Out with the old and in with the new...

back porch

2009-04-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

I've still got things in the works around here!

Playroom Projects

2009-01-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

I have been collecting letters for this project for months! Alas, it is finished! Some of the letters have been mod podged with scrapbook paper. The bulletin board was super duper easy. I bought plain cork tiles at Target for around $2 each and covered them in fabric. Put them side by side and voila! A bulletin board for my kids' random art work.

out of reach niche

2008-10-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Oh the balancing act I performed to complete this project!

boys' room

2008-09-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

Finally! I will never paint a red wall again. We were fortunate enough to have a red wall in our last house, one that I did not paint. I loved it but now that I've experienced actually CREATING it, I say don't do it! A whole gallon of paint for good coverage... ON 1 WALL. Maybe it was the brand I used (Ralph Lauren) - I don't know - but it was a monstrous project.

The room turned out really cute though... and as long as Drew leaves everything in its designated place is stays pretty like this, too! Most of the time it's a wreck, though. :)

half bath

2008-09-23T06:03:00.000-07:00

These colors are fun and new for me... orange, brown green? Love it!

Turning a new leaf!

2008-09-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Our bedroom has always come last. Well not anymore! This time it came in the middle! ;)

I am so over the cutting in. Enough! I'm paying somebody to finish it for me... only 2 rooms so I did good, I think. But these 10 ft. ceiliings are killer on the shoulders. And I left weights! Lol!

His and Hers bathrooms

2008-09-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

What could be more fun?

plantation shutters, baby!

2008-09-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

I have waited long and been very patient. Alas, I have my plantation shutters!

We only had them installed in the front half of the house...

Sasha's room:

Adriana's room (which is my current project):

Office:

Dining:

Dining room? Check.

2008-08-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

It's painted... this was a big leap of color, even for me. I want to get a custom sized tablecloth made and possibly some slip covers, just for the backs of the 2 chairs at the head and foot of the table. The accent colors will remain black and white, with silver/pewter accessories.

Now we're talking

2008-07-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

I only have 2 whole rooms left to paint, and 2 bedrooms with just one wall to paint. I can't believe we're almost done! Here's what we've been up to:

The laundry room:

our master bathroom:

the office:

new swingset (minus the slide):

A little at a time!

2008-07-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

We're making our way through the house and it's been fun. Here's the kitchen areas!

Sasha's room is also pretty much done:

Moved in!

2008-06-27T14:22:00.001-07:00

While it was a long, long road, it still got here before we knew it. We are moved into our beautiful new home and just loving it. It will be a few more weeks before we're completely settled but it's all going very well! Here are a few things we've done already with the living room and porch.

sigh I love hardwood floors

2008-06-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

I love how it turned out, and it matches the handrail on our stairs beautifully!

carpet's in!

2008-06-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

We have carpet - in too many places in fact! (they installed it in the office - see bottom picture, which is supposed to be hardwood). Should be fixed by tommorow (fingers crossed).

playroom upstairs:

master bedroom:

office:

There is also carpet in the kids' bedrooms. Otherwise the house is tile/wood flooring.

And here is what's left to do... quite a few changes need to be made. We hadn't realized them all until recently!

These built-ins behind the kitchen are actually both supposed to be desks (see bottom picture):

The dining room needs a chair rail:

These steps off the back porch should be on the other side (leading to a future patio/deck):

Not pictured is a large rock under the sod, which we feel is a safety hazard for the kids, gutters on sides and back of the house, the electrical and gas issues mentioned previously, and a few clean-up/touch-ups.

We are headed to Utah for the next 2-3 weeks, or however much longer they need to finish up. Our contract here in the apartment ends on Friday so we'll head out that day. I may update once or twice more, depending on what gets done this week. Otherwise, the next batch of pictures will be taken as official occupants!

Patience is a virtue

2008-05-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

... which I do not own. This is what I was warned about... enduring to the end. Because the end seems to DRAG. They are so closed to being finished I can taste it. I can smell it, I can feel it, and unfortunately I can see it. So finish already!!!!

Sigh. Carpeting and wood flooring await. They also need to move our patio steps, which were done on the wrong side. And finish installing gutters. That's it. That is it! Pray we close soon... very, very soon. I am not sure how much longer these kids can take this tiny apartment!

The grass is greener...

2008-05-25T20:47:00.001-07:00

One of our biggest fears in having a few more weeks before closing has been that our grass would be dead (we're already close to 100 degrees some days). I thought it would have been better if they'd done the landscaping last. But we had an irrigation system installed and they appear to be using it, as I seen green coming through!

