Making Progress!!!

(Ignore the room and bad lighting.. it's the last room to be painted (I haven't picked a colour yet) and we don't have the light casing or light bulbs on the chandelier yet)

Ok... it's been a wee while since I have updated my posts. I have slacked on it because 1. Andrew had to chew out ATT for not helping us with the internet. 2. We have been organizing, cleaning, renovating and on vacation. I LOVE OUR HOUSE. LOVE IT. We have done A LOTTTTTT of work to it and still have a lot more projects up our sleeves but so far so good!!! So far we have: Painted(ALL ceilings, crown molding, chair rails, trims, walls, doors, cabinets, fireplace) the whole house, replaced/upgraded light fixtures, plugs, outlets, ceiling fans, chandeliers, light switches , door ware? (knobs, hinges) all new carpet, new furnace, new central air conditioning... and thats all I can think of. I still have A LOT more projects that I want to tackle .. but in time...and thats just on the INSIDE!!! We haven't even got to the outside yet. Andrews rent's and sisters have help us out a lot with the house. My brother in law Brian has DONE SOOO MUCH WORK. I always go on about him.. but its hard not to. Drew LOVES HIM. CLEARLY... because aside from Brian's work with USG.. he builds the houses him and my sister live in. They are about to break land again in september. So anything he did was professional and didn't cost us a penny for the labour... HOLLA!!!!!!! HAHAHAH... In my family EVERYONE fights for Brian!! Any who... I just hope Drew can pick up on the handy man stuff... even a little. When we went up to Canada my mom replaced the chandelier in our dinning room. She wanted a more updated one. CHING CHING!!! Or... should I say BLING BLING!!!!! GUESS WHO GOT THE OLD ONE? Now... before you say... cool Courtney? You got the old one. Good for you? let me explain. The chandelier my mom gave me is like old shabby chic kinda...er... i duno. ANYWHO... not only did I LOVE it as a child.. I LOVE IT JUST AS MUCH...and.. it's worth more then a couple THOUSAND!!!!!! HOLLLA!!!!!! ok ok... hahah as I accepted (begged) for the chandelier my mom reminded me that she could have easily sold it and made some mulla off of it so I better take the time and clean each crystal . SOOO the whole top is done and it took forever. I need to do the bottom still and pick up a couple little links that came loose. SO... I love love love it. Sooo... back to Canada trip. Andrew got to FINALLY meet the rest of my family for the first time. Theres was 8 of the 9 (kids) home. And 17 1/2( my sister in law just popped her 4th kid out just after we left) of the 20 grandkids there. It was AWESOME to go home. I LOVED IT. Andrew had a blast too. My mom done lot of work the house so it was fun to go and see all the work she has done. Time flew by but.. we had a lot of fun. He got to see how the Hall side is. We went swimming in my pool... in the lake (which took in a while to get use to) showed him all the fun Sarnia sites. He went golfing with my brothers and had bbqs and lots of family fun. I think he was surprised at how nice Sarnia is and I was HAPPY to show it off to him. ANYWAYS we had a AWESOME time and I can't wait to go back at Christmas!!! My side LOVES Christmas. So I'm pretty excited to go back. It made me think hard. We don't know where we will end up yet. I like Alabama and or Nashville... as maybe some day choices. BUT I doubt(pray) we won't end up in Memphis... THAT AND... I want to be closer to my family/home. SOOOO I pretty much like Nashville!!! It cut's 3 hours off our time.. and might not seem much but anyone and everyone knows I hate driving. So to catch up on everything else.... Drew had his birthday and I bought him a gun. He took a couple odd jobs and we had put some money aside so we carries now. He's still thrilled with himself and thinks of himself as a cowboy/cop. OU... and the other visit worth mentioning is we got a chance to meet up with Kemper n Kim.. and Shaw n Tiffany Carter. It was a VERY short visit BUT WAS SOOO FUN!!!! They are ALL such a hoot... it's almost tempting to move to Dallas just so we can we together. I know... I know. I'm sad. But I did have a good time and I can see why Drew talks so highly of all of them. WE LOVE THEM!!.. OK ok.. so other then that there's nothing else we really have going on. Our new ward is so far so good. I don't have anything up on my walls yet or decorated because we need to have a garage sale and unload our house a wee bit more so no pictures until I can show it looking somewhat cute.

