Hi there! Welcome to my new house as of June 1. I’m calling it the Brady house; we are the dysfunctional version of them. And there’s no Alice doing the cookin’ and cleanin’, unless you count Nikki. And I don’t think she’s very Alice like, thank god - nor is she dating a butcher named Sam. (that would be kind of cool, I admit)
Nikki took a bunch of pictures while I was signing a lease. I’m going to give you some comparisons below before you get to see the whole glorious set, but keep in mind:
1. The renters in the house are older, and they have a TON of furniture. Grandma furniture. They have twice the amount of furniture the house can really hold. And two dogs.
2. There is some work that needs to be done before we move in. Like peeling paint on the bathroom ceiling.
3. Look beyond the clutter to the potential that is this sprawling brick rancher on a fabulously calm and unpretentious street, in a fabulous school district. That’s what I’ve been doing.
My current master bathroom:
My new master bathroom:
My current kitchen:
My new kitchen:
My current dining room:
My new dining room:
My current family room:
My new family room:
I kind of love the house. I love that it’s smaller and I can clean the whole thing, from top to bottom, in less than an hour. I love the big garage with the storage space, the huge yard, the porch and the patio. I do not love the master bathroom or any of the closets, but Sara will tell you that downsizing can be a great way to get rid of stuff you don’t need. I will miss my sunroom and I will miss the pond, but I will not miss the mortgage, the majority of the neighbors, or the 4th graders being told to bring smoked salmon in for a Thanksgiving feast in the local neighborhood school. I will miss the kitchen - a little bit. I won’t miss seeing the granite that every other West End mom has in their stainless steel kitchen. I like that my friends will come to my house and be comfortable, and won’t feel like they are stuck with someone who is stuck up. I like that my house will be cozy instead of sprawling, and best of all, I like that my new home will have character.
The girls seemed to like it, though they don’t really get it. They spent most of the time on the screen porch jumping on a mini trampoline. On the way over, Lily asked again about schools. I broached the subject of her changing schools next year - the school near the house is within walking distance and excellent. She immediately started crying. I told her we hadn’t made any decisions yet, but personally I think it would be easier for them to switch schools now instead of waiting. That way, Arden can start at her new school and not have to switch in first grade, and Lily can get her feet settled in 2nd grade. It makes me sad that Arden won’t have the same Kindergarten teacher Lily did, but there are more - way more - traumatic experiences in life than that one.
The house is a big change for me. Hopefully it will less for them. They are excited about having bunk beds and sharing a room. I’ll put their pretty beds into storage, and repeat the mantra that this is a temporary thing for me. I’m going to enjoy the ride.
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Cooking? You don’t trust me to cook. The only real meals I know how to make are black bean banana quinoa and tofu stir-fry. I make a mean tofu stir-fry.
Sometimes simple is better. You have fabulous taste and will make that house your HOME. My parents divorced when I was 4, I have a huge heart for kids of divorce. There is a LOT I don’t remember but I do remember my mom telling me over and over this was not my fault, how much she loved me and that she was always so proud of me for the smallest things. I am very head-strong mostly because I am a child of divorce, believe it or not it shaped me to be more independent than other kids my age and that carried thru to adulthood!
Keep your positive attitude and keep it an adventure! You are doing about 1000x better than I would if I found myself in your shoes and you are making lemonade my friend with the lemons 
I love the house. It is like a breath of fresh air. Nothing ostentatious yet entirely functional. I would move right in.
I think its cute, I would LOVE to downgrade to a smaller house with a bigger yard. Good luck, changing schools is a little hard, but honestly will be so less difficult for them while they are young than when they are older!
As much as this is a change for you and your girls, I think it looks awesome. In no time, the new place will feel like your home. I’m looking forward to further posts about how your new life is going! Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Sorry, but I love that ridiculously hideous bathroom. It’s so awful that it’s charming.
Also, too quick on the trigger before, but I wanted to say that living in a small space is great. You really learn that you don’t need lots of “stuff” and will start to evaluate everything before you purchase, because you only have room for what you need.
Which is why I don’t have a goat, but still…
The house is charming and has a lot of potential. Truth be told, it reminds me of my new house A LOT. Our bathroom even has that same aqua blue color it it. and our kitchen cupboards are almost the same too. With a little paint and careful furniture placement, you can make it exactly what you want it to be. And I can tell you that those cabinets, even though they are ‘50s throwbacks, look fantastic with ubatuba granite if you feel like forking over a couple grand to have it. You’d think it would look funny but it doesn’t.
You’ve got a few up on me too with a master bath and screened in porch. I wish you and the girls all the happiness in the world in your new home. I hope the girls find that they love their new school and make tons of new friends. I hope that your neighbors are as, well, as neighborly and kind as the ones I lucked out with.
It’s going to be great, Cristina. It is. I wish I was close enough to help you move in.
i kinda love that bathroom.
and you need to keep in mind that carol brady ALSO had a transitional period before mike so you’re not the dysfunctional bradys, merely in the early stages.
On changing schools: Make a decision and then let Lily know. You won’t be able to “sell” her on it but she’ll be fine! Between Tori’s 1st and 2nd grade year is when we moved from Laguna to TX. She had new best friends after the first day. Kids are cool.