The Funk Homestead

Front of the House "Landscaping"

2009-05-29T06:14:00.001-07:00

Wow- it's been nearly a month since anything was done to the house! But this past week was spent making the front of the house more visually appealing. We started on Memorial Day by simply taking some of the 4x4 posts we had (literally) lying around and fashioning them to be the border for our front flower beds. We even bought some dwarf English Boxwood bushes to plant under Megan's bedroom window, too. Then on Tuesday I took the kids and went to a local nursery and bought some day lillies for either side of the front steps and put those in. Wednesday was another trip back to the nursery to purchase the remaining plants to put out front and planting them, and Thursday was spent putting stepping stones and mulch in the flower beds to finish them off. We ended up buying a half yard of crushed limestone to fill in some gaps in the drive as well. Here are the pictures I got as we went along each step of this week:

A before picture of the front before we did anything. Jeremy was getting his miter saw out so he can cut the 4x4's to put them down.

Another view of the front before anything was done. Pretty plain, huh?

Voila!! There is a border there now! Just need to get some flowers in there...

And there is a border here now, too! If you look really close at the left side of the picture you can see the SMALL boxwood bushes we bought to plant- we just hadn't planted them when I took the picture.

Ah- flowers! I picked out a variety of day lily flowers for the front. We had them out front at our previous house and I liked them, so I figured I'd plant some again here.

A picture of my son "posing" in front of the planted day lillies... He's such a ham! At least his poison ivy rash can't be seen... (poor guy!)

The other side of the steps with more day lily flowers...and Michael getting in there again! LOL!

I tried to get a complete view of the flowers by stepping back, but they're hard to see. Michael thought he wasn't going to be in the picture, so he laid down on the porch just to make sure he was in it!

We have mulch! And yes, the gravel is different colored in the picture- you aren't seeing things. There are two reasons for this. One- it rained and some of it got wet, and two- some of it IS actually lighter than the rest. What we bought to fill in gaps is lighter than what the builder brought in to finish the drive with.

Another view- the opposite side of the steps. You can even see the stepping stones we put in the flower bed in this picture, too! They lead up to the water spigot that is on that side of the house.

A closer view of the side of the porch and in front of Megan's window. The three hosta plants I planted are bigger than the boxwood bushes! I also planted some petunia's (Jeremy's favorite) right along the front... not something I would normally do, but they were so pretty and I thought he would like them there... in the future all our annual plants will be in hanging pots along the front porch.

Here is the final picture- complete with garden hose. I know it seems kind of plain, but I figure the plants will get bigger, so the space will be filled in more in the future. But we like it. After all, that's what matters, right? LOL!

So, that's it for now. Our next "big" project is finishing the garden. Jeremy put up the posts to make the fence, but we've been waiting for it to rain so that the posts will set. Since it rained last night and it looks like rain today, we think we'll be good this weekend to start getting the fencing up on the posts! We also plan on putting out the seeds in the garden this weekend, too! Woohoo!! Let the growing begin!

The Final Grade is FINALLY done!

2009-05-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

First off, can I just say how thankful I am that I am no longer looking at piles of dirt surrounding our house??? LOL- seriously! Last Tuesday (4/28/09) the builder sent out the company they use to finish our final grade. We literally had NO idea when they would arrive to do this job because it depending on the weather, and since it had been so wet, we figured it may not get done until May sometime. And the day they showed up it was SUPPOSED to rain- thank goodness it didn't! The one gentleman who was here with the bulldozer arrived around 8:00 in the morning on Tuesday and worked until 6:00! I only saw him take a break for lunch and a couple of phone calls through the whole day- he got a lot done! On Wednesday he returned to finish a few spots that he didn't get to on Tuesday and then his brother was hauling in a couple loads of gravel for the drive up to the garage. We weren't home most of the day on Wednesday, so when we got back and saw the yard and the driveway, we were thrilled to see the final results of all that work! We can actually drive our vehicles into the garage now, and stepping outside the basement doors allows us to step right out into the yard without stepping down anymore. The same can be said for going out the side door from the garage. It's a beautiful thing to NOT see piles of dirt surrounding the house. Now to get grass seed down and get the yard established... But for now- here are a few pictures of the final grade that is DONE:

This is looking to the right of the garage... notice the big piles are gone! Also notice that we have tree limbs to cut down at the edge of our property, too...

This is looking directly at the house from the "established" part of the yard. Directly in front of me is dirt that was pushed around from a pile that was on the left of the picture- now it just makes the (dirt) yard more even!

This view is to the left of the house. There were at least two huge piles of dirt on this side- now if you look close enough, you can actually see the sand mound- it's that strip of green along the left side at the base of the trees. I just noticed that these pictures don't have the finished gravel in the drive going up to the garage... Guess I forgot to take those pictures off my camera. Either way, this is pretty much DONE here!

This poor little toad happens to be a "casualty of war" from the grade being finished. I went out to move my car so some dirt could be pushed up near the garage and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye... turned out to be this toad. Yes, he is alive in this picture- but I'm certain he didn't last for much longer that day. You see, he wasn't moving very fast, nor would he ever hop again- he lost his left rear leg during the bull-dozing, and his right leg was pretty scratched up as well. Not to mention he could barely move his left front leg, either. I felt so bad for this little guy, but what can you do?? It's not like you can give warning to all the little creatures that are in a yard when it come time to move dirt... So- RIP, little toad... sorry you had to endure that trauma!!

Hopefully the next time I post the yard will be GREEN! As it is now, we still have to buy some grass seed! The good thing is, though, it goes on sale on Wednesday, so we should be able to get enough to seed the yard by this weekend! And then we'll have to start mowing... ah- the joys of "country" living! 'Til next time... take care! Oh- and watch out for them toads...

The Curtain Project

2009-03-20T05:17:00.000-07:00

Well, we're all moved in, settled, and enjoying the house. Now to start "The Curtain Project!" The front three rooms in the house face the front yard, and Megan's room especially can be seen from the road (if you know where to look from the road, that is!). Megan's room also gets the most sunlight when the sun shines in the house, so I figured it's about time to put up some curtains. That and she REALLY still NEEDS to nap!! So, a couple of weeks ago I set out to start making curtains. I bought the fabric to make them for her room; Megan even picked it out! She chose pink fabric with darker pink hearts throughout- it really is cute, and it looks nice against her Lovely Lilac painted walls. I started the curtains earlier this week but became very upset with myself when I realized that I had cut them too short. My only option at that point was to make tabs to hang the curtains from instead of the casing I had originally planned. Well, I finished those yesterday and literally hung the finished curtains up right before putting Megan to bed last night. She was just giddy to see her curtains hanging there and kept saying how pretty they are! I'm just glad they're done! Here's a picture:

Now to make curtains for the guest/craft room and then Michael's room. In a way I'm sort of hoping to actually find something at a store that would work since making the curtains is so time consuming, but if I have to buy the fabric and make them, that's okay, too. We'll see how it goes. But for now "deer" friends, The Curtain Project, Part I is DONE!

Check back in a few weeks to see if the next part is complete... Until then- Have a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome to Our Home!!

2009-01-10T09:47:00.000-08:00

Well, we've moved in now and had a little over one week to get a bit settled in our new home. As I had mentioned to a few people I know, I'm sharing a bit of our house with you. Please join me as I guide you on a quick tour through our home. (just a note... there are a series of videos as the original video I took was much too large to upload and share)

Now for the "final" room to tour... the craft room. It is by no means ready to use, but I added it since it's part of the house- LOL! Anyway, this room is really right across the hallway from Megan's bedroom, but I put it in the tour last simply because of it's current state of disarray.

