I bought a house!

[LaraOnline]

I''m so excited I can barely contain myself.
For those who have gotten to know me a little, I joined PS hoping and planning to get myself a solitaire engagement ring for my fifth wedding anniversary next year. I have been hoping for one since before last Christmas!

My husband was at first bemused, and then hosed me down. I wrote a thread about it, I was a little upset (okay, pretty devastated actually).
I haven''t given up on my diamond dream... but he has redeemed himself / explained his actions.
May I present: my new house.

 

[LaraOnline]

Hmm, had trouble attaching post.
Here it is. I''m wildly excited and just had to share. Forgive me!
wanna come over for a painting party? lol

 

[LaraOnline]

Sorry, I tried to edit my message, but I was too late.
I probably should point out that I don''t live in the US, where according to my newspapers, it would be very silly to buy a house right now.
But I guess some US people still need to buy houses, regardless of the timing, a bit like we have.
We''re having a third baby, and there''s no room left in our current little (well-loved but humble) home.

L.

 

[D2B]

Congrats. Lovely house, gotta love the water in front. Looks fantastic,

What part of australia are you from (if you are happy to share)?

Enjoy

pb

 

[LaraOnline]

Thanks D2B, you''re a sport.
I guess this is kind of like getting married ... doesn''t happen very often lol, I''m pretty excited. No - make that SUPER DUPER excited!!
I''m from Western Australia (aka ''middle of nowhere'')

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Congrats Lara! I actually disagree and think now is a great time to buy a house in the US (I know you don''t live here) if you can get financing. The house is so pretty and congrats on your third. When are you due?

 

[pennquaker09]

Congrats, you have a beautiful home.

 

[UCLABelle]

WOW! FORGET THE DIAMOND !!!! CONGRATS!

 

[somethingshiny]

Lara~ Congratulations, it''s a lovely home! The right time to buy a house is when you FIND the right house!

Many years of happiness in your new home!!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Beautiful home! A home to live is so much better than a diamond. . .it can be enjoyed by all.

Is the water in front a small lake? Be sure to put up a fence to protect your little ones

 

[Linda W]

Lara, Congratulations on buying a house. Yours is gorgeous I love it and right by the water too.

 

[Skippy123]

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYyy

Beautiful and congrats sugar!

 

[butterfly 17]

congrats on the new house. It looks beautiful!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Lara, congratulations! It''s beautiful!!!

 

[Miranda]

Your new home is beautiful! Congratulations! And congrats on the new bundle!

 

[LaraOnline]

Thanks girls, I love this forum!

 

[LaraOnline]

Date: 9/20/2008 9:39:31 AM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Congrats Lara! I actually disagree and think now is a great time to buy a house in the US (I know you don''t live here) if you can get financing. The house is so pretty and congrats on your third. When are you due?

Well, i have been a lazy bones, and will be going to the doctor on Wednesday (!). But I think I am currently 71/2 weeks along.

 

[msb700]

such a pretty house!! would love to see some more pics of it...congratulations

(and congrats on ur third )

 

[Phoenix]

I am so excited for you!!

If there''s one thing I love more than diamonds, houses would be it!

Ditto the advice on putting in a fence to prevent your little ones from falling into the water.

Ditto also the request for more photos. The house looks awesome

Congrats on yr third child too. Yay!

 

[dani13]

How exciting Lara!!! What a GORGEOUS house!!! Congratulations to you and your family!!!!

 

[bee*]

It''s gorgeous!! I love how close to the water it is!

 

[jewelerman]

VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!this will be a great jewelry case for your future dimond ring.

 

[LaraOnline]

Date: 9/21/2008 5:57:58 AM
Author: Phoenix
I am so excited for you!!

If there's one thing I love more than diamonds, houses would be it!

Ditto the advice on putting in a fence to prevent your little ones from falling into the water.
Ditto also the request for more photos. The house looks awesome
Congrats on yr third child too. Yay!

Thanks Phoenix (love the name) , and thank you MC too, for the kindly advice.

The backyard is completely fenced off from the front, with lockable gates at each side. The children *could* escape through the front door and run across to the lake. I admit, it is a risk. However, we currently live near a busyish road, and I figure the risk is somewhat similar.

My little boy Tom has been somewhat of an escape risk, he went through a stage (don't they all?) of bolting for the door if it was left open at any stage. As with all aspects of childcare, CONSTANT

vigilance is 'key' (like in the fashion mags). We are all in the habit of keeping the front screen door locked at all times now.

