The house as of yesterday.

And technically today since the guys haven't worked since yesterday morning. Yep, that's right. They worked on a Saturday.

As you can see, the bathroom, utility closet, and back bedroom and closet are sheet rocked, taped, and mudded. No too much more to do. So painting should be happening this weekend. Let me know if you're interested in helping. The more painters the better.

Back bedroom. That's where I'll sleep.

Lookit! Soon I can shower. Watch out until then...no showering. At least there.

And I can go potty in the potty hole. Of course there will be an actual toilet.

And that's where I'll wash my clothes.

View from the living/dining room into the kitchen and the door to the back bedroom.

I took some really cool composition shots of random things in and around the house too. I'll post those sometime soon.

**Post note: As of Monday the kitchen is also sheet rocked, taped, and mudded. I was unable to upload pictures yesterday.

House Progress

After the crew took all of last week off they are finally back at work. As of this afternoon...
all of the framing has had the insulation installed.
just about all of the framing has been sheet-rocked.
the lining for the shower is being tested for leaks.
and their is a "pretty" hole for the toilet (or so I've been informed by my sister).

Pictures to follow today or tomorrow.

Let's pray for being able to paint next weekend. And choosing floor coloring, wall color, cabinet style, and cabinet stain color before next weekend.

2 weeks down!

It has been 2 complete weeks of working on the house with the professionals. Since I last updated you: all of the new walls are framed in, dry rot above the fireplace is fixed, entrance to the front bedroom from the front room is closed off, new electrical in the back of the house where the major renovations are happening, we've gotten lumber to build a fence around the house. Plumbing starts this week. That's about it for now. I don't have any pictures right now. I'll take some for you later.

4 days later...

And here is how much the crew has progressed since Friday...

Fireplace now.
Closing the doorway that goes from the front room to the front bedroom.
The back bedroom with the framed extended wall.
Kitchen. Notice the closet is gone?
Bathroom and where the shower will be extended out to.

It's progressing quickly. LOVE IT!

All in a day's work

Oh, but no worries. It wasn't me working. Here are a few photos of what the crew got done in ONE DAY!

View from the front door.
Fireplace. Remember the dry rot?
Lat and plaster removed from back bedroom.
View from the new kitchen area.
Back bedroom closer up.
Area that will hold a shower, laundry closet, and extended bedroom with closet.
View into the back yard where the sink will be.
Just an artsy shoot of some old electrical.

And the walls came down!

So I went home to meet with Ron yesterday about the house and electrical. And much to my surprise and astonishment, just about all of the walls that needed to come down in the house, were down. I took pictures earlier today. I'll add them later. So far, it's going to look great!

Let the Walls Come Down!

Praise the Lord! Construction started on the house THIS MORNING! It is finally happening. No more waiting and waiting and waiting. The end is much closer now that action has started.

House Plans Revised

And here would be the plans for the house. Obviously it'll be changed quite a bit in at the back of the house. Construction will start in about 1 1/2 weeks. So I would say to plan on bringing your paint brushes over in about 2-3 weeks to start painting where they finish up. I'll provide the paint, and maybe some beer or pizza or something. EXCITING!

House Plans

For for visual, viewing pleasure.

Last week we met with our contractor and went over the current layout of the house and what we would like to do with it. Later this week he'll be getting back to us with our revisions and we'll start chalking out the lines in the house. It's estimated to be completed mid to late March! So here are the plans as the house sits now. Once we get the revised plans I'll upload and share those also. So exciting!

House

I have no major update on the status of the house. All I know is that I need to get ahold of our contractor to get plans finalized and get things scheduled. So that's what I'll be doing tomorrow, making a phone call. But I have for you a couple pictures.

I'm ready for Christmas next year! I bought a faux tree on sale. Normally $320 down to $50, and it looks real. I'm super excited!

My new refrigerator! Nice shiny black!

The outside patio area coming down. It had to. It didn't work and was in the middle of the property line. So I had my little helpers chipping away.

Finally!

