Siding/shutters

I was shocked when I pulled into the neighborhood today and saw the amazing transformation that our house has seen in only 24 hours! I expected the siding to be STARTED today, not fully completed! I could also hear plenty of banging going on inside the house.. I somehow kept away the urges to open the front door to check out the drywall progress.

I'm so happy with our color choices! We were so unsure what we were doing but I think it looks great! 

First Purchase...

We made our first purchase for the house today....three 10-foot 1 1/2 inch PVC pipes, 2 couplers, and 2 caps to make a conduit! Not exactly the home decor purchases that we would like to have bought but definitely something useful (and only $18). The conduit will run from basement to attic in case we want to install anything (cable, phone lines, surround sound) at a later date...just makes it easier to get the wires through the walls and into the various rooms.  Of course, this is totally against Ryan Homes rules and *our PM does not know about it* (wink wink).  Do not repeat what you read in this blog! :)

Our drywall has been delivered and they are ready to start the install tomorrow! Our siding is supposed to be started tomorrow as well. I think I will drive by after work and check it out!

(just one of many stacks sitting throughout the house)

In wedding news-the bridal shower location has been decided, now just need to finalize the date.  Gary and I, along with both of our moms, went to a cake tasting on Saturday and geez....there went my low-carb diet! I really do not even enjoy cake, and I couldn't care less about what kind of cake we have for the wedding...I just want to choose the way it looks! White cake-yellow cake-strawberry filling-rasberry filling-buttercream-chocolate mousse-red velvet-peanut butter-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah I just don't care.  I will eat my obligatory groom-fed slice and I will wash it down with some champagne, and that is all I care about.  So, my mom is now on cake-choosing duty.  Just one less thing I need to do!

Today we stopped into Best Buy to return something and we spent some time in the appliances section.  Picking those things is not going to be easy! I have read in a few blogs (can't remember which ones) that you can't get the front-loading washer/dryers WITH the pedestals if you have a second floor laundry.  Can someone explain that? I'm assuming it's because of the overflow basin but I guess I just don't exactly understand why.

Hope everyone had a great weekend---I know the only thing that gets me through Monday-Friday anymore is looking forward to seeing what's new with the house!

Pre-Drywall Meeting

We had our pre-drywall walkthrough this afternoon...they began putting the insulation in today also. The walkthrough was pretty interesting.  We did not have our own inspector, but we did have my dad and Gary's stepdad, who both are pretty knowledgeable and were able to ask good questions. My dad did notice that there was a small slit in between the morning room ceiling and the "rest of the house" where you could see the daylight...that is going to get patched up tomorrow morning.  The basement had been poured since we snuck in on Saturday, so it was really neat to go down there and see it.  Our garage is apparently a little bit behind schedule due to weather and drying out, but that's okay--I'd rather it be done well than done quickly. 

kitchen/morning room

basement

living room

Also we our getting a new project manager.  Our current one is switching areas with another guy who managed about 30 minutes away from us.  He was there also today for the walkthrough so we got to meet him and it was nice to have two different PMs there to ask questions.  The new guy seems pretty nice and very knowledgeable so I'm sure we won't have any problems with him.  

Anyone else who has the cherry bordeaux cabinets from timberlake------When we selected those, we were told that the knobs automatically had to come with the cabinets (extra $200).  Today, our PM suggested that we may not want to have the knobs actually installed...he said if they install them and then we decide to get hardware on our own, it would be difficult to replace them because of the holes that they drill.  He said we can leave them off for now and then see how they look without them or see if we want something else, they will install them at a later date (even after we close) if we decide we want them.  What does everyone think about this? I've only seen the cabinets/knobs in a sample version but I didn't think there was anything bad about the knobs...they seem sturdy and they're not unattractive.  As of right now they're keeping them off but I just want to see if anyone else has opinions? 

working on the inside of the house

I'm procrastinating right now, so what better time to write a new post? :) We haven't had too many new things happen with the house, at least on the outside.  On Saturday, my parents went by and there were no workers there and the door was unlocked, so of course they couldn't help themselves and they went in! Later that day, I went with Gary's mom and grandparents and did the same thing! I did take some pics but haven't uploaded them yet.  Everything looks so great! Gary was at home getting ready for work when we were doing that, and then when we tried to go on Sunday the doors were locked, so he hasn't gotten to see it yet.  Our PM called today and said that Guardian finished doing all of our prewiring today, and something about the plumbing or electrical passing inspection today too.  The rest of the inspections are supposed to happen tomorrow and Thursday.  We are tentatively having our pre-drywall walkthrough on Thursday afternoon!

Progress continues---on the house and on the wedding!

Gary went to take pictures yesterday since I had a busy afternoon. He walked around the back of the property so he could get a pic of the back of the house too.  Love it! 

We drove by today after work and our house pretty much looked the same (so no new pics), but the house directly across the street went from being foundation to having two stories.  Now our house won't be so lonely! We are one of the first lots being built on the "new phase" of our development, so there are houses behind us, which you can see in most of my pics, but there are none on either side of us.  I'm glad that we will have some neighbors right around the same time as we move in!

Finally got my other three bridesmaids to go to the bridal salon with me last night and get measured for their dresses.  Here is the dress that they will have: 

I really haven't talked too much about the wedding on here but now it's time to vent! After dinner tonight I was talking with my parents about a bunch of things...well, they were nagging and I was listening.  My mom keeps telling me all the things that I really need to get done...and I keep ignoring her due to being overwhelmed :) I really need to figure out my invitations.  And I need to talk to the guy who is supposed to sing at the church. And I need to talk to the reception hall to figure out if I like their linens or if I have to rent from somewhere.  And I need to make my fiance start looking at tuxes.  And I need to figure out the honeymoon.  And I need to do my "practice" favor to make sure I like the way it turns out--picture below that I found online---cookies in a jar.

