So this is going to be off topic from the Ryan Homes Blog but I feel like many of you, whom built your home around the same time I did, have something in common.
Kids.
Having my second child and being my my Ryan Home was a fantastic idea.
Both of my girls have so much space and I can't emphasize enough how safe we feel with our kids playing in the yard in our neighborhood.
Everyone in our Ryan community kind of looks out for one another and we help each other out in the winter when PA decides to throw some crazy snow at us.
Some of us in the community have found that our slopped driveways maybe aren't the most ideal and others (me) have been inspired to just buy a new vehicle that just destroys any "driving in the snow" problems that might exist.
Last winter was a BEAST.
But..that' s not what I hopped on to talk about.
I want to share my pure joy and delight for the Ergo Baby Carrier.
Seriously. I didn't have this thing with baby #1 and I swear my back paid for it.
But I have it for baby #2 and I have to tell you it's the best money in baby carriers I have ever spend. Literally...it is.
I have bought almost every baby carrier there was out there. I don't know how I missed this Ergo Carrier the first time around but I"m so glad I didn't miss it the second.
Right now, I have a snuggly little baby cuddled up to me and sleeping away and when I'm done typing here, I'll be able to easily slip out of my carrier and leave her to sleep in her bed for a couple of hours.
Aside from the close cuddly contact, my absolute FAVORITE FEATURE is one of the most simple things about it.
The Ergo Carrier has a little black cloth that you can pull up and snap to your shoulder straps.
The cloth covers the babies head and makes it almost completely dark.
THIS IS AWESOME!
I'm serious.
You have no idea how much I was just struggling to get this little baby bugger to take a nap and finally in a moment of desperation, I remembered this carrier.
I tried to put her on my back first but that just didn't work. She got more calm but she wasn't going into a trance.
So I switched her to the front carry withe carrier (cause you can do both) and BAM! in less than 5 minutes she was conked out and now here I'm typing about it.
Little black nap cloth covering her head and a little bundle between me and my computer...BUT at long LAST she is sleeping.
Once I realized I'd have some time after she feel asleep my pure joy and admiration for this baby carrier had to be shared.
Plus...if I let her get a little deeper into the sleep cycle while I rock back and forth and type this blogpost while standing at the kitchen counter (which I still love btw!) then I might have a chance of having more freedom today than I planned. (Freedom in regards to more time to blog my butt away!)
So there you have it.
An "off topic" blog post about my Ergo baby carrier because it is literally one of the best investments (aside from my home of course) that I have made.
Now...if I could just lose a little more weight and look sexy with this little bundle like those skinny mamas! ....then maybe I'd share a photo.
Haha!
I hope you have a great day!
-C
ps...My horrible weight loss story is n't so horrible anymore! Boooyah!
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Monday, July 13, 2015
It's Hard. Or is it? Look at all I've done...even if the photos kind of stink!
Ok. I love taking photos and I know that I promised I would shoe some update photos since it's been a while.
While they are not the absolute best photos on Earth..they are still pretty cool so you can see some of the neat stuff that we've added to the house. :)
The biggest thing we want to do next is to add a deck (yeah I know...we still don't have one) but it's crazy to find a reliable and good deck builder in these parts!
So anyways...here I am just chilling in my house and I forgot to tell you guys that we finished the basement! (real nice photos to come of course)
It took just under a year because we did all the work ourselves, but now we have the coolest storage closet, a built in "library" of sorts, a full bath in the basement and a family room that still needs some tender loving decoration and care.
I can't decide what to do paint wise and I still need to get to a point where I can keep up with my kids and their toys but I think the house is looking pretty good! I'll share more photos of that too!
Silly me. Today I didn't have the right camera lens on so please forgive the "strange" photos. I figured something is better than nothing!
Here you go!
While they are not the absolute best photos on Earth..they are still pretty cool so you can see some of the neat stuff that we've added to the house. :)
The biggest thing we want to do next is to add a deck (yeah I know...we still don't have one) but it's crazy to find a reliable and good deck builder in these parts!
So anyways...here I am just chilling in my house and I forgot to tell you guys that we finished the basement! (real nice photos to come of course)
It took just under a year because we did all the work ourselves, but now we have the coolest storage closet, a built in "library" of sorts, a full bath in the basement and a family room that still needs some tender loving decoration and care.
