Sunday, May 17, 2015

Home

It's hard to believe we're headed toward Memorial Day weekend - and the last time I updated the blog was February - oops! Well, we've been a little busy, and didn't have internet service until this week...

So, here's the update:

Since the last post, things actually seemed to come together pretty quickly. Ben's parents spent a lot of time here to help - THANK YOU! We couldn't have done it without them. I went back to work from maternity leave full time in February, so Ben's mom watched the kids while the guys finished the house.

As close as it seemed, there were still numerous construction/code items to wrap up in order to receive our (temporary) occupancy permit. For instance, hand rails, guard rails (no they're not the same), final mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inspections, etc. Alas, we were successful!
We went with cork flooring
 






Here's what it took:
+15,000 lbs of drywall
+900 lbs of mud
+54 gal of paint
+104 outlets/switches/lights
+1,400 sf flooring
+6 gal of urethane
+340 lf of door casing
+1 set of custom oak stairs (using lumber from the old Pavlis farm)
+18 "regular" stairs
+kitchen cabinets
+2 toilets, 4 sinks
+some other stuff... (money, sleep, etc...)

Not bad for two guys part time over three months!

Fridge on a ladder
When it was time to move appliances in, Paul and Ben used the ingenuity you'd expect...

The original Frigidaire made it back into the house, in almost the exact spot it came from!
We were able to move into the apartment space just in time for Elsie's 5th birthday! She was actually born on Easter Sunday, and since it was so close this year, we celebrated Easter and her birthday together again.
Elsie packed "only the essentials"
for the move:)

My mom brought a fabulous brunch, both sets of grandparents and Liz, Greg, Megan, and Mitchell were here. We had a wonderful celebration and relished being in our new home.
Nana Teahen decorated this fabulous cake






Grandparents watch Elsie try out her new knee pads!
Delicious Easter Bunny
Since then, we've been trying desperately to find some "free" time. Whether to relax (try to catch up on long lost sleep!?), catch up on regular maintenance items, continue unpacking, or to work on any of the long, long list of home and outdoor projects.
first campfire of the season!

Next on the list: a deck out the back door of the apartment and siding - both required for our final occupancy permit. At the same time, I'm eager to work on a pasture for my horse and some landscaping. I can see its shaping up to be a relaxing summer... ha!

So, lots more to come, but we're loving life here and glad to finally call it "home." Ya'll are welcome to visit anytime you're in the neighborhood:)



2 comments:

  1. It seems that everything is falling into place. Everything looks like they’re shaping up quite nicely. It’s great that they got this much finished during their part time. I can only imagine what they could do in a week, given the freedom to work full-time! Anyway, it seems that it’s only a matter of time before everything is done. Good luck, and I hope you guys have a wonderful day!

    Benny Daniel @ Finlay Brewer

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for your kind words. We are thrilled to share our story with other like-minded folks. Will look forward to sharing more as we continue the journey...

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