Life Lately & Link Love
remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck -Dalai Lama
Life Lately
So we've now put three offers on three different houses in three months. And we already own a perfectly great house, yet we're about to have no where to live.
Wah Wah
I'm sure this is not the update y'all were looking for when you urged me to keep you up to speed on the house hunt. But I just feel like whining today. So bear with me, pretty please. God knows we're in the most amazing position in the scheme of things. If we don't find a house to buy or can't seem to close on a house we want, we can always rent. We're not worried about how we're going to come up with first and last month's rent for a deposit. It's just a matter of hoping something big enough is available in an area we like. And we don't have to sell our house in Pawleys to buy a house here. What are we doing with that house? That's a chat for another day. Although selling our first house might improve our buying power a bit, it's not holding us back. These are blessings, major blessings, and I'm not going to forget about them and how much they are improving the stress level of this situation.
Maybe you're more interested in this part. Matthew and I do have a list of requirements for our next house purchase and once those rooms are checked off the list while we're at a showing I sit and think, can we live here. Where would the kids be playing while I cook dinner? Where will we keep our 700 coats and bags that I like accessible by a door. Is there a playroom so I don't have to see toys 24\7? As much as we try to make this a financial decision, let's be real, it's emotional. This is where Santa is going to bring my babies presents next year and hopefully for years to come. A backyard Wells is old enough to maybe remember one day.
We are all too familiar with how life can take you down paths you can't foresee, but we want this house to be a forever house if we want it to be. But not something so grand that it feels too big for us at this point. Something that we could picture Wells bringing her fiance home too or Tagg's kids coming over for Christmas dinner one day. But still cozy and homey and small enough for us to afford furnishing it right now. We'd like four bedrooms but we'll take three. Matt's parents and brother live out of town and it would be nice to house them somewhere other than a living room couch when they come to visit. That fourth bedroom would more than likely be a playroom most of the time. Like a giant toy box really, at this stage in the game. A family room separate from the living room. Family movie night should be in a different room from girls wine night. I want an eat-in kitchen, even if it's just two bar stools around a mini island. I'm tired of digging out cheerios from the couch. And let's not discuss the smears of unidentifiable foods that land on my rugs and upholstery. Matt would tell you he needs a gear room, but really we just need a simple laundry/mudroom. We need a garage or large shed or significant structure for crap. Not to park cars in, but to house Matt's never ending supply of turkey calls, duck decoys, fishing rods, and golf clubs. We could run a freaking outdoor sports store out of there. And let's not even talk about the hiking, biking, running, or other hobby of the month and all the gear that comes with each. Oh, and somewhere for me to spray paint to my hearts content. I want a nice backyard. A patio or deck and a play set or just room to build our own.
We're realistic on expectations. I want at least 2.5 baths and one needs to have a tub. But they can be original to the house. Yes, 1960's or 1970's bathrooms don't scare me. I'd settle for two baths I think, but I'd always be thinking about how we could add in that half. A crappy kitchen from the 90's or earlier isn't a deal breaker either. We prefer older more established neighborhoods and are okay with the outdated appliances and fixtures that come with that classic charm. In our price range at least. We're not in the market for someone else's updated renovation. Our buying power can only guarantee so much in the areas we're looking. We need to be close to Matt's work. We need to be in a good school district because as of right now we're not sold on private schools which are the norm here in Richmond. But we're not willing to be total suburbanites for cookie cutter house and school either. I'm absolutely not knocking that, it's just not for us. Anyone familiar with Richmond probably knows how hard the house hunt here is for all the reasons we've listed.
Do I sound like an episode of house hunters yet? I haven't mentioned that we want something perfect for entertaining so I guess not. That's usually a couple's only requirement. They always want an open floor plan perfect for entertaining. I want a traditional floor plan perfect for keeping toys contained and entertaining my two toddlers. We might find the time to entertain once or twice a year so I'm not going to plan my whole home around a party that I might never throw. They also don't show you how many times you don't get the house you want, so this is clearly not HGTV.
So what do you think? Do I have more or less requirements or expectations that you would have expected? What were the deal breakers for you in your own search? _______________________________________________________________
Link Love
Just got some new kicks in the mail yesterday so I can finally pull off my lululemon-mom look at Target and Starbucks. Love the atomic pink neon! They're super light weight and perfect for pretending to work out.
This amazing Dodecahedron Pendant Light DIY is worth noting. I've been drooling over it for weeks and just can't get over it. It's awesome. I think I'll make Matthew make it for me once we're permanently settled.
My friend Caycee transformed her breakfast nook into an cozy little breakfast nook inspired by my post here.
I'm obsessed with the rug Nancy is using in her laundry room makeover for the One Room Challenge. Oh, and all of her fabric and other finishes she's picked. Yummy.
I live in row house too so I get that sometimes function rules the day. That's why I'm obsessed with Jenny's dining room hutch makeover. I would totally do this. I guess I just need both the credenza and the bookshelf first.