I can't decide what to do paint wise and I still need to get to a point where I can keep up with my kids and their toys but I think the house is looking pretty good! I'll share more photos of that too!
Silly me. Today I didn't have the right camera lens on so please forgive the "strange" photos. I figured something is better than nothing!
Here you go!
So this is the what I did in the morning room. I have no idea what to say about it other than sometimes I feel like it looks like a grandmother did it and other times I just love it and that's all that really counts.
Here's one of our living room:
Clearly I have an obsession with trees...and my daughter loves Spongebob.
Here you can see we are run by small minions. (aka two children who are spoiled to death). I spent a fair amount of time picking out this two paint colors and figuring out exactly what to do on this wall.
I don't mind a plainly painted wall but I couldn't stand the only thing on this wall being a television as the accent so I stepped outside of my lazy comfort zone and spent several hours making this wall look super duper. I love this wall and it's my favorite by far in our Venice.
I plan on doing something similar on the same wall that goes up the stairs but I'm no 100% committed to the idea yet. The baby stuff will eventually be gone and I'll be able to show you some photos of what I envision (not with baby toys all over the place). The book shelf thing on the right will be gone to as eventually we will run wires to have the dvd player downstairs or it will be on a shelf that compliments the tree design. That's my challenge right now. I know what I want but I have to find a way to balance it into the design.
Once again, I apologize for the weird angles and such. I didn't have my wide lens on the camera so it is what it is! :)
I love the white against the neutral background. It took a while to do, but I just absolutely love this wall. Really, I've painted a lot of walls through the years and this one tops all of them!
Here's the basement...(part of it).
This is the room in the basement that is towards the street in the Venice. These build in book shelves were made right against the stairwell and I'm standing in the basement bathroom to take the photo.
Check out some of the bathroom:
This is the downstairs basement bathroom that use to be a rough in! Yay! No more concrete walls! :) So...we saved a ton by doing it ourselves but it sure seems to have taken forever! I'll make sure to take better photos once I get my wide lens out.
And last but not least, here's a shameless plug for this wonderful woman named Sheri that I met. She makes these AWESOME Minion Gourmet Treats for kiddie parties and all sorts of things. So if you love Minions (come on...I know you do!) and you or someone you know is thinking about having a minions themed party and is looking for minions party ideas, please share her information! I know you won't be disappointed! Here's a link to her site where you can order the minions or any other gourmet treats! She totally customizes things so it's so exciting for me to share her little world with you guys! I know I'm going to be buying a Corporate Holiday Gift Tray or something like that for the holidays because these are seriousely good gourmet goodies! (I order the marshmallow/pretzel treats for kiddie parties but I get the gourmet chocolate/caramel choices (see her site) for the more adult based stuff).
Anyways!
I hope you like them if you order them! You'd be crazy not to!
Tell her you found her through me too! I would love her to know that I'm spreading the word and trying to get her little minion creations out there! (She doesn't get the whole minion thing...but I do!)
:)
Have a great day! See you next time!
Monday, June 29, 2015
Beachbody Coach? Pay for my home with extra money on the internet? Is it possible?
So, after two kids I'm wondering if I should become a beachbody coach (well really..it's not if I should become one...I did it) So I'm just starting out with that.
It should be interesting. I'm already making extra money online but I want to lose weight too and why not make money doing it right?
It's funny how much motivation you have to make a living from home when you learn there is a way using the internet.
I'm really excited to workout with beachbody and the Shakeology shakes have actually been kind of good for me. I drink them with coffee each morning and I work on my little (soon to be big) business and off I go!
If you think you might actually be interested in doing the beachbody with me ( I have 30 lbs to lose) then make sure you let me know because I would love to know if you were one of my blogger friends!
So...you're probably dying to see my kids since I've moved in.
Remember that baby from all the Ryan Homes Venice Build Photos earlier in this blog?
Check here out now:
It should be interesting. I'm already making extra money online but I want to lose weight too and why not make money doing it right?
It's funny how much motivation you have to make a living from home when you learn there is a way using the internet.
If you think you would like to try BeachBody out too, you can join me for the next beach body challenge here: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/beachbodypittsburgh
I'm really excited to workout with beachbody and the Shakeology shakes have actually been kind of good for me. I drink them with coffee each morning and I work on my little (soon to be big) business and off I go!