PAINT Paint Paint!!!

Well now that we have finally closed on our house we have been working non stop to get things done!! We are so busy we are exhausted. I'm beginning to thankful we don't know anyone or have friends because where would we have the time? Ok.. so thats clearly a joke. I know. It's real sad and no one knows that more than me. But back to my house... So last weekend my sister, husband and three kids came down. Brian works for USG .. he works with architects and contractors and he tells them what they need to build things and what not. I guess I'm not the best at explaining it... but he has REALLY REALLY REALLY good job. That and he has built 3(4?) of his and my sisters homes.. they build them sell them ...live in them for a year or (3?) and then sell them. He does that on the side of his full time job. On their last house ( they are getting ready to build another one) he wanted a barrel ceiling in their tv room and when we was working with (constructer?) or whoever it was told him flat out there was no way he would be able to have one.... well let me tell you... he did it!!! So why do I go on? Well they came down to help me and Drew out. Jane-claire and I went out with the kids and shopped and did our thing while Brian and Drew went at it with the house. They worked likes dogssssss. Brian brought down his paint machine and they sprayed the bedroom ceilings and and crown molding and what not. They did the doors and painted and you would have thought you were walking into a new house. IT LOOKS AMAZING!!!!! All the work Brian did would have cost us a BUTT LOAD!!! There was no way in hell we would be able to afford it.. NOT AT ALL. He even brought down and paid for all the supplies. Well.. we could afford to pay for the products but the the labour anywho but they wouldn't let us. I always feel real uncomfortable accepting things like that. We were brought up not to take. Just something we don't do and its hard to accept. Although I'm THRILLED... when they start construction on their new house no doubt Drew and I will be down there on the weekends helping out or even just to babysit. Brian is a genius. He is a master. And I don't think that quite covers how much he has done for us. WE OWE HUGE!! But feel VERY BLESSED to have his help. It's still hard accepting though. Can't help but feel stupid or inadequate. I really don't like accepting things. I don't like asking for things either. Just something we were brought up not to do and I will bring my kids up like to. Drew thinks it's weird but I have always thought it was tacky and un-etiquette. As a child if i was out with friends and their parents and we would stop to get something to eat I would never accept them to buy me something.. even if it was my parents close friends. I'm sure other people agree with that. Maybe it's just our family I guess but once in a while I hear Drew say something to his family and he gets the " YOU DID NOT JUST ASK THAT " look. Any who... it is what it is and the place is slowly but surely coming together. Brian and Jc and the kids are coming down next long weekend and helping us tackle some other projects. IT PAYS to have someone in the family who has to knowledge that Brian does.

