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There had been no improvements to the property or the house in almost fifty years. The last ten years the house and barn had been neglected so our work was cut out for us. To make the major changes we have planned affordable we'll live in the house while it's being renovated, do the majority of the work ourselves and pay as we go.
We've been working on the house for two years and have made great progress but we have a long way to go. In these past two years we've only fallen more in love with this old place.
To date we've finished the entry by adding a wall that divides the entry into three spaces, a proper foyer, a small alcove which serves as my office and a coat closet and added crown 
molding. We've stripped and painted the stair way and added a carpet runner. We gave one another an antique newel post for Christmas for the stairway that hasn't been installed yet. Six months later it's still sitting in the same place it was at Christmas. I have hopes of it being installed in it's new spot before next Christmas.
The dining room is competed with beautiful wainscoting and crown molding. We added a utility closet on the second floor landing where we installed a washer and dryer. Central heat and air has been installed with a unit for each floor. The original red oak floors have been stripped and refinished on both levels. All the windows and doors have been replaced and the original antique oak fireplace mantel in the livingroom has been stripped, refinished and a plasma TV and gas logs have been added.
In late summer of '07 we started working on adding the new 
master suite on the second floor. In July we removed the roof from our kitchen planning to add a second level that would include a walk in closet and master bath. As soon as we removed the roof from the kitchen to begin the new addition it began to rain. There was water running through our cabinets and puddled in the floor threatening our newly refinished hardwood floors. With pans, buckets and every towel we owned we saved the floors. We hadn't planned to remove the old plaster ceiling in the kitchen until we started renovating that space but the water soaked plaster began to crumble and fall to the floor. What a mess! After the rain passed we began construction and now have the bath framed and ready for plumbing and electric.
To date we're only about a third finished with the entire project. We estimate we have at least another two years to completion but we're patient. When I start getting discouraged I think about what we'll have when everything is finished. I know it will be a beautiful old farm house and the work we've lovingly done here will save this beautiful place for generations to come.
When all the renovations are complete including the barn we plan to use the apartment above the garage as an equine inn, including full hook-ups for horse trailers with accommodations. We're located very near an interstate highway and offer easy access to people traveling with horses. Watch this site for more information when we become the Leyland Ridge Equine Inn.