If you think you might actually be interested in doing the beachbody with me ( I have 30 lbs to lose) then make sure you let me know because I would love to know if you were one of my blogger friends!
So...you're probably dying to see my kids since I've moved in.
Remember that baby from all the Ryan Homes Venice Build Photos earlier in this blog?
Check here out now:
 |
| This is that little baby from when we were first building our Ryan Home near Pittsburgh! Can you believe it? |
 |
| Here she is last Fall. |
 |
| This is the new little baby. She looks almost like that last one huh? She's a stinker and we are so glad we built our Ryan Home Venice because now both of our girls have a fantastic home and neighborhood to live in! SO I really want to make sure that I get back into shape for these two cutie pies! I'm using the beachbody traning because I was able to lost over 20 lbs in the past before I had kids and now I'm not much a beachbody success story....BUT I just heard about a the new beachbody cize so I'm really excited about that because my oldest girl LOVES to dance so I'm hoping we can all do that together. Have you gals that have had kids (or guys too I guess!) noticed that once you have kids it just seems so much harder to find time to workout and lose weight? I hate it. It makes me crazy but it's totally my fault. I haven't not tried the p90x from beach body but I hear it's really good. The last time I lost wait it was with beachbody insanity but that is a really high impact exercise but the slim in 6 is a little too slow for me. So I recently started the 21 day fix and I loved the little containers but then I got busy. So now I'm trying the Focus T25. I have no idea what to expect. I'm just hoping to find SOMETHING. ANYTHING that will keep my interest long enough because honestly....I use to be a fitness coach and an endurance athlete. How can I let myself be out of shape? I can't. I just can't. Not any more. It's time to make a change and I'm hoping BeacbBody can help me out this second time around! Of course now I owe you guys photos of our house. Don't worry. I'll make sure to do it soon. I've been so busy building out my other site that I forget what time of day or what day of the week it is sometimes! Life is good! |
Friday, June 26, 2015
Blogging and Enjoying My Ryan Home in PIttsburgh
One of the strangest things to me is the fact that so many people pop by and check out this blog.
I really have no idea why people like to listen to me blab about my house, but that's cool! I understand. I spent hours and hours and days and nights and more days and night (well..you get the idea) watching my house being built and worrying to death if everything would turn out all right.
Well..I'm here to tell you it does.
Maybe you won't have the same journey though. I'm very fortunate that I still have a husband and two beautiful babies here in my new (err...now almost new) Ryan Home.
Not everyone is so fortunate and I have to be aware of that and attentive to it so that I understand people overall a little better and tread lightly when pain enters their hearts or anger exits their mouths.
One of my neighbors built a house here in our Ryan home development and they got "the works". A nice deck with stairs, granite counter tops, fireplace...etc.etc.. I remember thinking once that I would love to have what they had.....but then forward 2 or 3 years.
About a month ago, we were walking in our little neighborhood and this guy was moving all of his furniture out to another neighbor's home and selling every last thing he had in his perfect Ryan Home (A Venice just like mine). He was a bit tipsy so we got the whole story...and it's such a sad one.
To make a long story short...His wife left. To make it super sad.....She took the boy. To make it righteous....He did something bad.
So...it all turned out like it should, however, that's not a happy Ryan Home anymore. I just hope that the next family that moves into it is able to fix it and make it "smile" again.
The energy that it must have had to go through while fights and battles over things that don't matter were going on must be exhausting.
I'm so glad that the majority of my childhood was filled with turmoil so in a sense it is out of my life. Kind of like I've paid my dues I guess.
So...unlike those neighbors, I have thoroughly enjoyed my Ryan Home Venice and I'm totally happy that we spend (borrowed) the money to be here. Our daughters love this place and home ownership (although challenging to keep up with at times) is well worth it in the long run.
We are proud of what we do and we have something to work for every day of our lives and with my new adventure in Job Killing (more about that later), we are really making a great life story here!
I have painted the morning room, the living room and put decals in one of the bathrooms. I have learned that I really really REALLY like trees. (Perhaps it's a little influence by my husband's deceased mother) Trees. Paisly and swirly things. I don't know what it is...I just love them!
Alrighty! Gotta run. I'll be sure to post some photos of the painted morning room and stuff in the future!
BEsT LOVE to you!
I really have no idea why people like to listen to me blab about my house, but that's cool! I understand. I spent hours and hours and days and nights and more days and night (well..you get the idea) watching my house being built and worrying to death if everything would turn out all right.