Drew's family have been really great too. His parents (as always) have helped us and continue to do so we are very appreciative of that! REBECCA... haha has worked her butt off as well. Clearly anyone who knows Rebecca knows she is a hard worker and will help you above and beyond what you consider great help. The amount of work he have put in so far has added a nice pretty penny of value to the house. And thats the plan. The colours we (I) have chose are BEAUTIFUL! I don't think Drew fully appreciated my style and sense of direction when I came to choosing a flow with the house. When I walked in he was THRILLED to show me how the paint looked in our master bedroom. I COULD CRY.... yes it looks that good. I like colour.... but most of it in the neutrals. Very calming, classy colours!! Our house has four bedrooms and they are all pretty good sizes. We definitely lucked out with that. Everyone who has come by to see the house has make comments on how nice of shape the house is in.. and it is!!! Just it's not to my expectations. haha I guess I sound like a snot but you know me!!! I AM!! ohhh how we wish school was done with!!! But it's not and we have to do it a little at a time ... so that the plan... be smart with the bling bling!! I don't think I need to get into another money rants so... one day we will have some serious BLANG!!! Right now we are finishing the last coats on the walls and we are eager for that so we can replace the carpet in the bedrooms. NEW CARPET YAY!!!!! The rest of the house is hardwood and tile. I think the biggest exciting projects are the cabinets and the flooring for me. When the time comes we are refinish/repair the hardwood floors. I think my sister Jc is more excited then me... ALMOST!!! We share the same style and we can't wait for the day the house is all done.. well the parts we can't stand the most anyways!!! SO here are some pictures.... I know... doesn't really give you a GREAT idea or anything but they were taken at night and really don't do the place justice!!! OH HEY? hahah New light fixtures!!! YES!!!!... so hopefully the next time I can update you with whats going on with the roof and central ac unit. Till then... we will be pinching pennies as we always do...ever more so now!!

Our bedrooms!! THESE PICTURES DO NOT DO JUSTICE to how freaking good the rooms look. Newly painted ceilings, trim, crown molding, walls and NEW carpet (just in). Oh.. and new fixtures and light fixtures..........and we put in NEW central air and a NEW furnace!!!! ARENT WE JUST RICH!? Not.... hahah ANYWAYS the pictures aren't the best and and the colours are WAY MORE NICE.... ill have to get better ones.

It's Officially OFFICIAL!!!!!!!

IT'S OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL!!!!!!!!

AFTER ALMOST 4 months we are FINALLY closing on our house!!!!! To be honest, the ONLY reason why I haven't been keeping up with my blog was because I have been pretty stressed!!! And by stressed... I mean PISSED OFF!! Most of you know, or not... that before we were able to close our a/c unit was stolen. YA!!! THE WHOLE FRIGGIN THING!!! ... and they took their time. But before you think (or what I would be thinking if I were you) that we must live in a rough area.. we don't. Our house is in a very nice area in Memphis. Now when I mean nice... I mean there are stay away areas, bad areas, ok areas, nice areas, very nice areas and WE HOPE SOME DAY areas. So because our house was a foreclosure ( the people took a second loan on their house and couldn't pay it back) the trashy/po/druggie/thieves took their time and stripped out our a/c. I was a wee bit alarmed when I was told that because Memphis is no Golden city. And there was NO WAY I was going to be able to live somewhere I thought I could end up on an episode of Police Woman Of Memphis, or Crime 360 or anything else. But our relator assured us not to worry... apparently because of the economy the trashy/po/druggie/thieves have been getting gutsy and going anywhere and everywhere to steal what they can. One of her our houses had the same thing happen and she knows of others. SO.... thats when the issue started. We had to file a police report and wait for that to come back and then we had to contact HUD and see what was going to happen. Now it was been a COMPLETE NIGHTMARE closing on this house. For my health's sake I will not go into details because when I bring it up.... I only want to start making my list of people to light on fire for not being able to do their job correctly if at all. I can't tell you how many people I called. I lost count after 14. One of the biggest issues was they were ONLY going to give us $500 worth of credit. Clearly it was me who was going to deal with that issue because if anyone knows Jean Hall... it would be her to give someone hell before she would let my dad get the chance so after Drew told me I went to work. I was a shark towards people. Fast forward through all the ignored calls, mentally challenged people and the people who went to school/training for their only to successfully FAIL at it... I got what I wanted. After repeated no's and sorry not going to happen I (not to toot my own horn..TOOT TOOOOT) got us a $3500 difference... YES!!!!! We got $4000 credit to our mortgage. I must say when Drew got that call and called me and told me I KNEW this house was meant to be. Throughout this ordeal we seriously meditated over whether or not it was the right choice for us to buy this house. We felt pretty good most of the time, but obviously with any big purchase, we were nervous . SOOOO IF ALL GOES WELL we will close THIS FRIDAY!!!! SO FAR... there has been no hiccups though we wait for them to pop up. So we are OVER EXCITED to get into our own house. Drew and I have only lived on our own for three and a half months of our total marriage. We celebrated a year April 17th. We have been staying with Drew's parents who have been VERY kind and VERY generous with letting us stay here and helping us out. It was allowed us to save our money and reap the benefits of not having our own house. And it'll definitely lighten their stress load and house hold room with us moving out. But really they have been very generous and we are very thankful for allowing us to overtake their home and rooms with all our stuff. TRIX is especially grateful that she has had a home for her condo to stay in!!!! SOOOO we start the count down and can only pray that all closing goes well and we can move into our first home!!!

