The Not-So Not-So-Big House

Warning: long post/journal entry!

Rob and I have long been fans of the book The Not-So-Big House, by Sarah Susanka. We believe that a home can be beautiful, efficient, and functional without looking like a small skyline and taking up half an acre. We also admire the theories in the book Suburban Nation - we love the idea of living in mixed-use neighborhoods where residents are able to walk to work, parks, schools and grocery stores. That said, I don't believe either of those books were aimed at those of us who live with small children in a frigid climate.

The reality of life here on the northern Plains is that you spend a LOT of time inside, especially if you have young kids. You might envision a family cozily camped in front of the fireplace, playing games and drinking hot chocolate all winter long....and sure, that's fun the first fifty times. But eventually the game pieces get bumped or thrown or eaten by toddlers, the fire dies down, and you remember that hot chocolate really just fuels the children's pent-up energy. My whole point here is that when we started looking seriously at houses, it was all about the square footage. We decided we were actually paying for an indoor backyard. Can the kids pick up and maintain some serious speed? Are there lots of stairs for them to go up and down and up and down? Is there enough room for our various indoor toys (crafts, dollhouses, music gear, train tracks)? Check, check, and check. We are already so happy with our new home and the breathing room it affords us, and are keenly aware of how fortunate we are.

Two weeks after moving, the kids have yet to say that they miss the old place. Rob and I feel the same way. We loved that house and how "efficient" it was, but the only things we miss about it are the deck and the jetted tub - both of which are high on the list of projects at the new place. We've been fairly quick to unpack most of our things and it feels very much like home already (although Rob and I have both almost driven to the old house out of habit!). One unexpected bonus that thrills me is the views. After six years here it's easy to forget how incredibly flat it is the the Red River Valley. Aside from the bridges over the train tracks and the 4th-floor doctor's office, we are never up high. There is no "high" (which explains the kids' excitement over escalators in Chicago, poor country kids). To put it mildly, I love being able to see out over the trees to the east and west. We've witnessed stunning sunrises (thanks, Jake) and sunsets from the second-floor windows and I hope I never take them for granted. Overall, we feel so blessed to be in this home and feel like this is where we are supposed to be for the time being. We're looking forward to planting a garden and apple trees, spending many winter nights in front of the fire place, and welcoming Baby "Blizzard" to his first home.

One final note - another big THANK YOU to all our friends who helped with the move. We certainly couldn't have done it without you and we will be there to help when it's your turn!

We've been getting requests for some photos of the house with our stuff in it...here are some pictures from the day of the move, and some recent ones. (Above - Jake and Haley had so much fun exploring the new house. They found a hiding place in the appliance garage on the kitchen counter. Sadly, it is now filled with the bread maker and Cuisinart. Also, the view from the second-floor landing.)

The last night in the old house - the kids fell asleep on the floor before we could get the air mattress blown up. We moved them later and spent a very "cozy" night with all 4 of us on a queen-sized air mattress.

Haley and Jake stand with the very last load of stuff before we head to closing.

Eat-in kitchen area.

Looking through the kitchen towards the Family Room.

Jake in the Family Room (we'd had a baby shower at the house that day). The little window lets you see through between the kitchen and Family Room - it also allows kids to climb between the rooms when parents aren't looking.

One of Rob's favorite features in the house, the wood-burning fireplace. We've already used it several times.

The Family Room, looking out to the front yard.

The master bedroom is comically larger than our old one. Before we could barely cram our furniture in; now we have some serious shopping and decorating to do so that it won't feel empty.