Hey MTV – Welcome to our Crib!
You may be sadly disappointed to learn that you won’t be getting my normal literary genius (or, as it’s been called, “snarky banter”) in these next few posts. But I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. We unfortunately didn’t take many photos of the cottage before, but as a bonus, I can tell you what it smelled like as you scroll through the few photos we do have.
As I sit here, exhausted from working late (again), aggressively willing my coffee to bring my body back to life, I want to be angry. Angry that the work isn’t getting done fast enough on the main house, frustrated that certain subs can’t seem to just do their dang job, and generally annoyed that another day is slipping by with what feels like zero progress.
Well… seems I’m already failing miserably at my 2026 one-post-a-week challenge. Cool. Cool. In my defense, a LOT has happened in the last month between moving into the cottage, all the work happening on the main house, and an ice storm that our pug, Aliza, refused to poop in. However, today Cody is traveling, and I’ve finally found a (conference-call-free) pocket of quiet time to process my thoughts.
The first decision I made for this cottage was the tub. I knew she had to be saved from the main house renovation, and although she would have been great in one of the guest bathrooms, I wanted to be able to share her with our guests. Moving her was another thing altogether. I think it took four men to get her out, with a pit stop in the dining room for a few days.
We want this space to be a true retreat for whoever stays with us. Whether it’s future guests or family, the goal is to create a space where bed rotting is desired – even if someone has to get up and get moving anyway.
A friend once told me that when she was renovating her home, she bought her stove before she even bought her house. I’ve never felt more seen. Priorities, right? In my case, I also knew exactly what stove I wanted – regardless of which home we chose
Progress has been slow, but in most cases, really good. Just one major hiccup – our very expensive windows. Unfortunately, not having windows dictates the timing of many other things. While we wait, we’ve picked out a ton of finishes…
While we can’t wait to be in the main house—and would love to see that vision come together ASAP—we’re making the cottage the priority.
Let me just start by saying Christian, our Local History and Genealogy Librarian, has truly been a godsend. Over the past few months, she’s uncovered and shared so much about our home and the families who came before us.
Some may say the last thing you should watch when taking on a project like ours is the Tom Hanks and Shelley Long comedy about a couple being scammed into purchasing a very grand, very beautiful, very dilapidated old home. But not everything I do makes sense.
In March, on a trip back from Shreveport, our Bailey (as she does for sport) was searching recent listings on Realtor.com. She knows me – and knows me well – because when 800 North Sixth Street popped up, she knew it was for us.
So, how did I talk Cody into turning a 90-year-old historic gem into our forever home? Is he just a glutton for punishment, or deep down, was this something he was also born to do? In pure Cody Arnold fashion, there was a healthy amount of overthinking…
Since I (Wendy) was very little, I dreamed of living in a big, beautiful Victorian home. Every trip to Hobby Lobby included a moment when I’d sneak away from my mom so I could ooooogle over the dollhouses, comparing each model to see which one I loved most.
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