Kitchen appliances

2008-05-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

They are in! At first they installed the wrong ones... just the standard in basic black. I much prefer this, plus it's what we paid for. Lol!

Mirrors

2008-05-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

one of the kids' bathrooms:

Andrew's sink:

my sink:

half bath downstairs:

Plumbing complete

2008-05-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

We've got running water and flushing toilets! Woohoo!

Exterior: finished

2008-05-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

Almost complete exterior!

2008-04-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

They stained the cedar posts and architectural details today. I love it! It matches the front door perfectly! They still need to add shutters on the second and third story (attic), which will also be cedar.

Interior

2008-04-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, they have really been working hard. We now have tile flooring, lighting, a mantle, backsplash, counters, sinks, interior paint and a fence! Oh and a BEAUTIFUL mahogany front door!

kitchen backsplash with metal clip-ins (so cool looking)

front door

Master shower

separate vanities in Master bath

fireplace

tile floor (throughout first floor)

gate to backyard

size of backyard

trim!

2008-04-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

They painted the eaves and fascia board... I don't know if you can tell, but it is an olive-y color and it is really pretty!

MOVED

2008-04-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

So we said goodbye to our first home last week. And after 4am Thursday night when I was finally done cleaning up, it was a little more like good riddance. Anyway, here's a cute pic of the kids playing in the rug I was trying to roll up!

I am so glad we are only in this apartment for a few weeks! Yikes - it's been a tough transition!!!

sidewalk and driveway

2008-04-17T08:54:00.001-07:00

trim, moulding and floor boards

2008-04-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

we can't believe we have a trimmed out garage. lol!

here's the mudroom going into the house from the garage:

the office (right of entry):

the dining room (left of entry):

family room:

cool little art niches throughout the house:

exterior - almost done

2008-04-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

All that's left: shutters, metal roof (which will go over the entryway portion of the porch), and the cedar (columns and architectural details) stained.

cabinets!

2008-04-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

They're ALL installed - bathrooms, kitchen and family planning center.

Hee is a pciture of the kitchen:

sheet rock

2008-04-14T06:55:00.000-07:00

And, it's coming together...

2008-04-09T06:07:00.000-07:00

Love the detailing around the windows and door:

curb appeal

2008-04-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

It's been so fun to drive by and see a little more to the exterior each day...

Apparently,this isn't much fun to work with ; it is HEAVY.

They have to break it down,and only put up a layer at a time.

All from a stack of wood

2008-03-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Well, our pre-dry wall walk through is on Tuesday! The roof is just about done. All the electrical wiring has been completed. We have water heaters and vents installed. The fireplace is in, our jetted bathtub is going in. The stucco, stone and brick is ready to go up. There are even a few decorative touches on the exterior already.

Some decorative detailson the exterior:

vents:

fireplace:

jetted master tub!

playroom:

stairwell:

kitchen:

The family planning center will go in this nook (contains a built-in desk on either side):

Love these rounded doorways!

radiant barrier roofing is in!

2008-03-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

I also snapped a few shots of the interior...

filling in!

2008-03-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

I guess drywall is not too far off... they've begun filling in the walls around the frame! And the cornices have gone up!

frame, second floor

2008-03-16T12:06:00.001-07:00

Andrew took these while I was out of town. I was shocked to see the whole frame completed in a matter of days!

frame, first floor

2008-03-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

It's going to take off from here (top is looking at the front,bottom is looking at the back). From the looks of the houses being built around us, the frame should be complete by the end of the week.

And look, stairs!

we have a foundation, baby!

2008-03-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

It's done and it is HIGH off the ground! It looks like we'll have an elevated back porch. A week of drying time and then comes the frame. Yay!

we're getting there!

2008-02-21T07:53:00.000-08:00

The layout inspections are done. The forms and plumbing rough, and regrading (cutting in the beams before the foundation pour) are done. And I believe the copper and cables were laid yesterday. Today is another inspection by the city and engineer and then they'll pour the foundation tomorrow!!! I missed one picture, it is on Andrew's phone, of the electrical wiring and plumbing going in.

pre-foundation

2008-02-12T07:25:00.000-08:00

Today they were laying sand... next comes electrical wiring and plumbing and then we'll have a foundation to actually build on!

more than a lot!

2008-02-09T18:45:00.001-08:00

We clapped for joy today when we drove up and found evidence of work being done!

A view of the front:

A view of the backyard:

Looking forward from the backyard:

just a lot

2008-02-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

Work on the foundation should begin this Thursday. So we thought we'd get a picture of the kids standing on the empty lot. Very exciting!

blah

2007-02-16T18:12:00.001-08:00

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