Well, there you have it! Our new home. I hope you enjoyed the tour and I'd love for you to stop back by sometime soon! Our next updates won't be until the Spring when the builder comes back out to finish the final grade around the house (basically pushing dirt around so we can get the landscaping done) and brings more gravel in to finish off the driveway up to the garage. For now everything outside is covered in the white stuff- and while it's certainly a beautiful sight, it will be nice to get the outside of the house completed, too! So check back in a couple of months and see where we are... 'til then- have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by and visiting!!

2008-12-20T17:04:00.000-08:00

This week has proved to be a busy one at the homesite! Monday Jeremy went up to do the walk-thru and then he was back up a few days later to drop off a few more items that we needed in the bathrooms. Well, the biggest things that need to be completed now are the carpet and a final coat of finishing paint. The electrician does need to come back and finish his work, so he has maybe a full days' worth of work left as well. But the plumbing is nearly done, so we now have running water and toilets that flush! The plumbers took care of all of that Wednesday of this past week. They ran into one small "snag," but it's in our favor since it involves getting a smaller sink for the half bath than what was originally ordered. So they need to come back to install that- hopefully this week! It's down to the finishing touches now! We were originally told we could take posession on January 1, 2009, but scheduling the painters has been tough since they're booked, and the cleaning crew needs to come in and clean before we move in, so our official move-in date is now January 3, 2009. That's fine with me since the third is a Saturday and it would be better for us to move on a weekend since we are doing it ourselves (with a little help from our friends!). Anyway... here are some pictures from our trip to the homesite today:

This is the finished fireplace! Watching the stone crew put all the stone in place was definitely a sight to see! They were so efficient and good at what they do that it seemed like it took all of two minutes to complete the job- even though I know it took much longer than that. We are SO pleased with the outcome. Doesn't it look like it's just asking for us to have a fire in it?

My mom was in this one- Hi Mom!!! I was getting a picture of the finished countertops with the kitchen sink installed, too. The countertops are covered with corrugated board to protect them from any tools that may be around and will be removed by the cleaning crew when they come in to do the final cleaning. But you can see exposed parts of the counter, and I really like it! The open space in the cabinets on the right side of the picture is the opening for the dishwasher. It will be delivered this week. Hopefully it coordinates with the plumbers' return to finish the half bathroom sink. We'll see!

This is the guest/kids' bathroom. You can see the toilet is now in, and the countertops and sinks are also installed. Yes, there are two sinks in this bathroom. Double cleaning duty here, too... But at least I won't have to listen to the kids fighting over who dirtied the sink- they will each be responsible for their own!

Another view of the guest/kids' bathroom. You can see in the reflection from the mirror that there is a closet behind the bathroom door. It's a rather spacious closet, so there will be plenty of room for towels, washcloths, tp, and other bathroom necessities... with lots of space left over, I'm sure!

This is the master bathroom. YAY! We have two sinks in here, too. I guess I really have quadruple cleaning duty, don't I? Oh well... I'll get used to it! The countertop in here honestly looked a LOT more blue to me when we picked it out... but now I have to confess that it does look more green. That's okay- I like it anyway! And I'm still using blue towels in our bathroom!

This is our finished master shower. We opted for a door to the shower over a shower curtain rod. I know it may be a bit more work to keep clean, but I'd rather that over replacing shower curtain liners all the time. Besides, I like the look of this, too. There is still a small amount of tile work to be done around the bathtub, but I believe that this is going to take place this coming week, also.

Finally, here is the laundry room utility sink. Jeremy REALLY wanted one of these, and I thought it would be a good idea, too. Considering we have some space for us to get dirty outside, a utility sink is great for rinsing off the bottom of boots and such. I'm pretty sure we'll be thanking ourselves for this little tidbit later on!

Well, that's really about it for this visit. By the end of this holiday week we hope to see that the only things left to do are carpet, paint and the final cleaning. It's getting close now! There most likely won't be any updates between now and Christmas, so....

Merry Christmas!!!

Be sure to check back after Christmas as we'll most likely have one more update before the big move. Then, once we get moved in we'll post pictures of the "finished" move... MAYBE even add a video tour!

It's nearly done now!

2008-12-16T03:38:00.000-08:00

So Jeremy gets a phone call yesterday while he is working asking him if he can go to the homesite and do the walk through with the foreman for our build. And you know what? He took care of it yesterday afternoon! Before he went I made a list of things for Jeremy to go over with the foreman so all of our questions would be answered about things that still needed to be done and a couple of things that needed to be changed. In my last post I listed a few things that I was skeptical would happen before we move, but Jeremy was told again yesterday that we will, indeed, be moving over New Year's! Up to this point I have really enjoyed watching the whole building process and I've tried not to get too overly excited about things for fear of being let down somehow. But I'll be honest now and say that these builders have not let me down once! The craftsmanship is spectacular, the contractors have all been super to work with, and ANY questions and concerns we've had have always been addressed promptly. I would definitely recommend this builder to ANYONE who wants to build a home!!!

Jeremy came home with my list and he had written answers on it so he could remember what he was told about when things were happening now that it's all wrapping up. We only had 3 concerns at this point, and each of them have been addressed. The last two windows to go in came with full screens instead of half screens that can slide up and down, so new half-screens are being ordered to replace the full ones. The basement door doesn't latch to stay closed, so the strike plate is going to be moved so that it latches properly. Perhaps the biggest concern was one I noticed the other night when we were there. The master bathroom has a separate room for the toilet and I noticed that the doors had all been hung, so I was opening and closing all the doors and noticed that the WC (that's water closet) door swung IN rather than OUT. Now if the WC room was longer it wouldn't be a problem, but since the toilets haven't even been installed yet I don't think the guy who hung the doors realized it would be a problem. You see, if you opened the door all the way and then installed the toilet you would never get the door to close again because it would just hit the side of the toilet... Originally that door was supposed to swing OUT and for some reason it got marked incorrectly... so now they're going to change the hinges and make it swing out so we can actually get into the WC!! Yep- as for concerns, they aren't very big, and seriously, those and the back patio decking (which was already fixed) have been the ONLY concerns we've had!

As far as finishing "touches" go, the stone work around the fireplace gets done today, gravel out front so we can drive our vehicles into the garage gets put down today, the plumber returns tomorrow to install sinks, toilets, and other plumbing fixtures, they're adding a deadbolt lock to the front door before we move in, the painters return to do a final coat on 12/27/08, and the carpet gets installed 12/29-12/31! An attic scuttle hole will be added so we have attic access and a dryer vent will be added sometime between now and when we take possession, too. The electrician will be returning to install the vanity lights in the bathrooms, so we will be purchasing them this week. I didn't mention countertops and trim... Well, that's because they're DONE! Jeremy sent me a picture from his phone yesterday of the countertops in the kitchen and I was jealous that I didn't get to see the finished kitchen counters with him. He said they finished the trim work yesterday, too. WooHoo! It's all coming together and it just looks SO nice!

The closets have nothing in them yet, but Jeremy did say that the gentleman who does the closet shelving will call to set up and appointment with me to go over what I want in the closets. I'm not too concerned- I have an idea already, so it should be a short and sweet appointment! We'll see- I'm hoping he calls today or tomorrow. I'd LIKE to get up there before Friday, but we'll see how it goes.

Well, that's it. No pictures for this entry. We'll be taking my mom and dad to see the house this weekend since they're coming in for Christmas (YAY!!!), so I'll get some pictures then. Until then, stay tuned- don't forget to check back early next week to see the newest pictures!!

Little Details...