Regarding the inside of the house, it is kind of reminiscent of the Queenslander style (Queensland is another state of Australia that is pretty much sub-tropical), It has very high ceilings (unusual for this neck of the woods, but common in QLD for cooling airflow), blonde wood floors (aak, I'm reading up on the hardwood floors thread) and spacious rooms. It is a four-by-two, although I could convert the study comfortably to another bedroom / spare bedroom if we wanted. And yes - for the man - a triple (!) garage. Outrageous!

I *could* post inside pics, but to be honest, the place has been beautifully and most professionally done in a colour scheme that was fashionable a little while ago - quite bright, almost clashing colours eg sunny yellow with a darkish red feature wall, for eg.

The kitchen is quite sweet, let me see if I can post that.
Also, the ensuite has a lovely greyish tile that comes up blue in the photos.
The house is ten years old, but comes up very fresh, it's been beautifully looked after, like it's hardly been lived in at all. ('And then Lara's family moved in'

tee hee )

Aaah, I hope I'm not jinxing myself by going on so much, as I said the paperwork and finances are still to be sorted into the right boxes IYKWIM.

 

[LaraOnline]

Date: 9/21/2008 8:09:59 PM
Author: jewelerman
VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!this will be a great jewelry case for your future dimond ring.

thanks Jewelerman, your kind words mean a lot to me! As you might remember from that thread, I was really getting excited about my anniversary next January, and I very much had my heart set on getting a ''big girl''s'' engagement ring (ie a solitaire ring). And I still dream about it every day to be honest! But...at least I can take the pins out of that wax voodoo husband doll now. (joking)

He actually told me straight out at that time, in the kindest and most earnest tone, that he would ''upgrade'' - his own words! - my rings on my tenth anniversary. I thought at the time that perhaps he was fobbing me off! (ooh, the shame) I thought that by then that I couldn''t possibly swap over, for sentimental reasons.

However, in the truest way of woman, I will probably hold him to that promise!! hahah I''ll be 42 by then. When he first said it, it was like a parent telling a teenager that she couldn''t pierce her ears until she was 21! Hopeless! But now... Well I do like my little original anyway, and will probably continue to wear it in the honoured position, as it will have been on my finger for more than 10 years by then. The other, elegant solitaire will have to be relegated to a RHR, or swap in occasionally. Either way, I feel like a ''winner''!

 

[LaraOnline]

Here is the kitchen. As you would expect, I will be putting in my own touches, such as curtains, at a later date.

 

[Linda W]

OMG, I LOVE your kitchen. It looks so nice and big!!!!! Love your house Lara

 

[Dancing Fire]

congrats Lara !! very nice house

my koi would love the pond in front of your house.

 

[Phoenix]

OMG, Lara!! Your kitchen is absolutely TDF!!

My husband would *kill* for a kitchen like that!!

I see what you mean abt the house. It looks like *nobody* has lived in it, looks like it's a brand new showhouse. You lucky devils!

We love Australia!!

. I have a lot of friends from Queensland. We have a place (a tiny apartment) in Melbourne and have been to Sydney, Perth and Melbourne. Would love to visit Tasmania, Adelaide, Brisbane and some other places in Queensland plus like a million other places in Oz. It's such a great country!

Pls post more pics of your house. It's so amazing. Really love it.

 

[LaraOnline]

Hi Guys! DF, thanks for the post! You were very encouraging of me getting my ''upgrade'', so I appreciate you dropping in!

Phoenix, I agree that Qld is fantastic. That''s where I come from!!! All the best people come from Qld, it is so nice and relaxed and ''real''... and lovely and hot - it''s like you''re on holidays all the time. Aah, I miss Qld. Have you been to Cooktown? You must! (Where I come from

)

I could post more pictures...these are all from the internet real estate postings, so I guess the vendors won''t be mad at me...

Here is the view from my main bedroom...

 

[LaraOnline]

This is going to MY sitting room! It''s at the front of the house, and has the lovely view. I intend to redo this room for my own personal ''ends'' ... I''m thinking creamy paint (extending throughout the front section of the house), and lots of books in this room. I love the built-in book shelves that seem to be popular in US homes.
I have a very comfortable chocolate leather lounge, do you think that would work?
And, of course, rugs!

Interior decorators, feel free to make suggestions!