Diary Archives by Category
All entries are listed below by diary category in chronological order (oldest entry on top). You can roll over an entry to read the first few lines, then click on the title to read the entire entry...
Baby
Where's Jeannie? (09-17-05)
Nursery? OK! (09-19-05)
A Quick Fix Detour on the Road to Renovation (11-04-05)
Giving Thanks (11-24-05)
So, How's the Nursery Coming Along? (11-27-05)
A Bedroom Only a Mother (in Law) Could Love (12-05-05)
Announcing Grace Margaret Elise (01-11-06)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper With a Baby When... (04-09-06)
First Love (07-30-06)
Reno Baby (08-18-06)
The Lead Paint Dilemma (09-12-06)
Your Baby Proofing Experiences and Advice? (09-13-06)
What We Do When We Aren't Working... (11-25-06)
Her Favorite (12-31-06)
Saturday Mornings (01-06-07)
A Mom is a Mom is a Mom (01-15-07)
The Weekend (01-16-07)
Grace has a shout out for someone (01-23-07)
The Kitchen is Done!!! (01-10-08)
E P! E P! (03-08-08)
Renovation with Toddler (04-07-08)
One Step Ahead (04-16-08)
The Cuteness is Killing Me. (04-21-08)
Before & After
See the house improve, room by room.
The Backyard (11-04-03)
First Floor Bathroom - Before & After (04-02-04)
Brick-Laid Front Steps - Before & After (07-17-04)
Refinished Floors (07-14-05)
How Easy It Is to Forget... (09-06-05)
Quick-Fix Kitchen Makeover, Completed (11-21-05)
Christmas Tree Before & After (12-14-05)
Three Years (and 11 Days) of Progress (06-09-06)
First Floor Bedrooms and Hallway -- Floors are done! (08-12-06)
The Renovated Maple Kitchen Floor (08-26-06)
Temporary Kitchen Before & After (09-07-06)
The Master Bath (Almost) After Photos (04-23-07)
Forgotten Film and Photos of "Before"...the Master Bath (05-14-07)
More Forgotten Film: First Floor Bath (05-15-07)
The Forgotten Film of the Upstairs Bedrooms (05-16-07)
Daily Diary
Daily musings as we (slowly) create the house of our dreams.
In the Beginning (06-03-03)
Every Day (06-04-03)
Credit Where its Due (06-06-03)
Mysteries & Milestones (06-15-03)
Where am I? (06-16-03)
Clean for a Day (06-16-03)
I am exhausted. (06-18-03)
5, not 4 (06-18-03)
10 Bags of Trash (06-19-03)
Closer... (06-21-03)
We're in! (06-22-03)
Geez...Bees (06-23-03)
Recleaning (06-23-03)
More cleaning. More unpacking. (06-24-03)
Some days are more adventurous than others. (06-25-03)
Zen & the Art of Kitchen Cleanliness (06-26-03)
We've added comments!! (06-27-03)
The First Survivable Floor! (06-27-03)
Is this progress? (06-28-03)
More of the First Survivable Floor (06-28-03)
Another Day, another BBQ & Home Depot Run (06-29-03)
Lawn Care & the Ego (06-30-03)
Coco Takes One for the Team (07-02-03)
The Biggest Pile of Trash Ever! (07-02-03)
A New Site!! (07-04-03)
It's us against the weather (07-05-03)
It's too darn hot (07-07-03)
Waxing the Tub (07-12-03)
The Bug Slayer (07-13-03)
We're a hit! (07-14-03)
Random...it's all random (07-14-03)
I am SO difficult. (07-15-03)
Smelly Encounter (07-16-03)
No good, very bad, horrible day (07-18-03)
{waving hello madly...} (07-18-03)
Electricity and I--Not the best of pals (07-23-03)
Say whaaaa...??? (To paraphrase Jon Stewart) (07-26-03)
What have we learned so far about old things? (07-27-03)
Is this renovating? Or dating? (07-31-03)
A peaceful place (08-02-03)
Our Own Personal Niagara Falls (08-03-03)
Everyone needs a buddy break! (08-09-03)
The Gang's All Here! (08-10-03)
Looking for Mr. or Ms. Good Wrench (08-11-03)
Just a Regular (Fair & Balanced) Day (08-14-03)
Nothing Much (08-15-03)
Ssssh. Don't scare him away... (08-21-03)
Eventually, life finds YOU...through the internet (08-24-03)
Mom, do not read this. I'm serious. (08-27-03)
What are you DOING here? It's a HOLIDAY! (08-31-03)
What are you looking for? (09-07-03)
Shh! Be Very Very Quiet... (09-09-03)
It's all in the details. (09-11-03)
Never Ever Alone (09-12-03)
