What Ana Does

Took the guys most of the afternoon, but crappy windows are OUT, new energy-efficient windows are IN. Is it just me, or is there less frame and more window? The Window is Just THAT Big Finished Look -- And the Snowy Backyard This concludes our window replacement projects for the foreseeable future. We hit all the nasties, junked up windows. Let the heating bill savings begin! 

Ok, maybe you're tired of gross before-new-windows images but today is BIG, and this is the last set of new windows for awhile. So, let's grin and bear it together. This window is actually four windows puzzled together and it's not only a focal point of the room, but offers a pretty view of our backyard. This summer I planted hydrangea below the window, so one day, we'll see the blooms while dining. Maybe. Anyway, the current windows are old, and crappy. They are bowed-out a bit, there's water damage, and the right side doesn't close tight anymore -- which you can feel if there's a breeze or when insects enter the house. Fun! The Dining Room and the View of White Outside And now for the gross closeups: Here's Where the Crappy Windows are Pulling Away from the Sill Here's Where the Crappy Windows Don't Close and Water is Damaging the Wood and Likely the Wall Yup! You get the idea. After pictures coming soon ... 

Hard-to-See Before Picture Just by replacing the door with clean white trim and a new, sturdier rod, we really updated the look of the patio doors. Though, it may be impossible to tell from my dark Before picture. Oh well.  That little white table in front (an Ikea find) is the future home of some serious winter herbs, but I've been a little lax in that department. Right now, it's holding the terrarium I'm trying really hard to keep alive. That's been taxing enough.  And we're all happy to have the curtains back, that's for sure. Somedays, I just want to block out the look of our dirty, mossy deck.  The windows, including this patio door, were definitely the biggest investment of 2014. But so well worth it to not feel that draft when walking past this door.  Next year, our first house improvement will be a new, fully-functioning dishwasher. I look forward to pulling glasses out of the dishwasher not covered in soap-residue or peanut butter. Hooray! ...

How Do You Take a Picture of a Window?! What a difference a new window can make!! I'm used to walking into Alice's room and feel a temperature drop, but no more! And it's glorious. The glass, in particular, doesn't get ice cold to the touch. And they open/close like a dream. Like butter! The guys who installed the windows were super nice and friendly -- it took them just about the whole day to get through the eight new windows and patio door. They explained the original builder didn't put flashing above the windows, so water had been easily dripping into the space between the window and house since the beginning -- causing the cracks and failure in insulation. The house settled, as they all do, causing the window casing to warp and not allow the windows to close all the way. And the calking around the windows wasn't done properly -- if at all. All these little problems were addressed and improved -- making the house feel just a little more secure...

The workers are here installing the new windows. It's cold but sunny this morning. I've offered coffee but they're down to work. They're speedy. While we watch and watch for new efficient windows, here are a few BEFORE pictures. Note the girls have been using dry-erase markers to decorate their windows. Alice's Naked Windows Just In Case You Thought I Was Exaggerating, Here's the Crack Around Alice's Window The Patio Doors - The Wood Trim Never Matched Anything Else in the House Leah's Window. Many of The Windows Closed with This Efficiency, Which Is to Say, Open a Crack Leah's Corner Windows Also of note, poor Benny is beside himself with anxiety. The noise of the saw and the men walking around is giving him frequent heart attacks. Related posts: Here's all the New Window posts Other home improvement projects

When we first looked at this house I remember standing at the kitchen sink, imagining myself doing dishes and watching the girls play in the backyard. Then, I noticed the windowsill over the sink, at the cracked beige paint that was peeling away, oh no! "The first thing I'll do in this house is fix up that window sill!" I thought. And it went on a list. Two and a half years later ... I finally fixed it! Last weekend, I scrapped the paint off, used some nontoxic stripper and scrapped again. Then I sanded down what remained. Most of this done at night, while watching "Catching Fire." (Which was an awesome movie!) During: The Window Will  The next day I painted it BRIGHT WHITE ... the first white windowsill in the house! That's one down, 16 to go! And it looks fantastic and clean.  After: A Cleaned-up Window Sill Now, I just need to push the girls out to play in the snow.

Pretty Pattern This is my second attempt on curtains in Alice's room. The first were pink, black-out curtains that I'd hoped would help her sleep in a little later (no such luck). They were inexpensive from Amazon and they just didn't do anything for her room. So when I replaced her curtain rod, I bought her new curtains as well. These ones are from Land of Nod and I just love the neat pattern on them. They're neutral but have a bit of a statement to make. And the pink matches the wall color -- Pink! Joy! And Alice likes them! I still may need to sew-in a blackout liner. I'd love it if Alice slept-in once in a while, so it's worth it to me to put the time in on making them darker. But I think that's a project for another day. After

Drum roll please ... The final curtains over the porch doors look awesome! And they are functional, too! (Sorry about the foggy picture!)