Illinois Dreamin'

Last weekend was such a beautiful weekend.  I'm sure that I mentioned it earlier...  it was one of those feel good weekends.  The family was together, we were happy, everything was great.  We need weekends like that.  On Sunday, we stopped by my old place of work to visit with my former supervisor, Betty.  We tell Kinley that she is Grandma Betty.  She's my mom's age and I have always loved her like a family member.  I don't really see her all that often anymore and try to get down to see her whenever possible.

We just so happened to be driving through town after dropping my parents off at the train and decided to pop in and see her.

I used to work for a home builder, that did semi-custom home construction. They have a model floor plan that I have always been in love with and said that someday, it would be mine. 

Well, in the time since I have left, they have revamped their floor plans and now have one that is just like my "dream" home but slightly on a smaller scale:  hence, smaller price range.  Okay, so still not too small--but smaller.  Very possible come graduation and landing a teaching job.

So we toured the home and let our dreams run wild.  W-I-L-D.

I am in love with this house.

Granted, it's a model.  So it's decorated professionally and looks amazing.....but never mind that.  I love the floor plan.  It is just like the one I've drooled over the past few years but about 800 sq ft smaller.   So, rather than 4000 sq ft, it's just about 3000.  I can handle that.

While it's still in the dreamin' phase, every day that I get through brings us one day closer to calling this dream a reality.  All of our hard work and living poor now will pay off big.  Right?

Take a look...

Inside foyer--bad iPhone picture

Main level--kitchen, family room, sun room area

The upstairs family room--love this.  You can actually "live" in this family
room and keep the downstairs rooms formal!

The upstairs hallway.  The family room on the left.

Part of the master.  Huge room!

In the master bath--Kage thought the faucet was a lotion dispenser.

Hello Master Bath!

She called dibs on this room!

So while it's still some time away, it makes this whole student teaching thing much more tolerable.  Just knowing that the light at the end of the tunnel will be so bright and beautiful!