Week 7

Real quick before I head to work… here are some pictures.  I know my girls out there are dying for another update!  Am I right?!  :)

End of Week 6:

The flooring went in and I tell you what – It is the best part of the whole thing!  This picture does not do it justice!  The floor is killer!  It is not like a typical wood looking floor.  It has all kinds of gray tones in it and kind of rustic but classy.  And I got it for a little over a $1 a square foot!  And if you haven’t looked at flooring that is an amazing deal!!!  All the other floorings I liked were $6 to $7 a square foot!!  Crazy good deal!  It is also incredibly dusty in the house right now – and I’m not about to mop that floor until they are done so this picture (above) is showing a lot of dust on that floor too.

My light fixtures went in as well last week!  The first three are above the island.  The one way in the back on the right, is above where the dining room table will go.  I’m totally obsessed with these fixtures!  I spent lots of hours online searching for the perfect ones.  And I spotted these and there were pretty pricey – but my heart was sold.  So then I started searching everywhere and found them on Amazon for so much cheaper!

My sister-in-law can’t believe how much stuff I can buy online before ever seeing it, touching it, smelling it, etc.  But I’ve been a pretty savvy online shopper (since having kids and moving out of the city).  I bought all the appliances with never seeing or touching them – just looking at one picture online.  I bought the flooring from only a tiny sample.  These light fixtures I never saw in person just one picture online.  It has all worked perfectly so far! 

On Sunday we moved back into the house!  The carpenter told us to go ahead and we didn’t hesitate!  He still has flooring and trim and railings and this and that stuff to do – but the kitchen is in and functioning so I went in!

Monday morning I woke up and sat at the counter with my energy drink and looked out the windows at the sunrise.  It was so peaceful and relaxing.  I was feeling so very blessed by everything!

Here is Mallory this morning eating her first breakfast in the new kitchen! 

Yup that is a big saw in the background!  The are still laying flooring so it is needed!

Trying to wrap all this up by next week before we have company arriving.  I’ll try to update you but if I don’t you’ll know I’ll slammed with trying to get everything back into order!  : )

Week 6 Day 4

The island went in today.

When we were working on the plans for the kitchen she had islands but they just didn’t scream at me.  Then she did this one and said it is on the bigger side.  I loved it.  I was nervous about the size of it and it taking up too much room and interrupting the flow of traffic.  It is perfect!  I love the size.  Nice and big.  Doesn’t interrupt the flow.  I still have tons of living room and dining room space!

Yesterday the oven, dishwasher, faucet, garbage disposal, water was all installed.  Today the knobs & handles and cook top went in.

The camper’s holding tanks are just about full – we are trying so hard not to to fill them too full – so I did dishes in the new sink tonight!  And watched the kids play in the backyard while I did them!

Here is a behind the scenes… 

This is my laundry room where the electical box is.  Tons and tons of electrical wires!  There are mess after mess after mess in this house.  It is very much starting to grate on me (and Jesse).  I just want clean, crisp, functional, organized, scheduled, routine house again.  : )

Week 5 & Week 6

Alright – because of the requests for updates… I’m going out of order and showing you house pictures.  There has been other exciting things like Mallory turned 4!!!!  We have a summer visitor living with us!!!!  The kids and I took a trip to St. Louis!!!  But no!  Y’all are worried about the progress on the house.  And I’m sure some of you are not even reading this – you went and looked at the pictures first and to you I say… I would do the same thing!  : )

We’ll catch up on that other stuff later in the week – or in a few weeks.  Possible after the house is done.  : )  My blinders are on and I can’t get past getting my house back in shape.  And it is going to be a lot of work on my part real soon to move us back in and get everything back in shape & clean!  Oh clean! 

Week 5:

Walls mudded, textured, primed and ceilings painted!

It took a real long time (longer time then scheduled/planned) to mud and texture the walls.  It was so rainy that it wasn’t drying.  Fans and heaters were doing the best they could.  We had disconnected our furnace – so we couldn’t keep the house warm for them. 

The end of week 5 the painter came – but I had been in St. Louis so I don’t have pictures of that.  Also the end of Week 5 – our AC Unit was put in and all the heaters were put in (by Jesse’s brother) and Jesse installed 3 speakers. 

Week 6:

Cabinets are starting to be installed today!!!! 

The island is not in the right spot.  They have it laid out in the right shape – but not in the right spot. 

After work tonight I ran into the house to check it all out and I just spun in circles and stood and gazed for literally 20 minutes.  I opened every single door and stood where my cooking range goes and wiggled around to see if I had enough space.  Stood at the sink and looked out the window.  I just can not wait!  Absence makes the heart grow fonder… and I tell you what!  That saying isn’t just for your loved one – it goes for your kitchen/house!  : )

The Good Days

This morning me and kids are eating breakfast in the camper.

