Ghosts of houses past

I'd like to show you a couple of our past homes that Jeff built. Well, one was actually a remodel but it was an amazing transformation! I didn't take any before pictures (or maybe I lost them!!!) so I got a few from my mom. Don't you love before and afters? I do. They're instant gratification!
This house was very ghostly when we found it. It had even been condemned by the city. scaaaarry!

It was built in 1912 and in the sixties was converted into three or four apartments then a family moved into the whole thing pretty much like it was. No one was living in it when we found it. Well, not people anyway. It had plenty of nasty little pests in it though. It was awful! I wish I had a picture of the kitchen on the 1st floor. You'd have to see it to believe it. When Jeff and I walked in the door I was thinking AIN'T.NO.WAY! Jeff however, fell in love with it! He has more vision than anyone I know and he's always so sweet to me I can't ever tell the man no so naturally we went for it.

This might be why I don't have any before pictures of my own. I was too busy trying to figure out how we were going to turn this nasty money pit into a house someone might actually want to live in. (See the pencil and paper in front of me? And I have to admit it was a LOT of fun for me.) That and I was, as usual, pregnant. So maybe I was a little distracted from my camera for a while.

The pictures with specs floating around give testament to how dirty a job it was. There was always dust in the air. Actually anywhere Jeff is there is usually dust in the air. The man never quits working! And it's not unusual for my dad to be right there next to him making just as much dust fly. He's always been Jeff's "go to guy" as Jeff puts it. (My dad's name also happens to be Guy, but no pun is intended. ;) )

Even my mom and sister got in on this huge undertaking. That's norm for them though. I'm always pregnant and they're always working on my houses! Am I blessed or what??

Now, let me show you where all this dust is coming from and why they're wearing masks around their necks... (Insert scary movie screeching noises here.)

This, believe it or not, would eventually become the master suite. But first there was a little work to do, some of which resulted in this..

Barrels of toxic waste (asbestos, which was appropriately disposed of.) The kids and I weren't around for that part but all those who were there, always laugh as they reminisce about all the dangerous fun they had...like they enjoyed it or something!

One thing I heard more than once on this project was "It has a really good foundation." You know what that means, right? Nothing else was any good. Jeff tore that house up getting it ship-shape!

Oh, the humanity! I can almost hear you cries, begging me to stop. Okay, out of compassion for you I'll wave my magic mouse and present to you, the after....

Taa-Daaa!!
Come back for more after pictures!