We've Come A Long Way Baby

I never really thought of the farm as being big.  In fact, when I took The Hubs to the farm for the first time before we were married, I warned him in advance that it was pretty small  He took great pains to explain to me that I was wrong.  I don't see it myself, the farm has always just been the farm to me.  It's hard seeing it through an outsiders eyes.

My parents inherited my grandparents farmhouse, along with a little bit of property.  The remaining property was split amongst my mother's two brothers (one older, one younger). The farmhouse they inherited was originally built in 1965.  It was probably close to 1300 sf with 3 bedrooms, 1 bath and included a carport that was the end of the house in the picture above on the left - I'll see if I can't dig up a photo of the house as it was originally with the carport.  When my grandfather's health started to decline, they enclosed the carport (as pictured above) to create a new bedroom and bath that was more handicapped accessible. This brought the square footage of the house up to around 1800 sf.

As you can see, by the time my parents got to it, the house was in a pretty sad state of decline.  My grandmother resisted any changes to the house for years and years, preferring it to remain how it had always been.  I think she just didn't like the idea of people making a fuss.  My grandmother was very un-fussy.  So until she also passed away, the house remained pretty much how it's been since the day it was built not counting the new master suite. 


My parents decided to retire in the old farm house, but definitely decided it needed some updates.  I've spent the better part of a year helping them - with the help of my good buddy Cinda over at 1212 Architects (no really, she actually IS my good buddy.  Since college.  I swear!  I don't even have to cyber stalk her!) - to not only update the original house, but expand it to include a new dining room, kitchen and master bath as well as combining two existing rooms to create a formal master suite. 

They also had a garage attached to the house with a 2 bedroom apartment added up top.  Bringing the house up to 2700 sf or so of living space.  This of course, doesn't include the garage itself which can hold 2 cars and a small workshop.  The difference is amazing and it truly doesn't even seem like the same house anymore. 

In some upcoming posts, I'm going to show some before and after photos to really demonstrate the amazing changes the house has undergone both inside and out, as well as show you guys some lifestyle shots from when we were kids spending summers there.  I might even tell some of my favorite "farm" stories.  And maybe even convince my cousin Scott to do some of his famous "Grandpa" impressions.  They are hilarious!  So is Scott!  So was Grandpa, in his own way.  For now, enjoy the before and after shots of the outside of the house.

Seriously.. Thoughts?