I cleaned the house so here, look at it

We are headed to Disney World in 26 days. When we come home, it's Lucy's third birthday, then nine days later, Christmas, followed by New Year's. Then: THREE MONTHS OF DARKNESS AND DEPRESSION, also known as WINTER.

I love having something, ANYTHING to look forward to. The best, though, is when I have a trip or a vacation to look forward to, along with some accompanying research to keep me busy. While I am really looking forward to our trip next month (I can't even TELL YOU how much I'm looking forward to it, except to say that in the Name of Preparation, I have been to Walmart THREE TIMES just to settle on the perfect $3 rain poncho) (I KNOW, SHUT UP), I'm also dreading it, because I know the letdown that follows when a trip is over – and I've enjoyed the last 300 days (yes, we booked in February, because we are OVERACHIEVERS) of having something to look forward to as well as something to overeducate myself about.

Also, there's the whole thing about winter sneaking up on us, and the fact we'll spend the majority of January, February and March INDOORS in this impossibly tiny and dark (TWO WINDOWS DOWNSTAIRS, THAT IS ALL) house. Then again, I'm kind of... how do I say this... looking forward to the winter, because I am curious to see if the changes we made during the renovation this summer will have a noticeable effect on how well we weather the winter. We did NOT do so well two years ago, when we were pretty much housebound for upwards of three weeks during which over four feet of snow fell, but then again, we were living in what felt like a crummy old frat house, complete with wobbly Ikea furniture and cheap carpeting that was horrible to clean, meaning there were obvious reminders pretty much everywhere of each specific location where various people and pets had vomited.

Circa 2007, the house looked like this. Not bad, but not... UPDATED, really, either:

I mean, this isn't the greatest angle. Turns out when your house is covered with blankets to protect furniture from dog hair, you're not photographing it all that much. You can see why.

Here's another, featuring Asher, age 14 months. (OMG WHEN WAS HE THAT TINY) (Also, please realize at that age he had already had STITCHES IN HIS WEE HEAD.)

And now, NOW, you guys, I get to live here instead.

I love it, I do – just... will it be enough to get me through the winter? This is our one living space. Yes, the kids have bedrooms upstairs and yes, we have a nice open kitchen now, but otherwise, this is it. This is where the messes are made, LOTS OF THEM, and I'm not the kind of person who can sit down at night to watch television with 52,000 die cast cars scattered all over the floor. In other words, it must be straightened up every evening for my own sanity. You people who can close the doors to a playroom or leave toys strewn about OVERNIGHT in your finished basement? I'll trade you for Date Night, I SWEAR I WILL.

That said, I do really, truly love it. I loved putting it together and I love the color palette and I love the way it all turned out. I loved the colors during the summer, and I'm hoping it makes the winter seem cheerier. Honestly, all that work we had done makes living here so much more tolerable – it feels shallow, to say that, that somehow, really and truly, hardwood floors and cute throw pillows and matchy lampshades could improve my life so very much – but it is TRUE. I find that I can now spend entire afternoons here with the kids without feeding movie after movie into the DVD player and crumpling to the floor in defeat. Prior to the reno, I was ALWAYS looking for a reason to get out of the house. ALWAYS. And maybe part of the reason it's easier to stay home these days is because the kids love playing together and are suddenly into coloring and drawing and I find we can pass the time together much more easily than we did last year, back when they were into INSTRUMENTS, which is its own special level of hell, especially if you own CYMBALS and an ACCORDION and SIXTEEN PLASTIC HARMONICAS (we do).

But then again, HARDWOOD FLOORS. You know, if I'm going to live in a house with 900 feet of actual, usable space, which is constantly covered in a layer of baby dolls and log trucks and Legos, then I at least need to know there's a layer of CLASSY somewhere underneath.

Comments

[Laura Diniwilk]

I love the photo wall and the bright, fun pillows. I totally know what you mean about how a little style can help make life easier. I feel the same way about having a clean, organized house. Nice job!

