Easter Sunday with Family -- Nebolian Easter #1
Above: yellow flowers in the fence row in September
Sunday April 9, 2023
Dana Koogler
Back in September 2022 our daughter and son-in-law and eldest two grandchildren moved out of the subdivision they'd lived in. They had wanted to get out of there for a good while to have more room. They ended up buying a home from some friends and church family on the slopes of Nebo Mountain in Walland. It is a beautiful place and has all the elements they were looking for plus some. It has a creek and woods with big trees. It has a couple barns and all kinds of interesting old objects in the back fields that the former owner collected. The house was a traditional ranch home with ample space, but only one bathroom. Crystal and Adam wanted an additional bathroom.
Many hours were spent around my dining room table with pencil and paper drawing house plans.
The original design was good, but the more peaks you have on a house the more costly it becomes.
They knew going in that this was going to require some updates and remodel work to get it how they wanted it. Once they got the numbers on the building costs they were astonished. A quick rework by friend Shannon Icenhower simplified the whole process! It got the costs down significantly and sped up the build. Papa Mike Lindsey and some of Adam's coworkers and friends got the work started. Adam, Crystal, Kenny, and the kids pitched in any time they could.
I could not build, but I could prepare meals and do little things to be supportive. I took "Before" photos back in September. Eight months later we were celebrating the nicest Easter there. I called it our first Nebolian Easter. A friend of Crystal's from high school used to hang out at our house and go camping with us. He told us all Nebolians had a built in compass that told them how to get back home. "Nebo Mountain that way~~~~>" I can believe it since it is a beautiful location on the slopes of the first range of the Great Smoky Mountains western side. I did not take a lot of "before shots" simply because the house looked good. It was not one of those places that was going to be this dramatic change like on Zombie House Flipping. It was just updates.
Below: Two photos of the kitchen before shots. Mauve counter tops and oak cabinetry was THE thing back in the late eighties and early 90s. I had the oak, but not the mauve counter tops. I used a lot of mauve in my decorating though and country blue!
Above and below: A couple shots of the house outer appearance before. It was a real pretty wood tone. You can see Gabe walking by the garage door and basement in the lower picture.
Below: Though they had two barns they were storing an entire household worth of furniture and belongings. They had a conex brought round to rent and brought the shed shown below. Kenny built this and gave it to Adam & Crystal. They had it at the other house. Glad they kept it.
Below: New kitchen extension which is where the dining room table will go.
Below: new kitchen cabinetry... bright white. My how times change! I admit I was sick of mauve and country blue and oak after I used so much of it in our old house. I still have oak kitchen cabinetry where I live now at least for the time being. I guess these are "during" photos
Below: New metal front door my sweet girly daughter stained to look like wood! So proud of her. She came over to the house one day wearing paint and stain and old clothes and saying "Y'all got enny spackle?" then just died laughing. I told her she had arrived! She's like her old mama. She found out she had a lot more of mama in her than she ever knew. I love makeovers and woodworking and staining.
Above: Michaels room "during" photo. Newly painted. New light and fan.
Above: New bathroom fixtures in the original bathroom. Looking good already.
Above: During photo of Tessa's room. Painted pink
Above : during photo looking across the back deck at the kitchen double doors
Below: Two during photos of the front porch updates. New ceiling fans and fencing.
Below: the creek and a pretty cascade.
Above: Michael climbing into a huge beech tree
Above: The creek is THE favorite thing about this place. My kids want to go there every single day to play with cousins and hunt critters. Minnows, crawdads, and salamanders, and even snakes!
Above: Mia and Tessa at the creek
Below: Mia lost in thought out in the yard.
Above: Mia with her Easter basket after church.
Below: Gabe ready for church
During photos above and below of the house. New siding being applied. Sage green.
The lower photo shows the layout of the back build on. Bedroom on the right. Kitchen extension on the left and deck between them!
Above: New kitchen island during photo Mia is managing mischief according to her shirt
Above: This is the yard in Spring. Wow!
Above: New master bedroom during photo. They installed a mini split for heat instead of running duct work to this part
Below: outside close up view of Crystal's front door efforts!
Below: New kitchen island and lights. mason jars!
Below: Tessa on the new front porch swing. We got this for them for Christmas.
Above: The sunbeams round the beech tree in Spring are pure gold
Sparkling creek continues to be a favorite
Below: A good look at the side of the house AFTER completion. Love the sage green siding.
Below: These are photos AFTER the house is done. The Whole Fam Damily Easter. It was marvelous! God is great erry single day. Our Savior is Risen! Sin and Death are defeated!
Above: Edna, Brian, Renae, Mike, and Laura. Lots of good eats.
Above: Griffin, Michael, Renae, Mike and Laura.
Below: Brook Nix and Adam Lindsey... cousins. This is the sign I got them for Christmas as part of their gift. Perfect!
Above: more food and beverage pix and Crystal's farm house sink
Below: Chevy Rose comes out the door
We had an awesome church service and then went over to Crystal's and Adam's new home to celebrate as a family. It was quite a day! The kids played and ran around. Lots of laughs and good times. Lots of great food. It is an answer to prayer and the realization of a dream!
Thank you Lord!
Below is a video of Dolly Parton singing "He's Alive" it is good, but I wish I had a video of our Ronnie Milsaps singing it as his is my favorite rendition of it.
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Dana 🐝