The Journey Begins

Kevin and I have moved a lot....more then some, less than others but for my liking a LOT. We've never been in one place longer than a year hence apartments and rented town homes you know, for a fast move, no need to sell. Since moving here to Utah EvErYtHiNg has changed. Kevin adores his job and is valued in return. He wants to stay here. I want to stay here. The boys love it here and we have made so many dear friends in this specific area...we don't want to leave. The plan was to stay in this town home for a few years and just save. That was the plan. I am always the one looking out the window longingly at houses. Whatever wrapping they came in, big, small, ornate, simple, interesting, ALL appealed to me. I think for me, buying a house meant NOT moving, stability. I feel like I have met so many people through the years that no matter how close we were, the faces are getting all smooshed together till I find, when texting for a girl's night, I accidentally invite someone from our "Virginia Days". I've often gone into a store and gone right to the aisle I know something should be, just to realize that the layout of the Oregon store (blush). Since moving here I still like to look at houses but I've been so happy knowing we are going to be in this home for such a long while I didn't look as much. Little did I know that Kevin was pulling a "Jen" and looking like CRAZY!!! When he brought it up, I was shocked. I didn't think it was real, possible, or even legal for the Springer Family to consider such a thing! Looking turned into liking, into considering, into praying hard to know, then a promotion, interest rates being what they were, all we had saved and BAM! It turned into calling a realtor and seriously looking. After looking at quite a few we decide to build exactly what we wanted since we would be living in this home for 104 years...(Kev promised me).

I don't want to forget this process so this will be something ongoing that I will update here on the blog. Plus my conversations will be easier with my mom now that she can see what I'm talking about and give me more ideas =). It all came together really nicely and, oddly, very quickly. We were kind of picky and couldn't believe ended up finding a lake view lot opposite the golf course, still here in Saratoga Springs (yay!) and a great custom home builder. Here it is:

The fence behind us lines the quiet main road, behind that the golf course then Utah Lake. The picture was taken by me on the road that our front door will face and the back windows will face the lake and mountains. LOVE seeing that reflection! Since we aren't from here, it's still pretty majestic to just sit and stare at those mountains. I'm already having vision of me curled up on the couch with hot cocoa watching it snow...heaven. Here's an early rendition of the house. There have been a few changes but not many. It consists of the two floors show then a basement below.

 Naive me, though, thought how fun it would be to pick everything out and have no limits like, these are your four choices for carpet, you may have this or this for your appliances and so on. I soon realized what a daunting task it was to look at a tiny square of stucco and know if that was to be "the one". How the JUNK was I supposed to know what that would look like on a whole house? Kev and I decided the best way to choose would be to go to existing homes and choose their same color of rock and stucco knowing it would already go well together. Here is the one we chose.

I love the warm brown and the rock color but we've chosen a different cut. We are also not doing brick in addition to stone. Our shutters will also be that same brown color and we will have Tuscan looking flower boxes on a few windows with greenery. Below are the plans. First one is the main floor, second is the second story and the third is the basement plans roughly sketched out. My silly little doodles of course only make sense to me and my crazy mind at this point. For instance, Kevin's office (the one with the big #5 written on it) has "pretty" on it to remind me that's where the more ornate light goes. Kevin saw that written there and got a little afraid of what I may have been planning behind his back ; ). Also, the numbers are there so that I can number the boxes of things that I pack and people will know where to put them. On the second floor you'll see there is a wide open space and that's because it is open to the living room below so that whole wall can be windows looking out the back. I know I'm going to make mistakes here and there but on our somewhat hectic journey I have found some really great people that have given me their time, thoughts and advice on what they wished they would have done or what they have done and think we should consider. Among some of the greats? Putting a hot/cold spout in the back so that when I hose off the boys it doesn't have to be with freezing water, put a motion light in our master closet, lots of storage and a counter top in the laundry room, outlets above the cabinetry and a switch below to control them, auto light in the pantry and lighting in the eves outside. Keep em coming guys!!! =) One of you leave a comment that says Jen MUST have a secret bookshelf hidden door thing so Kev knows it's NOT just me that thinks so ; D.

Until the next update...hopefully the one to say they have actually broken ground now that they are going on three weeks late, goodnight!