Wood Stove No Longer.

For the past 7 months, we have repeatedly been asked about our wood stove. Some have asked if we use it to heat the house, some of commented that they like the open look of the piping. I can understand why people thought this as this is what it has looked like since we moved in...

I however, did not like this look and continually corrected people by saying that it is actually a FIREPLACE waiting for its surround. A week or so ago, it finally got it! Just in time for the baby shower here on Sunday, Jason spent a couple of days building out the walls around the fireplace as well as the step in front of it. It now, looks like this:


Next we will stone the front and sides of the wood you see, add thicker stone to the step and hopefully make a rustic looking mantel as well. When we were deciding what we wanted on this wall of our house, I really pushed for a "built-in" look and feel like it is finally starting to look that way. When we stone the fireplace, add shelves to either side and close off the drawers with some doors, I think it will really come together.

The big drawer on the right hand side in the picture is currently our toy drawer. Our contractor suggested we make this space one big drawer and I have to admit, at first I thought it was way too big. Now that we are a "toy" house, I realize how quickly it has been filled. 95% of the toys in the drawer have never even been touched or looked at by Colin so it's a good thing we have neighbors and nieces and nephews to make good use of all the stuff. Once we have a usable play area in the basement (which judging by the fullness of the drawer will probably need to be sooner than later), I plan to make the following rule - if it can't fit in the drawer upstairs, it stays downstairs. I realize that I am speaking as a mother of a 7 month old, and when I become the mother of a 2, 3, 4 year old, etc I might retract this rule entirely, but for now I will daydream of a house where toys are put away on a nightly basis and our main floor is not overtaken by trucks, Thomas & his friends and Buzz Lightyears. Maybe if I dream it hard enough it will come true??