House Tour Part 1 (1st floor and Basement)

[TheMACupAddict]

i am french canadian it means live good , laugh often, love alot :)

[ashhailey]

Your house looks exactly like my uncles house! like the layout and wall colors : )

[InformationMommy]

@ashhailey OH funny :) And thank you... we do too !

[misaki52008]

ur house is gorgeous!

[InformationMommy]

@misaki52008 Thank you so much !

[InformationMommy]

@TiggerTube09 Yep, I am made sure there were lots of things for him to get into like fire and sharp objects and lots of stairs to fall down ! Really, why would I do that. My husband was with him.

[neknakify]

Your house is huge! It's fantastic!



[InformationMommy]

@neknakify It's perfect for us. Thank you !

[Pobodys0Nerfect]

somes probably already commented it, but google translate says its french for "Live well, laugh often, love much" i have this quote in english at my house lol

[InformationMommy]

@Pobodys0Nerfect Thank you so much !

[Pobodys0Nerfect]

@InformationMommy I typed the italian one into google as well and it says Welcome friends, family and hungry stomachs .. lol ..

[MysteriousGirlof2011]

ur kitchen is rly small. u have a den in ur basement.

[InformationMommy]

@MysteriousGirlof2011 I think it is big and yes we do

[visualvirtue]

Chubby squirrel was the best - where can I get my own?

[InformationMommy]

@visualvirtue I got it from my MIL and I don't know where she got it... sorry :(

[InformationMommy]

@Breakeven1707 They were on the wall when we moved in so I am not really sure.

[InformationMommy]

@newbiejessica Well we did end up taping up the door and she is using it now :) Thank you for the tip though.

[shannorah]

Oooo, I love your house!!!! So cute! It's worth the pole in the way like you & Blake said!

[InformationMommy]

@shannorah That is what we thought... the fact that everything else was perfect, we couldn't turn down the house just because of that pole :)

[GonnaBAMom1Day]

I am sooooo jealous of your house, the houses here in where I live are puney and pricy!

[InformationMommy]

@GonnaBAMom1Day Aww thank you ! I think houses in the Midwest just tend to be bigger.

[TheKangarooguru]

you might want to call your cat on the other side of the door, but close the door so he is forced to use the cat door to get to you. We have a cat door at my house, and the flap was taken off if that is effecting anything with your cat, like he is afraid to go through the flap.

[InformationMommy]

@TheKangarooguru Thank yuo for that tip. We ended up taping up the door and she uses it really well now :) Hopefully we can lower the flap soon :)

[imissourbabies]

not sure if any one else put this but in your living room it says "welcome friends family, and starving stomachs" :)

[InformationMommy]

@imissourbabies Thank you so much !

[lilblondehooker]

Love this!! Those chests in your dinning room are fabulous. =)

[InformationMommy]

@lilblondehooker Thank you so much ! I just love them, they are so unique.

[InformationMommy]

@MyLifeMyStoryMe Thank you so much ! We did try those things with the cat but what we found that is working right now is that we taped up the door because it was scary to her... she is using it right now with the door up.

[InformationMommy]

@123BabyDust YOu are totally right :) Thank you

[InformationMommy]

@123BabyDust Thank you :)

[hazeldream1984]

I've seen people use those chain locks on a door so it stays open but baby can't get through if he won't use the door. It took my cats about a week to get used to ours but they eventually did it. As for the pole, my dad covered his with wood and was able to run electricity so they have plugs which are really convenient.

[InformationMommy]

@hazeldream1984 Yeah I think we are planning on covering it with wood eventually. The plugs are a great idea :) Thank you !

[rachyriottt]

'Live well, laugh often, many friends' in your entryway

[InformationMommy]

@rachyriottt Thank you !

[JenS0905]

For our cat door, we propped the actual door open for a week, then close the door and prop the cat door open for a week, and then close it. If its just the food they will eventually figure it out if they don't want to go hungry! We also would put the cat on the other side of the door so that he woud have to walk back out for human contact! Good luck!