Today, I took the anticipated trip to IKEA. Swedish for heaven. And guess what...I bought my couch and arm chair. My living room is slowing coming together. I know what you're thinking, why in the world are you buying couches now if you don't have a living room to put them in now? Well, because I can. And because I don't want to be stuck without couches when I do get to move into the house. Plus, unbeknown to me, IKEA is having a promo...get 20% back in a gift card on any couch that you purchase. Yeah me! So, someday (pray sooner rather than later) when you come to visit, you'll get to sit on one of these...

Adios Septembre

September's Resolutions Results...

1. Actively seek God in my day to day life, worshiping Him and bring Him glory. Being like Jesus to people. Hold me accountable, please.
I suck at this one. I need help. At least Bible Study started back up this past week.

2. Change my eatting habits. By doing this it'll be easier to losing weight. There are only 35 days until the wedding that I'm in. I know I can do this!
Ok, so I think I'm eating better as far as less calories. But now it's time to start focusing on eating proper low calorie foods. You know, that 5 servings of veggies a day.

3. Go somewhere at least an hour away from home - Tahoe here I come!
Woot Woot! That was one of the best darn weekends all summer. I know, you haven't seen pictures yet. Hummm...What happens in Tahoe stays in Tahoe...? I'll find some appropriate ones to post for you.

4. Quit rewarding myself with food. Time to reward myself with something different. A pedicure, manicure, new shirt, or purse, or whatever (and I'm making enough money to do that and not worry too much now!).
How about I didn't really reward myself with much of anything... I took the money saving route.

5. Exercise. Swim, walk, Bosu ball, anything! I found that Pilates makes me sore = working muscles that need to be worked. Time to do that more often.
I did pilates a number of times in September with Rylen. I didn't throw a hammer around as much as last month.

6. Have at least one major thing completed on the house. Attempt to have bathroom partially done.
So, we have windows. Did we have new windows last month? I can't remember. But now we do. Things are at a bit of financial stand still. Not from lack of funds, more of an appraisal stand point... More on that later.

7. Do something BOLD or DARING!
Ok, so I was *this* close to getting a little tattoo while in Tahoe...

8. Purchase couch for house.
Yea, never made it to IKEA. But the money is set aside in savings just for it.

9. Start tanning again. I can't be a white bridesmaid...
I'm well on my way of being a brown bug. No more whiteness.

House Update

Update on the house for you with pictures!...

1. The kitchen is completely gutted. Well, except for the dishwasher that is bolted to the floor. Here is a picture of the before.


2. The bathroom is completely gutted. Even the spot where the medicine cabinet sits in the wall.


3. The doors that are propped against the wall in the living room are now hung with care.


4. The lone chest sitting in the middle of the living room has been cleaned up and stained and painted.


5. All of the windows have been replaced.

Ok, so I don't have current up-to-date photos, but I will. Camera battery died though :(

I can see clearly now...

That the dusty, dirty, old, icky windows are gone. Well, almost gone. Don's Mobile glass will start installion of the 21 new windows tomorrow! YEAH! Dad was installing the new back door today. And another truck load was taken to the dump. Tonight, after someone has come and talked to us about what they can do to help with the construction side of things, I'm going to close all the (old) windows and set off some bug bombs. Kill whatever spiders, ants, and other creepy crawlies are left in the house.

I think the fire has finally been lit...

House Update

Slowly little by little things are getting done. And I know I told you that I'd post pictures, and I will, I promise! So here's what we got done over the weekend:
-Load of cabinets and counters to the dump
-New front door installed!!!
-Cabinets in utility room knocked out (I did it all by myself)
-Spray painted the new layout on the floor (dad said he wanted to see it drawn out...)
-Windows are all in at Don's, now to just schedule them to come install
-Took a trip to Lowe's with family. Nothing was purchased, but one thing was accomplished. Dad said to just go ahead and schedule Lowe's to come measure for cabinets to have them install them. Got prices for bathroom stuff, now to just have a plan and purchase.
-Construction guy friend going to come tomorrow to look at things and tell us what he can do, what we can do, etc.

Tada! It was a busy weekend at the House. As an incentive (hopefully), I told him I would host appetizers and wine for Thanksgiving. So we'll see...