Well..I'm here to tell you it does.
Maybe you won't have the same journey though. I'm very fortunate that I still have a husband and two beautiful babies here in my new (err...now almost new) Ryan Home.
Not everyone is so fortunate and I have to be aware of that and attentive to it so that I understand people overall a little better and tread lightly when pain enters their hearts or anger exits their mouths.
One of my neighbors built a house here in our Ryan home development and they got "the works". A nice deck with stairs, granite counter tops, fireplace...etc.etc.. I remember thinking once that I would love to have what they had.....but then forward 2 or 3 years.
About a month ago, we were walking in our little neighborhood and this guy was moving all of his furniture out to another neighbor's home and selling every last thing he had in his perfect Ryan Home (A Venice just like mine). He was a bit tipsy so we got the whole story...and it's such a sad one.
To make a long story short...His wife left. To make it super sad.....She took the boy. To make it righteous....He did something bad.
So...it all turned out like it should, however, that's not a happy Ryan Home anymore. I just hope that the next family that moves into it is able to fix it and make it "smile" again.
The energy that it must have had to go through while fights and battles over things that don't matter were going on must be exhausting.
I'm so glad that the majority of my childhood was filled with turmoil so in a sense it is out of my life. Kind of like I've paid my dues I guess.
So...unlike those neighbors, I have thoroughly enjoyed my Ryan Home Venice and I'm totally happy that we spend (borrowed) the money to be here. Our daughters love this place and home ownership (although challenging to keep up with at times) is well worth it in the long run.
We are proud of what we do and we have something to work for every day of our lives and with my new adventure in Job Killing (more about that later), we are really making a great life story here!
I have painted the morning room, the living room and put decals in one of the bathrooms. I have learned that I really really REALLY like trees. (Perhaps it's a little influence by my husband's deceased mother) Trees. Paisly and swirly things. I don't know what it is...I just love them!
Alrighty! Gotta run. I'll be sure to post some photos of the painted morning room and stuff in the future!
BEsT LOVE to you!
Saturday, March 21, 2015
I've made money at home and finished my basement in the Venice!
Well...my quest to find a work at home job has really been super successful. Just the other morning I work up to $900 I wasn't expecting in my paypal bank and I thought...Man!
I finally found it. I found the work at home gig that I was looking for. Each day since I've been taking the courses in this program have proven to be invaluable. I will NEVER regret the money I've spent or the time I've put into this because it is seriously the real deal. I'm so glad I wasn't afraid to jump in and give it a try...and even better than that, I'm really glad I ditched the whole Ipas2 thing and trusted these guys with their new courses.
If you are at all interested in learning how to build your own business online and help your local businesses at the same time, message me or something and I'll be sure to give you a little more information. I never thought I'd be someone writing a post like this and I totally know how skeptical some of you may be reading it..but if you have followed my blog at all, you know that I don't ever just type crap and make stuff up. This is a real opportunity and I'm so blessed to have found it. Here is an interview they did of me: http://www.marikinavalley.com
If you decide this is something you might like to try, make sure you go through me because I may be able to help you get a discount or a scholarship (depending on a phone interview) to join. I was on a scholarship and I'm so glad I was. I am forever grateful to this program and I can't wait to pay off my Ryan Home and spend more time in it! :) Here is an example of what I've done and something that is currently paying me while sitting on the couch or walking the dog really! www.marikinavalley.com I can post anywhere!
Cool huh? I have some cool stuff I have to share...like the tree sillouettes I painted on the wall (the one w/ the fireplace) and the downstairs! We finished the basement and it makes such a HUGE difference! WE got our carpet from Home Depot on the roll (I really researched this and was going to go with a family owned carpet company but I couldn't get the same great quality of the home depot carpet without spending $1500 more .....I'm so glad I decided on the "cheap" stuff because honestly it is REALLY nice. We did buy the best pad we could and it really really is awesome now. We actually go down there now and just sit on the floor. We have one chair but the floor is more comfortable! I suppose I should make a house review soon since that's what this blog is about huh? Well, I hope you all are enjoying your homes and living the dream! I definitely am and I'm so excited for what the future holds! TTL!