[InformationMommy]

@JenS0905 Thank you so much ! We have propped open the door and she is using it right now. Thank yo so much !

[alandamandamama]

That scotty dog is awesome!! Totally not inappropriate and I want one. Beautiful house :)

[InformationMommy]

@alandamandamama haha... I think it is funny that you are the ONLY person that has mentioned that dog. I love it too :) Plus a Scotty is kinda like a Cairn Terrier (which is what Spencer is) so we just pretend it's a cairn terrier that is black :)

[MommybyNature]

the italian on ur livingroom wall means welcome friends family and hugry stomachs

[InformationMommy]

@MommybyNature Thank you so much !

[laramey1000]

Looks very beautiful

[InformationMommy]

@laramey1000 Thank you so much !

[BaileyandPypersmom]

The house is awesome! Love the basemnet

[InformationMommy]

@BaileyandPypersmom Thank you... we do too :)

[OurGrandAdventure]

"Live well, laugh often, love a lot"

[xoxazurixox]

@OurGrandAdventure Damn! You beat me to it, lol :))

[InformationMommy]

@OurGrandAdventure Thank you :)

[forbetterme]

vivey bien means live well.riez souvent means laugh often . aimez beaucooup means love alot. live well, laugh often and love more..

[InformationMommy]

@forbetterme Thank you so muich !

[dixiediva82]

I shoved my cat through the cat door against his will. I know, horrible but we tried everything else we could think of to show him that he could go through it. Once we did that, when he got hungry enough he went through it himself. Now, he goes through all the time without a problem.

[InformationMommy]

@dixiediva82 Haha... we tried that too and it didn't work unfortatetly.

[hailbop87]

For the cat door we tapped it up for a few days, cuz we realized she was afraid of the door, then after a few days we just shoved our cat through it back and forth a few times, once she realized that there was something SO much better on the other side she was fine with it :) Love the house! :)

[InformationMommy]

@hailbop87 We used this idea and it is working wonderfully right now :) Thank you so much

[08sarahrangel]

The kitchen is beautiful!

[InformationMommy]

@08sarahrangel Thank you so much !

[StoliDassah]

love the layout, really fun. the extra high ceiling in the entryway is really cool too.

[InformationMommy]

@StoliDassah I know I love the open entry way :)

[chabella123]

"Live well,laugh often,love alot" :)

[InformationMommy]

@chabella123 Thank you !

[kellybratt]

You can totally box that pole in. Frame it in and add some molding then paint! voila!

[InformationMommy]

@kellybratt Thanks ! I should have thought of just googling it... oh that's right... we didn't have internet for awhile.

[TheSamanthamarie21]

Live well, laugh often, love much is what I got from the Google translator :)

[Hopefultime]

Hey, house is gorgeous, well done. I'm not a native speaker but I think the Italian is "welcome friends, family & hungry stomachs"

[InformationMommy]

@Hopefultime Youa re totally right. Thank you so much !

[melkingcat]

Wow, I'm amazed by the basement. Its a whole other house downstairs. We just don't do basements in Australia. Porter will be able to move down there when he's older and have plenty of room, kind of like when Greg moved into the attic in the Brady Bunch! (Am I showing my age?)

[InformationMommy]

@melkingcat Yeah it depends where you are in the US. In the south in some places you his bedrock so people don't blast through that... as opposed to in WI where you just have to dig in dirt to build the basement... in other places the water table is too high so if you would dig too deep you would hit water or constantly have water in your basement. So we are just lucky. HAHA... Porter would probably wish that basement was his little apartment when he gets older

[elesha76]

I camt believe american houses come with these amazing basements there huge!!! It's an statement under your house so lucky

[InformationMommy]

@elesha76 Haha... Well it really depends where in the US you are at ... down south they don't generally have as nice of basements because either they hit bedrock (hard rock that you can't blast through instead of dirt like here in WI) or the water table is too high so you can't dig down too low or you hit water.