INSIDE OUR HOUSE!!!!

So yesterday Drew and his dad went to the house and were checking everything out now that we have utilities. When I got off work I immediately went over to meet them there!!! I'm so excited. They were there since 2 o'clock and I arrived just before six and we left at just after seven. Right now I have been stressing over paint colours ( yes I spelt it the Canadian way... the right way!!!) Any who... this is when I wish I had my family around to help with the colours I'm looking at. It's hard when everyone has their own style and my style is different people who I have asked here so... yes it would come in handy if Jean or the sisters were here. I AM SOOOO EXCITED!! Our house is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!! Ok so I already said that but I'm just very excited we got it at such a good price! I have not doubt that when 10 or 15 years to come we will DEFINITELY have some SERIOUS equity in it! CROSS MY FINGERS!!! You call tell it's a nice home and although the last owners didn't take care of it how you would think most people would... with some good cleaning and a little at a time changes it will be fit for a magazine. It's sad that I have student loans. I know everyone does... but we have started paying them off early now since we don't owe yet so we can take advantage of that and they will be paid off sooner. Whenever I get a little stressed about how much were paying a month and how much longer it will take for me to make this house OUR house I try to remember that in 2 or 3 years I will be able to start bigger projects for the house. Oh well it will be slow progress but the loans needs to be paid and since were paying them in LARGE sums then it will be better and quicker in the long run.

So I don't really have just one style. It wasn't till the other day when Rebecca ( my sis in law who's beautiful AND SINGLE!!!) said she always doubts herself about putting a room together because she doesn't know how it will turn out in the end. I WAS SOOOOO CONFIDENT.... until she said that hahah. So now I'm a little worried about how I can pull off an amazing house without it looking stupid, average or seen it before. My style is ALL over the place. I would describe it as French, Victorian, Shabby Chic, Tuscan, Modern, Vintage and new all in one. HAHAh SOoooooo it will be interesting to say the least. Sometimes I get ahead of myself and think people will think that how I decorate is how I would decorate if we had A LOT OF BLING BLANG!!! .. which if we did I would have a nicer house then ALL THE CELEBRITIES.... so I guess I need to stop being retarded ... which I am being and focus on bargain hunting and patience. One of my biggest problems is living up to my OWN expectations as well as REALLY impressing others. I don't know if I'm the only one that has that worry and call me materialistic... (CUZ I AMMMMM) but I think people should take pride in their home!! WHY NOT? ITS AN INVESTMENT!! My goal has always been to get as much money as possible when selling a house. I know that thats EVERYONES GOAL but not everyone takes care of their house. I remember cleaning in Calgary and I would go into these BEAUTIFUL EXPENSIVE houses and being sick over how they were treated. It's goes by the saying NEVER judge a book by its cover. I couldn't understand why people let their houses get sooooooo dirty! That, and they would be SO outdated and poorly taken care of. Like I said... A house is an INVESTMENT.... and I want to take pride in my house and hope to have a BEAUTIFUL house for myself, my family, and FOR THE FUTURE MONEY!!! I live for money. I WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH.... I think if i were a celebrity I would NEVER retire. I understand now why some mothers choose to work full time for the money. I'm clearly going to be a stay at home (if able) But I will NEVER STOP making money and contributing.... I will sell hand made SOCKS if I have to. MONEY IS EVERYTHING.... ok maybe not but it sure does make the world go round, and it would be nice not to have to worry about it. Ok I just want to strive to be comfortable. I know I know.. as long as you have the necessities you are blessed but that doesn't mean I won't try my HARDEST to have more!!!