I finally found it. I found the work at home gig that I was looking for. Each day since I've been taking the courses in this program have proven to be invaluable. I will NEVER regret the money I've spent or the time I've put into this because it is seriously the real deal. I'm so glad I wasn't afraid to jump in and give it a try...and even better than that, I'm really glad I ditched the whole Ipas2 thing and trusted these guys with their new courses.
If you are at all interested in learning how to build your own business online and help your local businesses at the same time, message me or something and I'll be sure to give you a little more information. I never thought I'd be someone writing a post like this and I totally know how skeptical some of you may be reading it..but if you have followed my blog at all, you know that I don't ever just type crap and make stuff up. This is a real opportunity and I'm so blessed to have found it. Here is an interview they did of me: http://www.marikinavalley.com
If you decide this is something you might like to try, make sure you go through me because I may be able to help you get a discount or a scholarship (depending on a phone interview) to join. I was on a scholarship and I'm so glad I was. I am forever grateful to this program and I can't wait to pay off my Ryan Home and spend more time in it! :) Here is an example of what I've done and something that is currently paying me while sitting on the couch or walking the dog really! www.marikinavalley.com I can post anywhere!
Cool huh? I have some cool stuff I have to share...like the tree sillouettes I painted on the wall (the one w/ the fireplace) and the downstairs! We finished the basement and it makes such a HUGE difference! WE got our carpet from Home Depot on the roll (I really researched this and was going to go with a family owned carpet company but I couldn't get the same great quality of the home depot carpet without spending $1500 more .....I'm so glad I decided on the "cheap" stuff because honestly it is REALLY nice. We did buy the best pad we could and it really really is awesome now. We actually go down there now and just sit on the floor. We have one chair but the floor is more comfortable! I suppose I should make a house review soon since that's what this blog is about huh? Well, I hope you all are enjoying your homes and living the dream! I definitely am and I'm so excited for what the future holds! TTL!
Friday, January 16, 2015
A New Journey and on my way to pay for my Ryan Home!
Well, I know I've been gone for awhile! But I'm back and boy am I so excited!
I have had a lot happen in the past year. I have even found a way to work from home so I can enjoy my home even more!
Here's what I've been up to: 1. Giving birth to my second daughter!
2. Getting Assaulted by a student. (not good but it drove me to do something different!)
3. Finding an awesome work at home opportunity. After really long day in teaching, I went home and cried. A student had assaulted me. A student changed my world in a way I never thought would have ever happened in teaching. It was one of those things that makes you want to leave teaching and find another career.
As a matter of a fact, I spent WEEKS watching the job boards desperately trying to find a work at home job or any job for that matter. I did not want to leave my house and I just wanted to find a way to make money and support my family that was flexible and with a lot less stress! For the first time in my life, I was plagued by anxiety.
Everywhere I went, I would feel anxious.
Something about that day changed my life forever.
I have had a lot of trails in my life, so I knew deep down somehow that I would get through it.
You know what? I did!
I am now on my way to a better future than I could possibly ever imagine.
I am in a position to make money from home and work hard at helping others recover from the ailments that life throws at you. No more feeling alone. No more being tired all the time! More time with my family and an internal happiness that I haven't felt in a while.
I LOVE working now!
I love the people I work with and I love the fact that I get to enjoy my Ryan Home while doing it! This house and this new job is by far the best decision I have ever made in life. The bad thing that happened was just something to drive me into a better life and I am so thankful for it!
If you are in a place where you are looking for a new direction, please visit:....Ask me about it!
I have found a different venture than what I originally posted and am making some great progress. I will definitely blog about it once I get thing up and running. No MLM or quick cash...it's a real business and I'm excited about it.
I don't have time to type because I gotta get back on and get through my courses! I will share soon!
I have had a lot happen in the past year. I have even found a way to work from home so I can enjoy my home even more!
Here's what I've been up to: 1. Giving birth to my second daughter!
2. Getting Assaulted by a student. (not good but it drove me to do something different!)
3. Finding an awesome work at home opportunity. After really long day in teaching, I went home and cried. A student had assaulted me. A student changed my world in a way I never thought would have ever happened in teaching. It was one of those things that makes you want to leave teaching and find another career.
As a matter of a fact, I spent WEEKS watching the job boards desperately trying to find a work at home job or any job for that matter. I did not want to leave my house and I just wanted to find a way to make money and support my family that was flexible and with a lot less stress! For the first time in my life, I was plagued by anxiety.
