Project: Thankful (Part 1)

Even though it is the beginning of October, I feel like it is the end of the month. Dale and I already have all of the weekends planned for the rest of October! I mean, how does that even happen? I do not know what I would do without our calendar!

Speaking of the month of October, isn't the fall season such a wonderful time of year? Leaves turning beautiful colours, pumpkin spiced - everything.. everywhere, and this sense of thankfulness as we approach Thanksgiving. I also personally enjoy prepping my yard for winter so that when spring arrives, the yard is ready for new growth and beautiful flowers.

Today I decided to blog about the backstory, or rather, the beginning of our renovation along with the October theme of thankfulness. We are not yet done our renovation, but let's be honest, can you ever stop working on your house? So, while I am thankful for so much, I am focusing on two things; my house and my amazing husband and all that he has done to make our house a beautiful home. Here we go.

Two years ago, when I moved here, Dale's house was being rented out by a family, and like some renters, did not take care of it whatsoever. After being given appropriate notice, we were to move my belongings into the basement and start renovations October 1, 2015. To make a VERY long story, an appropriate length for my blog, the house was in HORRIBLE condition. The front door had an axe imprint on it from a dispute between the family, and every interior door had a hole in it, including the pantry door and the linen closet door. Every window either had one smashed window pane or both panes were smashed. The floors had burn marks in them, as well as the wall next to the stove had a large burn mark, from a stove element being on too long. Yes, thank the good Lord the house did not burn down! The grey carpet in both rooms was completely black from dirt. There were used needles inside the house and in the yard. There were multiple holes in the basement walls. They had spray foamed the back door, and left mattresses, furniture and garbage inside the house AND in the backyard. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.

It definitely gave you the feeling of; desperation and where exactly to start? Since it was October, a good month before the snow would come, I quickly started on the jungle of a yard, along with cleaning the inside of the house; the walls, kitchen cabinets, etc. (as the house was smoked in), and helping Dale with demolition and renovations. Have I mentioned we were also getting married in SEVEN weeks? So I was busy with wedding planning as well.

We very quickly and reluctantly decided that a complete renovation needed to be done, NOTHING was worth saving. We divided the house into three main projects; 1. the two bedrooms and bathroom, 2. the kitchen and living room and 3. the bootroom/mudroom. Since the drywall was getting torn down we thought, why not make a small adjustment to the layout of our house, and take out our linen closet and small hallway to extend our teeny tiny bathroom to make it "normal-sized". And by teeny tiny, I am not down playing it, you had to sit on the toilet with your knees at an angle. TMI? So, walls started to come down, and by doing this we found enlarging our bathroom meant our master bedroom closet would almost double in size. Even though our "quick" renovation project was becoming a way bigger undertaking, we were definitely seeing the long term benefits.

Looking back, I still marvel at what Dale did everyday. He would go work at his job, 8.5 hours a day and then come straight to the house and work on it for another 6-10 hours each night. I lost count of how many nights we ate dinner at 11:00. And yes he did this right up to our wedding, seven weeks of it. I think in total, we took ONE day off of renovations, yard work and wedding planning in those seven weeks. I. Seriously. Love. That. Man.

So what can I tell you and what am I thankful for as I reminisce October 1 - November 20, 2015? First of all, try not to do what we did, and start a major renovation and plan a wedding in a small amount of time. Although I am sure you know that.. I mean what were we thinking? But hey, two years later and still we would not change anything. However, I am thankful it brought Dale and I even closer instead of tearing us apart. I am thankful for Dale's friends - who are all in trades by the way. The framing, drywall, taping and mudding, painting, plumbing, electrical, bathroom tiling, flooring and landscaping was ALL done by Dale, myself and/or his amazing friends. But yes, we are both indebted to them, forever, by doing tree work and Dale fixing their vehicles!

So besides our beautiful wedding that happened on a gorgeous, seasonably warm winter day on November 21, what else did we accomplish? Our master bedroom was completely renovated with a larger closet. Our bathroom was completely renovated and now double the size, and our front yard and back yard were no longer a jungle, but a well kept yard ready for winter. Our second bedroom did not make the cut, but was finished (besides new windows) a couple months after. And the rest of our renovation? I will save for another time, that was a separate adventure, and a crazy one nonetheless. Enjoy the "before" pictures below! Eventually I will post the "after" ones!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend fellow Canadians, while you reminisce what you are thankful for!

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Blessings,

Sarah