Much Deserved Update

As those of you I see on a more recent basis already know our plans -- and because our plans have been rather back and forth -- I have neglected really blogging about some big things headed our way, namely, MOVING!

We originally planned a move to North Carolina -- Kernersville, to be exact. We were going to buy Jarrett's mom's place and live there in the country, among the tobacco leaves and herds of cows. However, because of various reasons, we decided to can the idea altogether. Except for the fact that our house was still on the market (as of late February) and a good portion of our belongings were stored away in a storage container. And there was still that nagging for a change.

So Jarrett decided to do a search of properties in the Atlanta area that were on the market. We were looking all over the place -- here in the City of Decatur, East Atlanta, Avondale Estates -- and then Jarrett happened upon a listing that included the sketch of a house to come, to be built on the bones of an old house. A house to go from one story to two. From a couple of bedrooms and a bath to four and three. And, upon looking at this listing Jarrett emailed my way, I quickly realized that this was the house our friend, Atticus, was working on and that his wife, Alison, had talked about, over in our old neighborhood (their neighborhood), Midway Woods. I immediately verified this with Alison and then asked if there was any way to see the floorplan. It was nearly perfect. And the house sits on an acre of wooded land, complete with a creek and a deer trail running somewhere back there among the trees. After driving over to see the plot, and after standing in the backyard and hearing nothing but the rustling of leaves and chirping birds, barely able to see the houses to either side, we were sold.

Then there were the aches and pains of getting our current house under contract. There were so many showings, and I cleaned this house into near perfection so many times, I nearly cried when it finally happened a few weeks back. I love this house -- we love this house. But we love what the new house is becoming as well. And we will be in walking distance to really great friends and Gabriela's house (Elsa's playgroup). The only downside is that we are going from arguably the best school district to one that is not so good, at least in terms of the elementary school. And we have been paying ridiculous taxes for these schools for seven-plus years, only to move away a year before Elsa would have started pre-K in the public school system. But there is a supposedly wonderful charter school near the new house, and we are hedging our bets that Elsa will win the lottery and be there in a couple of years.

Now, for the house. Things have really started happening over there, which is why I really felt the need to post, and post pictures! We close on our current house at the end of the month, when we will pack the rest of our stuff up in another POD. Then we will be homeless for a couple (a few?) of weeks until the new house is ready. Should be an adventure!

Front of house

Stone entry on front porch in progress

Stone overlay on base of columns also in progress

Looking through the front door, straight back to downstairs bath

Dining room, to your right when you walk in front door

Another view of dining room

Looking back toward front door

Kitchen, to your left when you walk in front door

Kitchen at left, living room at right

Living room, with French doors heading out to screened porch

View from back of living room -- Jarrett standing in entertainment center

Downstairs (3rd) bath

Laundry room

Master bedroom

Master bedroom, another view (master bath was too dark to shoot)

Going up, dining room at right

Open den area upstairs (also three other bedrooms)

Upstairs (2nd) bath

 

Screened porch ceiling

Me and Avie on screened porch

Back of house

Second view

Elsa playing in pile of sand in front yard