Our First House...

I am not going to lie - I really fit in perfectly with the new house. When people ask how we are settling I always smile and say "It feels like I have just always lived there".. And it's true. Even the first night there I felt like I was at "home".

We had the ever nerve-wracking appraisal done a couple of weeks ago. One day before said appraisal we got news that we had to tear down our "little" house. It was on the same tract of land and needed to be gone (or at least unlivable) prior to our appraisal. That really put a kink in plans. Sure - we planned to tear it down eventually but not necessary the very next day. I'll be honest, I was ready for it  but my sweet farmer was a little more emotional about it.  

It was a good house to us. We had a lot of really great times there. Some really important events happened there. I got proposed to in that house, we had our first really big fight there. We hosted so many fun hayride nights in the fall and a couple of fancy New Year's dinner's too. I found out that my Poppy passed when I was sitting in that living room, I was in the kitchen when I found out I was going to be an aunt...again... I was in the bathroom when I found out I was going to be a mamma, which sadly only lasted for a couple of weeks, which I found that out in that house too.. We laughed, we creid, we loved, we fought . That "little" house and the simplicity of living in it allowed us to have our new home-I will forever be thankful. 



Take a look at demolition day.

Good-bye little house.... Thanks for all you gave us. 

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The Lichte's New Farmhouse..... WE ARE IN...

It's official.... we are finally moved in. After about 1 year of saving and planning and a year of building, this house is DONE. There is a huge long list of people that are happy we are finally done my farmer, myself and our General Contractor are at the very top I am sure.

Horribly blurry picture....I actually think it's from the heat - my lenses got foggy outside.  

That blue ceiling is perfect - I love it.... (That topiary to the right isn't completely done and that's why it's leaning)

Thanks to ALOT of great friends and family members we moved over 4th of July weekend.

I have been sharing mostly weekly updates of this house building part of our lives for almost a year now. I have shared most everything I have purchased for our home. I have shared all of the really really fun parts, the cabinets, shopping for counter tops, seeing the whole outside of the house take shape, the day I came home and my shutters were on. The list goes on and on and on of all of the really exciting things that happened. Seeing our dream in my head, seeing it drawn out on paper and then getting to see it come to life every single day over an 11 month period was a really great thing.

This is the back porch. With the heat the past couple of weeks we have spent little time here but I can tell this is going to be a favorite spot when it cools down. I sat back here in the Spring in a lawn chair and watch my farmer plant beans... In a couple of months I can watch him harvest them.

I have always tried to be very grateful and appreciative of everything that we have and all the ways that the good Lord has blessed us, but with that being said. Building a new home about 1 month after you get married and going through all of this during your first year of marriage (as well as some other very life altering events) is not for the birds. I knew going into this that my farmer and I were a good team. We are just better together, where I lack he certainly picks up and vice versa. But Holy Moly, it tested us in so many ways. We are stronger because of it, we have a better understanding and appreciation of each other now, so what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.... and we are both still breathing.

Back to my point. There were lots of tears, there were lots of sleepless nights, there were some things that just didn't turn out, there were some people who left and didn't finish their job, there were some things that cost way too much money... but you know what? There were lots of happy tears, there were lots of sleepless night because I was too excited to sleep, there were things that exceeded my expectations, there were some people who went above and beyond, there were things that we got such a deal on. The good outweighed the bad every single time. Every bit of it was worth it on this home.

A few of my favorite glimpses of our new home. I apologize for the poor picture quality. I was running around snapping photos just using the manual setting.

 

 

 
I have since decorated these bookcases.... These bright colored tissue balls were from my first hosting gig at a Fiesta Bridal Shower.

 

 

The absolute best compliment that I have received about our home is how cozy it is. It's a new house and it just has an "older" "homey" feel to it. That is the EXACT thing that I have tried to accomplish. I wanted this house to look as if it's been there for 80 + years. I wanted timeless pieces that will last a lifetime. My hopes are that our home is built well enough that our future generations will keep redoing our house and updating but that this house will always remain on this farm. So if my grand kids or great grand kids come across this blog someday, do not tear this house down, or I will haunt you.... :)

It had taken a little getting used to being in the new house. When I pull up the driveway I still want to turn right towards the old house - it still feels funny taking a left. We have three HUGE windows in our master bedroom that let in all kinds of light. Although I get up early most everyday anyways, sometimes on Saturdays it's nice to sleep later that 5:45. The house is MUCH more to clean.  I am weird and love cleaning, but those dark floors, and country living dust already have me working overtime. That shower, not sure if I will ever get used to it, but I have a lifetime to figure it out. A lifetime to get used to it.

Thanks again for everyone who took this house building journey with us. I have got a couple of recipe posts already worked up and organizational things too that I will post - I just knew I wanted to finish this last house post first.

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The Lichte's New Farmhouse.... Week 45, 46, 47

This SHOULD be the most fun part of the whole process - but I am slacking BIG TIME with blogging here towards the end. I think just because we are so busy with things around the house every night - as opposed to our typical Saturday clean up day that we've been having for the past 10 months.

But I will catch everything up through this past week (Week 45, 46, 47) It's now Tuesday afternoon. yesterday they did the last coat of Poly on the floors so that is drying today. Tomorrow I clean then move in Thursday. Our goal is to be sleeping there by Friday night.

Back to the past three weeks and everything that has been going on. I have to be honest, in these past 3 weeks I may have had about 18 different mini breakdowns. My poor farmer, my poor general contractor, they've both been at the other end of those at times. But my house is what it is thanks to them - I just hope they know that!!

My Laundry Room. Check out that beautiful brass bridge faucet. I ended up getting that at Signature Hardware.

Right down the hall from the laundry room is this bathroom. That vanity, that toile wallpaper, that library paneling - it turned out exactly how I had pictured.

 

A close up of that vanity...

The kitchen sink faucet got installed.

Some appliances...

My foyer light.... I waited and waited and waited for this thing to go on Sale at Pottery Barn - It finally did!

My farmers office.

 

This office door turned out perfect. And if I know my farmer, his office will always be a mess so this door will always be closed.

Master Bath Vanities... I didn't have these custom made - I purchased them at Home Depot.

Master bath shower is still not done. It does look beautiful but it sure has taken a long time. Good things come to those who wait, right? 

 

This is the master closet. Entirely too perfect for my wardrobe that is very simple - but I'll take it.

Well that's all that I have for the past three weeks. In good news I have a ton of recipes that I am just dying to cook up and share from my new kitchen. I have some pretty good organization tips that I have been trying with the new house that I plan to share as well.

Our house building journey is coming to a close soon. It's gone on for quite a while and the past month or so has been a little bit more stressful than fun. I know that anyone who has built a home can relate to me on that, but luckily for me I will never have to move again. I will live in this house for the rest of my years. And it's a pretty great house to spend that time in.

I'll save next week for all of the sentiments that I have towards my very hardworking husband who is just beginning to make all of my dreams come true. the sacrifice that he has made for years and years to be able to build me this home does not ever go unnoticed by me. His bank account may have been bigger before I came along - but I like to think that his life is more filled with love. I tell myself that and I tell him that daily. I think maybe he is starting to believe it.

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