2008-12-13T18:17:00.000-08:00

We went up to the homesite earlier this week and were excited to see that the hardwood flooring had been installed in the entry and study. It hadn't been stained yet, but it was all installed! The trim work was about one third finished at that point, too. A few of the interior doors had been hung as well, but it just looked like a LOT was left to do. Jeremy and his best friend Chuck took Michael today and delivered the stove to the house, so they got to see what else had been accomplished this week. I was anxious to see it, myself, so when Megan woke up from her nap, we took off to meet them up there (all this after spending the day running errands!). I was expecting to see countertops, but I also had a feeling that they most likely wouldn't be there. That second feeling was the correct one. The trim work is nearly complete, but until it is the countertops won't be installed. Maybe this coming week? We'll see. At any rate, the hardwood flooring has been stained- and boy does it look NICE!!! The treads for the stairs down to the basement have also been done and they look great, too! It's amazing what the little details like trim work and doorknobs will do for a home! Here are a few pictures from our trip to see the house today:

A view of the kitchen from the dining area. The door leading into the study has been put up! In the lower left of the picture is an item wrapped in white plastic- it's the stove. We've been asked to leave the appliances in the dining area until the builders are ready to move them to their rightful "homes" in the kitchen.

This view is of the living room with the trim around the window and sliding door to the back patio. I was under the impression the stone work around the fireplace would be done this week, but obviously that didn't happen. Not sure if I heard Jeremy wrong or he meant that it would take place this coming week. Again... we'll see!

Here is a view of the closet doors in Megan's bedroom. I'm simply amazed at the elegant simplicity in the finished look of the doors here! The trim around the window and door leading out of her room is also finished. The only trim left to put up in the bedrooms is the trim along the floor.

This is a view of the pantry doors from the kitchen. I couldn't even fit the doors in the picture completely due to the door frame! I'm looking forward to using this pantry- it's nice and wide and has great lighting, so I should be able to keep it organized and stocked.

Ah- the study floor!! Doesn't this just look great?!?! I am SO impressed with how wonderful the flooring looks here! Not only that, but when you look at the flooring from the living room (since the carpet isn't installed yet), you can see just how thick the flooring is! We asked the builder to have the flooring stained a bit darker than the cabinets so it wouldn't blend together too much. I love the way it turned out- it's just dark enough to be offset from the cabinets and our furniture, yet light enough to blend in perfectly with the rest of the house!

Well, it seems to me that there is still a LOT to be done- and I wonder if we really will move when they say we can, but we'll see. This is just some of the stuff that needs to be finished:
- trim work
- stone work around the fireplace
- mantle put up over the fireplace
- electricians need to finish wall plates and lights in the bathrooms in addition to any other electrical connections that haven't been completed yet.
- plumbers need to install the sinks, toilets, and faucets
- hot water heater needs to be installed
- carpet needs to be installed
- attic scuttle hole needs to be cut and ladder installed
- dryer vent needs to be cut in laundry room
- countertops need to be installed
- appliances put in their "homes" in the kitchen
- Geothermal system powered ON
- hand rails installed along stairs to basement
- painters return to do a final coat of paint
- general clean-up in and around the house

I know there is probably more that needs to happen, but that's all I can think of right now. Jeremy says it won't take all that long since they tend to be quick with their work- and darn good at it, too- but it just seems like a lot to me and makes me wonder if we REALLY will be moving when we were told and not a week or two later. Well, the only thing I can say is- I'll check back at the end of this week and we'll see how much more gets accomplished toward getting the house completed. So until we get more pictures and an update... sit tight... but don't forget to check back!!

Cabinets!

2008-12-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

We now have cabinets!! Earlier this week we headed up to the house because we needed to bring something up for the electrician and when we walked in I noticed a cabinet in the half bathroom. We saw the truck outside but didn't realize it was the cabinet crew- we thought it was the gentleman doing the trim. Boy were we wrong! We looked in every room and were simply amazed at the craftsmanship of all the cabinets! Countertops and crown molding for the tops of the cabinets will be finished this coming week, but what we've already seen is amazing! The trim and doors have been delivered to site and should be going up this coming week, too! The stone work around the fireplace will be done this week and the painters will return to do a final coat once that is all done. The appliances will arrive next weekend (and one on 12/24) and then the carpet gets installed roughly a week before we move in- it won't be long now! Jeremy went up to get some things and got some pictures yesterday, so here they are:

Here are the built-ins in the study. This should be a great starting point for us to put all of our books out... (I HOPE!!)

This view is looking into the kitchen from the edge of the living/dining room. As you can tell, the countertops are not there, but they will be this coming Friday! I LOVE the woodwork!

Jeremy took this picture to show that the lower cabinets have slide-outs- that sure will make it easier when it comes to getting pots and pans out for cooking dinner!

This view is where the microwave and stove will go. The microwave hood will be delivered this weekend, and the refrigerator will, too. We just have to find the time to get the stove up there since it is currently in our shed... hopefully we can get that up there this weekend, too!

This view of the kitchen is from the doorway into the study. You can see where the sink will go and where the dishwasher will be. The dishwasher should be delivered right before Christmas, so we'll have to get that hooked up- but no biggie there. I'm just looking forward to seeing the kitchen completed!

Here is the other view of the kitchen from the doorway to the study. This is simply cabinets and a counter- I know I'll use the space!!

This is the master bathroom. There will be a sink on each side- it's just going to be double the cleaning duty here...

A view of the front covering the tub in the master bathroom. I can't wait to see this part finished, either!

These are the finished cabinets in the laundry room. This is double the space I currently have... I just wonder if the extra space will stay empty or if we'll actually find something to put up there?

Jeremy got this great picture of the trim stacked up in Megan's bedroom. And this is only about HALF of the trim for the house! The other half is in the living room, but this picture came out looking much "cooler" in my opinion.

Here are the doors for the house. They are currently stacked up vertically against a wall in Michael's bedroom. There are other doors against other walls in the house, but this was a pretty cool picture, too.

Last, but not least, I had to include this picture. I have wanted to get a picture of the back of the house for some time now, but it's been WAY too muddy out there. It happened to be snowing and the yard was pretty frozen, so Jeremy turned on all the lights (not that it's easy to tell) and went out back and got this picture. It just makes the house look so big! Honestly, it's not all that big- it's just the basement that makes it look so huge. The only thing missing from this picture are the lights that go outside the basement doors. Those still need to be installed, but they will be soon. There are still a few finishing touches that need to be done with outlets and such, so those will be done within the next couple of weeks.

I'm not sure when I'll be heading back up to the homesite, but I'm anxious to see what progress is made over the course of this week. Hopefully I can get out there this weekend, but we'll see. Just keep checking back for more updates!

