The past few months have been huge for us. In addition to welcoming Addi to our family, we also closed on our house last week!
Our apartment lease runs through July, so we can take our time to move. That’s nice because it’s been difficult finding the time to pack. Slowly but surely we will get it done, though.
We wanted a home that we could update to make our own. We need to do some upgrades to make the house what we want, but we are excited to put in the sweat equity. The kitchen needs to be completely redone, so that will be our first project. I’m also pumped to have more space, especially a garage and driveway! After three years of having to find a parking spot on the street in Chicago, I am thrilled to not have to do that anymore, even if it means moving just outside Chicago city limits. The neighborhood is perfect because it is next to a shopping center with some of my favorite retailers, plus a cycle bar and a yoga studio! It doesn’t get better than that!
Searching for a home in the Chicago area was a bit challenging because homes move quickly and often receive multiple offers if they are a good deal or updated. The home we ended up buying had been on the market for a long time and needs some work. The seller had turned down higher offers than ours due to an emotional attachment to the house, but I wrote her a letter assuring her that we wanted this to be our family’s home and we are excited to make memories there. We are so happy she accepted and we feel the negotiation process was fair.
Would you be interested in home renovation updates and a house tour? Let me know in the comments!

Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.