August 14, 2012 --A Tour

So, a few people (my mother) have complained that there haven't been any pictures on the blog of the house we're renting.  I mean, there WERE pictures from when we first found the place, but not much since then, and really, you have to see this house to appreciate it.

(I have to take a minute to praise my mother, since we are on the subject. (Well, kind of on the subject.) When I first started blogging, I could tell that she didn't really "get" the concept or see why a blog would be something worthy of her time. But you know what? My mom is ADAPTABLE. When we moved up here and she couldn't see my kids as much as she wanted, she got right on board with the concept of the blog. I mean, if your daughter isn't a phone person and you want updates on your beloved grandchildren, you take them where you can get them. In that same spirit, she's on Facebook and regularly texts with the girls --she meets them on THEIR ground. We Skype and do Facetime. Also, she and Jane are playing some incredible games of Words With Friends.  (Jane is a much better player than I.) Anyway, now my mom uses the blog as a way to share my life with other people, including her siblings, who all live very far away.  I love that she's so willing to embrace modern means of communication. It's such a good example for me -- not to be afraid of innovation.  So, Mom, this one's for you.)

(As another aside (It's my blog, dang it.), I'm ready to face the fact that I am truly terrible at Words With Friends.  I routinely MAKE WORDS UP and then am totally surprised that they don't work.  For example, I just tried to play the word "vicod."  Doesn't that sound like it should be a word?  Like, um, it's a cod that's been awarded royal designation?  No? "Pieship?"  Are you sure?

)

I thought I'd do a little tour for you, starting with the inside of the house.  Because once I show you the outside, most of you aren't going to be speaking to me --it's THAT amazing.

Here we go, then. (Full disclosure: I took all of these pictures on a day my cleaners had been here.  This is pretty much as good as it gets.) (Except, I was washing all of the bath mats so there are none apparent.)

I'm starting with one side of the house and moving to the other--which isn't really like taking a tour from the front door.  (I'd reorganize the pictures, but Blogger hates it when I move pictures around and I'd like to finish this post before midnight.)  Let's just pretend we walked in the back door by the sunroom, shall we?

We have our dining room out here because the formal dining room is too small for my table and, plus, we have the view of the gorgeous outside from here.

Also, we're so much closer to the hot tub!  (The above couch is the officially sanctioned Austin Couch.  As in, it's the couch he's allowed on, as opposed to the other couches he sleeps on, but isn't supposed to.) (We're looking after the cacti for the owners, which makes me very, very afraid since I've killed a cactus before just by being in the same room with it. Gary, I'm sorry in advance.)

The kitchen from the back door.  I love the island.  One of the things this house has taught me is how important it is for our family to have a centralized gathering place. We spend a lot of time here. 

Thomas lying in front of the door to the room that used to be the garage.  It's our work-out room now and the room where the cats eat. I'm not showing you a picture of it, though, because I forgot to take one. (You're not missing much.)

Looking back across the kitchen from Thomas. (Yes, that refrigerator is bigger than my first apartment.)

And from the other corner.

This is the formal dining room, which, just to keep things confusing, has my breakfast table in it, along with Jane's drum set and the piano.

The entrance to Jane's room --up the stairs.

Jane's room.  Which is really an office and has no closet space so ...it's a little cluttered. She's in a kind of touchy phase--somewhere between dolls and thrash metal, somewhere between girlhood and young womanhood.  I say, keep the stuff if it makes it easier.  There will be time to declutter when she's feeling more secure.

It does, however, have a very cool bathroom.

Jane's room shot back from the bathroom.

Front door and Austin, lying in front of the formal dining room in the classic "starfish puppy" pose.

View from the front door into the living room.

Living room and my desk, which is between the kitchen and the living room.

Living room from the other side.

And yet another view of the living room just in case you needed one. (Pretend it's of the garage.)

Hallway leading to the other side of the house. Everywhere you see that kind of slate flooring is radiant heat, which is just...the greatest thing EVER.

Guest bathroom off of the hallway.

The room where I spend ALL OF MY TIME, which is across from the guest bathroom.

Katherine's room.  (Which has a bathroom, too, but I forgot to take a picture.)

Guest room

Ostensibly Coop's office, although it's also a guest room AND the girls like to use the computer in here, so Coop gets relegated to the formal dining room as often as not.

The hallway to the master bedroom.

Master bath

Photo wall.  (And Austin's tail.)

Master bedroom

Different angle of the master bedroom.  I need to do some work on our bedroom, because our furnishings don't match the paint, and it needs some art and a book case and a real bed...but...it's on the list. (Next to the chair is another door to the back, which is very handy for letting animals in and out in the middle of the freaking night when nature calls.)

So, that's the house. I still can't really believe I get to live here.