It's going....

At least once a day, I get asked how the remodel is going.  "It's going" is my typical answer.  Because do you REALLY want to know?  Do you really care??  It's like when I pass someone in the hallway at work.  "Hey there, how are you doing?"  When actually, I could care less.  

So if you really are interested, here goes.  

I feel like I'm living in a crappy little apartment.  Well, not little.  The upstairs has 3 bedrooms, 1 playroom, 2 baths, a kitchen and a tv area.  But, it looks like I stepped back in time 10 years.  The furniture we have up there is the same exact furniture that Will had in his apartment when we got married.  Exactly the same.  It wasn't intentional, and actually it's kind of scary that we still have all of it.  Maybe we should pat ourselves on the back for picking out decent pieces 10 years ago, right?  

So, by crappy little apartment, I really mean crap-ass-kitchen.  This thing is bad.  My cleaning lady told me that it's the worst oven she's ever seen.  And you know she's seen some shitty ovens.  Then she proceeds to turn to Noel, my brother-in-law, and they start talking about the oven in Spanish, and laughing their asses off.  Now I'm scared to turn it on.  

The kitchen sink?  Yeah, well, it didn't drain.  So Will tried drano which didn't help.  Then, the other day, I filled it up with hot water and oxy clean to soak a few articles of clothing with stains from a Pinata filled with airplane bottles of liquor (entirely different story!), and when I went back in the kitchen 30 minutes later, the entire contents of the sink were on the kitchen floor.  Lovely.  So I called Gustovo, the Plumber.  Turns out, the garbage disposal was so old and gross that it was rotting.  So I ran to Home Depot, purchased a new one, and had him install it.  Right before he left, he told me to run the dishwasher because it smelled so bad.  So I did.  And went about my business.  Yeah, bad idea.  The entire dishwasher drained onto my kitchen floor.  I am now hand-washing dishes, just like I did 10 years ago. 

Oh, and the washer and dryer?  They are in the kitchen.  They look all nice and new and fancy.  Turns out, they aren't.  The dryer wasn't drying the clothes.  It was heating, but not drying.  So I called around and no one services LG dryers.  I think that was my first sign that they must  be crap.  So, I call LG.  The customer service rep suggested that we pull the dryer out and make sure that nothing was clogging the vent.  Good idea.  You know what we found?  A bird's nest.  WITH EGGS!!!!  I am not even shitting you.  Eggs.  And then all of a sudden, the birds outside realized that we found their little secret, and they went all ape shit on us.  Will's exact words:  "Call Animal Control.  I don't do birds."  

So yeah, that's how the remodel went last week.  This week seems to be better.  Except that I went around the house yesterday to take pictures with my MIL's camera.  You know, because I am so smart that I packed up my camera somewhere and can't find it.  And then I proceeded to get her SD card stuck in Will's laptop.  Lovely.

Smooth Sailing...so far.

We are 2.5 weeks into The Reno and up to this point, it's been easy breezy. I'm waiting for the sky to fall on us. That's just how it always works, right?

We decided to go stay with my in-laws (AGAIN) for 2 weeks while we prepared the upstairs to be slightly more livable. The wood floors were sanded and one coat of finish applied. Then the painters came and did their thing, and tomorrow the wood floors get the last coat and we can move back in. So, 2 full weeks with Will's parents. Not bad considered the last renovation we did took 8 months. No matter how awesome they are, it's 8 MONTHS OF LIVING WITH YOUR HUSBAND'S PARENTS!

Everyone we have chosen to work with has been pretty easy-going. Except they all talk too much. I am not even kidding. Way too much. Dude, tell me what you need to tell me and then let me get on with my life. I don't need to know about your wife's job with the State, or your child's Communion, or your oldest son who is about to leave for the Marines. Please do not get me emotionally attached to you by telling me that your son died when he was 25 in a car accident. I'm not strong enough to take it. I AM WEAK! And I'm not paying you for that. And don't even get me started on Jody, the tree guy. One day I'll secretly tape us having a conversation. You will die.

Here's a little Before, During and After eye candy for your Wednesday. This is the same shot of our guestroom over the last 3 weeks. Ah, the progress. It makes me smile :)

What just happened?

The past 6 days have been a whirlwind. And now I'm wondering what in the world I got myself into.

We closed on both houses Friday morning at 9am. It was easy, fast and painless. The calm before the storm. And then all hell broke loose. By 11am, there was a three-ring circus at the new house. Within a 30 minute time period, the realtor, electrician, painter, Will and I, the previous owner's daughter, the yard guy, and our friends were all at the house. And everyone needed to talk to me at once.

By 3pm, we had moved in a mattress and a few boxes of clothes upstairs. By 5p, happy hour was underway. Yep, we hosted a happy hour the same day we moved. And as usual, it turned into happy HOURS. By midnight, wallpaper was coming down, walls were being spray painted and sledge hammers were being used. By 2am, we finally went to bed.

