Life is Beautiful

Most men when they get home from work supposedly sit down on the couch and turn on the TV and “surf” channels for a sporting event of some sort or go directly to ESPN as they’re “transition or down time.” Does that make me less of a man if I absolutely LOVE watching HGTV? (If it does, come tell me face to face and we’ll have a heart to heart) As we will be closing on our first home by the end of the month, I have been enthralled with HGTV and renovating our first home.
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I could watch that channel all day long and never get sick of it! It’s funny that by watching HGTV, which honestly sounds like a really girly channel (I shall admit), that I find inspiration. HGTV has given me some great ideas for the house. It probably doesn’t help that every day when I go to look at one of my really good friends Stephanie’s blog, its mmmmm how do you say that? Kind of depressing to realize how uncreative and unoriginal I am and how she basically is the most creative genius I know (the rest of her family isn’t too bad either, esp her mom)!
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We wanted to get a slightly older house that needed some fixing up to do and we found it! As tech savvy as I am, I carry around a old school black mead composition tablets that has ALL my ideas and sketches and any thought that I figure needs to be written down on a piece of paper! In my composition book, I have drawn and redrawn the house plans a million times. I have researched a ridiculous number of products an insane amount of times. And I have priced out material after material in order to see how we can get the most “bang” for our “buck.” Right now I have a whole page on my infamous “TO-DO” list! Shoot…I’m probably the only husband that wishes his to-do list was longer 😛 But you may ask: How did I already get a to-do list when we haven’t even moved in yet you ask… I think I have to blame it on 3 people:
1. My Jeff the Toolman Tyau dad who’s building itch was contagious.
2. My Sarah the designSTAR wife who can’t WAIT to paint!
3. My cute little angel Adi who’s chubby legs will soon be crawling.
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Kitchen:
-Gut the whole ugly green 1970’s doo-doo kitchen
-Knock down cosmetic walls for more space for Sarah to cook Korean food for me!
-Install all new cabinets, countertops, and install bamboo flooring ( Go Green!)
-Buy new appliances that are energy star approved (Go Green!)
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Living Room:
-divide dining room and living room with columned post as stated in episode 12 of Spice up that Kitchen on HGTV
-reface and revamp fireplace for more efficient s’more making and marshmellow roasting!
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2nd Floor:
-Rip out room and reposition it kitty corner, attaching it to the upstairs bath making it a true master bedroom and bath
-Frame walk in closet for the plethora of Sarah’s clothes
-Tile master bath and replace vanities
-Rip out Austin Powers shag green carpet that matches his shag green kitchen and replace with new carpet
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Basement:

-Frame laundry room
-Frame and finish basement for a dark dungeon room if Adi needs a timeout or when the parents or in-laws visit
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Random:
-Replace sliding doors with energy efficient French doors (Go Green!)
-Replace all windows with energy efficient windows (Go Green!!! … just not shag green like the rest of the house!)
-Replace loft railing so my tiny wife Sarah or baby Adi doesn’t fall through the skinny rail gaps a
-Scrape the popcorn off of the ceilings to help with my neck problems (oh wait, this can be on my dad’s to-do list)
-Repaint the WHOLE house (Nevermind, this should be on Sarah’s to-do list)
-Grout and plaster brick
-Landscape our HUGE townhome size front and back yard
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So obviously I won’t tackle these all right when we move it, but you can sure bet that I’m EXCITED!!! I just wish that HGTV would come do a remodel on my house!!!