I LOVE how it's all coming together!!!

I've been carrying around a hunk of granite, shards of tile, 8x10 cabinet samples, a block of black walnut, a hunk of hammered copper and sometimes a huge plank of hardwood!

The pieces are coming together and it is taking my breath away Every. Single. Time. I walk thru the kitchen. I love it all! It is so scary putting these pieces together, spending a lot of money and time, and not being 100% sure that it's going to be perfect, but it IS!

The last two days have been crazy here! For feeling like things were creeping along the 2 previous weeks, it's a whirlwind of activity now! Julian the Bulgarian tile guy is here working (is it weird that his WET tile saw is set up in Daph's new room?!). Our stairs have been ripped off and the new ones have started (2-3 saws set up on the back patio for this crew, and 3-4 guys working just on the stairs). The carpenter - Paul - is diligently working away on whatever he does (he micromanages a lot, and gets stuff done in between - he's a great guy, though!). Two guys had a saw out front for working on the entry. The electrician was here today, too! That is a house full!

So, here's how it looks today:

I LOVE every part of it!!! Yay!

On this 8th Birthday...

I don't have words for it all...
8 years ago on Monday (2/28/03) we put an offer on this house. Now we have an 8 year old, an almost 6 year old and a 2 year old and are nearing the end of a major remodel. I can't believe our kids are growing the way they are - bright, thoughtful, fun, pushy, argumentative, sassy - all of it wrapped up into their maturing selves. I can't stand it, and I love it, too.

It was a great day, full as always. The 5 of us went to the doughnut shop for Birthday doughnuts.  We took Wyatt a ham sandwich from Subway (his request), and his class celebrated his birthday with chocolate dipped rice krispy treats. When Matthew got home from work, we opened presents - Daphne was beside herself wanting to help! We went to The Dog for dinner (I think this is the 3rd year in a row with this as his choice for his b-day dinner) and then to Baskin Robbins for dessert (we'll have cake on Sat. with his buddies). Matthew had to leave from there to go coach. The kids and I came home, put Daph to bed and then Annabelle, Wyatt and I played a new game Wyatt got, called Creationary (imagine Pictionary except you build the picture with Legos! It's not as simple as it sounds!).

It was so much fun doing all things just for Wyatt. Everyone else has to suck it up and just know that this is the other's day. Wyatt went to bed with a smile on his face and I'm pretty sure had a great day.

I'm really trying to get away from the big bash birthday parties, so Saturday Wyatt is having 5 friends come over for about 4 hours to just play. They can play Wii, Legos, play outside, eat snacks, have pizza and sing Happy Birthday, and that's it! I'm hoping they enjoy just having time to hang out and enjoy each other. We'll see how it works out!

Happy Birthday Wyatt!!! We love you!!!

Other Happenings

In our spare time we've:

Been to Tahoe

Made Valentines (why oh why do I do this to myself?!)

Wyatt's

Annabelle's

Dressed up "70's Disco Style" for the mother/son dance

Took the kids on the first mystery ride in about 2 years (or more!) to The Exploratorium in SF

And, Tried to keep our sanity intact!

Love to you all!

chugga-chugga-chuggin' along!

Slow and steady here! Moulding up around windows, doors, closets, etc. Kinda like watching the grass grow. Moved the island 2 inches towards the great room (can I say I love our contractor?!), the candle wall is almost finished, painters are patching nail holes and other miscellaneous paint prep. The black walnut island top arrived today (LOVE it!), and the electrician stopped in to hook up my oven. But tomorrow, TOMORROW!!!! All countertops will be installed!!! Also, the hood people will be here to "antique" our custom hammered copper hood (somehow this didn't happen @ the factory). And Friday? The plumber will be here to install faucets in the kitchen (and maybe the bathrooms - I didn't ask about that!). And the carpenter will install the island top, too. If you are adding that all up, do you know what that means?! You have three guesses as to what I'm doing this weekend!!!

What's left?
Tile (to be started **crossing fingers** next week - the tile guy, Julian from Bulgaria, is ready. Let's hope the tile is, too!)
Paint (prep started, should be ready for color on Mon/Tues)
Cabinets under stairs
Pantry shelves
Closet shelves
Lighting
Floor (carpet and wood)
Cabinet & Door hardware
Exterior stone and paint (could be a couple of weeks...)

If my list is close to correct, it's not that much (a lot of that can be done simultaneously), and I think I have just the kitchen table chandelier and carpet left in terms of making choices. I think it'll be end of March, beginning of April before all the little details are finished, but a working kitchen is a working kitchen!!!

more of the candle wall 

I'm very happy with the cabinets!!!

I have BIG plans for those 6 burners!

Island with microwave drawer

Wyatt/Guest bath (black distressed cabinets)

Girls' bathroom (maple w/cherry finish - hard to get a good picture w/o electricity!)

Lotsa Progress...

January 6, 2011

Insulation!!!

January 8, 2011

Drywall Begins!

Kitchen/Great Room/Entry

Great Room to Family Room and Upstairs

Daphne's Bedroom (or back left bedroom)

Daphne's Closet

More of Daph's room

January 12, 2011

Mud and Taping done!!!

Great Room/Entry

Kitchen

More Great Room (that's the oven cabinet in that box!)

Annabelle's Room (or the first room on the left)

Girls' Bathroom (Jill & Jill Bathroom)

February 2, 2011

Texture Done

French Doors and Sidelights IN!!!

Scratch Coat on Candle Feature Wall Done

Lots of the Cabinets installed!!!

Candle Feature Wall

Cabinets To Be Installed...

Love, love LOVE these!!! 

French Doors + Sidelights

Kitchen Cabinets!

Farmhouse Sink!

Stove Cabinet

Message Center (office niche) & Oven Cabinets

Beverage Center (for lack of a better name - under the ladders...)

Island Cabinets

Girls' Bathroom

Wyatt's/Guest Bathroom (nice wallpaper behind the mirror!)

February 4, 2011

Guys working:

Granite Templater

Electrician

Finish Carpenters

= Happy Homeowner :)

Down to finish work...choosing lights, pulls/knobs, paint, etc. All bathroom cabinets are in and ready for counter tops. ALL countertops should be here/in in around 2 weeks! I could be naive, but I think that means the kitchen could be functional around then?!
Tile could take a while...ordering process has been slooow!
I think we're on the downhill stretch!