Painted Walls

2008-11-25T10:51:00.000-08:00

Last week proved to be a busy one at the homesite. Jeremy did some work and met the two men who did the priming and painting in the main rooms of the house. He said by the time he left the day he was there they looked like ghosts because there was so much primer covering them! But he also said that they told him they were staying until midnight if need be so they could finish the painting! Our builder allows three colors in the home specs, so I did my very best to choose three colors that I thought would be able to go in bathrooms, halls, closets, and then the main areas like the living room and the kitchen-AND coordinate with the carpet, tile, and entryway's hardwood. As it turned out, all three colors I chose were from the same color family, so they blend well together and transition beautifully into the dining area and kitchen from the living room- and they look great with the carpet and tile we chose! If I wanted the builder to go ahead and paint the bedrooms I could have, but we would have had to pay an additional $150 per color over the three in our allowance! Since I wasn't sure what colors I wanted in the bedrooms (at the time), I asked if they could just prime the rooms and I would paint them when the time came. That was not a problem, so I just had to find the right colors for the master bedroom, the guest room, and the kids' bedrooms. Michael chose a VERY light shade of blue called "First Frost"- he actually calls it "Frozen Blue-" isn't that cute?!? Megan actually has pink curtains in her room that will also be hung in her new room, and she kept telling me "purpo" and "pi-" (purple and pink) when I would ask her what color she wanted her room to be. I ended up helping her out and settling on a light shade of purple called "Little Lilac." The next decision was much harder! I had to choose colors for the master bedroom and the guest bedroom- and I knew I wanted to paint one wall one color and the other three a different color, but I didn't know which ones... I ended up settling on shades of blue, and I went with the same color scheme in both the master and guest bedrooms. Here's the kicker... Jeremy had knee surgery last week AND we got a phone call from the builder saying that the floor crew would be in on Monday (11/24) to start laying the tile in the areas with tile. Wow- that meant that I HAD to get four rooms painted over three days- BY MYSELF. Well, luckily my sister had a day off work and offered to help me paint, so we were able to get Megan's room painted and Michael's room started on Friday. Saturday I worked by myself and I finished Michael's room and got the darker shade of blue painted on the one wall in the master and the one wall in the guest bedrooms. Sunday I had to miss church so I could finish the painting, and my sister came and helped me again. We finished painting the guest bedroom and were able to finish one coat of paint in the master bedroom, but it needed a second coat and we ran out of light for the day. We couldn't turn on any lights because none have been put in yet, so we literally were at the mercy of the daylight each day we painted. Now by this time I have put in three days of painting and I STILL have one more coat to do- PLUS touch ups... So, Monday morning I head back up in hopes of arriving before the flooring crew so I can finish the last coat and do my touch-ups. Turns out that I was the only one there! I finished the job and left- utterly exhausted and GLAD that it was done- but not before taking a few pictures. I'm not sure the colors really show up properly, but you'll get the basic idea. It was cloudy and rainy outside so the only light I had to really show the colors on the walls was the flash in the camera. Here are the pictures:

This is the master bedroom, looking from the doorway toward the corner to the right of the large window. I like the colors better in person than in pictures!

This picture is from the entryway of the kitchen facing the dining room and living room. Again it's hard to see the colors, but the living room is "Latte" and the dining room is "Kilim Beige."

Here is another view of the living room. It's a better representation of the color in there, but I still like it better in person!!

Here's Megan's room. It's hard to tell, but her room is a light shade of purple. It'll go well with her pink curtains and bedding that she has already!

This is a view of the guest room. I painted this the same shades as the master bedroom, with one wall being the darker blue and the remaining walls being the lighter shade. As my sister described it, it's "Smurf Blue" and "Baby Blue." Thanks, Michelle...

Here's a picture of Michael's room. It looks white in this picture... but it's really a VERY light shade of blue. I guess you just have to see it in person!

This picture was taken in the study right in front of the window. Here you get a decent view of the kitchen and dining room (on the right) and the living room- but you can't really see the colors- and the color in this room looks lighter in the picture than it really is!

Well, that's it for paint. The next addition should be flooring and possibly the stone work around the fireplace! After that will be cabinets and trim. Not sure when the doors will be put in, but they're coming soon! Until next time... Happy Thanksgiving- and don't forget to check back in a week or so!!

Textured Ceilings, Railings, and Front Porch Posts

2008-11-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday we went up to the house and we brought Michael's friend Matthew with us. Michael wanted to show him where his room is- and all the other rooms in the house, too. I hadn't been there in nearly a week myself, so I wanted to see the progress as well. When we arrived we were surprised to see two cars parked out front- the "sheetrock guys" were there working! It was extremely muddy on Saturday since it was raining, so there was no venturing outside to get a picture of the back of the house like I wanted to now that the siding is all finished. That's okay- I'll get that picture once the final grade has been completed around the house and it'll really look finished! I was surprised to see the gutters all installed, the front porch pillars put in, the back patio railings installed, and the sheetrock guys working on texturing the ceilings in the living room (I STILL don't understand why it's called a great room by builders...). The kids were really interested in watching the texturing process- it was cute to watch them watching the guys at work! Here are some of the pictures I got on Saturday while we were there:

Here are the pillars to the front porch. It won't seem like such a long drop once the final grade has been done and the steps going up the porch are put into place!

I took this picture looking out the master bathroom window. All that dirt pushed around is from where the geothermal loops were put into the ground. YAY for geothermal heating and cooling!

Here's a picture of Megan and Matthew watching the men work on texturing the ceiling in the living room. We asked the kids to make sure they stayed well out of the way- and they did a great job listening to us!

Here is our back patio- DONE. I wouldn't let the kids go out there before the railings were put up- now it's done! Jeremy is at the other end of the patio (in front of one of the master bedroom windows) getting video of the house.

This is a picture of the geothermal unit in the basement. It's not completely hooked up yet, but it will be once the drywall dust and painting are complete- don't want to risk getting any dust or particles into the system!

Here's a view from outside the basement door. You would be looking to your right as you walk out the door for this view.

Here's another view from outside the basement door. This one, obviously, is looking to the left.

I just HAD to take this picture. It's the garage ceiling. It's not easy to see, but it's TEXTURED like inside the house!! In all my life I have never seen a textured ceiling in a garage, but I guess it's par for the course with our builder! I am seriously impressed with their work and who they get to do certain jobs on site! And here is the final picture for this trip... I know- it's only a downspout and gutter shot from the side of the garage, but it was the first time I got to see the gutters and downspouts on the house! I didn't even realize they had been put up when we arrived! It wasn't until we were out on the back patio that I realized the gutters were there!

Well, that's about it for this update. The builder had the painting crew come out yesterday and start priming the walls for paint. Jeremy was there, too, working on wiring and putting up the speaker grills so they can be painted the same shade(s) as the walls/ceilings. He told me that when he left they were nearly finished priming and they told him that they were going to start painting and work until midnight! At the rate they were going they might have finished the painting that they had to do!! I'll be heading out this weekend so I can paint the bedrooms- I wanted to do that, so now my part of the "sweat equity" gets to kick in! The floors will start going in soon, too- Friday is what I think I recall Jeremy saying to me. Jeremy also said that he was able to talk to the plumbers again and the water is just about ready to be connected, too! Wow- it seems like all of a sudden things are really picking up! We'll be moving before we know it at this rate! So, be sure to check back- we'll have more updates later this week!

WALLS!!! We have walls!

2008-11-07T16:51:00.001-08:00

Yes, I'm excited... it's been a whole week and we now have WALLS inside the house! It's really looking more and more like a house that will be ready to live in soon! When we arrived this afternoon we saw two cars in front of the house and we were pleasantly surprised to see two workers there taping along the drywall lines in the master bedroom and bathroom. Plus we saw a nice surprise in the garage when we got there... you'll see that in the pictures below. Jeremy brought it to my attention while we were there that the geothermal loops were put in, too. I was so busy walking through our house- looking at the walls- that I didn't think to look outside- and I couldn't tell when we drove in that any digging had been done. But, looking out the laundry room and bathroom windows I could tell. The loops had been put in and the system brought into the basement. Now it just needs to be all hooked together and turned on!

Here are some pictures from today's trip:

Look! There are garage doors in the garage now!! THAT was a nice surprise when we arrived!

This is a picture of Megan's room. She wasn't real thrilled when we walked in there- she had just woken up from a nap on the way up there- but the rest of us were!

Here's a view of the kids' bathroom. Since there is no light in there, I couldn't even see anything until I looked at the picture once it was taken with the flash!!

Here's a view of the entry way and the entrance into the study. I like it because it's nice and open- not narrow and hard to get through- and it lead right into the living room.

I took this picture standing right behind the front door. You can see into the study and kitchen looking toward your 1:00 position, and you can see the dining room bay window just up from that... cool!