[mdrb84]

the french saying is: live well, laugh often and love a lot (or much)

[InformationMommy]

@mdrb84 Thank you !

[saltydog721]

i love it! the washer/dryer on the main level is really nice! and that fully stocked wine rack....yummy! when can i come over?! =)

[InformationMommy]

@saltydog721 I know... I LOVE having my washer and dryer on the main level.

[elisam34]

Yay for more brewing room! I love the house so much but how do you keep Porter from ripping everything apart? I've pretty much had to remove everything that isn't nailed down to keep my little cyclone from destroying it!

[InformationMommy]

@elisam34 I know... Blake is excited :) We just watch Porter really well... he is a destructive little guy though.

[walkingprincess]

If you have a feather on a string or similar cat toy, try playing with it through the opening. Kitty will have to come through the door to get his "prey."

[InformationMommy]

@walkingprincess Thank you for that tip !!!

[thesocialbutterfly22]

Omg love the wine rack !! Does your husband make his own beer or something lol...

[InformationMommy]

@thesocialbutterfly22 Thanks... my FIL made it for me :)

[nicoles713]

the other one says welcome friends, family, hungry stomachs too

[InformationMommy]

@nicoles713 Thank you for this one too :)

[nicoles713]

Live well, laugh often, love much.

[InformationMommy]

@nicoles713 Thank you !

[LittleMrsMommy]

OHhh FIVE cubbies, means you need to have two more children ;)

[InformationMommy]

@LittleMrsMommy There are just 4 cubbies but we do plan to have one more baby for sure.

[LittleMrsMommy]

beautiful home :). congrats!

[InformationMommy]

@LittleMrsMommy Thank you so much !

[nextinlineforsuicide]

u should put a small pool in !!

[InformationMommy]

@nextinlineforsuicide Pools are sooooo expensive and in Wisconsin you can really only use a pool for like 3 months out of the year so it's not really worth it unfortanetly.

[ILoveKindergarten]

Beautiful house! What a great place for Porter to grow up! So since you haven't sold your other place are you paying two mortgages now? Yeow!

[InformationMommy]

@ILoveKindergarten Yeah we are... and it does suck.... but we will just continue to hope it is temporary and that the house will sell soon. Madison is not as affected by the poor housing market as some places are.

[Nynoska123]

That phrase means...Live well, Laugh often, Love a lot. Beautiful home,

congratulations!

[InformationMommy]

@Nynoska123 Thank you so much !

[pokapuppy]

for the cat door try taping the door up just till she gets used to it good luck

[InformationMommy]

@pokapuppy Thank you for your tip... that is what we ended up doing and it is working well right now :)

[MissLea922]

I love your kitchen...and you have a really cool basement. I think the pole in the basement could come in handy if you have a party and someone wants to be silly and pole dance...HAHAH Just Kidding LOL

[InformationMommy]

@MissLea922 Thank you so much ! And yeah pole dancing would be great :) LOL

[shantrues]

Hunny I'm so jealous! What a lovely house. We have yet to purchase a house so I can only imagine how excited you are :)

[InformationMommy]

@shantrues Thank you so much ! We are beyond excited still :)

[tygersflowerz]

Beautiful home. And I love the French and Italian sayings on the wall. Very spiritual place, it looks like. ;-) (For you, just a very warm, inviting nice place... *wink*)

[InformationMommy]

@tygersflowerz Haha... Thank you :)

[babinoo3]

live good,laugh often,love a lot ...

vivez bien,riez souvent,aimez beaucoup....

my mom ,who lives in france send me the same stuff ...love it

[InformationMommy]

@babinoo3 Thank you so much.

[Phentie]

Beautiful!!!!!!! Hope you make lots of lovely memories to come there :)

[InformationMommy]

@Phentie I can't wait to make memories in this house :)

[mrsjerriq]

LOVE YOUR HOUSE!!!

