Listed.

Yesterday we finally got most things in order and listed this old house.

Here's a few pics:

The following are pics I nabbed from a listing site (taken by our realtor), so great pictures, but possibly not the best quality...

(You can see the complete listing here) just click on the mls #

I'm exhausted just thinking about the work it took to get things to this point.

Yes, I will like a smaller house. I might even enjoy a tiny house hahahaha

Shilo came for a visit on Thursday... just in time to help clean.

Mauri started training at her new job as a lifeguard on Friday while Shi and I endlessly and excruciatingly worked on the house.

Later that day, our realtor -- and friend -- asked if we would like tickets to An American in Paris that evening. 

I couldn't turn the offer down, despite our fatigue. Thankfully Bill was on board, too, since he was equally exhausted. We quickly got ready and headed downtown.

For memory's sake I have to mention that I had not had a shower since Monday (ain't nobody got time for that... haha apparently I am the only one). I know. Gross. I even had specks of paint in my hair. Thank heavens for wipes, clean clothes, dry shampoo, and perfume, right??

It was good to get away from the house business and take the girls to a show we didn't have to fork over big bucks for ;-) Mauri, who almost didn't go due to other plans with friends that night, LOVED it. The performers were amazing... we chatted about how good they were, and how talented at singing, dancing, AND acting. And it wasn't just any ol' dancing, it was super technical. Needless to say, it was a good choice, even if Bill and I took a brief dozer -- or two -- during the long dance scenes haha.

The other thing helping me to keep on keeping on... my almost daily updates on these beauties:

I love them so much.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned here, but Britt and Austin are expecting a BOY in August. We are so so excited for them (and for us!).

Wish me luck on keeping the house in show condition for the next month or two. I'm hoping for a quick sale at top dollar. Hahaha, a girl can dream.

Almost there.

I am sick and tired of house business.

But I must say, things are looking pretty darn great around here.

Here's a quick update (quick, because I really should be painting baseboards right now):

Those old, worn, ugly, natural-turned-orange oak floors were finally refinished.

 (this was after it was stained, but before it was sealed)

I LOVE THIS FLOOR COLOR.

Antique Pewter by Bona.

This pic is also pre-painting of the island and the side wall by the desk.

FYI - that's done now {check}

Yesterday I taped baseboards. Ugh.

I also washed my sofa pillows and cushions. For whatever reason, the maker of this set of sofas chose to put zippers on the loveseat pillows but not on the sofa pillows. That means I have to unpick 5 pillows to wash them. I had washed one of the pillows a few years back because one of the dogs had thrown up on it, and I had safety-pinned it back together... and never got around to stitching it {hah}. This time after they were washed and dried, I painstakingly stitched all 5 pillows back up. Funny how something like moving motivates a person hahahahaha.

 The cushions and pillows will remain in this skiwampus manner to keep the dogs off until we are ready to show. (Because the dogs are in serious need of baths, but ain't nobody got time for that.)

And here's a couple late-night pics of the master bed/bath...

 Bill and I stayed up until 2:30am on Monday (happy FHE) working on this masterpiece.

My closet is done...

...and Bill finished his last night.

I'm totally loving this flooring, too, so we'll probably be putting it in our new place.

COREtec Hudson Valley Oak

We have to trim out the edges before we can move back in... I hope it can get done today

{please, please, please}

We've had a brother from our ward helping us with some of these projects so we can't take all the credit... but it's been dang hard - and seemingly endless - work for everyone.

I'm really getting tired of home improvements for someone else to enjoy.

Meanwhile, we've had a few other things going on.

The final week of the play.

Mar invited her {boy}friend Justin to walk in the CoSprings St. Patrick's Day parade with her and Bill (+ his CoSprings Alink Insurance Services office people) on Saturday. Seriously, Justin's a good sport.

Bill and I got to see the final performance of Fiddler.

The Billats stopped for a night on their way through town, so Lauren came and helped at concessions and got to see the play, too. There were some serious tender mercies going on that night, as I had searched for someone to sit with the concessions during the play so Bill and I could attend. As we arrived at the school that evening, I had decided that we would switch off for Act I and Act II because I had received no response in my quest. Out of the blue, two lovely students showed up to help and were willing to sit with the concessions during Act I (which is lengthy - 1 hour 45 mins - and boring... I know because I had been doing it every performance). 