Everywhere I went, I would feel anxious.
Something about that day changed my life forever.
I have had a lot of trails in my life, so I knew deep down somehow that I would get through it.
You know what? I did!
I am now on my way to a better future than I could possibly ever imagine.
I am in a position to make money from home and work hard at helping others recover from the ailments that life throws at you. No more feeling alone. No more being tired all the time! More time with my family and an internal happiness that I haven't felt in a while.
I LOVE working now!
I love the people I work with and I love the fact that I get to enjoy my Ryan Home while doing it! This house and this new job is by far the best decision I have ever made in life. The bad thing that happened was just something to drive me into a better life and I am so thankful for it!
If you are in a place where you are looking for a new direction, please visit:....Ask me about it!
I have found a different venture than what I originally posted and am making some great progress. I will definitely blog about it once I get thing up and running. No MLM or quick cash...it's a real business and I'm excited about it.
I don't have time to type because I gotta get back on and get through my courses! I will share soon!
Monday, August 12, 2013
One Year Later, the things I did right and the things I'd change:
Well, we have been in our home for one year! Wow, does time go by fast! I decided that I would write on the things I love about our home and the things that I would change. let's start with the things that I would change so we can end the post with things I love and a good note:
Things I would change:
1. I would have not upgraded the carpet in the upstairs. Why? Because I really don't see much difference and I'm going to pay to have the upstairs and the downstairs flooring replaced within 5 years. Let's just say, even the upgraded carpet leaves much to be desired.
2. I would have paid for the stone fireplace. I don't mind the standard but I still dream of the stone and it's going to be a task to alter the one I have. I can do it, but I cringe at how dry my hands are going to get with all the cement.
3. I would have asked them to place an outlet on both sides of my kitchen island. It's amazing how many times I wish I had another outlet on the other end.
4. Thermostat placement. It is currently smack dab in the middle of the wall that it is on. I had to decorate around it. That is just annoying.
5. SWITCH for garage light INSIDE mudroom. It would be more convenient.
6. Bannister? Maybe...I like the look and I occasionally would like that formality, however I do also like the extra wall to back my piano against. Even still, I think if I had gotten bannisters, I would not be wishing I had a half wall. I do like how my cat and dogs can be blocked out of the upstairs though.
7. Add another basement window. I love light. I really would love another window or two in my basement.
8. PAY for a deadlock sliding door or different type of walkout door for the basement. It makes me nervous that it is just a latch.
9. Upgrade the master bathroom counter to granite. I don't mind the standard white, but I would love granite. But then again...I also like a lower mortgage.
10. INSIST on better topsoil. Our yard is ridiculous. We have put a lot of time in it and we are actually treating it with something called Claymend. I feel that we shouldn't have to do this. The "topsoil" is a joke.
11. Upgrade trim. Can you upgrade to a real wood trim? The standard stuff we have seems to nick too easily.
12. Paint the garage before hanging stuff up. I know it seems silly to paint a garage but I love aesthetically pleasing things. It's the first thing I see when I come home...I'm going to have to do some work to paint it now.
13. Insist on seeing the new boxes from all the light bulbs. I know this sound crazy BUT I've had more lights than I care to count burn out just a couple months in the house. They are florescent and definitely shouldn't be doing that! They are not cheap to replace either.
14. ADD A FRONT PORCH. I didn't realize how much I like to sit on our stoop. I would definitely love a front porch. It didn't come with our elevation but it should.
15. BEG for the panel glass door to the basement. I've seen in it in other Venice models and still love it and wish I had it. If anyone knows where they come from, please let me know.
16. UPGRADE the dishwasher. IT works...but that's about it. It's kind of noisy and it was already rusting on the racks! Fortunately we called GE before the 1 year warranty expired and they sent us new ones, but we know they will end up rusint too. It's just a bad design for a dishwasher.
17. INSIST on a hose bib on the FRONT of the house and not in the garage. It is just annoying to have to juggle a hose through cars. We ended up moving our ourself. It would have been nice if it was already done. We did utilize the old hose bib for a utility sink though....so that's nice.
Things I would KEEP:
1. I LOVE the recessed lighting in my kitchen. LOVE IT.
2. Morning room. I would hate this house without it. I LOVE IT!
3. Upgrade tile in master bath. It just looks and feels better.
4. WAIT to paint until after my 10month/year inspection. This was a wise choice on my part. When they came to do all the little fixes, Ryan Homes easily painted them for me too. A neighbor of mine had to paint the fixes herself because she had already painted.
