14186 Pineview Drive

 It was December of 2004.  I was a 27 year old single gal who planned to teach in Becker the rest of her life.  I had moved every fall for the past 9 years.  I was ready to own my own home.  I had a fabulous roommate (Angie Arthur).  I felt so grown up!  I had signed all the papers and had the official "closing."  This blue-sided home you see in the picture was mine!  I was soooo excited.  Allow me to give you a tour of the home I lived in for three years before I met and married the man of my dreams (who whisked me off to his home).

      Angie and I called our home "The Moose Lodge" because of the awesome decor.  It was very North Woodsy with log railings on the staircases, log walls in the living room, birch bark laminate on the kitchen cupboards, and shiny wood floors in the front room.  There was a light made of moose antlers (from Cabella's).  Angie used to tell people I would swing from the antlers sometimes!
     Todd and I still call it "The Moose Lodge" to help keep straight which house we are talking about.  After we got married, we rented "The Moose Lodge" to a nice young couple who take excellent care of the place!  It will always have a sentimental place in my heart! 
    

    I turned 28 in January, soon after buying my house.  When I came home from my birthday supper, I found my house full of streamers and balloons and my CD player was playing tunes from "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers!"  What fun!  Sarah

 Olsen and some of her friends had been at it again.  That was awesome!
    Angie and I had such fun adding to the unique decor.  We were always on the lookout for greenery or "moosey" things.  We had a monkey hanging from one railing and a bear hugging another.  
    We had two open houses for church family and neighbors.  The house was jam-packed with people.  An open house was definitely Angie's idea of fun, but I'm sure glad I went along with it.  Good

 memories!
     Our living room was a place to sit and talk or read a book or listen to music.  When I had mono we brought the TV up into the living room and I laid on our couch watching movie after movie.  
     On Halloween, we had trick-or treators.  That was the first time I'd ever given candy away for Halloween from my own home.  That was great!

my bedroom

The International Room

The kitchen

The office/exercise room/music room

     My bedroom was jam-packed with "stuff" and was a fun place to decorate with dolls and pictures and things that made me happy. 
    We had three rooms in the basement - a bathroom/furnace/laundry room and two rooms that could be used as bedrooms if needed.  The International Room was also our TV room.  Angie and I loved to watch "Travel the Road" episodes down there or play "Disney Scene-It" with company.  We had things displayed from Ukraine, China, Africa, Germany, India, Papua New Guinea, Japan, and more.  The other downstairs room had my exercise bike and Nordic Track for exercising.  It had my piano and a place for my music.  It had my desk and computer too.  
     The kitchen was a great place to talk, make fabulous concoctions and enjoy tasty treats.  Our small table for four was in there (but not in any pictures).  We enjoyed eating meals there and having occasional company over to try things like "Chicken Curry" or "Pad Thai."  We creative cooks!  

Merry Christmas from Jen and Angie!

   We had our own Christmas tree (thanks to the Olsen family for giving Angie their old one).  We set up Nativity Scenes and played Christmas music all of November and December!  
    One special memory I have is of my grandparents coming to see my home.  I remember thinking that they may not ever meet my future husband or future

Grandma and Grandpa Alber got to see my home!

kids, but I was glad they could see my home and my school where I taught and my church where I attended.  It turned out that Grandma did live long enough to get to know my husband Todd.  What a blessing!  
      I have been asked if I wished I had waited and not bought a house since I only lived in it for three years (and I bought it at the height of the housing market - cha ching!).  My reply?  There was absolutely no way for me to know that a husband was coming along and I was ready to move on with my life as a single gal.  I wanted to buy a home.  It was a dream for me and I made it come true.  I think I made a good choice.  I wouldn't change a thing.