The Transformation Begins

Just a little before and after for your Thursday evening enjoyment...
hello (from Andy)


Before

And After....

finally...the lived-in new house!

Welcome home!! (This is my plug for Uppercase Living:))
Our new sofa!! "Stone"-colored microfiber and sooooo comfy! And the loveseat :) For lovin'

Our new dining room table! It is counter-height, so it requires stools, not chairs, and they swivel!! Note, the white shelves you see in the background will soon be painted black!

A close-up of the turned post legs.

Our authentic Mexican plate that we got on our honeymoon hangs in the kitchen. It goes perfectly with the green walls that we didn't have to paint!

My trivets, that I have decided serve me better as wall art.

The living-room. This room is obviously not complete, but it's on it's way!!

If you have to use the restroom...here you go. It's still peach, and yes, that will be changing.

AND NOW...a squirrel chowing down on our pumpkins.

He finished the last one today. White was his last choice in flavor.

There you have it! More to come...

Things are sneaking up on me. We close on the house a week from today and I have not even begun to pack. I suppose it's not a big deal because we had to give thirty days on the apartment so we have until the 10th to be out. However, I don't really want to stay here any longer than we have to. Tomorrow we're going to go look at paint colors so that I can get over there and paint whenever I have free time. Since Andy will be gone off and on there is always that possiblity. I'm so excited to spend some time over there!

New House, New House, New House

Check out our New Place!!Ok, just kidding.

Welcome to the Heemstra's!

This is the 3-Season Porch. And the garage for year-round 'stang storage.

Formal Dining Room with Built-Ins. Living Room with Fireplace!

Kitchen with, er, fabulous appliances? jk

Great pic of the Master Bedroom

Roomy, but VERY peach bathroom.

....aaaaand the bar!

Lots 'o Storage. Oh yeah, and a free Christmas tree?

...time to decorate!!! Ikea anyone?!?!?!

Just a quick update because it's been a little while but I'm tired right now...
We are HOMEOWNERS!!!! yay!
So check out our new house on GRAR, it's 2444 Belfast Avenue, Grand Rapids MI 49507.
Here are a few reasons I'm so happy to be a homeowner:
I finally get to paint the walls any color I want, and I'm not required to return them to standard white when I'm done!!
The cats' litter box will be out of my pantry and in the basement.
Andy will ALWAYS have clean socks and underwear because I'll be able to throw in a load of laundry in my VERY OWN washing machine any time I want!!
We can start using all our wedding gifts that have been sitting in my parents' basement since we got married.
I can decorate how IIIIIIII want!
We can store extra meat in our basement fridge.
We won't be on top of eachother all the time- figuritively of course, we can spread out throughout the house.
We can get a puppy!!!
I'm nearby my friends :)
Talk to you soon!
~Krista

a little bit of everything.

Well, it looks like I'm not the only one not posting like I should, as I just checked two other blogs whose latest posts are as old, if not older than mine. However, I finally have a moment of internet so I am going to take advantage of it! It's been frustrating with Andy gone for so long, not only is the loss of internet (he took our only working computer) a little frustrating, but I cannot believe how bored I've been! There are times that all I want is some time alone and can never seem to get it, now I have plenty and don't know what to do with it. I guess it's a Catch 22, the grass IS always greener on the other side. Ok, enough cliches.
Tonight I am watching Alissa's girls, Morgan and Ryleigh, they are adorable and a lot of fun. Plus, its really more fun than I could expect sitting at home so I'm happy to do a little babysitting. It's been a long time since I did this for anyone besides my own neices and nephews! Not only does this give me something to do (i'm pathetic, it's Saturday night!!) but I also get access to internet- fabulous! So I'm quite content at the moment.
I think I'll spend a little time researching houses and trying to find something that Andy and I can both agree on. Anyone have a suggestion of where to look? I want a single-family home, though the option of a duplex is not out of the question. More than anything, I just want a safe location for when I'm home without Andy, and a house that doesn't require major work. Remodeling I can handle, but things like roof, electrical, heating...that worries me a little more. Keep your eyes peeled I guess...
~Krista

neglectful me

Well, for those of you that do not know, we did not get the house. :( I'm trying not to let emotions get too high over the loss of the house, it was somewhere that I really thought I could see us calling "home." Rather, I am looking at this as an opportunity to continue having "fun" looking and to find an even better option. The house had it's faults, but I loved the area and the layout. As I have been told countless times however, I know that God has something else in mind. Sometimes it's just trusting Him and being patient that is the hardest part.
Anyways, on to more fun things, I have been super busy this whole week. That has been wonderful as Andy is away in Texas studying to be a cowboy. While I definatly miss him, I had high hopes of using his absence as an opportunity to get back into a stringent workout routine to work off my post-wedding chub. Alas, my wonderful friends and family, realizing that I would be alone so much, have stepped in to fill all of my freetime. (I love you all!) And work has proven to be extremely busy and wearing on my energy and schedule all week. So, as often happens, working out has been postponed to a later date. And I'm FINE with it! :)
In addition to plenty of time catching up with family and friends, I am also taking the opportunity to get back to my favorite bar: The Bresa http://www.thebresa.com/ . While Andy does not necessarily dislike the Bresa, it is much more fun with "the girls" since we actually dance and our main perogative is not to sit at the bar and drink beer. The boys tend to get bored real fast if the band is not playing songs to which they know the dances and thus the band "sucks" and dancing is "gay" and bad attitudes reign. Tonight is GIRLS NIGHT!!! And I am much looking forward to an evening spent with my Rachel and Allison. :)

woo hoo!

Tomorrow night at 7:45 pm we will be meeting with our realtor to make an offer on our first house!!! We are hoping for this:Of course, the likelihood that they will accept our offer right off the bat is probably not that good. The house needs some updates, ie. new windows, updated kitchen and bath, and new cement in the driveway, however, we really like it and we're more than willing to build some instant "sweat equity" fixing those things ourselves, (Andy's got the concete backround and, well, we all know what I do for a living...) IF we can get the house at a price that will allow us to afford those things sooner rather than later.

i'm sure i don't have to tell you that we will offer less than the asking price...

So anyways, my biggest fear right now is that Andy is leaving Monday for two weeks to Dallas for training at his new job, http://www.northernair.net/ and I will be left to handle the "negotiations" (one reason I'm VERY happy we are not doing this on our own.) So! Pray that this all goes smoothly and that we will not end up:

I'll let you all know how it goes!!!

~Krista

P.S. I thought this cartoon was cute, though probably the reverse of reality... (if anyone is likely to use something so much that it breaks off, it is NOT the female in the relationship ;)