Countdown!

Beginning to look like a real house, huh? We'll be getting our shutters pretty soon - maybe this week! The front door still needs paint, but you can see how the main and trim paints work together. We chose Sherwin-Williams "Distance" and "Snowbound."

Wood Hollow (they are out of Dalton) installed our cabinets yesterday. Seeing my kitchen come together is so much fun! James was crying and hiding his face in my shoulder while I took this picture; it seems he has a very healthy fear of table saws . . .

Here's Virginia Ann modeling with our cabinets in the Master Bath. We chose to raise the cabinets to true counter height and I'm really happy with that decision. Not only does it look good, it is a more practical height for adult use. The kids' bath has the same look, but the counter is at the standard height for bathrooms.

Blue Paint!

The kids and I drove out to the site in hopes of finding cabinets today, but instead found painters! Not only did these guys make quick work of the job, they seem to have been very neat and precise around the trim. We can't wait to see how all the colors come together!

A Smile in the Sky!

I couldn't resist sharing this with everyone. Yesterday I took the kids to visit the site, and as we were leaving we saw this beautiful phenomenon! I understand that this upside-down rainbow occurs in the cooler months as a result of light hitting ice crystals in the air. Regardless of the science behind it, we enjoyed seeing a rainbow smile in the sky!

Drywall, Cabinets, and Countertops with a Side of Guilt

I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry - and a little bit extra sorry - for failing to update this blog in so long! Stephen has been begging me to add pictures, if not text. My bad, people, my bad.

So, here's the update:

We had some real frustration with the water authority several weeks ago. Builder Brian called me to let me know that - despite my multiple phone calls and messages - no one had bothered to set our water meter. As this should have, could have, been done prior to framing, (and considering that I'd spoken with the appropriate human more than once) I had been functioning under the assumption that the water authority people were waiting for Builder Brian's special okie-dokie. Wrong! My next phone call actually got through to that human, and he of course politely denied ever having heard from me. I restrained myself.

A few days later, I got a phone call from a gentleman who seemed to be in authority over this original fellow. In a voice that combined the best of Rhett Butler and James Earl Jones, this gentleman apologized profusely for what was undoubtedly a problem on his side of this issue. And just as kindly, he informed me that either of our two options for placement of the meter would cost us roughly another thousand dollars. I thanked him. And then he thanked me for being the nicest lady ever. If only he knew what I was thinking . . .

Just before the new year (we were traveling back home from our visit with Stephen's family), Builder Brian called to say that they would be hanging drywall soon! And, sure enough, we have a great deal of drywall installed as I write this entry. Of course, we are thankful for the warmer weather (in the 40s this week after last week's 20s and 30s) as we've learned that drywall mud will indeed freeze, making it impossible to work with. Builder Brian assured us that the workers would bring portable heaters in the house to speed things along, but the heaters can't make up for temperatures well below freezing.

The next phone call was the one we'd been waiting for. Builder Brian informed us that our cabinets are built! Yes, I'm excited because I can't wait to see my kitchen come together. However, the real excitement is this: once the cabinets are installed (directly after the dry wall / mud), the time line to C/O (certificate of occupancy) is about 30 to 45 days! Thanks, Builder Brian, for understanding (or at least not laughing!) when I teared up on you . . .

We viewed our granite slab yesterday and it is really lovely! The granite folks plan to install on January 20th. If everything continues according to schedule, it looks like we'll be moving somewhere in early March! I am once again struck that even in the midst of so much uncertainty and craziness in the nation, God blesses us and reminds us to trust in Him.

We're not done yet!