What we've been up to...

Since finishing the main construction on the house, we have made several quick trips so far this year. We went to Arizona & Oregon to see our grandkids (parents too). When we got home, spring was trying to get here-the key word is trying- with all the rain and snow, my tulips finally came up. We will probably start the next project in July-main floor bathroom, then maybe a deck in the backyard.

This is a photo of our front room all painted with some pictures hanging on the walls.

Reesie at the Oregon Omni standing in front of a blower.

Serious Griffin opening his birthday present (zhu zhu), he was VERY excited!

Maddox posing for grandma.

Jack showing off his riding skills on his new bike he got for Christmas.

Gracie posing, She finally let me put her hair in ponytails.

Garrett showing off his rock climbing skills.

Oh how I miss these kids (and their parents too). Everyone will be home the end of June, YAY. In the meantime, Builder Mike and I will be heading down to my favorite place on earth-Lake Powell. But in the meantime, busy working in the yard, organizing the garage, and getting ready for summer.

before the paint

Here are a couple of shots of the beadboard completed. We like the look of the stained beadboard, but it's just too blotchy. We had our painter come in and paint it all white(not stark, just warm), and it looks great, photos to come shortly.

Installing beadboard

This is what we woke up to this morning... Just when I thought we were heading into spring. I NEED warm weather!

I had no idea what was entailed when I requested to have bead board installed in our front room. Builder Mike chose to go with tongue-n-groove rather than paneling (I like the look of the tongue-n-groove much better, but had no idea how messy it would be). The sheetrock had to be taken down and plywood had to be installed for the bead board to be nailed to.

Builder Mike busy nailing up the boards. I'm staining each board with a white stain, but we have since decided to paint it after it is all installed. The staining is too washed out and uneven.

I'm going to love this room when it's done, but agian this is more work than I ever expected, but hey-isn't this whole project that way...It will be all so worth it when we are done. Still, I'm looking for a break to Lake Powell in May.

Front door & more

Our new front door. Solid wood (I forgot what kind), but Builder Mike stained, sanded, polyurethaned, sanded... many times! Don't you love the 'clavos'- those are the rustic decorative nails.

I think it looks way classy!!!

Our new chair and table, waiting for an area rug to go under (to match the dining table rug). Chair from RCW and table from PB.

The carpeted stairs, I think my favorite part of the remodel...well, close second to the kitchen!

We are now waiting for the bead board to show up. In the meantime, lots of little details need to be finished up. Right about now, with the snow still coming down, I want to be at LAKE POWELL!!! One test left for this semester and I will have my free time back, Yeah!

Wood floors & more...

The front room! The cardboard shapes on the floor is my new (pretend) furniture. We needed to see how much room there was going to be-either a sofa and a love seat or two love seats...two love seats facing each other is the winner. In this room Builder Mike still needs to put up the bead board, then baseboards, furniture and window coverings. Soooooo close!!!

A view from standing at the front door looking in towards the dining room.

The dining room with lots of "extra stuff" in this photo...compressor, flooring, buckets, etc.

Better...

Another view of front room.

Standing on the carpeted stairs looking down at the dining room and kitchen.

Dining room with an area rug, I think it looks terrific if I do say so! Also notice out the windows our snow is melting-YAY!!!

Our new front door being stained in our new front room. Builder Mike wanted the new door in before the bead board goes up, so we got a solid wood door with lots of character and in the process of staining.

Another view...

Well, that's it for now. Waiting for the bead board to arrive, then stain it, and install. In the meantime, lots of little things to get done. Organizing rooms that are overstuffed with stuff. When the weather gets warmer-the GARAGE!!! Then of course in the middle of March our trips start to visit all the girls. Also, before we head out anywhere I will be DONE with my first semester of school ! One paper and a test left, I can't believe I did it. Then a few months off to play this summer and then finish up in the fall. I will have my BSN the end of January 2011.

Hip Hip Hooray!!!

painted walls & wood floors

Here is a shot of the stairs heading up, you can see the new fan and painted walls. The color is called philadelphia cream, same as Maddox and Griffins room. I really like it, very warm and just enough color.

Here is the beginning of the new hardwood floor, the wood is hickory. It's hand scrapped, but it's very subtle.





Hopefully Builder Mike can have this dining room done today, I can help him get the dining table out of the front room and he can start that next.

TILING THE BACKSPLASH!!!

Oh YAY, we are almost done...well kinda. The backsplash in the kitchen is finally in. Builder Mike did a fantastic job of installing. Over 600 tile cuts. We set the tile saw in the dining room and away he went. We went with a warm brown ceramic tile with 2 inch recycled glass tiles, and a cream grout. It just makes the kitchen, I just love it!

OK, I'll tell you what's left to do before inviting everyone over: painting (the painter is scheduled this weekend), subfloor, hardwood flooring (it's in the front room waiting to be installed), carpeting the stairs and landing (also in the front room-we bought it when we did our family room 2 yrs ago), beadboard to the front room, baseboards. Oh yeah...I need new furniture for the front room, a chair for the dining room, an area rug for under our table when moved to it's official home in the dining room, some kind of window covering for our sliding glass door. Oh yeah- hang all the lamps (in the front room too).

Some may ask "what will you do after this project?" Well...we still have the basement-the ceiling and a few walls were torn up for the main floor electrical and plumbing. There's also my craft room, main floor bathroom, and Builder Mikes office. We also have a deck to build and I would really like to get a hot tub for the yard too. In our other spare time we have 3 trips to Lake Powell, 2 trips to Arizona and 2 trips to Oregon and a trip out to So Dak to see all the girls and my grandbabies, all this year!!! I also work full time and trying to pick up extras at work to help pay for this "new" house. I'm almost finished with this semester of the BSN program, I'm hoping to be done the end of Feb. I'm taking a few months off and then restarting up in August. Builder Mike is still looking for work, but when the house is done he will probably do ebay full time (we have lots of treasures to sell). Well, I'll try to post next week when the floor goes in.

Happy Happy Birthday Garrett!!!

Happy 9th Birthday