A trip to the Restoration and Renovation Expo (09-20-03)
Happiness CAN be found in an Appliance (09-23-03)
What do you want, Coco? (09-26-03)
Dust you can write your name in (09-28-03)
Nooooooooooooooo! (10-01-03)
Sick. An Tired. (10-02-03)
CUBS WIN!!! (10-05-03)
HouseKEEPING...in progress (10-07-03)
This might finally be a reality show we can relate to (10-11-03)
Early morning, thinking about remarks made about "treasure hunting" (10-14-03)
Which is MORE frightening? (10-16-03)
Sanity Retreat (10-19-03)
Smells like...? A new game. Unfortunately. (10-21-03)
"I will not pick at the house...I will not..." (10-26-03)
Happy Halloween Coco! (10-31-03)
Restoration with Love (11-01-03)
We love dads (11-02-03)
You know, I was just talking about web stats... (11-08-03)
Overwhelmed (11-09-03)
Sleeping in Seattle (11-23-03)
No more travel allowed (11-24-03)
Happy Thanksgiving! (11-27-03)
Sleepless. (12-02-03)
It's electric (12-04-03)
Finding a Vintage Medicine Cabinet (12-06-03)
In which I do the best Godfather impression I've ever done (12-10-03)
Hmmm (12-11-03)
Take THAT! And that's a warning for the rest of ya' (12-13-03)
Sometimes, it's hard being Coco (12-16-03)
We Stay True to Our Word (12-18-03)
Who is out there? Hallooooo? (12-20-03)
Between floors (12-23-03)
Pieces of the house...Peace on Earth (12-24-03)
I had vanished into something better (12-26-03)
Real Life (12-29-03)
Quick rewind and wrap up (12-31-03)
Home Improvement Design Ideas (01-02-04)
what a pair (01-03-04)
The highs and the lows home improvement (01-04-04)
This bathroom floor is GONE (01-05-04)
No clumping (01-10-04)
Dave's Back (01-13-04)
Free money? Really? (01-15-04)
Ugliest bathroom? OK, maybe not... (01-17-04)
Let's Tour the Workshop! (01-17-04)
Showers are so beautiful (01-21-04)
21st century Home Voyeurism (01-24-04)
Gifted & Talented Neighbors (01-30-04)
You Snooze, You Lose? (02-02-04)
We are cowards...COWARDS!!! (02-04-04)
Search string house haiku (02-09-04)
Preserving houses and marital bliss too. (02-15-04)
Add Us to Your My Yahoo! (RSS Rocks!) (02-18-04)
Vision Test (02-19-04)
2004 Chicago Bungalow Expo and Seminars (02-23-04)
Slave to Bungalow Restoration (02-24-04)
It's Mimi! (03-02-04)
Coco on a birdseed bender (03-05-04)
The Money Pit of My Life (03-12-04)
Giving Birth to a Blog and House...No Hat Trick Yet (03-19-04)
Spring. It's here. (03-20-04)
Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. (03-22-04)
Sorry we were down all morning. (03-24-04)
Renewal and hope (03-24-04)
Just another soggy Sunday (03-29-04)
Argh. (03-31-04)
"Arrange Whatever Pieces Come Your Way." (04-03-04)
A clean, sunny window (04-11-04)
Advantages of home renovation (04-15-04)
A night off....wheeeeeee! (04-16-04)
Spring Maintenance (04-19-04)
Faithful Companion (04-20-04)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (04-24-04)
Hitting the Bottle (04-25-04)
So many adventures, only 3 hours (04-27-04)
Things I Learned from My Web Stats (04-30-04)
We're Moving! (to Another Room) (05-01-04)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (05-03-04)
Contractors! Contractors! Contractors! (05-15-04)
"Not much. You?" (05-19-04)
Where is my local hardware store? (05-20-04)
Lathe Makes Good Firewood (05-21-04)
House Call...of a Different Kind (05-24-04)
What Women Want (05-26-04)
Restore America (with lots of cash) (05-27-04)
Working Weekends (05-31-04)
"This Old, Stuffed House" (06-08-04)
Congratulations Kjerstin & Joe! (06-10-04)
Am I Obsessed? Mmmm...yes. (06-12-04)
More on Home Improvement Shows (06-13-04)
What's Happening?!? (06-16-04)
Restoring Homes, Restoring Communities (06-18-04)
what you set your heart upon (06-24-04)
Hungry for Conversation (06-25-04)
It's a JUNGLE out there! (06-28-04)
It is war. (07-02-04)
Fourth of July (07-04-04)
The Most Important Tool... (07-05-04)
