A Cure for Hangovers

The title makes sense in a little bit... keep reading. 

Also, a disclaimer, there are a ton of little parenthetical notes here and I felt that editing them out left out part of my story. Sorry about that.

I feel like every single "house progress" post has involved some sort of "sorry, no furniture here!" disclaimer when we come to the living room and every update is like "it will be soon!" So here I am to tell you that those updates are over. 

But just in case you've forgotten, this was what we were working with before...

(taken the week we moved in, but the only thing that changed was the number of boxes) 

We have a couch! I'm not sure if either of us have ever been so excited about one piece of furniture, but we've been looking for this one for quite awhile so I think we're both just relieved that the hunt is over at last. Just as we were about to give up on Craigslist (we found great couches but people would not call us back!), Carson found this one on Tuesday, offered $20 less than the asking price with the promise to pick it up by Wednesday evening, and the seller responded right away. One of our pastors offered the use of his vehicle and between the two of them, they fit this huge sectional in both our car (which I'm beginning to think has powers like Mary Poppins' bag... you've seen the amount of things that can fit in that tiny Civic) and his van. 

Apparently the drive there was a little rough, thanks to road construction, but they made it there and back alive. The couch fit in the two cars which honestly surprised me. Carson reported that the seller boasted that the couch was "great for getting over hangovers". Well if that didn't sell us on it, I don't know what would.... 

The front door has always had problems opening, and since we never really open it, we didn't realize that all the rain a couple of weeks ago from Hurricane Sandy made the door swell and stick. It was impossible to open (I've always been able to open it even though it sticks, but the other day I tried and failed, so I thought my arms were getting weak and worked out - guess it wasn't just me). Long story short, to get it open, a piece of molding AND the door itself had to be taken off. Carson did it in about 2 minutes, as if he does this every day. Eventually, they got the sectional inside. 

(I grabbed my little camera to take these - old habits die hard and I keep it in my purse since it's more convenient than my nicer one)

We're used to seeing the room empty,

While I was making dinner, Carson set everything up inside. I'll probably rearrange the pillows (we have about a million throw pillows thanks to my strange obsession with making them last year) and put a lamp on the table on the right side of the room since there's no overhead lighting (I'm hoping for a tall lamp for that corner as a Christmas gift... something like this - nice and simple). Carson thinks another bookshelf would round things out in here. I had some better ideas for the walls than what's thereat the moment. Won't it look so cozy?

Here's my fall mantle which will very shortly become my Christmas mantle. I'm fighting the urge to decorate before Thanksgiving is over - surely I can hold out one little week. On the left you'll notice several little Christmas ornaments and on the right that pretty owl pitcher - my sweet mother-in-law thought of me and sent them the day that we got the couch. Loving them.

Perhaps I've shown this before, and perhaps I haven't, but one of my very favorite parts about this room (besides having a place to sit!) is this basket of children's books. I've added some childhood favorites and my sister and Carson have contributed a few. If anyone has trouble thinking of a gift for me, feel free to add to this collection. I love that I have books to read to visitors of the smaller set and to read one day to our children. Because of our love for reading, we're hoping that "Please read me a book" will be the first phrase our children say.

Naturally, I'll continue to post pictures of the living room now that it feels like a room and not a wasteland for cardboard boxes. Maybe I'll even take some during the day, but I was too excited to not have a photo shoot.