Tuesday, September 11, 2012

If We Build it, We Will Stay

My husband and I like to talk about building on to our existing nice but...uhhhh...cozy home.

Our cozy house.


"Cozy" is the word real estate agents like to use when they are trying to sell a small house.

Now size is relative.

And get your minds out of the gutter please peeps!



I am still talking about real estate!

To many people around the world, my house would be considered huge.

I am sure these folks have a different idea of what a small house looks like.


To people here in glutinous North America, my house would be considered, in comparison to the average family home, to be small.

Especially for a family of five.

Especially when that family consists of 3 active, loud, growing boys like mine.

I love an excuse to show you yet another photo of my boys!


Now I am not here to complain. I like my home. It is the third house we have owned and it is the smallest. This is kinda not common for a family that has been steadily growing over the past 10 years, but yeah...we actually downsized. Both in square footage and in value.

One thing we did gain with this home is a very significant increase in property. We affectionately refer to our lawn(s) as "Rossi Park". This term is used by my husband with a little less affection when he is cutting the grass.

Having a lot of outdoor space in wonderful when you have young children. I mean, our driveway is bigger than our former home's front and back yards combined. And no, that is not an exaggeration.

And so, as our two older boys started to get older, we started to talk about the possibility of adding on.

Then I got pregnant.

Then we realized we would really be needing a bigger home.

Then I had our third son.

Then I went on maternity leave.

Then I decided not to return to work.

Then our income dropped significantly.

Our income.


Then we stopped talking about adding on to our house.

If only the over 100 trees in "Rossi Park" grew money.


But recently, we were sitting outside enjoying a rare, quiet coffee together in "Rossi Park", talking about how we could best add on to our house, get what we want and need and make sure that the value of the new and improved home would more than cover the cost of the renovation.

Mixed in with this little conversation was the fact that of course, we would not be able to even entertain the idea of this little dream until I return to work full-time.

Stock photo of a woman at work.
Very predictable and boring.
 Sorry.


And I will.

I have started looking.

And now that it is Fall, I'm kicking it up a few notches.

Julian and Noah are back in school, and little Drew is now old enough to go to the local Montessori School that our other boys attended. We feel more comfortable with this than regular daycare or a nanny. (Not that there is anything wrong with those options!)

The thing is, if we don't add on, something is gonna hafta give on of these days.

Once our boys become teenagers and want to have their friends over and play loud music and have a little breathing room away from Mom and Dad...this house just is not gonna cut it.

Not gonna.


OK...what I really mean by that is Mom is gonna want the breathing room. Away from all the testosterone. Away from the music and the video games and the sports and the burping and the farting and, and, and....

I really don't wanna become this woman.
But I am getting there!


It is my sanity I am looking to preserve and I am thinking ahead!

Sure, we could always move...but we are pretty happy with this area and the kids are getting pretty settled in their school, with their friends, on their local hockey teams, yadda, yadda, yadda.

While I moved here from the big city of Toronto with hesitation, it really is not far - less then a half-hour drive - and it is pretty central to every close member of our family.

My parents and brother Matt are in Central and East Toronto, Rob's parents and sister's family are here in Mississauga and my brother and his family are just West of us in Oakville.

So it kinda works. Family is very important to both of us so it's all good.

In the meantime, we will focus on what we do have...and appreciate it.

Who knows what the future really holds. But I do know what is important to me.

A home - no matter what its size - full of love, laughter, smiles and of course...lots and lots of hugs.



Smiles,

Lora






2 comments:

  1. Always a good read Laura :) SOunds like it would be nice to go on an exotic adventure with the family...like Sweeden or maybe Fiji but not for 1 or 2 weeks. maybe 1 month. Just sounds like you are looking for that JOLT of something different while maintaining balance but can't put your finger on it.If I come up with an idea, You sound like you deserve it :)

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  2. Lora, This one reminds me why we call your blog the Hugging Home. Cause you have one! :-))))) // Your friend, Slam

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