Week 30: My Dream Home

Being largely pregnant makes me think often of my dream home, especially when my largely pregnant self tries to bend over in a tiny, closet-sized laundry room to reach into the dryer...
What's wrong with this home? Well, nothing, other than we've outgrown it (although for me, I will only literally be overgrown for another two months...). When we first bought this house, it was perfect for us, a newlywed couple who wanted to own their first home in a quiet neighborhood. It has three bedrooms with one extra room that could qualify for a small bedroom if needs be. It has one bathroom and a semi-updated, fairly large kitchen. The backyard is spacious and fenced in, which we then thought would be perfect for small children or even a pet or two in the future.

 Here we are, in the future, seven years, a dog, and two kids (soon to be three) later. While the house is still great, we're running out of room. Our downstairs has been inundated with all things kids (and again, soon, baby). We have the two kids sharing one bedroom now to make room for the baby in the last bedroom. The additional room is being used for storage and excess clothing that we can't seem to fit anywhere else (we have only a handful of closets). 

 I'd love to be able to find a new home in the next year or so. Of course, I'd love for it to happen before the baby came, but I think that moment has long passed since the baby will be here in about 7-8 weeks. 

Here's what I'd love to have in my dream home (keep in mind I'm being practical about this; I don't exactly want to have to clean a mansion...):

• Four good sized bedrooms, each with their own closet
• At least two bathrooms
• A fully finished basement (ours is a dirt basement...yuck!)
• A laundry room
• A finished attic space for storage
• A garage or driveway with ample parking
• A big kitchen
• A dining room space that can actually be used for dining and not playing
• A sitting room for my piano and a small library
• A playroom for all of the kids toys
• A nice back porch or patio 
• A big backyard, big enough for a run for the dog and a play area for the kids
• Nice, quiet neighbors (hey, while I'm at it...)

That's it. I'm keeping it simple (that's simple, right?). Someday, perhaps soon, my dream will come true. Until then, I have to figure out a way to fit my nice round belly between the washer and dryer to do the laundry.Sigh...What would be in your dream home? Are you practical like me or would you wish for more? Tell me in the comments below!