Hello friends, welcome! Today I have a really fun episode for you. I have my sister on this podcast and I would like the record to reflect that she is 8 years older than me.

She definitely doesn't want me to say that and mostly because it's a lie. But we had a lot of fun together. This is a very interesting story and also it's fun to hear from her.

She has some fun memories about 5th grade Sheran. So let's dive in. I'm Sharon Nickman and welcome to the Sharon Says So Podcast.

Yay! The day is finally arrived. My older sister Caroline lies with lies. As I do every episode I start with lies.

Hello, where should I say hello? Hey, starting the episode with some good lies right up front that you are 8 years older than me.

Oh yeah. Yeah. No, people have been telling me for a long time. Oh my gosh, you got to get your sister on your podcast. You guys sound the same. That's what everybody says. And also that we look the same.

Yes, we've been told we are virtually identical twins are entire lives, which we find amusing because clearly we are not.

No, I don't think. No. For starters, you have dark hair. Right. Right. You're blonde. And I am not. For second, you are 8 years older than me. So that's impossible.

Or lies. I'm writing down the lies. Keep track of the lies. Like you always do. Well, you and your husband have undertaken this amazing renovation project that so many people on social media, TikTok, Instagram have really been enjoying following along with you found a gorgeous turn of the century brick mansion that has the M word.

But that is the truth. It's not it's not a mick mansion. It's not a look at me. I have eight garages. It is like an actual turn of the century mansion that has been sitting empty for a while.

And also has not had any updates whatsoever since the 1960s and 70s. Exactly. So there is a lot to do structural, you know, water damage, things like that, but also just very dated rooms, almost every room, not every room. But it's a huge undertaking.

And I'm so amazed at the number of people who have wanted to follow along and watch us do this house, but we love it. It's our dream house.

I mean, it's just a spectacular home on a spectacular piece of property.

And I think people also really like that you are not an HG TV show where you're like, our budget is 2.8 million. I hope we will be able to make it work. Like you guys are just a real family doing the best you can doing most of the work ourselves.

We are doing most of the work ourselves. And when I say we, I mean he is doing most of it. My skill set is very limited, but I help where I can. But yeah, we're just normal. I mean, you know, we have a budget and it's we're doing it a little bit at a time, but we have years of renovations right now.

And we're working on the kitchen, which is a very exciting thing. That's the other thing too is that normal people who don't have a $2.9 million budget up front. You can't do everything at one time. No, no, especially not while living in the house.

So and having six children living in home with you.

Yes, did I mention I have six children living in home with me. Right. Exactly. So it actually helps, I think, to live there and live with it for a little while. Live with each room. See what really you want to change and what you want to keep rather than not living there and just having everything done at one time by like a staff of people or whatever.

But no, it's it's amazing. We're very blessed to have it and it's exciting. What are give us something that you have found surprising about living in this house during the renovation, either something that you have surprisingly enjoyed, disliked or something maybe you've surprisingly discovered.

During the renovation, I, I'm very surprised at the amount of dust that can permeate like the renovation dust, the sheet rock dust. It's everywhere and it is impossible to get rid of.

Okay, so that's the first thing, but just something I love about the house in general that I didn't anticipate I would is it's in the middle of a city and in a neighborhood, but it's on almost three acres of wooded land, which I think is so hard to find.

I was having that available to our children and to us has been amazing. I love it. Well, I have a story to share with you today about one of your favorite things to do. Oh, I don't know.

...