Weekend Ahead

So as I'm sitting here thinking about my weekend, I'm realizing that I've got quite a bit going on. Let me give you a quick snippet of what I KNOW I'm doing.
- I'm taking a trip to Lowe's to purchase bathroom stuff (toilet, tub, vanity w/ sick, etc.). Hopefull this will be happening tonight, but it depends on how dad is feeling after a routine procedure he's having done this morning. If not, tomorrow afternoon or Sunday will be the trip.
- Big giant huge fancy smancy wedding to attend tomorrow evening. We're talking 550 people sit down serve. The groom was a high school classmate, we went through the same confirmation class at church, went to the same college (where he took a few extra years to party), good family friends all around. I'm ready to party like a rock star. (I'll post pictures after the shindig)
- *crossing fingers* Taking a trip to IKEA to purchase couches Sunday.
- Working on house when I can.
- Finish the Oktoberfest invitation, get them to Kinko's to get copies made, finish the labels, and get them in the mail.
- Oh, and I just told HCC Catering (past employer) that I could help set up tomorrow morning for said giant wedding mentioned above. They are desparate for help. I can use some extra money. So why not?
- Church. Let's pray I can make it this Sunday. I've been a heathen lately. Bad me!

Wow, that's all I can think of for now. I'll enjoy the resting while I can get it. Like next weekend in Tahoe...

House Progress

So, here's what we have completed with the house in the past month (pictures to follow later).

- Had a yard sale in August to sell stuff and empty house. Whatever was left over got moved to the church for the church yard sale in October.
- Bathroom completely gutted!
- 75% complete with removing cabinets and counter in kitchen.
- Removed felt pad in living room. Did this mainly to remove any smell being held in it and to reduce dust.
- Removed mid-wall trim and crown molding in kitchen and utility room.
- Purchased new front and back door!
- Central heating and air installed.
- Cabinets, counter, and back splash picked out for kitchen.

There is still a TON to do. We're not even close to the painting stage, but hopefully soon enough we will be. Feel free to stop by if you're in the neighborhood. I'd be happy to give a tour!

Bye Bye August

August Resolution Results

1. Actively seek God in my day to day life, worshiping Him and bring Him glory. Being like Jesus to people. Hold me accountable people, please.
Ok, so I'm a complete heathen. I haven't gone to church in months. Pray for me. I've fallen off the wagon. Not that I'm doing bad things, I'm just not where I was a year ago.

2. Losing weight. Summer is almost over, and I only have 2 months left until my best friend's wedding in October. My goal, which is totally obtainable, is to lose 10 pounds (5 pounds per month) by then. For those of you that I eat out with regularly, please hold me to it.
I don't think I lost any weight. But, I did start walking with Rylen fairly regularly, even in the heat! I feel I'm eating better and exercising, just not getting any results. Grrrr...

3. Go somewhere at least an hour away from home.
I went to IKEA in Sacramento, does that count?

4. Quit rewarding myself with food. Time to reward myself with something different. A pedicure, manicure, new shirt, or purse, or whatever (and I'm making enough money to do that and not worry too much now!).
I don't know how you gauge this one.

5. Exercise. Swim, walk, Bosu ball, anything!
Walking about 3 times a week, or doing pilates. Plus at work alone I walk about 2 miles, no joke I clocked it with a pedimeter.

6. Try to be at the painting stage by the end of the month at the house across the street. Which mind you, as soon as it's done I can move it. But there is lots to do to it.
Yea, who was I kidding. We're not at the painting stage yet. Not even close, but we are closer. I do have a new front and back door, just not installed yet.

7. Do something BOLD or DARING!
Hummmmm.... I don't think I did this. Oh, I bought a plane ticket to go to New York!

Fire Lighting

Have you ever tried lighting a fire under someone's butt to get a move on things, but they really aren't in any hurry? That's where I am right now. I'm trying to suggest a sense of urgency on getting going full speed on the house, but I keep getting turned down. I ask Mom, please call so and so to have them come out and look at things, mainly to get their professional opinion before we do anything detrimental. She doesn't. I ask Dad, what can we do now? What can we knock down? We're about at a stand point until we get answers. He says, draw up some plans on what you'd like to have done. But I want to know what we CAN do before I spend time drawing plans. Grrrr! Don't they understand that once the house is livable that I'll be moving OUT of their house and INTO that one? Crimney!