So back to my house... hahaha. I thought I would post and let you know some of the things that inspire me for decorating... like I said before... I'm ALL over the place. Since beginning blogging.... I have been introduce to a whole other life. IM OBSESSED!!!!! There are so many talented bloggers out there who inspire me to WANT MORE MONEY!!... OK its probably getting annoying but When I see what they have and what they make and their houses and stuff I am overwhelmed with all the beautiful things!! I could easily go without facebook... then blogging. And I don't need to blog or search my favorite bloggers everyday. I don't understand how people get obsessed with facebook or any other network of some sort. Yes I check my facebook every day. BUT there has been PLENTY of times I haven't and no big deal. I don't need to check it every half hour or update my status. I guess the MAJOR reason is because I have people on my list that are the attention seeking drama mammas that NEED attention.... and it might sound like I 100% hate it... BUT don't get me wrong... I FULLY enjoy laughing and being entertained by people who seem to live their life and update it on their facebook. Same with their blogs. I KNOW... didn't you just say you love it Courtney? I DO!! But I believe there is such thing as a journal... and a PERSONAL journal. Some people give WAYYYYYYYYYYYY to much info. I like being able to keep up with friends and see what they are doing in their lives but there comes to a point where it gets a wee bit sad when you read things that make you think W T F? (said by letters) hahah. BUt I WILL SHUT UP because at the same time it makes me laugh and can be VERY entertaining. So I guess Im a hypocrite. I would rather it be on the subject of facebook and blogging then on other subjects! Ok so I went on longer then needed but it is just something I have never understood.

OK OK OK... here are some inspirations I LOVE... and then... for the reason why you are reading my blog... if for REAL PICTURES OF THE HOUSE!!!! INSIDE!!!!

Ok.... NOW FOR THE REAL PICS!!!!... So clearly we are going to repaint and put new carpet in and redo the hardwood and cabinets and everything else... its just going to be a LONG time in progress .... anyone wanna donate to the Ennis house fund? Nope?... didn't think so. But I will always hope to one day be the winner of Publishers Clearing House!!!! I want to hear a knock on the door and answer it in my towel to find that I'm the newest winner of 1 million dollars and be so excited I scream and almost lose my towel. And when they ask me what I plan to do with the money my first thing I say is.... IM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!! ... hahah the rest of the money would go in savings!!!!!

THE PRICE IS RIGHT!!!

THANK YOU GOD!!!! (really... were VERY THANKFUL)

SOOOO.... for those of you who don't know... WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!!!!!! WE ARE SO EXCITED. FINALLY!!!!!

So after months AND months ... and even more, and a couple house offers that weren't accepted we FINALLY found OUR HOUSE!!! I must have looked at 30 houses or more and there were a couple ones we liked but nothing that we were heart broken over, we found our house!!! WE LOVE IT!!!! Our real estate agent Nancy, WHO WE LOVE came across a house that was JUST listed. When we took a tour we immediately fell in love with it. It's beautiful outside as it is inside. It is the perfect first home we could find. AND what makes it that much better......? THE PRICE!! YES THE PRICE IS RIGHT AND WAS IT EVER!!!! The price was awesome!!! Because it was a foreclosure we got a pretty good price if I say so myself. We offered a little bit more in fear that we wouldn't get it and we got it!!! We are VERY VERY VERY BLESSED to be able to find such a deal. We were starting to to lose hope and were getting pretty frustrated that we weren't going to get a house. We figured at this point if it was meant to be it would be. We had put 2 offers in on two other houses and were outbid. So when we hour house we tried not to get our hopes up and keep in mind that what we have planned is not always what the lord has planned for us. Well we got it! And we couldn't be happier. It is in a NICE neighborhood (we do live in Memphis people) very established and beautiful houses. The house has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 garage and almost a full half acre. Tonight we went and signed some contracts and we hope to by the end of the month we will be homeowners!!