Saturday morning came early. Workers showed up at 8am and we got the party started. 2 carpenters and the electrician worked all day...tearing down walls, taking out windows and doors and installing support beams. Let me tell you, these guys rocked it!

And then we had another party. Yes, I'm crazy. I planned a birthday surprise for Will months ago. Way before we had even sold our other house. And it just so happened to fall on this weekend. Talk about a lesson in going-with-the-flow. So, by 7pm, we were dressed and ready to walk out the door....and we didn't get home until 3am. DAMN GOOD PARTY. (more on that later)

Sunday morning came early again. Everyone was at the house at 8am ready to work. By 5pm, I started feeling bad and by 7pm, I was sick as a dog. DYING. I'm not even kidding - I almost died. A stomach bug rolled through our house with a vengence. And then Will got it.

Two sick parents and a house full of construction = BLURRY MISERY.

I'm going to stop there, get my pics organized, and post more on the craziness in a bit.

When I turn 4

According to Grafton, big things are going to happen around here when he turns 4.  Our lives will forever be changed.

"When I turn 4, I will eat green beans." 

"When I turn 4, I will take a shower instead of a bath."

"I'll go to Owen's house to play when I'm older.  When I turn 4." 

"I will like that, when I'm 4." 

"I will ride my bike when I get older.  When I turn 4." 

For some reason, I'm getting my hopes up, which is probably not smart because I'll just be highly disappointed on his 4th birthday when he refuses to eat green beans with his birthday cake.

My poor child has lived the first 3 years of his life with a semi-feminine, very baby-ish room.  So I told him that he could have a big boy room when he turns 4, but since we are now moving, he is going to get it sooner.

I have made my first purchase for the new home, and it was for G's room.  I have big plans for the space and cannot wait to get it all put together.  Here's the bedding that I found (on clearance) at West Elm. 

The problem?  He wants superheroes in his room.  Which is totally against my religion.  But then I found these vintage prints.  Totally doable, right? 

I'll let you know how it all comes together! 

Make it stop!

My eye has been twitching for the last 2 weeks. Which in my world means stress. Hmm...I can't imagine why.

Everyone always asks if we are ready for another remodel. And at first I was all, hell yeah! Bring it baby. And now I'm thinking to myself that I might be slighty nuts. A coworker told me I was crazy this week and now I'm beginning to think that she was right. This time around will not be anything like the last.

Last time we hired a general contractor. We moved out of our house for 8 months. We had zero kids. We renovated an average sized home. Life was good. Easy Breezy. I was able to yell at the GC, the tile guys and carpenters when they screwed up.

This time? Yeah, this time I am the general contractor. We are moving into the house and renovating at the same time. WITH A 3 YEAR OLD. The tile guy? That would be my husband. He better not screw up.

In other news, last weekend we went to the Railroad Revival Tour Documentary screening at SXSW with our  neighbors.  Afterwards, Mumford & Sons and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros put on a show and it was SO GOOD.   Then half the neighborhood decided to stay up until 3am on the front porch.  I don't think my eye twitched all day! 

You gotta plan?

Dumb question.  Of course I have a plan.  I have so many plans that I can't turn my brain off at night.  I can't even take a weekend nap because of all of the goodness going on in my brain right now.  And I love me some naps.

We are currently in the process of planning the space, gathering estimates and finalizing our budget.  A realistic budget, if that's even possible.  This week we are meeting about paint, carpentry, tile, cabinets, wood floors, countertops and tree trimming.   And then we have 4 weeks until we can officially call the house ours and start doing some damage. 

When it comes to rooms, I think I am most excited about the kitchen space.  While I love my current kitchen and want to keep the same style, I'm going to go bold with this one; bold being a relative term.  Here are a few of my inspiration pics (thank you pinterest).  If my space turns out half as great as these, I'll be damn happy. 

Totally random thought, but I'm now wondering if my use of the semi-colon is correct.  I am sure Helen will tell me.

PMB 2.0

Here we go again!

The Burlesons have officially lost their minds.  Back in October, we had a wild hair to go look at a house on the market one street over.  A big house.  Too big for 3 people.  I think alcohol played a factor. 

By November, we were getting our house ready to put on the market. By December we put an offer on the new house, contigent upon the sale of ours.  By January, we had an offer on our house, and by February we were signing papers. 

Closing date is April 13th.  And then the fun begins. 

The new house is a Belford home, built in 1930.  It was originally built as a duplex and still has 2 kitchens, one upstairs and one downstairs.  There are 6 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, and 3800 square feet.  All of which need work.  Every single square foot. 

So, it's back to the blog to document our adventure.  I'm thinking I can just keep the name PMB...Pimp My Belford??  Or maybe Pimp My {big ass} Bungalow?  What do you think? 

Here are a few pictures to confirm just how crazy we are.  You think the last remodel was fun to follow?  Just wait for this one.