Hey all,
As promised, here it is...the big reveal!
It's been a long time coming...actually we've been working towards this since the first day we started working with Cirque. It's been a great almost five years, with so many adventures, and we've definitely enjoyed almost EVERY SINGLE MOMENT.
One of the reasons we chose this particular job was that Cirque pretty much takes care of everything for us--housing wise--so we could put what we would normally be spending on rent, utilities and household stuff into a special fund.
And after four plus years that special fund has paid off. WooHoo!!!!
As of this week Jonathon and I are...
HOMEOWNERS!!!!
That's right!!! We bought a house!!! And not just any house, but a beautiful cabin in the Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We love that area, have visited several times over the years, so when we started looking (after several fits and starts) we remembered our joy in the beauty of the mountains there. So last time we were home in the states, we spent some time in Tennessee looking at properties.
Over the next months, we saw a LOT of places and discovered some really cute cabins. But of the ones in our price range, most were small, more honeymoon-like (which were VERY cool, but not what we were looking for.)
We also weren't sure whether we wanted a forever place or just a temporary place to store our stuff so we didn't have to pay storage fees. Honestly, we figured we'd know the place when we saw it.
One of the things we were REALLY looking forward to, was getting our hands dirty, so we were hoping to find a place that was a little bit of a fixer upper. Not TOO much, we wanted to do some work to make it our own, but we didn't want to spend every second of the day fixing it.
There were a few false leads, but we finally found one we just fell in love with. It was perfect...located right between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and about fifteen minutes from each town. So easy access.
It's a lovely two story cabin with fantastic potential, and after a bit of cleaning, it'll be move-in-ready. Even though it was a foreclosure, it is in GREAT shape. And while there are a lot of really cool things we'll do to make it our own, there isn't so much work it isn't worth our while. Check out some of these pictures...
The view from the porch. Seasonal mountain views, but we're among the trees ON a mountain, too. So we're very okay with that!
This is the Living Room. A fireplace for those cold winter nights and check out those amazing windows. We bought the house, just for those!!!!
The view from the porch. Seasonal mountain views, but we're among the trees ON a mountain, too. So we're very okay with that!
And remember I said I wanted to get my hands dirty? Well, I'm thinking this old kitchen will be needing renovation. Anyone want to help me paint?
There are already enough bedrooms for us, but what really sold us on this home was this room downstairs that we'll be turning into a master bedroom. Lots of light from those big glass doors and we've ALWAYS wanted a fireplace in the bedroom!
We're so excited to begin our newest adventure. And even though we're still on tour, we'll spend as much time as we can back at our new house. In fact, I'll be heading back this June to begin the process of turning this lovely cabin into a home we can be proud of.
So, now you'll be hearing about three things on this blog. My writing adventures, the fun times we have on tour AND the easiest way to refinish a floor without sanding! LOL
Until Next Time!!!
Hugs,
CJ England
Follow Your Dreams
3 comments:
Awesome and congratulations!!
Awesome and congratulations!!
I love fireplaces and big windows. My parents had two large living room windows. I think the orientation was wrong. The view at the back of the house was more interesting.
I lived in a house with seven fireplaces in New Bern NC. All but two were covered. They still looked nice.
I am jealous of your beautiful house.
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