We are having a big wedding, which of course complicates everything.  My parents and I were looking at the list tonight and there's really nobody that can be cut without severely hurting feelings and breaking relationships.  Ugh. So as we were looking at the list, my mom and I started coming up with a list for the bridal shower....and I have no idea what we are going to do. As it stands now, there are 85 women on the list, and that doesn't include some of Gary's mom's invites.  And that list is edited as much as it possibly can be....    I don't really want to have two showers, but that might have to happen..85 women just might be too much to handle.  Granted, I know not all of them will actually attend, but most are family/close friends/mom's close friends that I know will be there. 

I don't know what I would do without this blog to vent on! Sometimes it just feels great to get things out of my head and onto "paper"! Funny---that's what I tell my counseling kids to do with their feelings and I've only just begun to do it recently! Thank goodness for inservice day tomorrow---this girl needs a break!

Ok it's officially a house now..

Again the house changes daily! It was sooo muddy and rainy so I didn't walk around to the back at all but the front sure looked good!

Also, we are at 150 days until our wedding! This time 5 months from today we will officially be married :)

2nd level!

I wasn't sure if the crew was working today with it being a holiday, but I decided to drive over around 4:00 to see if anything was different.  And holy hell it was different!

view of the kitchen from the morning room door

view of the living room from the back window

stairs to the 2nd level!

Our PM was there getting ready to leave when I pulled up.  He assured me that the fireplace issue will be  fixed hopefully by tomorrow. He also said the eaves for the roof should be up tomorrow and the plumber will be out by the end of the week! 

Easy fix

I spoke to our PM this morning, he figured out that there was a coding error when our final paperwork got submitted.  Even though our paperwork said "side fireplace", the code was for a "rear fireplace".  They are immediately fixing it.  Thank goodness we live close and we were able to catch that before it got too far! He said it shouldn't delay anything, so I'm looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings!

Looking like a house!

This is what we found when we went to the house yesterday....

I was so surprised how much they got done in ONE day! Unfortunately, we may have hit a problem.  Right before we left, I went around to the back of the house and saw that it appears they are building the fireplace back there.  I am assuming that is what the hole and ledge is between the two window holes---

The fireplace is supposed to be on the side of the house, so we immediately called our PM to get things straightened out.  Unfortunately, his baby had to have surgery this week so he had been off work and we think he comes back on Monday.....hoping he calls and we can get things fixed before it's too late!

We have lumber!

We had a bit of snow this week and I was super busy at work so I didn't get to the lot as much as I wanted to, but I got to go today and found some surprises! 

bathtubs!

some of our lumber!

doors and windows!

Gary talked to our PM today and they will start framing tomorrow! By the end of next week I should be able to stop calling it "the lot" and start calling it "the house"!

Wedding Planning

My brain hurts.  I am so obsessed with wedding planning and house stuff that I haven't even watched any of my DVR'd shows for the past two days! I'm feeling anxious just sitting here in my bed thinking about all of the decisions that need to be made. All of the big things for the wedding have been planned for months (church, reception hall, limo, DJ, videographer, photographer, after-ceremony photography site, dress)....but now I'm starting to freak out about all the other, less time-sensitive things that need to be planned.  I have been to two bridal shows and I'm planning to go to another one on Sunday to hopefully get some ideas pinned down.  In the meantime I need to take a break from my laptop for the next few days so I don't keep myself up all night again looking things up! I absolutely hate the fact that I'm a perfectionist and an extreme planner....and I have a very difficult time making decisions.  Throw in the fact that I've gotten 7 confirmed new kids and 5 new possible referrals at work this week and that makes me one very stressed lady! Tomorrow is for sure going to be a wine night---I need to unwind!

On a positive note, we received an email today from our mortgage rep saying that we can lock in our rate.  Of course we have no idea what to do---do we wait and hope rates go back down, or do we lock it now before they raise? "Decisions" should be my middle name.

Quite a bit of snow came down today and I had to work later than normal so I didn't make it to the lot.  Nothing much should have changed anyway as they are just going to be waterproofing.  Our lumber is supposed to arrive a week from today!

Foundation pictures

We have a meeting with the priest this evening so Gary went to the lot by himself before he comes to my place--luckily his iphone takes some pretty good pictures! So excited to see how much progress has been made in only 2 days of foundation work! <3

More wedding and more house

Happy New Year! It has again been a very busy few days.  On Thursday, my mom and I had a morning meeting with my florist for the wedding, who is also my neighbor.  I really didn't realize I needed to make so many decisions regarding the flowers! My flowers, bridesmaids, moms, grandmas, groomsmen, centerpieces, cake table decorations, altar flowers...geez.  Plus we are likely going to order invitations through them also so I took home two huge sample books to look over.  Decisions decisions decisions! I just want someone to make these decisions for me....for the wedding as well as for decorating the house! After the meeting my mom dropped me off at Gary's and we eventually made it out to the lot.  Unfortunately it was a little bit dark by the time we got going but was able to get a few pictures of our footer.

Friday was New Years Eve, Saturday was the 2nd annual regifting party that I help cohost, and Sunday was a day of complete relaxation for me as I prepared to go back to work :(
Today was exhausting.....a lot of hyper children at school today and I could NOT sleep last night! As soon as school let out Gary and I headed out to the lot and watched the crew work on the foundation for a few minutes!

I plan to drive by after work every day (very very close to my work) to check out the progress! Things are happening so fast :)