[InformationMommy]

@mrsjerriq Thank you

[JenNTim509]

My parent's house has a pole like that in the basement and some time down the road if you want it to look nicer you can put some nice wood panels around it and it makes it look nicer. Beautiful house!

[InformationMommy]

@JenNTim509 Blake's parents totally mentioned that idea as well and we will probably end up doing that eventually.

[dannyandkim04]

Lovely home! All the windows are so pretty! Maybe for the basement pole, you could wrap it in wood and trim it out so it's more of an architectural look? It could look really cool!

[InformationMommy]

@dannyandkim04 Thank you so much... and yes Blake's dad totally mentioned that for the pole... it is probably what we will end up doing.

[dreamflight6000]

LOVE IT SO MUCH JEN!!! Not at ALL boring! Beautiful house! On to part 2!!

[InformationMommy]

@dreamflight6000 Thank you so much. I can't wait until you can come and visit.

[sanjapanja]

"welcome friends, family, and hungry stomachs"

[InformationMommy]

@sanjapanja Thank you :)

[reginax10]

Lovely house! 'live well, laugh often, love much' I love French, where did you get that wall decal or is it painted on?

[InformationMommy]

@reginax10 Thank you so much. It was there when we moved in. I believe it is painted on

[misskatieerin88]

stockpile space for avid couponers.

[InformationMommy]

@misskatieerin88 Haha love it :)

[maddieB89]

Live well, laugh often, love much! The sign on the wall that is!

[InformationMommy]

@maddieB89 Thank you !

[misskatieerin88]

lmao you could use the pole to learn how to strip dance as an exercise lol

[InformationMommy]

@misskatieerin88 Haha... our friends mentioned that as well

[smleblanc1]

Love the new house!!! Looks pretty big :)

[InformationMommy]

@smleblanc1 We definaetly gained more space than our last house. It is all the space we will ever need !

[kcmatt10]

Congrats on the house! It's really nice!!

[InformationMommy]

@kcmatt10 Thank you so much

[srossh888]

The way we taught our cats to use cat doors was to secure them open until you notice that they are very comfortable going thru the hole. Then just unsecure it. She will already know what is on the other side and know she wants to get to it and that will give her the drive to figure out to push it open.

That house is wonderful!! I can't wait till we find out forever home!

[InformationMommy]

@srossh888 We just used your tip and it is working wonderfully :) Thank you !

[ThePJmommy]

Love your layout Jen! Great basement setup!

Have you tried putting cat kibble on one side of the door and the cat on the other? Cat's are so finicky about things like that. I once had one that hated his cat litter box for the same reason.

[InformationMommy]

@ThePJmommy Thank you... we love the basement too. We did try to put food on the other side. We ended up taping up the door and it's working :)

[RileyBugg2010]

Love the basement!!! ITs awesome! Im jealous!

[InformationMommy]

@RileyBugg2010 We like it too :)

[Cavelle80]

The saying above the door is live well, laugh often,much love.

[320days]

@Cavelle80 Yup! :)

[InformationMommy]

@Cavelle80 Thank yoU :)

[wedreamofbaby]

Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often :) I'm a little rusty so that may not be right. lol.

[InformationMommy]

@wedreamofbaby Thank you :)

[sanjapanja]

"live well, laugh often, love much"

[InformationMommy]

@sanjapanja Thank you !

[HoneymoonBaby09]

Translates to Live Well, Laugh Often and Love a lot. The Italian says something like welcome family and friends and hungry stomachs.

I love the windows! And now that I see the cupboards, the glass is not that bad, it is not as clear as I thought!

[InformationMommy]

@HoneymoonBaby09 Thank you so much !! Yeah the glass is not clear so that totally makes it better.

[haythor]

Your house is gorgeous!! The french means : Live Well, Laugh Often, Love A Lot (It sounds better in french! hahaha)

[InformationMommy]

@haythor Thank you so much :)