Thursday, April 24, 2008

I Am Alive!

I am here. I know I abandoned you for a month but I am here. After being in the states for 3 weeks it has practically taken me that long to get back in to the swing of things here.

Well, we did buy a house, sort of. Everytime I would talk to Jordan on the phone during our househunt she would ask if we bought a house. We would talk about the fact that one house didn't have a bedroom for her - would she mind sleeping in the garage? She wasn't excited about that. Then I called and told her we bought dirt. Her response? WE CAN NOT LIVE IN DIRT! I really need to read the Little House on the Prarie books to her - then she'll see that you actually CAN - but we didn't buy a dugout on the banks of Plum Creek. I explained to her we bought some dirt and they are going to build on it and what the house was going to look like - a single story home - I then KNEW it was time to move back to the states. Her response then was "oh you bought a bungalow!!!"

I can tell you that I don't want to buy another house for a long time. I am way too picky. One house we walked in to still had the original flooring, wallpaper, kitchens and bathrooms from when it was built in 1962. We passed. We also passed on every single house that had a west facing backyard. I want a usable backyard and having the sun beating down directly in your backyard in 110 heat isn't the way to go. We also crossed off several based on school district. After looking at a good 30 houses we stopped by a building site - just because we were driving by. We looked at the model homes, we drove around the neighborhood, we looked again. This was it! Talk about the total package, single story, big lot (we could have gone bigger but 1/4 is plenty for our needs), good schools, decent commute. Of coure once we returned to the UK we had a woman at church critisize our choice. She has 4 children and they have lived in a 2 up and 2 down since they got married. That means there are 2 rooms downstairs - a kitchen and living room and then 2 bedrooms upstairs. She thinks if they could do that for 20 years with 4 children that it is ridiculous that anyone would need 3000 sq feet of house. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one out there that wouldn't want to spend their life sleeping on a fold out sofa in the living room - but maybe not. I mean I know I COULD survive in a 2up 2down - but if I don't have to then I'm not going to!

Here is a picture of our floor plan. And a promise I will do better at the blogging!

9 comments:

KC said...

The floor plans look wonderful.. I would love to have that much space.. so glad you found something that will make you happy. LOL and sorry about the lady with the 2up 2 down..
I can't say I would want to sleep on a fold out sofa all my life..but then I know a ton of people who wouldn't beable to live in my little 1400 sq foot 3 bed room, one bath, Plus kitchen, dinning room and living room. with the 4 kids we have either.. to each there own I say..
I'm sure you are going to love your new house once it is built.

Pam said...

very nice. i'm jealous of the extra 800 sq ft you have over me. LOL it's funny because i've always wanted at least a 3000 sq ft home, but i find it difficult to keep this one that's over 2100 clean. so maybe it's a good thing i don't have a bigger house??? how much time left now?

btw we had 6 people living in a 1282 sq ft home once. yeah, not comfortable. my son slept on the sleeper sofa. he doesn't live w us now though. he moved back to vegas not too long aft we bought this house.

Anonymous said...

It looks incredible. Matt and I are starting to figure out what we want. My parents are finally building their dream home. They want it all on one floor. No up and down and all around.

I am also very thrilled to see you back. Did you have to pick out all your colors and fixtures before you left or will you do that when you get back to the states? I have heard that all the little details are what will drive you nuts.

Maribeth said...

Oh I love the floor plan! Congratulations!

alisonwonderland said...

it looks like a terrific bungalow, er, single story house! and i totally agree that if you don't have to live in a 2up-2down, then why do it! (maybe one day i can have 3000 sq. ft.!)

Amazed said...

So glad to hear you are alive! I was starting to wonder. The house plan looks perfect!!! When will it be done?

Christie O. said...

welcome back! wow! it's awesome!

Joy T. said...

Glad to see you back. Those floor plans look awesome!

MarmiteToasty said...

You do know why our single height homes are called 'bungalows' dont you?

Ya see, a builder was building a house and had just got the brickwork to just past the ground floor window level, when the heavens opened and it started tipping it down with torrential rain, the builders all ran around not knowing what to do to keep everything dry, until the boss shouted......

Quick.... 'bung a low' roof on it just to keep the rain out.... ;)

Thats true....

x