Every other store? Hardware store. (07-10-04)
internet Access Problems (07-14-04)
Murphy's Laws of Broken Things (07-15-04)
Telling Entirely Too Much (07-28-04)
Insomnia Games with Coco (07-29-04)
Coco, what are you waiting for? (08-02-04)
Trading Spaces - Behind the Scenes (08-03-04)
Ugh. (08-07-04)
Low tonight? 50 degrees F (08-12-04)
Killer house (08-14-04)
Before & After...The Armstrongs (08-14-04)
Code Blue! Calling all old house people! (08-21-04)
Wood Prices Increase - Ack! (08-22-04)
Pup Dreams (08-26-04)
This is so awful. (09-02-04)
Fallin' for ya (09-05-04)
Gone, man. Gone. (09-06-04)
Home Depot Grand Opening (09-09-04)
Maybe it's a Chicago obsession (09-13-04)
Not my fault! Really! (09-15-04)
Long Nights (09-17-04)
Good morning, glory. (09-19-04)
Old House Blues (09-22-04)
Raincheck (09-24-04)
Estate Sale (09-29-04)
"Who are you? Do you live here too?" (10-02-04)
CONTEST: Worst house story ever (10-04-04)
Rolling Right into Stressville, USA (10-08-04)
Winner of the Worst House Project Contest (10-09-04)
The Ugly Truth About Change Orders? (10-13-04)
The Dark Side of House Restoration (10-14-04)
Smack Down at Home Depot (10-16-04)
Broken Dryer, I Challenge Thee! (10-20-04)
Autumn. Life. (10-25-04)
Watching the World Go By. Literally. (10-27-04)
It's.....Fell. (10-30-04)
Happy Samhain to ye (10-31-04)
Everything Looks Grey Today (11-03-04)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (11-08-04)
Portrait of a Hunger So Deep (11-12-04)
Lincoln Park Pirates (11-14-04)
AARON is NOT SICK today. (11-18-04)
The Parents are Coming! The Parents are Coming! (11-22-04)
Happy (Snowy) Thanksgiving! (11-25-04)
Thanksgiving Turkey, Lessons in Poultry Intimacy (11-26-04)
Mom was Here (11-29-04)
The House-pochondriac (12-02-04)
In my dreams (12-05-04)
Old Home for the Holidays (12-07-04)
We Always Remember Our First One (12-08-04)
Old House (Lover's) Music (12-13-04)
The Summer of '05 (12-16-04)
Laundry Chute Love (12-17-04)
Coco Angel (12-20-04)
Happy Holidays Everyone (12-21-04)
We're back after a short break. (12-27-04)
Brrrr. (12-28-04)
The 12 Months of an OLD HOUSE Christmas (12-29-04)
New Year's Resolutions (01-01-05)
Square Peg, Round Hole (01-07-05)
Survivor: CHICAGO BUNGALOW (01-08-05)
Too Long in the Map Room (01-13-05)
I love lumberyards (01-15-05)
Trying to Stay Focused... (01-18-05)
The Winter Kitchen (01-22-05)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (01-24-05)
Old House Passions (01-25-05)
Sisyphus II (01-29-05)
Bored While Sick: Counting Dust Bunnies (02-01-05)
Dave's Big Chance (02-06-05)
Well Good Morning Greenland!!!! (02-13-05)
48 Hours of "Aaron is So Cool" (02-15-05)
A Little Project We're Working On (02-17-05)
Heads Up...Keepin' It Real (02-19-05)
Us, Self-Conscious!? (02-20-05)
Down But Not Out (02-28-05)
It's Academic (03-01-05)
Clean Dog. Sad Dog. (03-03-05)
Needing Inspiration... (03-07-05)
Radiator Humidifier (03-10-05)
HouseBlogs Neighborhood Emerges from Beta (03-14-05)
SUN! Oh yes.... (03-15-05)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (03-20-05)
Home Improvement Party Conversations (03-21-05)
Home Improvement Karma (03-23-05)
Happy Easter Weekend (03-25-05)
We interrupt this house in progress... (04-04-05)
Spring-ing up in the Garden (04-08-05)
Can You Keep a Secret? (04-10-05)
A garden surprise (04-11-05)
yes. yes, it IS Spring. (04-12-05)
Foolproof Contractor Search (04-14-05)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (04-17-05)
The Neighborhood (04-21-05)
Sticker Shock (04-27-05)
Raise a Glass to Those Who HouseBlog! (04-28-05)
Where are the HouseBloggers? (04-28-05)
Oh...such a cute house for sale (04-29-05)
The "Out of Commission" Kitchen (04-30-05)
Recap: 2005 Chicago Bungalow Expo (05-01-05)
Truly Obsessed (05-05-05)
The Lilac Bush That Ate Chicago (05-06-05)
Condo Memories (05-09-05)
Sharpening Tools? (05-10-05)
