The Countdown Begins...

We got a call Thursday from the bank. They decided to start charging a fee for construction loan extensions. No problem, except I would have gotten the longer loan in the beginning since they said it was no big deal to extend it. I'll write more on the bank aspect of this project at a later date which might be helpful to a few of you who would like to general your own home someday. Now we have to close by May 15th, which means we have to have the appraisal done May 5th which means we have to be visably finished. It is going to be a busy few weeks but I think we'll make it.

Thursday, Eric went to the local home store to order the countertop. After some time he decided that even though they are the best price, there is no way it was going to be right. There's just to many angle and software limitations. We decided to get them fabricated and INSTALLED by a real countertop guy! We are getting wild now... Here is Elena mulling over countertop samples. She prefers them to her toys.

We had a hot date Friday night grouting. Eric got the shower and tub finished. Elena and I chilled out on the floor. Thankfully, Elena took a nap right when Eric needed me to help out.!

My mom is super relieved Eric got the 10 foot drop closed off on Thursday night. This weekend Trina's family came up to help out. Saturday, Eric, Loren, Kyle and Skip finished the railings, hung the remaining doors and framed out the support for the kneespace. Trina sanded and filled trim and also helped me paint more trim. Sara and Caden took care of Elena at the house for Nanny.
Eric just has caps to put on the newels.
On Sunday, Trina continued filling and sanding. Loren and Eric worked inside. Kyle and I went out and started planting about half of the 150ish trees we ordered. They left around 2pm. Eric and I set the master bath vanities. (I needed a sun break.) Other than a bit of caulk and a light fixture the master bath is done. Sweet! Then we went out and Eric powered through the rest of the trees. This picture is along the back of the property line. All the little green spots are trees...

State of the Union

As I drove home tonight at 9pm in snow flurries, I got to thinking...'Man, I'm tired.' April 27th, 2007, we spent our first day digging. Eric has spent most of the last 350 days since, getting up, working his normal job, then traveling to the house to work until 9ish. On the weekends, he gets up and heads out to the house to work and gets home usually after 7pm. My schedule due to the whole pregnancy and cute little baby thing hasn't been quite so regular, but since I can count on my hands the amount of times I have slept through the night since December 2006, no less exhausting. The weather has also pitched in to keep this project as memorable as possible. We have had 101.3 inches of snow this season. It beats the most snowfall recorded in one season by over 25 inches. That is a lot of snow! Include with that the crazy amount of rain we got in August and all the rain this week and I think I'm precipitated out for awhile.

Upcoming on my list includes: painting all the balusters, 120-8 foot boards for the porch ceiling, more exterior trim pieces, more interior doors, then filling and sanding all the nail holes in the whole house, then cleaning up really good, then 2nd coating all the casing and baseboard, then I think I get to move in provided Eric's finished with his list...

He has staining the stair parts (He's doing that as I type this. Late night tonight!), finish installing cabinents, finish all the baseboard which is mostly the whole first floor. Finish the exterior siding, trim out the porch...(those 120 ceiling boards I have to paint), install metal porch roofing, caulk the entire exterior, finish exterior grading, finish driveway grading, put up 9 bullnose pieces in master shower and grout, hang 1st floor doors, install all countertops, forgotten item 1, forgotten item 2, and forgotten item 3.

So although it looks like we are close, there is still so much to do!

Question: Are interior door handles really necessary?

So as stressful as it can be when you build your own house (literally), have a baby and live in someone else's house, I think we are doing quite well (Eric would agree too if he was here). Only x many more months to go! =)

Here's hoping you have/had a good weekend and we have/had a progressive one!

Picture Pile-up

Here's what I've been up to! Making silly faces... Cousin Lucian came to visit. He showed me how to work some of the toys on my jumperoo! Exchange student Evelyn came back to visit! This guy is trying to make me a Brewers fan! The Easter Bunny came! I got a sweet Easter bonnet!While the wood floor was curing, we went to watch cousin Madelynn swim at the Midwest Regionals held at the home of the Golden Gophers at the University of Minnesota. I did not know gophers swim... Action shot of Madelynn starting in Lane 1. Madelynn (green cap, pink goggles and short suit) getting congrats from Coach Uncle Emil (White shirt and visor) after a race. Here's part of the group Cousin Elizabeth, Aunt Sandi, Cousin Anna, Cousin Madelynn, Mommy, Daddy and me!I'm ready! Where's the water?Until next time...