Here's another view from the front door- looking directly into the living room. The light on the scaffolding was a lot brighter when I was looking through the camera- but I'm glad it only showed up the way it did because you wouldn't have been able to really see the living room otherwise. I love the fact that you can see the outdoors so clearly even from the front door!

Here's another view of the living room. This one was taken from the dining room area. There is a built-in shelf area on the left, near the scaffolding, that will be a nice area to display some pictures and store some finished scrapbooking albums!

Here is a view of the master bathroom shower. Now that the walls are up the bathroom doesn't seem to dauntingly big anymore! LOL- it's just right! The master bedroom closet, on the other hand, seems bigger!

I took this picture of the master bedroom from the bathroom doorway. As you can see, there is still no window on that one side. I am hoping it arrives this coming week along with the railing for the back patio and the pillars for the front porch. Then they can be installed and the siding can be completed on the back of the house. That would wrap up the outside work on the house, too! Then all the work will be inside! If things go as we were told, we could be moving by mid-January 2009! Guess we'll see! So, until next week, take care- and don't forget to check back next week!

Drywall, Electricity, and the elusive Geothermal System

2008-11-03T16:36:00.000-08:00

Last week was supposed to be a week of stellar progress at the homesite. It was in a way, but not nearly like I thought it would be. Jeremy wrapped up the low voltage wiring and got it all put into the control box (as I'm calling it) in the basement, the electric company came out and got the electricity hooked up to the house, and the drywall was delivered. Insulation was put in the house, and the man who is putting in all of our trim work came out and measured for that this past week, too. Still... the biggest job (that I see right now) is still not done. The loops for the geothermal system were supposed to be dug last week, and every time Jeremy called about it he got the same story. Okay- the system still eludes us, but HOPEFULLY it will be put in THIS week!!! Since we're not going back to the homesite until Friday of this week, we're all hoping for some nice surprises when we arrive. We went to the homesite on Saturday to see how much drywall was hung, and when we walked in Jeremy was really disappointed. At first we couldn't see anything hung- but that's because we didn't look above our heads! Measuring and cutting drywall to put up for the ceiling must be harder than measuring and hanging for the walls, so all that was done last week were difficult little spaces like closets, pantries, and bathroom areas. Hey- at least that much got done! I didn't take any pictures of the outside since it really doesn't look any different than the past couple of times we have been there. Here are the pictures I got of the inside:

This is the garage. Looks totally different insulated, huh?

Here's one shot of one piece of drywall that was put up in the master bathroom. It just happens to be in the area where the toilet will be... hence the fan cut-out- LOL!!

Drywall in the dining room. It's going to look SO different once it's put on the walls!

Here's the fireplace all insulated and ready to be finished. Even THIS space looks different with insulation in it- don't ya think?

There you have it... the gist of what was accomplished last week. I am HOPING that this week will see more completions- such as the pillars on the front porch, the railing on the back porch, the remaining two windows installed, the siding finished along the side where the windows need to be installed, the geothermal system loops dug and connected, and drywall put up in at least three rooms completely. I know that sounds like a lot (and it is, really), but I will be elated if that happens this week! Guess we'll have to wait until Friday to find out! So, until then, sit tight- and be sure to check back over the weekend to see what gets posted!

WooHoo!! We have a front door!

2008-10-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

I know- silly thing to get excited about, right? Well, I was excited to see it when we went to the homesite yesterday. Jeremy assured me I would be very pleased with the progress since last week, and he was right. I got out of the car, walked back a little bit and got a picture of the front of the house- and there is a nice front door on it now! The excavating company that was hired for the septic system was working on the sand mound (and should have finished it yesterday, too), and the plumbers were there when we arrived, but the builders weren't there when we got there. That's okay, though, because I was able to take pictures! Here are just a few of the ones I got:

Here's the picture of the front of the house. As you can see, the front door is there now!! Not only that, but the siding is DONE in the front! Yipee!

Michael and Megan are posing on their bathtub for this picture. Megan was saying "EEEEEEEESE" and Michael looked away... Go figure! Anyway, when they put the tub in, they had to remove two of the studs on the right side (which is Megan's closet). Michael was VERY observant and made a comment about how two boards were missing. One of the plumbers on site said, "He doesn't miss a thing, does he?" Yeah... the answer to that is NOPE!!

Here's another one of the M&M's- sitting on the fireplace here. I think maybe I'll use this one for Christmas cards this year.... HA!

This is the master bathroom tub. Yes, it's a whirlpool tub. Jeremy really likes them- and I'll admit I can't wait to try it out myself- especially after all the hard work of moving when we DO get settled!! LOL!

Here's the master bathroom shower. Again, Michael was being overly observant and noticed that there is a seat in the shower... He wondered why at first, but then logically stated it's so we can sit down in the shower- kind of like he does in the bathtub! I can't argue with that- it makes perfect sense... right?

Here's a picture of the stairs to the basement all framed out. This picture was taken from the study. You can even see one of the stairs in the picture.

This picture was taken from one end of the basement, looking toward the other end. You can see the stairs and all the wires that have been dropped down into the basement. I admit it does look big, but it does run the full length of the house...

Michael was so proud to be able to stand in the front door and get his picture taken! After I took this picture he and Megan took turns opening and closing the door and running in and out of the foyer. Do you think they're a bit excited?

Well, I dont' know when I'll get up to the site next, but Jeremy will be up there this weekend to finish the details on the low voltage wiring he's done- he needs to get it all situated in the basement. Now that the stairs are in for the basement Michael knows for sure that there will be no fireman pole for him to slide down to get down there. We told him that for a few weeks and he didn't know whether or not to believe us! It was funny- but when he saw the stairs he was pretty relieved and grateful for them! Hopefully when Jeremy goes there this weekend he'll see that the well has been dug and they've started on the geothermal loops- but we'll see. Those need to be done SOON since it's getting colder and next week the weather isn't going to cooperate as well as it has been. I'll be saying a few prayers for these things to happen! AND- next week the builders insulate and hang drywall! Before we know it there will be actual walls in the house! I'm looking forward to that! So... until the next post- take care!

The siding is nearly done!

2008-10-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

Well, another week of work, and another trip to the homesite! It wasn't the first trip this week, but it was the first where we actually remembered our cameras! Each time we go see the house I am amazed at what has been done. It may seem a little slow-going to some, but there really is a LOT of work that goes in to building a house that I never even realized before! So, with that being said, here are some pictures from this week, in no particular order:

WooHoo! The fireplace is framed out! The wires hanging down from the fireplace are for an outlet that will be placed into the mantel once that is put in.

Here is the frame for the master bathroom tub. There is a nice ledge on one end of it since the tub is actually shorter than the designated space for it- but that doesn't bother me at all, especially since it'll be a nice place to put a couple of candles or something like that!

Yep- that's me with Michael and Megan in the window to what will be Megan's room. Jeremy and I are just so pleased with the work that is being done. They should have the siding done by the end of this coming week if the weather holds! WOW!

And here is a picture of the kids and I looking up into the house from the garage. We're actually standing in front of the laundry room, and Jeremy was standing in the master bedroom closet to take the picture. Before we know it we won't be able to take pictures like this anymore because the drywall will be going in!

Jeremy took this picture from the back patio. Isn't that a beautiful view? I can't wait to see deer come running across our yard on a regular basis!

This is the view I always take when we arrive. It's hard to see unless you zoom in, but the siding is nearly finished on the front of the house now! Pretty soon the front door will be going in and the porch railings will be done, too!

I got this picture because in it you can see that the siding on the back of the house is just about finished, and you can even see the fireplace at the top of the photo. Now that the basement floor has been poured, they should be installing the last window and the door for the basement soon.