A Simple Plan (05-13-05)
Cruel Decluttering Irony (05-16-05)
With Many Apologies to William Carlos Williams (05-16-05)
A Day of Rest (05-18-05)
I am the BIGGEST DIY GEEK EVER! (05-21-05)
Two Long Years (05-31-05)
Can She Do It? Yes She Can! (06-01-05)
I Confess (06-07-05)
Another Week, Another Anniversary (06-10-05)
It Runs in the Family (06-12-05)
Meme me up, Scotty! (06-21-05)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (06-23-05)
Evening Reading (06-24-05)
HouseBlogs in the Wall Street Journal (06-30-05)
Pins on the HouseBlogs Google Map (07-05-05)
A Modest Proposal (for Housebloggers) (07-08-05)
Overheard... (07-09-05)
The Fallon Project (07-11-05)
Wow (07-13-05)
What I Learned Today (07-23-05)
Eclectic Weekend (07-24-05)
Houseblogs Around the World (07-27-05)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (08-02-05)
Doggy ADA (08-08-05)
100 Houseblogs...Really? (08-09-05)
A Fun Distraction (08-14-05)
Busiest. Week. Ever. (08-20-05)
Yesterday we were wondering... (08-21-05)
House of Good Fortune (08-23-05)
I Struggle to Imagine (08-31-05)
Labor Day Block Party, 2005 (09-05-05)
Sick (09-11-05)
Painful but Necessary (09-16-05)
A Milestone! (09-28-05)
The Truth About Committing to a Fixer Upper (10-02-05)
Brrrrrrr. (UPDATED) (10-24-05)
Hi There! (10-29-05)
The Devil...and Pregnancy Hormones...Made Me Do It (11-09-05)
Brrrrrr. Mmmmm. (11-16-05)
Technical Difficulties at Houseblogs.net (11-17-05)
Houseblogs.net Is Up and Running...with Something New, Too (11-20-05)
You Know You Live in a Fixer-Upper When... (11-23-05)
Giving Thanks (11-24-05)
How Many Shovels Does It Take... (12-08-05)
Put 'em to Work (12-10-05)
Pushing our luck (12-11-05)
It's Not the Snow, It's the Thaw... (12-15-05)
Is it time to light up the Christmas Wine yet? (12-19-05)
Home for Christmas (12-23-05)
New Year, Same Pain in the Neck (01-03-06)
We Love You Too, Gaper's Block!! (01-05-06)
Busy Weekend, Redefined (01-22-06)
Success (01-29-06)
Tell Us What You Really Think (02-05-06)
Back to Work...Soon? (02-07-06)
Departure (02-10-06)
Surprise! (02-18-06)
Looking Forward (02-19-06)
Like This Site? How about 200 More... (02-21-06)
New Year, New Baby...New Blog? (02-27-06)
Emma? Lizzy? The Dashwoods? (03-05-06)
Apologies Dear Readers! (03-08-06)
Confessions (03-09-06)
Love? I spoke too soon... (03-10-06)
Home Improvement Lullaby (03-13-06)
And the House said "HA!" (03-16-06)
The Lonely Toolbox (03-20-06)
The Latest in Toolspotting (03-21-06)
The Lonely Toolbox, Part 2 (03-23-06)
Old House Preservation & Restoration Conference (03-27-06)
Neighborhood Notes: North Park / Albany Park (03-28-06)
Hello, San Francisco Chronicle Readers! (03-29-06)
Awkward Moments in Renovation (03-30-06)
More Awkward Moments in Renovation (04-03-06)
Less Awkward Moments in Renovation (04-04-06)
Bugs in the house? Not on MY watch... (04-06-06)
Expounding upon Expansion (04-10-06)
Apartment Therapy...now in Chicago! (04-11-06)
Why Do We Do It? (04-12-06)
Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago...oh joy! (04-13-06)
Reason #482 Why I Love Chicago (04-15-06)
How do we know it's Spring? (04-16-06)
Tax Man Giveth...and Taketh Away (04-17-06)
Countdown to KBIS (04-19-06)
All Dressed Up with Someplace to Go (04-20-06)
Recap: Swatchbox Gathering (04-21-06)
K/BIS is Huge, Where to Start? (04-22-06)
KBIS Day One: The Madness Begins (04-23-06)
KBIS Coverage: Making Sense of It (04-23-06)
KBIS Coverage: Evidence of Bloggers at KBIS (04-23-06)
KBIS: Exhibitors Gone Wild (04-23-06)
Priming the Pump Porch (05-01-06)
Uncluttered Living, Part 1 (05-03-06)
Uncluttered Living, Part 2 (05-08-06)
Uncluttered Living, Part3 (05-10-06)
Nightstand (05-14-06)
Uncluttered Living: Space, Stuff and Value (05-15-06)
Stylehive...shopping or ideas? (05-17-06)
The Curse of the Black Thumb (05-18-06)
Itchy Today... (05-24-06)