New House Adventure Week 1

Since we are building our new home, I have decided that I really want to remember and chronicle it here, so I will be posting weekly updates of what's going on.  It may be boring, and if so, feel free to skip these posts - again, I just want to remember it and go back and show the kids.  So, with that, I give you week 1:

This week we sat down with our realtor and builder and actually signed a contract, saying we were going to build - and we better, because if we don't, we ain't gettin the earnest money we put down!  Brandon and I have done an exhaustive search of homes in the new city we are going to live in, as well as researching builders in the community, so we felt really ready to say yes to this house and this builder because of how much research we had already done.  When I saw a model home of our future new home, in my heart, I knew that the search was done, and that this was our home - it was love at first sight, and Brandon knew there would be no tearing me away from it, not that he'd have to, because he loves it too.

So yesterday, while signing the contract, we also picked our structural options for the house, and also the outside design and color scheme.  I was a little bummed because the initial color scheme that I was immediately drawn to was not an option for us, because in the housing community we are building in, if the house next door to you is either the same house you want to build, or in the same colors, then you can't do it, since they want to have a little bit of variety, and not have everything look so cookie cutterish.  I get that - but I was bummed that I couldn't pick my #1 choice of colors.  So, below, is our second choice, and I'm a little scared of it, but I saw a few homes and what it will look like, and I think it's gonna look okay!  It's hard to visualize by looking at this, so you'll just have to see as the building of the home progresses.

This picture below actually is shown to scale on what our house will look like with the lot we chose.  We are so stinkin excited that we chose a 1/2 an acre lot, and let me tell you, it's HUGE.  I'm a little stressed thinking of all the lawn and flowers etc will have to maintain, but I'm also thrilled the kids are going to have such a huge space to spread their little wings and run around.  Just so you can tell, the farthest outside dotted lines are where our lot ends - so as you can see, we have quite the chunk of land!

This is EXACTLY what our home will look like, withstanding the colors.  (Which I probably would have chosen, by the way, had they been available.  Slight frowny face!)  But but but...isn't it beautiful?  We love it!

Our kitchen, dining room, and family room are all open and give for a very wide feel in the house - I really like it.  This just gives you one of those views.

Our kitchen.  The kitchen isn't the hugest, but what do I care?  It's not like I really know how to cook and require like a double oven or something.  I'm sure for me and my little fam, this will be more than enough!

Another view of the family room/dining area.

The master bedroom.  I'm kind of in love with it.  There are so many windows, and it's hard to tell from this angle, but it's actually quite large.  And I love love love that there's a little retreat/sitting room within the master bedroom, I'm thinking that A LOT of novel writing is going to happen there!

One of my favorite areas of the house - the study loft and a view of the window seat on the stairs.  I love these features so much because they add SO MUCH character to the house.  It's quaint and sweet and a little funky and I totally dig it!  And...I can already tell that my cats are going to be sleeping on that window seat ALL DAY unless I kick their stinky butts off it so I can read in that fun little nook!

A view of the master bathroom.  Very big and spacious!

And, if you care, here are a few floor plans:

We aren't finishing the basement yet, as we don't have the money right now, or the need.  We have plenty of space with the top two floors, but we're estimating on hopefully finishing it within 5ish years or so, or at the very latest, before we re-sell, just to help the value of the house.  Not pictured here are views of the kids bedrooms, but they are huge and have walk in closets as well, which I love.  Also not pictured are the mud room (which I'm slightly obsessed with) and the laundry room, but I LOVE that my laundry room is on the second floor, which is convenient, considering that's where all the dirty laundry comes from! 

So I guess that's it for week 1.  :)  They haven't actually started building the house, and won't until we go to the design center and pick out everything for the home, but that will be more detailed in week 2.  Bye kittens!