Three Little Birds...: Our house over ten years....

2009 is going to be a year of milestones for us...

*Jan. - Ten year anniversary that we closed on our house

*Feb. - Eddie makes his First Reconciliation
*Mar. - Ten year anniversary that we sold the co-op in Queens

and actually moved in to this house
*May - Eddie makes his First Holy Communion

*Nov. - 10 year wedding anniversary
*Dec. - 10 years since I quit smoking

(Not to mention I will also be turning 40 this year!)

Since this month is the ten year anniversary of buying this house, I thought it would be appropriate to post pics of all the changes our home has undergone in the last decade.

Ken has done every single bit of it himself all while working his regular job plus all his side jobs.

We're not done yet, but it's getting better all the time!

(((I realize this post is confusing...I'm working on it!)

This is what our house looked like when we bought it ten years ago...
~1999~

This is what it looks like now.....

~ 2009~

Side View

~1999~
Side View

~2009~

The Process

At the beginning of July 2000 Ken decided to start the addition. He blew out the second floor making the two bedroom space into three bedrooms.

I was 9 months pregnant with Eddie who was born 7/30/00. I had been commuting into the city to work prior to this but in my 9th month of pregnancy my boss took pity on me and allowed me to start working from home full time. I had a makeshift office in the dining room and it was hot, noisy and crazy. Looking back I have no idea how I survived it.

That red car was my very first

(I learned to drive when I was 30)

I miss my little red honda civic.....

~ 2009 ~

Our Rabbit family!

The sunroom
When we first moved in this was my favorite room in the house. We had it set up like a garden room and you could see right out to the river... it was a very pretty and cheery room...

Then we made it into a playroom for the boys...

~2009~

Future...office/den/library...former bedroom/office

Before we moved into the bedrooms upstairswe used the downstairs "office" for a bedroom. The wall that the book case is on in this picture is no longer there. Ken knocked it down and put up a glass door and walls looking out into the sunroom.

~1999~

This is what that room looks like today - it is still unfinished..Ken is working on a very detailed round ceiling molding for it. Now we call it the "future office/library" or "Lina's Room" since she loves that green chair.

~2009~

The Process

Ken knocked down the wall between this room and the sunroom and put up a glass door/wall....

~1999~

Glass door/wall today

~2009~

When Eddie was born he shared this tiny room with us. We had no where else to put his crib but in the tiny alcove space that was intended to be a closet for the washing machine & dryer.

Later when we moved upstairs this room became my home office, as I was still working from home full time at that time. I put a little table and chairs in the alcove space for Eddie's "office."

Finally today the washer and dryer are in that space...

Eventually Ken will put up the pretty accordian doors that we have to put in front of the washer & dryer.

~2009~

My desk and workspace.....

Yes, that's a bouncy thing with a thousand plastic balls in it.

My mother-in-law bought it for Eddie & Kenny.

The baby is Christopher.

It wasn't really the best situation for work productivity!

I was one stressed out mama!

~2009~

The Living Room

This is what the living room looked like 10 years ago.

Notice the straight windows. Now they are bay windows.

~1999~

The windows right after construction...

Here are the windows today - finally trimmed!

But we still need to get proper rods and drapes!

~2009~

Ken knocked down the wall with the pictures on it and put up glass sliding doors dividing the living room and "future den/library" room.
He also closed up that window.

That sectional was from Ken's first apartment.

~1999~

This is what that wall looks like now.

It still needs to be trimmed.

~2009~

The Process

We got rid of the sectional but kept the cushions.

We got this couch and chair set.

Yes, that's a kids tent in the corner of the room.

We added more toys

The Living Room today..

~2009~

Entertainment area 10 years ago....

~1999~

~2009~

The Dining Room

Notice the flat windows...

~1999~

Bay windows were put in...

The bay window today

~2009~

When our bedroom was on the first floor

I had to work out of the dining room.

The dining room table was my desk.

And I had Eddie right there with me the whole time.

It was a very stressfull time for me!
~2000~

When we moved to the upstairs bedrooms in 2002 my "office" moved to the back room and we were able to use the dining room.

~2009~

~2002~

~2009~

~2001~

~2009~

Three little birds....

~2009~

The Kitchen
We have done very little to this room,

but we have made some small changes...

I painted it myself after Christopher was born from pale green to warm colonial blue...it's definitely not the best paint job but I still get compliments on the color!

~1999~

Ken put in a new door.

Aunt Cookie gave us the black granite island...it was a display piece in the Kitchen Renovations store she worked in and they were going to get rid of us so she got it for us! It has absolutely become the heart of our home. Thanks Aunt Cookie!
~2009~

10 years ago, when the "future office" was our bedroom, the desktop computer was in a corner of the kitchen...

~1999~

Now we have a baker's rack there, which I love and was give to us by Cathy & Danny!Thanks guys!

~2009~

The Upstairs Bathroom...

This room is still not fully completed, it's been an ongoing project,

but it's getting there and I love it...

~1999~

Ken did everything - including all the tilework...

~2007~

~2009~

~2007~

We still need to paint the top half of the wall.

We have a cabinet and framed print that will go up in this corner.

~2009~

The 'little' Boys Bedroom.... (Eddie & Chris)

This is now one of my favorite rooms in the house.

It is very big and has a very high angular ceiling.

Ken says it was a challenge to spackle!

Eddie's crib....

~2002~

There are bunk beds in that corner now...

~2009~

Christopher's Crib

~2002~

Christopher's bed before the bunk beds.

We decided to keep Christopher's old bed as a third bed when we have company. I through a bunch of pillows on top and it is also an extra place for story/snuggle time.

We love it.

~2009~

The Dresser

~2002~

The dresser

~2009~

The corner

~2002~

~2009~

The closet & bookcase

~2002~

Today...

Yes, the rocking chair is still there...

I guess I'll have to get rid of it someday, there sure would be more room if we did....but I know that's one that would give me major separation anxiety.....I LOVE that rocking chair....it is sooooo representative of many years of rocking and loving and some of the sweetest moments between me and my boys...the sweetest moments of my life.....

~2009~

Kenny's Room

~1999~

Kenny's room is the only one with a skylight.

That window is so beautiful in the springtime...... there is a dogwood tree right outside....it's flowers are gorgeous and display right there when it is in full bloom...