shower for 3 years. One summer day I was showering and I heard a knock at the bathroom door informing me that water was pouring through the floor and out the living room ceiling speakers. Seriously? So there it sat for three years, because we could not find the same Italian made tiles to match the tub on the opposite side of the bathroom. Our contractor, whom we hired to repair the leak, told us we could have an accent wall in the shower and use glass tiles so we would not have to rip out the entire thing. What a relief. It has been so nice to have our master shower back again.

Everyone is so wiped out from so much work.

This is Francesca and Maggy's room by the way. It's a happy room. Sometimes I walk in the room and just sit for a few minutes to recollect my thoughts or relax. It does the trick every time.

The girl's bathroom. They were able to scrape the nail polish off several areas on the counter and the cabinet with a flat razor.

It took me days to sort through the music room. It was a huge mess. I am so grateful to John's Mom for leaving behind so much music. It's been of great value to us as we pass down the musical talent to her grandchildren that she never met. I don't know that I've ever told the story about that organ. I'll save it for a rainy day.

There is a lot of storage space in this home. It has been a blessing. That coat closet to the right was my favorite. It is big and oversized and just the RIGHT size for this many people.

Cutie Patooties - I stopped to smell the roses;-)

Nathan's room. He painted it shortly after returning from Basic Training. After 21 years, he finally has a new bed. He was always getting robbed out of keeping a new bed. Somehow or another the other children always ended up with the bed that we had purchased for him. Poor kid. This one is his for keeps:)

And I'm still not done. Sigh. Tomorrow I will clean up this caboose and be done with it. I remember the stress back here. It's going to be super tough to keep it clean and of museum quality. I shall send the kids outside EVERY day:) All day! Or....we will leave....somewhere. Anywhere!

I hope we will be able to utilize this space a little while longer. It's like our own little personal outdoor bistro in Italy. If only we could import some genuine gelato from Rome!

Happy feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus! May He and St. Joseph sell our home quickly and for a great price. (In less than two hours after it went viral this a.m. we already have a showing scheduled for Monday. Miracles happen and we hope and pray for one.)