Ah- a basement view. The plumber (who also does heating and cooling) has installed the system that will heat and cool the house. We are using a geothermal system, and when Michael saw that the unit was in he asked what it was. Then he came running to me yelling, "Mommy, the geoformal is in now!" I can't argue with his logic... Now they need to dig and put the loops in for the geothermal system to be complete. Hopefully next week- it's getting close and the digging needs to before it gets too cold.

Well, that's it for this post (picture wise). I'm not entirely sure of the next chain of events for home construction completion, but I do know that the septic system and well will be dug this week, and hopefully the geothermal is dug and put in as well. The siding should be finished this week, and I'm assuming that the back patio decking will be fixed soon, too. Jeremy, the plumber, and the electrician have to put the finishing touches on wiring and plumbing rough-ins, the walls will be insulated, and then drywall goes up. What's next after that? Not sure, but I am certainly excited to find out! So, until our next visit... stay tuned!

More Updates, but no pictures this time

2008-10-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

Well, we headed back out to the homesite today to meet with the electrician and the company that is going to dig our well and our septic system. The Health Department "head honcho" met us out there, too, to give approval so that the digging for those can begin next week. So, it comes down to getting these items (and the geothermal system!) put into place before all the cold weather begins to set in! We know that the well and septic system digging will take place next week, but the geothermal system digging was SUPPOSED to happen today, and there was no digging happening while we were there. Maybe it was because it had rained or maybe we misunderstood and it's next week, but it needs to happen SOON!

As far as the actual house construction, we did notice that there was a minor mistake made. Well, actually two. The first one is no biggie, and it actually doesn't bother us in the least, but the second one will be fixed to meet the specifications set forth in the contract. The window in our bathroom was supposed to be glass block, but turned out to be a regular window- this one is no biggie... I can cover that with a shade if I choose. Our back patio decking is to be made from composite decking, and when we saw it on Tuesday we saw that the decking was in, but it most certainly was NOT composite material. It is pressure treated pine and so Jeremy called the builder about that one. They'll fix it- the foreman for our build called Jeremy the next day to apologize and let us know that it will be fixed as soon as possible. So far that is the only glitch with the building process. This doesn't mean it isn't stressful, but it just means that everyone in this process is human and things happen. At least it was noticed and can be taken care of NOW!

While Jeremy was talking to the electrician today I took the kiddos for a nice little walk around the back of the house to see if the chimney that they started on Monday/Tuesday had been completed. It had! It's sided in the blue siding like the house and looks very nice on top of the Atlantic Blue shingled roof. The side of the house with our laundry room, master bathroom and master bedroom has been completely sided, and the area around the large window in the master bedroom (that shows from the back of the house) has also been sided. All the concrete that had to be poured inside the house is done- and MAN does it look good! Jeremy and I are just amazed with the quality of the work! The entire basement, back patio at the walk-out, front porch, and garage have all been poured and are able to be walked on, too! We were told that the drywall will start going up on the 27th, so that means the remaining windows that need to go in will be installed soon- and maybe even the front door, too! The rest of the siding should be completed over the next week, too, I imagine. After taking the kids for a walk around the house, we ventured inside to see if anything new had been done since Tuesday. Looking around I saw that the fireplace has been framed out so that it can be finished, the master bathroom's bathtub has also been framed and is ready for the tub to go in, the plumbing has been roughed in, the electrical lines have been roughed in, and the cans for the can lighting were going up while we were there- along with any of the other fixtures that need to be put up before the drywall goes up. I measured the windows in all the bedrooms so that I can decide if I am going to make curtains or just purchase room-darkening shades (not right away if I do!). I didn't realize how large the windows are- but I'm glad because we'll have lots of natural lighting, and it won't be glaring light since the house sits basically in a north/south orientation. I also noticed that the holes had been cut in the flooring for the vents. :) It's all coming together! We're taking a quick drive out on Saturday to check out the house (once again!) and mow the yard where the septic system will be installed. Since Jeremy and I BOTH forgot our cameras today, we'll be bringing them on Saturday to get some more pictures.

Jeremy is going out there on Sunday to run all the low voltage wiring since it needs to be done before the walls are insulated and covered in drywall. Hopefully we hear from the plumbing company as to whether or not they know when the geothermal system will go in and whether or not they will get the bathtubs and the shower installed in the bathrooms soon, too. We'll also hopefully find out when the back patio decking will be changed for the composite decking that it's supposed to be. The last time Jeremy talked to the foreman for our build he said that they were doing such a great job and asked if we might be in by Christmas. The foreman said that they are actually a week behind where they wanted to be (we can't tell!!) and it won't be until January that we'll be able to take possession. That's okay with me, actually. It'll give us something else to look forward to once Christmas is over.

Well, that's about it for now. Yes, we'll post more pictures after our visit on Saturday. Feel free to leave us comments about what you read here- this is truly exciting for us and we love sharing the process with you! Until the next post... take care!

And the Siding Begins!

2008-10-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

We took a little drive to see the progress of the house on Saturday and to mark where Jeremy would run the computer wiring. When we got to the house we were amazed to see that siding is beginning to be put up on the house now! Here are a few of the pictures we got on Saturday- in no particular order:

SEE!! There are the first few strips of siding under the garage window!!

Just another view of the front of the house so you can see the siding.

Here you can see the garage is trimmed out and looking at the front porch you can see that some work has been done there, too!

This picture was taken from one of the windows in the living room or dining room. Michael took one look at this and said it looked like the cross where Jesus died. I had to get a picture of it when he said that- I'll put it in his scrapbook, too.

This picture is of the kids standing on the front patio looking into the study.

Here's another view of the back of the house...

Here's Jeremy and Michael standing on a dirt pile (Funk Mountain, according to Michael) showing off their muscles!

Well, more work next week... let's see what it holds in store!!

The windows are going in!!

2008-10-08T16:51:00.001-07:00

Well, today started off rainy and cool, but the weather didn't dampen our spirits since we knew we were going to our homesite today to meet with the cabinet maker and electrician. When we got to the homesite we were amazed at what was going on... the windows and french doors for the back patio had been delivered and were waiting installation, workers on site were cutting wood and moving about, and the cabinet maker was waiting for us. We went over where things will be in the kitchen, what kinds of cabinets will be in there, the finish on the edges, and what size refrigerator we will need. Then we discussed the cabinets in the bathrooms, the bookshelves in the study, and the built-in shelf in the living room. Once that was all taken care of, we spoke with the electrician. Let me insert here how chainsaws and circular saws were running at the same time... it made it SO hard to hear! But, on the same token, it was all for a good reason! By the time we were done discussing outlets, lights, and where all these wonderful components would be placed the window in the study had been installed! We didn't take any pictures then since there were so many workers present and they all happen to be Amish, but we ended up going back later on after running into to town to talk to the plumbing company about the digging that is supposed to happen soon. Boy... it's really coming together! Here are a few of the pictures taken this afternoon:

A view of the front of the house. You can see the windows that have been installed in the three front rooms from this view!

Here's a view of the kids standing in front of the window in what will be Megan's room.

Another picture of the kids in front of a window... these just happen to be in the dining room.

Believe it or not, this window is in the master bedroom! It seems so HUGE!! There is another window in the room- to the right side of the picture (not shown, though), but that one is much smaller in comparison.

Here we have electrical boxes that have been put in!! Now to get it all roughed in completely...

Jeremy was happy to wave in front of the window in the study.

This view is looking toward the french doors that will lead to the back patio. From this view it looks like you can just walk right outside and be on the ground, but it's actually a whole story UP off the ground. This set of doors and the remaining windows may be installed by this weekend!