[Bre]

I love hearing how hardwood floors changed your view of your house! I have yucky builder grade carpet that I CAN NOT stand and am ssoo close to getting rid of it for hardwood floors (upstairs this December, downstairs in spring!!!). I'm really hoping that with the new floors I'll stop thinking my flours are always dirty.

Have fun at Disney!

[Jessica]

If I were on my laptop instead of my iPad, I'd be pinning that last picture to a THIS IS WHAT I WANT board on Pinterest.

[Beret]

We just got back from Disney and you will not regret bringing the ponchos. I splurged on the nice ones from Target and I'm glad I did. We're still in the post-vacation gloom but we have a cruise in January to look forward to so I'm on CruiseCritic night and day. ;) Your house looks great!

[Maura]

It's really beautiful, Emily. You did a fantastic job and it looks so classy yet comfortable. I don't know how you do it. I have about 1200 square feet (not all useable, stupid stairway and long hallway), but I feel like I'm busting at the seams with JUNK. Books! Cookware and bakeware! Clothes! MAIL (OMG THE MAIL). I wish I had the gene that makes me clean up every night. I'd trade you the extra 300 sq ft of space. And a creme brulee torch.

[Sarah]

I did Pin this because I love it (including the couch). I think when you spend so much time at home, you want it to be a place you enjoy.

[Lesley]

Love the new look! Much cleaner and fresher. I honestly think the new space will make such a difference over the winter. Now when the cabin fever sets in, you will feel satisfied that at least you really like your 'cabin'! Good luck; we have long winters here too so I'm right there with you!

[Megan]

I love the new look, too! So, are you guys planning to stay in your house, then? I know you were thinking about moving at one point.

[Lisa]

It looks lovely! I like the color scheme, and the floors look very classy :-)

[Sam]

Your house looks great! Can you do a post about your disney research? We're just starting the research process for next sept/oct and I bet you're a disney EXPERT now!

[HereWeGoAJen]

Yes, this is why I want hardwood floors too. Exactly why. Because nice things in my house do make me feel happier. This house has the ugliest floors ever and they look awful, even when they are clean, which is why I never bother to clean them. What is the point? And my old house? With the nice tile and the nice carpet? I vacuumed it every single day.

You are going to have the best time at Disney. I cannot wait to hear all about it.

[Home Sweet Sarah]

Looks GREAT. And I completely understand how your room/house can affect your mood. My bedroom was AWFUL and DEPRESSING when we first moved in. Painting/new furniture/new carpet made all the difference in my mood.

[Katie]

The room looks great! Your lamp shades and yellow pillows make me happy and I'm not even IN the room. I don't think its shallow at all to want to love your space. And I definitely think winter will be more bearable because of the changes you made.

[Erica Huff]

That is a lot of harmonicas.

[Mama Bub]

I think it matters. Our last house never, ever felt put together. EVER. Now, this house is just so... pretty. It is. It's new and it's the way I like it and at night, when everything is put away, sometimes I just sit down and look at it. I mean, it's not the most important thing, but liking the space that you come home to, the space that you wake up to, the last space you see before you go to bed at night? It matters.

[Kerri]

May I ask how you went about purchasing your hardwood floors? I'm this close to calling that stupid Empire company (800-588-EMPIIIIIIIRE...are you singing the song now?) to inquire about pricing.

[Manda]

Looks awesome! I really, really want a big foofy sectional sofa. SIGH.

[Patti]

Lovely room - nice job on everything! Off subject - I just finished the book Unbroken which you wrote about a few entries ago...I really enjoyed it & it's not something I would have picked up on my own. Thanks for the recommendation!!

[M]

I think the house is beautiful! Great job! On the toy front, maybe you should start instilling something that my parents did, no new toy out to play with until the other ones are put away. That way you're not the one putting everything away at the end of the night. C'mon it's not like you brought out all those toys, you shouldn't have to bear the brunt of the clean up on that one.