Kids are eating a waffle with syrup.

Mallory: Mom, remember when you use to put that black peanut butter (Nutella) on my waffle?

Me: Yes.  I don’t have any.  I need to go to the store and get some.

Mallory:  Those were the good days.

Seriously!!  She says that!

Sometimes I wonder… do I talk like that?  Does she get that stuff from me? 

Max has been on a kick of yelling “No kidding!” and slapping his leg when he sees something shocking or we tell him something.  I wondered where he ever picked that up from.  Then!  I heard Jesse say it!  Except Jesse didn’t give a leg slap with it.  The leg slap is a Maxwell touch. 

Our neighbors have left to go see their kids & grand kids out in California.  Before they left they asked us to stay in their house while they were gone.  We haven’t stayed there – but we do use their house to cook meals and today I took them over there because it is RAINNING and wanted them to burn off some energy and play toys over there.  They have a back bedroom that literally looks like a toy store.

Mallory found the barbies and horses.  Max found the animals and barn.  I found the puzzles.  Kept us entertained until lunch/nap time.

Very thankful to have such awesome neighbors that they give us their house!!

Week 4

Yes!  That is right!  We have entered Week 4 on our project!  I was also told we have 3 more weeks!!  However, we are on the downhill of this project.  The deconstruction is done and now we are in construction mode!!  Lets put this house back together folks!!!

Week 3 ended with the delivery of the drywall.  It was pretty fascinating watching them do this.

They bring it on a big truck.  Run the claw with a remote control and bring it right over to the front steps.

Monday the drywall went up and I had rooms again!!

(Left to Right) Bathroom, Stairwell, Kitchen, Dining Room

The house looks/appears so big now!

They also started mudding all the walls and getting ready to put the knock-down texture on it.  However, it is RAINING still which is slowing down the drying/curing process.  I think they have 3 heaters and about 4 fans going in the house right now trying to move the drying process along.

Looking at that last picture totally makes me so giddy to see the end result!!  I feel like I am going to burst with excitement over this!!

This may be the last set of pictures for awhile, because nothing is really changing at the moment while they mud & texture.  Plus, the kids and I are leaving next week for 5 days… I can’t decide if I want Jesse to send me pictures of what is happening or just come home and get the wow emotions!!!  Such a hard decision!!  Because I think while I am gone – paint will go on the walls, stair railings will go in and the start of cupboard installation will happen!!  I think I’ll need pictures!!!  : ) 

Storm Chasers

After I wrote my last blog entry… well actually before I wrote it… I sent a text to my parents begging them to let me (and the kids) come stay with them for the weekend. 

 

They didn’t respond!

 

So then I sent another text… I’ll cook you supper!!! 

 

Instant response!  : )  They like food! 

 

Jesse worked until 2am Thursday night with the electrician.  So he decided he needed a break and was coming with us too.  Plus it was suppose to rain all weekend – and I was not about spend another rainy day in the camper. 

 

Jesse got home from work Friday afternoon we loaded up and headed out!  Huge storm on the horizon headed to our house.  We hurried to get out of it and we made it.  To only get to my parents and watch it roll in at their house. 

 

I whipped this supper up and it did not disappoint.  I want to drink the marinade for that chicken with a straw – it smells so good!!

 

After supper we all went for a rzr ride.

 

This next picture is so funny to me.  Jesse is on his phone checking the radar to see if we will make it on ride without the storm getting us.  My Dad stocking the rzr with cold beer.  My Mom and the kids looking at pictures on her phone.

 

The boys!  Max is helping Jesse drive.

 

This storm that followed us all the way to my parents house.

Really windy in the rzr!!  Mallory looking back to see how Maggie is doing.

 

Grandma & Mallory!

 

Another view of the storm.

 

We drove out to the woods and the kids found the hidden toys instantly.

 

We couldn’t even drive around the woods – it was way too wet!

Water everywhere!! 

I thought Camp Tick-Quito was bad! This was terrible! The mosquitos here acted like they hadn’t seen fresh blood in years! Attack mode instantly! We couldn’t stop moving! I was begging to leave because Mallory and I were getting attacked something fierce. I think we stayed 6 minutes and we were outta there!

Got home just in time for the storm to hit real fast and then be over.  We still got to have a campfire and some delicious margaritas! 

The next day (Saturday) Jesse went to work on some equipment with his Dad & brother and the kids and I stayed at my parents.  My Mom put me to work making a sign.

Here it is all done!  I think it is now the inspiration piece for the *new* bathroom upstairs. 

When we got back home on Sunday – the kids fell right back into my routine and are now sleeping great in the camper.  It has been a much better week so far.  Still raining.  And cold.