Here is a view of the back of the house (again). I know it looks big, but Jeremy and I have come to the conclusion it looks that way because the basement is exposed. Honestly, the house isn't terribly huge! Before we know it the siding will be on the house and the inside of the house will be worked on a LOT more! It still amazes us that a drawing of a house on paper can be turned into what you see in these pictures!

Well, that's it for today... We'll be heading back up to the homesite this weekend most likely, so there will probably be more pictures to share then. Until then, enjoy the rest of the week!

There's a Roof Overhead!!!

2008-10-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

This week has definitely been a week of progress! My last post was all about the trusses going up, and now I'm sharing about the nearly completed roof! We took a friend out to see the house on Wednesday and the roof was decked and ready for shingles, but it was too dark to take any pictures because we got out there a bit too late, so we figured "No biggie... Pam will come back on Friday and get some then." You can just see the house from the road IF you know where to look as you are driving up, so I looked and was practically doing a happy dance in the driver's seat tonight as we approached the driveway and drove up it to the house. The roof is nearly done!! I am simply amazed at how much progress has been made so far and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens once the roof is done. Here are some pictures from tonight's visit:

This is the picture I always get as I get out of the car when we arrive. I'm seriously impressed!!!

I had to get another picture of the front of the house... See those two boxy looking things on the ground? Those just happen to be the master bathroom shower stall and the kids' bathroom tub/shower!! What the wood is in front of it... I'm not sure!

This view is just a picture that I got with all this wood piled inside the house in what will be the study. I don't know what it's for, but I'm not a builder... so I'm guessing it's inside in case it rains this weekend!

This picture was taken from what will be one of the windows in the master bedroom. It looks right into the dining room if you are looking that direction. The kids were with my sister, so I snapped a picture of them! Great picture, huh?

I had to get a picture of the roll of insulation in what will be the master bedroom. I'm not sure when that starts getting put in, but I'm sure it's soon!!

I took this picture from the master bedroom. It's a view of what will be the living room. Can you tell we'll have a "small" cathedral ceiling in that room? I really like this view for some reason.

I took this picture while standing in front of the dining room windows. This view is looking directly into what will be the kitchen. All the wood in the back is actually in what will be the study- and it sticks right out the window in there! Megan saw the camera and decided to spread her arms out and yell "EEEEESE!" so she could be in the picture. She's just as excited as her mommy, daddy, and big brother about all of this!

Here's a picture of the back of the house... it really looks huge... but it's not THAT big- inside it's just right for us- not too big, not too small...

This view is the side of the house where you can come out from the garage. There are still two windows and the remaining part of the door from the garage that need to be cut out so windows and a door can be put in. You can also see part of the roof that hasn't been shingled yet. This part of the roof is all that is in need of completion.

I'm not totally sure what this wood is for, but I THINK it may be for the front porch. It's pressure treated lumber and posts, so that's why I think it's the front porch. The back porch is composite decking, so that can't be it... not sure, but we'll see soon!

So, that's it for the pictures from tonight. I really have NO idea what the next step is once the roof is complete, but the plumbing company has their sign out in front of the property, so I'm guessing that the digging for all of that stuff will be soon, if not next or in conjunction with something else on the inside? Guess we'll have to wait until next week to see! So, check back next week and see what else has been done!

Trusses are Going Up!

2008-09-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

So Jeremy gets a call from his friend who lives literally down the road from our new homesite and he tells Jeremy that all the walls are up and they'll be doing the trusses soon. Don't you know that prompted him to want to make an immediate trip out to the homesite to see? Obviously we went, or I wouldn't be posting this now. And I have to admit, when we drove up and saw the workers putting up the trusses it was just a *tad* bit exciting!! We got to see that cherry picker in action, too! They used it to pick up the last truss and get it up to the house and in place- talk about amazing to watch! All the workers there are Amish, so I didn't get any pictures until they had left for the day- I just didn't feel comfortable taking pictures when I know they don't like being in photographs. Jeremy asked if it was okay as long as we didn't get their faces in any of the pictures and they were fine with that- so Jeremy took all the pictures that are being posted here today (and they aren't in any particular order...).

This picture is inside the house- actually looking into the master bedroom. Jeremy didn't remember that the window in our room was going to be so large! And there is a beautiful view of the back yard from it, too!

This picture is one looking into the study (I believe). It's one of the front rooms facing the driveway coming in, and the view from that window will be nice, too!

Here's a view from the back of the house. At this point the end truss on the left side of the picture hadn't been put into place yet. The house sure looks a lot larger now than it did when it was staked out on the ground!!

Jeremy got a few pictures of me with the kids when we were on site yesterday. This one is in front of the house. Megan didn't want to be in it, so she turned her face away!

This view is from the front of the house. You can see the porch at the very front of the house in this one, too!

It doesn't look like it right now, but this picture is of me and the kids in what will be the kids' bathroom- in the tub, to be exact! The kids were thrilled to "stand in the tub" with mommy while daddy took a picture- too funny!

Here's a picture taken from the hallway entrance looking out into the living room and dining room. The fireplace is on the left side and next to that are the french doors that will open to the back porch. Next to that is the dining room.

Here's another view of the fireplace and french door area in the living room. There is a nice window on the left side of the fireplace, too. It'll be such a nice view to the back yard!

The kids are so fond of giving each other hugs when we are at the homesite, and Jeremy got this great picture of me with them- standing in what will be our living room- probably where our couch will sit in a few months. Aren't the little ones cute? We think so!!

This view is the dining room. We love the little "bump out" portion with the windows there- and just look at that view!!

WooHoo!! Here is the house as you approach it on the driveway!!

A view from the back of the house. It's definitely coming together now!

This view is along the side of the house, or what will be the back of the garage. That opening is part of the door that will lead out of the garage to the side of the house. The entire door opening hasn't been completely cut out yet.

Yes, this space is the fireplace. And yes, the kids are dancing in it. This will most likely be the ONLY time they are IN the fireplace... It'll be a lot smaller than that by the time it's finished, so I doubt they would even fit in there when the house is done!

I just love this view from inside the house. Jeremy took this picture while standing in what will be the kitchen looking toward the kids' bedrooms. The way the sun is shining in through the framing and trusses is glorious, isn't it? God is blessing this house for us!

Now, we were told the roof MIGHT be complete by this Friday, so we'll see when I head back up there with my sister to show her what has been done. As of yesterday when we left, the peak of the trusses along the main part of the house and the trusses above the garage need to be put up. Then they can deck it and proceed with getting the roof installed. After that I'm not sure what happens, but it'll be exciting to find out! So keep checking back... we'll keep you posted!

Let the Framing Begin!!

2008-09-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

We took a drive up to the homesite on Thursday of last week (9/25/08) to see what had been done since our last visit. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the house has started to take even more shape since the builders have begun framing it out! Here are a few of the MANY pictures we got while we were there:

Here's a view of the front of the house. The one wall that is up and covered in wrap is where the guest bedroom will be. To the right of that will be Megan's room.

Here's a view of the garage in the beginning stages of being framed. There's a nice big window in there that faces the driveway coming up to the house.

Here Jeremy got a great picture looking out the future window in the garage. Nice view, huh? We love it!

This view is looking into the house from the garage. In a few days all these frames will be up and there will even be a roof on the structure!

Jeremy got this picture from the very back corner of the house- in Michael's room- and you can see Megan and I standing in the garage area.

Here's a view from the back of the house. You can see the wall that is up on the left side of the house- that's Michael's room. To the left of that there is a small section of wall that is up and covered in wrap- that will be the fireplace in the living room.

Here's a basement view. I thought the floors would be poured before they started framing, but I apparently thought wrong! Oh well. I know they know what they're doing, so when the floors get poured, they get poured... But I like the way Jeremy got this picture of the steel support beams all in a row.