OUR CHRISTMAS!!

Well Christmas went well! This year I was unable to go home due to my green card ( I still have not received it) so Drew and I stayed in Memphis. It was a very nice Christmas. I have to say i was pretty bummed because pretty much ALL my family was going to be home for the first time in quite some time so it clearly sucked. That being said it was best it could have been without being at home. It was a nice day of relaxing, presents and spending time together. Drew and mines FIRST Christmas being married and it feels so weird that we have been married this long. It really has flew by! On Christmas eve Drew surprised me and took me to a FANCY HOTEL called the Westin. I was SO surprised and super excited!!! I didn't have a clue, even when hid dad blurted it out at the table. I heard what he said but didn't think it applied to me because of the conversation we were having and due to the fact he said motel. TO ME... motel and hotel are totally different. To the Ennis family.... its the same thing. Normally when I think of a hotel it's ghetto and nasty. Not that there's anything wrong with them, I just have always stayed in hotels WHICH is funny because when Drew and made it to San Antonio before our apartment we stayed in a motel 6. IT WAS NICE!!! I would say it was a newer one, and like a ikea kind if design. ANYWAYS.... I was pleasantly surprised!!! We got there and had valet parking! When we walked in and it was BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! Now I think I have stayed in PRETTY NICE hotels before but I must say this BEAT ALL!!! When we went up to our room the first thing I did was jump on the bed! A BIG FAT KING SIZED BED!!!!!! It was beautiful and THE BEST BED I HAVE EVER SLEPT ON!!!! It was hard to leave because I felt like I could spend the rest of my life sleeping in it. Anyways, Drew did very well! It was a beautiful room and he even told me I could get some food from the mini fridge... the thought was thrilling but I figured I would rather keep the $4.00 on the credit card then spend it on the mini sized pringels that cost $.50 at the store. SO I clearly opted out. So Drew kept asking me if I was happy with my present and if it was ok that this was my only one and of COURSE it was OK ...it was perfect. We got to spend out first Christmas together alone. Well Drew woke up early (though I woke up even more earlier and went back to be) and woke me up... he said my names a couple times and I didn't respond... until he said ...SANTA CLAUSE CAME!!!!! That's when I flew out of bed and dashed to find 2 stockings full of stuff. I thought that was pretty sneaky of him and so we opened out mini presents up. During the night before (Christmas eve) I was having a dream and someone was attacking me and drew... so in my dream I went for the guys eyes and then to choke him.... well I woke up to Drew telling me to STOP choking him. HAHAHAH.... my hand was around his neck squeezing!!! YIKES!!!!!.... clearly he wasn't hurt but it woke him up. I have never done that before. So Christmas mourning we got back to his parents house where we have been staying until we find a house and WHO KNEW IT? THERE WERE MORE PRESENTS FOR BOTH OF US!!! MY HUSBAND IS SNEAKY I TELL AND CLEVER AT THAT!!! So I opened more presents he got me and he opened the presents I got him and then some awesome ones from my family and it was great! I really wished we could have been in Canada. My parents ALWAYS throw an awesome Christmas with my favorite foods and tons of decorations everywhere and Christmas cheer.... and fighting because it's no Christmas without a couple here or there but for not being home it was the BEST it could have been!!! What was my favorite part? Finding out Drew booked the hotel the same day and got a REALLY NICE PRICE!!!! Who doesn't love saving money? WOOT WOOOOOOT!!!!

Trix ready for her daddys birthday!!