5. Pay for a basement window. The benefit of this is indescribable.
6. Upstairs Laundry room. It makes my life so easy and I love it.
7. Pay for garage door opener. I like that we have never had to mess with this. I know we could have done it or hired someone, but I like that from DAY ONE we were able to get in and out with ease.
8. Cottage Elevation. I love the way my house looks. I adore the brick and I think it will stay in "style" for a long time. I love stone and originally wanted it but didn't want to pay the extra. I'm glad we have the brick because I'm still happy with the money saved and the way the house looks. I LOVE the cedar vinyl siding on the face of the house. The flower box allows me to do a lot of creative things to give the house character too. I think it is much better than just plain siding (no offense).
9. Placement of fireplace. I'm on and off about this, but when I have my deck, I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it. Our fireplace is on the opposite wall of the kitchen. The furniture placement is a little more challenging than if it were on the side wall, however I know I can deal with that and would be more annoyed if it was taking up deck space.
10. VENICE house. I think that the venice is awesome. Sometimes I think I want a different model but then I always find something that turns me off. For instance, most other houses may have more rooms on the first floor or a beautiful foyer (like the Victoria Falls) BUT the size of the bedrooms are much less than the ones I have. I think the Venice is perfect for families who need space and don't mind that they don't have the "WOW!" facter upon entering the front door. The Vitoria Falls is a beautiful house with an amazing foyer and 1st floor layout upon entering. The Venice is more practical and utilizes every and all nooks and corners. I like that. Now wasted space. 9. Using Ryan Homes. I think Ryan Homes is great for a first time home buyer building a new home. The customer service has been exceptional in the sales office and from NVR for the 10 month check. Everything I asked to be adjusted, fixed and/or changed has been done in superfast time. I really appreciate that and I really appreciate the opportunity to have issues addressed close to a year after owning my home.
10. Building in a subdivision. Although you run into a few grouches here and there or someone who knows everything about everyone, I really like the diversity and safety provided by a subdivision. When I enter my little development, I immediately feel safe and at home. Neighbors look out for each other and invite one another to little picnics and get togethers. I like seeing kids play in the front yards or selling lemonade down the street. I like a "Hey" or a wave from a passerby.
So there you go. For us, it was the best decision of our life to build this home. Everyday we feel good about working hard for this house purchase. It is exactly the house of our dreams and we would definitely do it all over again if we had to....with maybe a little better topsoil. :)
(Update/// One thing I did super super right! It's right here: www.marikinavalley.com! Not an mlm. Just a super awesome way to take courses and learn how to stay at home or make extra income. It's killer!
Things I would change:
1. I would have not upgraded the carpet in the upstairs. Why? Because I really don't see much difference and I'm going to pay to have the upstairs and the downstairs flooring replaced within 5 years. Let's just say, even the upgraded carpet leaves much to be desired.
2. I would have paid for the stone fireplace. I don't mind the standard but I still dream of the stone and it's going to be a task to alter the one I have. I can do it, but I cringe at how dry my hands are going to get with all the cement.
3. I would have asked them to place an outlet on both sides of my kitchen island. It's amazing how many times I wish I had another outlet on the other end.
4. Thermostat placement. It is currently smack dab in the middle of the wall that it is on. I had to decorate around it. That is just annoying.
5. SWITCH for garage light INSIDE mudroom. It would be more convenient.
6. Bannister? Maybe...I like the look and I occasionally would like that formality, however I do also like the extra wall to back my piano against. Even still, I think if I had gotten bannisters, I would not be wishing I had a half wall. I do like how my cat and dogs can be blocked out of the upstairs though.
7. Add another basement window. I love light. I really would love another window or two in my basement.
8. PAY for a deadlock sliding door or different type of walkout door for the basement. It makes me nervous that it is just a latch.
9. Upgrade the master bathroom counter to granite. I don't mind the standard white, but I would love granite. But then again...I also like a lower mortgage.
10. INSIST on better topsoil. Our yard is ridiculous. We have put a lot of time in it and we are actually treating it with something called Claymend. I feel that we shouldn't have to do this. The "topsoil" is a joke.