I wanted to kiss those girls, I was so happy. I gave them the leftover roses from concessions, instead ;-)

By the way, the show SOLD OUT - a first for Legend theater.

I think the fact that they did a phenomenal job and it was a family-friendly show helped.

 It was so fun to have Lauren for a day (although we were living cRaZy with all the stuff going on at our house)... and we really appreciated her help at the show! Hopefully the next time she stops by things will be peaceful, calm, and orderly (a goal I've yet to obtain in my life, but hold out hope for).

Sunday evening we had dinner at the Weeds with Jeff, Lauren, and Chase. (I took a few pics, but they're on the point-and-shoot, and ain't nobody got time for that right now.) It's always good to get together and visit with these amazing friends. We have been so so blessed to live where we have and raise our children around so many wonderful people. 12 years with the Billats across the street, 15 years with the Weeds next door. We will be sad to leave them, BUT 1) we're not going far, and 2) we anticipate regular interaction with them all for the years to come.

The girls wanted to do a quick photo re-enactment before Lauren headed out Sunday evening:

Sooooooo adorable.

Well, that's the low-down. Hopefully next time I update, everything will be done and the house will be on the market. Then we'll start work on our new place. At least that work will be for our own enjoyment (trying to stay upbeat and motivated, here).

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

One week down, one (+) to go.

Week one of LHS's production of Fiddler on the Roof is done. 

Phew. Glad we made it through!

Since opening night was on my birthday, Bill stayed with the concessions so I could see the show.

It was sooooooo good!

 She's a bit easier to spot in the following two pics.

We've concessioned four (4) times in the past week. It's a party, lemme tell ya.

 In between concessioning, we've been working away on our house goals, including tiling the backsplash in the kitchen. I'm pretty proud to say I got this project moving.

We cut the tile right on our brand spanking new countertops.

They clean up impressively, I must say.

We finished setting the tile on Saturday, grouted and caulked on Monday.

(I may or may not have finished off the area between the ovens and the fridge on Sunday. The ox was in the mire, as we needed to grout before Tuesday.)

I had to snap a couple pics of the flowers that have brightened our long days of work, performing (Mar), and concessioning.

Mar received these from her boyfriend following the show on Friday night.

 I'm not sure what "boyfriend" means these days, but he proposed boyfriend/girlfriendship on Valentine's Day, and Mar accepted. We had a mother/daughter discussion about this a few days later (I'm so glad Mar will talk about it), and, as for now, it's a "relationship." I don't think it's been very active, since Mar has been devoting all of her time to the play, so we will have to re-evaluate things if their relationship becomes more serious/intense/exclusive down the road.

She also received a cute little bouquet from her Seminary teacher.

A dear friend brought me these for my birthday.

There's that finished backsplash.

 I love it.

$100. Should've done that a long time ago.

You can also see that our floors are in the early stages of refinishing. Smells a lot like cough-producing-cancer-causing old floor finish around here today, but I'm sooooooo excited to see the finished product.

 You may be able to spot a few areas that are still in need of paint, but that will be an easy peasy lemon squeezy project, right before we list.

And here's the chaos we are living in.

 The refrigerator and kitchen table are in the family room...

...and the dining room has all kinds of miscellaneous stuff (including a pan of Rice Krispie treats ready for this upcoming weekend's concessions - we sold 5 batches last week and had people asking for them when we ran out).

I keep reminding myself that this will all be worth it.

It's been exhausting.

Even as I type, I can feel the tendonitis flare-up in my left elbow, the plantar fasciitis in my right foot, and my shoulders and neck are begging for a massage.

On top of all of this, my driver's license expired on my birthday, and my debit card was tagged due to fraudulent activity and has been blocked. I'm hoping to fix those little problems tomorrow (or the next day, since I have to stay off my floors for a good 4 hours). Today I'm going to start in on the laundry and tidying up our sleeping quarters (Shi's closet is in a bit of a disarray since we've taken over). Maybe I'll take a nap, too. I have to gear up for all the work to put this place back together once we finish up the big projects. Sooooooo much still to do.