Week 13

 Monday started the hardwood floor installation.  It took several days.  We chose a stranded bamboo because we wanted something very hard and durable.  We knew we had chosen wisely when the usually mild mannered, even-tempered Jason (the Builder) complained saying this was the hardest flooring he has ever tried to install.  Despite how difficult it was, it is beautiful -

We haven't shared much about the going-on's downstairs, but we will - Monday finally brought a door from the garage to the basement, our new entry.  There has just been a big old piece of plywood there since the fireplace foundation was cut off clear back in week 3!

Jason (the Builder) also sealed the floor in front of that door in preparation for the tile

The "wet" area of the kitchen was floated on Wednesday -

Our new curb and part of our sidewalk was also poured -

 On Tuesday the weather turned on us and we received our first snowstorm Wednesday and  Thursday, along with the snow came our first hard freezes, so this is what the sidewalk looked like from Wednesday on.  We were unable to finish the rest of the pours.

The cable and phone companies finally came out and moved their posts to the end of the driveway so they weren't hanging out in the middle, where I know I'd run over them....eventually!

With the weather snowy and freezing, work haulted outside but continued inside.  Here is our kitchen floor (DIRTY kitchen floor!) all installed and grouted. 

Here is a close up of the DIRTY porcelain tile with frosted glass inlay - Curt chose this

The finish carpentry was all installed - the base through out and the trim around the remaining doors and windows.  I got it all puttied, but only the doors/windows primed and painted.  Our new hardwood doors were also hung - but they will be leaving soon to be delivered to the cabintery place for finishing.  We are having these sliders, as well as my broom closet door finished to match the cabinets. 

The ledger stone was installed - I chose this (notice the finished window frames - ah, so nice to have that work out of the way)

Here's a view of my broom closet on the other side of the ledger wall

this is probably more information than anyone else cares, but here's the inside of my broom closet showing the shelve. You can't tell from the picture but the shelves are staggerd in depth, the bottom shelves are not as deep so I can fit my vaccum with handle and brooms.  Jason (the builder) chose this.

Here is a view looking down the hall into the great room, the floors are mostly covered (can you see our "chocolate" dining room wall?)

I know you can't see, but here's another picture of our finally finished window

Oh --- the ceiling lights were also installed, they aren't hooked up yet, but they are installed and they look great!

the basement door was also framed - it is NOT finished yet, probably next week!

but the tile is in and grouted - the walls also received their first coat of mud

and we have ceiling lights --- working lights --- in the garage.  We know they work because when we came home late friday night, they were on and they were BRIGHT (no garage door yet)

So, at the end of week 13, here is a rare, very rare, picture of Jason (the magnificant builder) and Curt!

Thank you SO much Jason - we LOVE the way our home is coming together and for ALL of your hard work and expertise!

Week 12

After fixing the stucco color debacle - the "right" color was installed the first few days of the week, MUCH better and closer to what we had envisioned originally. 

Also on Monday we transferred power to the new electrical system, so when the electricians finished, Jason got right on completing the hardy board on the north side of the house (now 100% installed, it just needs to be painted)

And filled in the big hole it left.  Final grade now, can't wait to see what the landscapers decide to do with it!

he also dug the dirt back in front -

and they finished our mailbox - complete with the cap and address plate.  Our mailman has actually been using this for a few days - I think he was excited!

As promised, here is a picture of the spiffy standing seam metal roof on the overhang, looks nice.

We have been busy inside as well, I've painted each and every night and finally have it about as good as it's going to get.  I'm not a painter - it's not the best work I've ever seen (please remember 90% of it was painted after I got home from work, by spotlight!) and Jason told me not to quit my day job, but overall we're pleased.  My little camera doesn't do justice when trying to show colors but here are just a few pictures of how the inside is progressing 

 

We ordered the shutters for the windows, picked out the final colors/hardware for the cabinets, the ceiling fans have arrived and so have our new wood doors.

We have been very fortunate with the weather throughout our construction - be we realize our good weather days are running out, plus - so are the days we can park on the street, so Curt took a few days off work so he could focus on getting the garage primed and painted

and the garage floor coated with epoxy - HE had his work cut out for him, but he is SO excited about his new garage, and it's all finished! 