Here's another view of the basement from the outside. It looks a lot darker than it really is from this vantage point. I'd like to see that cherry picker that's in the picture in action one day!

I got this picture from inside the basement looking out what will be the walk-out doors and the two windows on either side of it. There are two more windows, but they are not able to be seen from this angle. It's really coming together!!

This is the last one from this batch that I thought I would share. I took this picture looking up from the basement into the house. I like the way you can just see a little bit of the framing on that exterior wall up there, and the ladder going up to the main part of the house. As Michael so profoundly pointed out while we were down there, "Soon there will be stairs going up and down here!" He's just as excited as his daddy and I are about this. It is SO neat to see this happening! We'll share some more pictures of the next visit very soon, so check back!

Still More Progress!

2008-09-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

There has been some progress in the past couple of weeks since our last post. Before the progress was seen, though, the area suffered a severe windstorm stemming from Hurricane Ike. There were 75 mph wind gusts and lots of trees came down. Thousands of people were without power- some for more than a week- but we were thanking God that nothing happened to the homesite other than a rotten tree falling over and needing to be cleaned up. A little work from Jeremy and his best friend Chuck and the tree is no longer a problem. And while they were there, a few pictures were taken to show what had been done since the last time we were there. Woo Hoo- isn't progress wonderful?!?!

More gravel has been brought in to help fill in the grade up to and around the house...

Another view of the gravel on the driveway in front of the house.

The gravel has been poured in to be level with the entrance to the garage. The floors will be poured soon!

Here's a view of the gravel that fills the space at the front of the house where the porch will be placed- you can see the basement brick has been tarred, too for further waterproofing.

And here is a view of the gravel that fills the drainage around the house near the walkout in the basement. More gravel was also put into the basement to help finish it out before the floor is poured. So there you have it! The next step involves putting in the steel support beams, pouring the floors, and then framing out the actual structure! We just got a call today telling us that they are starting that this week and the digging for the septic tanks will begin this week as well. I'm excited to see what has been done by the next time we go out there! Until then, take care!

Nothing New at the Homesite...

2008-09-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

Well, this week's trip proved to show nothing new at the homesite, but with the recent rain we've had and other jobs it's not really disappointing. They've been out, because we noticed that there are bright orange lines spray-painted on the block- maybe to mark where the dirt will be moved up to against the foundation?? Not sure, but we were told later in the day that the framing will start very soon! We got a couple of pictures while we were there, so here they are:

Jeremy decided to see how tall he could stretch against the basement block- he almost reaches the top!

Yep- my mom was actually there with us. Hi, Mom!!

Our update for the next week may actually be two weeks away- not sure yet, but it's possible. So, check back in a week or so and see what's new- we're excited to see it, too!

We have basement walls!!!

2008-09-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

WooHoo!! There are walls up for the basement! Jeremy made a trip out to the homesite last Thursday (9/4/08) to meet with the engineer from the electric company that services the area and planned on getting some pictures while he was there, but he couldn't because his camera batteries died. On Thursday the walls were nearly done, so he was just as excited as I was (after he told me about the progress) to see if they were done like they told him they probably would be. So, since there were no pictures on Thursday, we got some pictures of the finished basement walls when we went up as a family on Saturday (9/6/08). Talk about excited! At first I was a bit puzzled when I looked at the portion that will eventually become the walk-out as there is no brick there for the walls, but then I remembered being told that that particular wall is going to be finished like the other walls in the house, so that one won't be bricked. The brick that goes around the base of the garage and front of the house is also finished, so now the drainage gravel that goes around the grade of the house will be poured in, followed by basement floor and garage floor (I think!). We are going up again this Thursday to see more progress on our way up to meet with the plumber, builder and cabinet people and choose items for the interior. I'm beginning to get the sense that it REALLY isn't going to be long before it looks like a HOUSE and not just a set of walls coming up out of a hole in the ground... I can "see" more and more of it with each passing week! And just to share, here are a few more pictures that we got this past Saturday:

Here's a really good shot of a footer "at work"- as Jeremy explained to me. This is actually right where our garage and main part of the house meet.

This view is looking into the basement from outside. The open space with no wall is where the "stick" construction portion for the finished wall will be in the basement. It's like that because it will be a walk-out and will be more appealing both inside and out.

Here's another view of the basement. Looking more and more like the real thing, huh?

And another, closer view of the basement...

This view is from the side of the house looking toward what will be the garage (straight ahead). I am standing outside of the house next to where Megan's bedroom will be located.

This view is looking directly into the garage... Can you tell that it's going to house two cars???

It's hard to see, but off in the distance toward the trees, there is a deer. I was trying to get a picture of it- zooming in with my camera- and I missed. Jeremy got two pictures, but you REALLY have to look for that deer. It was staring straight at us- so beautiful! Deer in our back yard!!!

And yet another view into the basement. Pretty soon it won't look like this anymore!

So, there you have it. Another week of construction and progress! I tried to post this last night, but for some reason couldn't get the pictures to load, so it's a day late... but not a dollar short!!! Check back later this week for more updates!

Let the construction begin!

2008-09-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

Honestly, it's about time. We bought our acreage with full intentions of beginning the building process this March or April, but for many reasons that only God Himself knows, it didn't happen. That's okay, though. We were able to close on our construction loan and get the process rolling this past month, so we're now on our way to having our house built and early next year we'll be able to move in and call it HOME. We won't have to say "our property" or "our homesite" or "our future home" anymore.

The actual ground-breaking was supposed to take place August 18, but an unfortunate set of circumstances (that I won't go into) pushed it back to August 20. Jeremy was out of town that week, so when I drove up there the day after they started digging to see what had been done I was amazed. The kids and I took Jeremy up that weekend and the footers had been poured by then. We all went back up on Thursday (8/28) and the block for the basement walls was on site and gravel was in what will be the basement. Then it rained a little for a couple of days, so we weren't sure if anything else would be able to be done until after Labor Day. Much to our surprise, they have started putting up the basement walls! We couldn't resist the urge to drive up there this morning and check it out- even if nothing else had been done! So, here it is- Labor Day- and it's gorgeous outside and we were pleasantly surprised to see the beginnings of basement walls! Here are a few pictures of the progress so far:

This was the day the ground was staked out for the house. It's hard to see, but the stakes are there! I promise!

See, there really are stakes... these just happened to be left over from what was used to stake out the corners of the house.

And here we have a view of our car parked in our garage... well- it will be in a few moths!

Here is a view of the future garage... notice the indentions for the footers around it and below

Here is a view of where the basement will be. The "trenches" are for the footers- although Michael thought it was going to be a river!

Here's another view. Jeremy took this picture from the top of one of the piles of dirt surrounding the site.

This view is from the basement. It'll be a walk-out. Yes, that's me waaaaay up there and Megan is standing next to me.

Look! Footers are in!!

Here's another view of the footers- they're all in the basement...

So here's another view of the block for the basement. Do you think there's enough? I'm not sure!!

Can you see 'em? There are walls going up!!! WooHoo!! It'll be looking like a house soon!

Another view. This one is from outside where the walk-out will be. You can see that there will be a window there. It's the first of four that will be in the basement.

This view is looking into the basement area. The boards lead right into where the doors will eventually be for our walk-out. Jeremy has a hard time visualizing it, but I can "see" it!

Hi Ant Barb and Unlce John!

Okay, so there you have it. I know this was a bit long, but at least it's now caught up... We'll post here when we put updates (i.e. more pictures!) on the construction process... most likely o a weekly basis. We hope you'll check back and join us on our journey to our new home! It'll be a thrill ride, that's for sure!