11. Upgrade trim. Can you upgrade to a real wood trim? The standard stuff we have seems to nick too easily.
12. Paint the garage before hanging stuff up. I know it seems silly to paint a garage but I love aesthetically pleasing things. It's the first thing I see when I come home...I'm going to have to do some work to paint it now.
13. Insist on seeing the new boxes from all the light bulbs. I know this sound crazy BUT I've had more lights than I care to count burn out just a couple months in the house. They are florescent and definitely shouldn't be doing that! They are not cheap to replace either.
14. ADD A FRONT PORCH. I didn't realize how much I like to sit on our stoop. I would definitely love a front porch. It didn't come with our elevation but it should.
15. BEG for the panel glass door to the basement. I've seen in it in other Venice models and still love it and wish I had it. If anyone knows where they come from, please let me know.
16. UPGRADE the dishwasher. IT works...but that's about it. It's kind of noisy and it was already rusting on the racks! Fortunately we called GE before the 1 year warranty expired and they sent us new ones, but we know they will end up rusint too. It's just a bad design for a dishwasher.
17. INSIST on a hose bib on the FRONT of the house and not in the garage. It is just annoying to have to juggle a hose through cars. We ended up moving our ourself. It would have been nice if it was already done. We did utilize the old hose bib for a utility sink though....so that's nice.
Things I would KEEP:
1. I LOVE the recessed lighting in my kitchen. LOVE IT.
2. Morning room. I would hate this house without it. I LOVE IT!
3. Upgrade tile in master bath. It just looks and feels better.
4. WAIT to paint until after my 10month/year inspection. This was a wise choice on my part. When they came to do all the little fixes, Ryan Homes easily painted them for me too. A neighbor of mine had to paint the fixes herself because she had already painted.
5. Pay for a basement window. The benefit of this is indescribable.
6. Upstairs Laundry room. It makes my life so easy and I love it.
7. Pay for garage door opener. I like that we have never had to mess with this. I know we could have done it or hired someone, but I like that from DAY ONE we were able to get in and out with ease.
8. Cottage Elevation. I love the way my house looks. I adore the brick and I think it will stay in "style" for a long time. I love stone and originally wanted it but didn't want to pay the extra. I'm glad we have the brick because I'm still happy with the money saved and the way the house looks. I LOVE the cedar vinyl siding on the face of the house. The flower box allows me to do a lot of creative things to give the house character too. I think it is much better than just plain siding (no offense).
9. Placement of fireplace. I'm on and off about this, but when I have my deck, I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it. Our fireplace is on the opposite wall of the kitchen. The furniture placement is a little more challenging than if it were on the side wall, however I know I can deal with that and would be more annoyed if it was taking up deck space.
10. VENICE house. I think that the venice is awesome. Sometimes I think I want a different model but then I always find something that turns me off. For instance, most other houses may have more rooms on the first floor or a beautiful foyer (like the Victoria Falls) BUT the size of the bedrooms are much less than the ones I have. I think the Venice is perfect for families who need space and don't mind that they don't have the "WOW!" facter upon entering the front door. The Vitoria Falls is a beautiful house with an amazing foyer and 1st floor layout upon entering. The Venice is more practical and utilizes every and all nooks and corners. I like that. Now wasted space. 9. Using Ryan Homes. I think Ryan Homes is great for a first time home buyer building a new home. The customer service has been exceptional in the sales office and from NVR for the 10 month check. Everything I asked to be adjusted, fixed and/or changed has been done in superfast time. I really appreciate that and I really appreciate the opportunity to have issues addressed close to a year after owning my home.
10. Building in a subdivision. Although you run into a few grouches here and there or someone who knows everything about everyone, I really like the diversity and safety provided by a subdivision. When I enter my little development, I immediately feel safe and at home. Neighbors look out for each other and invite one another to little picnics and get togethers. I like seeing kids play in the front yards or selling lemonade down the street. I like a "Hey" or a wave from a passerby.
So there you go. For us, it was the best decision of our life to build this home. Everyday we feel good about working hard for this house purchase. It is exactly the house of our dreams and we would definitely do it all over again if we had to....with maybe a little better topsoil. :)
(Update/// One thing I did super super right! It's right here: www.marikinavalley.com! Not an mlm. Just a super awesome way to take courses and learn how to stay at home or make extra income. It's killer!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)