He chose the ever popular gray epoxy with the stylish black and white flecks (it really does look good)

Even though the weather has been mostly dry, it has been cold for a few weeks now and our furnace has not been turned on yet.  There have been a few days/night that have been down right COLD and we have to take a deep breath before we leave our cozy bedroom.  My Dad, ever looking out for his children, lent us one of his Eden PURE heaters which has helped greatly to take the edge off the cold.  Thanks Dad - it's been a lifesaver!  We should be up and running with the heat early this coming week (it's supposed to SNOW on Wednesday)

I almost felt guilty leaving Curt working away on Saturday, but not guilty enough to miss a chance to have breakfast with these gals - at Gardner Village...with the witches!

 Marisa found a new friend

 and so did Miss Cate

 Here are my grands in their CUTE Halloween twirl skirts, enlarge the picture to see how cute they are (and forgive Miss Cate's mismatched shirt --- she's of the attitude that SHE wears what SHE wants to wear and that's that!) THANK YOU Brandice, for your talents!

The first decorations for our porch - look at these cute little pumpkins

Oh, and on a final note - 2 days after taking that picture of Steven's beautiful trees, sure enough -- the leaves were gone.  SO glad Marisa brought it to my attention so I could enjoy it, if only for a few days.

So not a whole lot of activity completed outside last week, lets see what this week brings!

Week 11

Another week of furious activity!  Monday we arrived home to find stone on our stairway columns

 and the foundations being prepared for the stucco -

 plus continued work on the stone in general.

 The sheet rockers finished their work inside on Wednesday and I quickly began the priming process the next few days

Jason (the builder) completed the installation of the sliding door for the new addition (LoVe It!)

 as well as the rest of the hardy board installation (exept for the north side - Jason's waiting for the new electrical main to all be connected)

Our company completed the standing seam roof over the....whatever this little overhang is, that's what I'll call it - an overhang!  It's almost my favorite part of the new addition.  We also got the garage door ordered and it's all framed in for when the door arrives

here's another view for good measure.  I realize it's only the underside of the overhang --- I thought I took pictures of our beautiful little standing seam roof but apparently I didn't, you'll have to wait until next week, it's nice - trust me you'll want to see it!

In case you missed this (because I SURE did), I "insisted" on having a keystone installed over the garage door.  Well, here is it - it blends in so perfectly with the stone that you NEVER see it, yea - I'm good like that!

We also had a quick, fun weekend visit from these cutie pies.  So good to see them - Ezra can NOT figure out why we still don't have the Wii hooked up yet or how we are even existing day to day without it!  :)



 We were sad to watch them pull away but were grateful they made the time to come pay a little visit (see you at Thanksgiving!!!)

 Meanwhile, the stone work did progress, the caps are on the columns  

our mailbox is finally started, still waiting for the cap AND our address plate, which they forgot to install

 here's a view of the south side of our home - all stoned in to protect us from the barage of golf balls that broke out our garage windows and smashed our siding to death.  I think we'll be protected now (by the way, did you find yourself looking for that "essential" keystone over the garage door that I just HAD to have, yea - like I said, I'm good like that)

 So by the end of this week (Week 11), here is an overview of how the outside of our home is looking now.

We narrowly escaped a HUGE color calamity with our home on Saturday - and had it not been for the rain we experienced this weekend it would have been a very costly error to correct.  I'm talking about the stucco color. See that sample piece that nearly blinds you?  Curt and I picked out a lovely "whole wheat" color from the tiny micro color sample they give you to choose from and the guys came up on Saturday to install it.  We told them we were concerned with the color when they installed the sample, it looked way too light (and yellow) but they assured us it would dry 100 times darker and match the tan in the stone.  Relying on their expertise, we left for the day.  When we returned home in the late afternoon we were surprised to find the concrete hadn't been completed as expected - and then we saw the sample --- still WAY to light!  We frantically called the contractor to report this color would NOT work for us.  Unlike my beautiful keystone, this color really would be noticed. A new color will be installed, and hopefully will compliment rather than detract, whew!

 I didn't take pictures - and I don't think my camera would do it justice - but we did get the first coat of paint on the inside too.  Marisa came and helped us out with that (THANK YOU!), and...typical as she has done throughout her life, she brought to my attention the simple beauty in our surrounding.  As we were checking things out in the back yard and all I could see was the MESS, she simply looked around and brought to my attention how beautiful Steven's trees were with their rich fall time colors.  Yes, it truly IS beautiful!  Another day or two and this will be gone and I would have missed it - I wouldn't even have noticed it (thanks again Marisa)

On to another fun filled week!