Sunday, April 27, 2014

{One Week Later...}

Since my new house is within a few miles from work, I go by almost every day.  I normally go extended periods of seeing the same thing day after day, but when I drove by last Tuesday afternoon - I was in for a BIG surprise...there was an actual house up!!  I didn't anticipate them to start framing until this week at the earliest so when I rounded the corner & saw boards up - I did a little happy dance. =) By 4 o'clock Tuesday afternoon - this is what I had:
They continued framing the rest of the week & as of today - I think it's finished.  Hopefully the roof & hardiplank will be up this week or next.  It's so fun to actually see a "real" house now with "rooms" & "walls".  My fingers are crossed that things will start moving fast now.  I cannot wait to move in!!

{Entrance will be a rock archway.}
{View from the hallway into the living room & kitchen.}
 
 
  
If you are ever in the neighborhood, stop by - I would love to give you a tour! =)


Tuesday, April 22, 2014

{Easter Weekend Recap}

If the past 4 months are any indication of how fast this year is going to go by - then I am fairly certain we are going to blink & it's going to be Christmas.  Which I am kinda ok with by the way.  You know my love for Christmas & since I couldn't put my tree up last year, mine very well may go up November 1st.   Or before.  And no I am not kidding. =)

I know, I know - one holiday at a time. 

I hope you all had a very Happy Easter!  I did & very much enjoyed my 3 day weekend. Friday I spent the entire day in Houston shopping by myself {definitely the way I prefer to shop}.  I didn't buy much {note my previous post about my room being completely full}, but it was fun to look!  Saturday night, my friends and I went to dinner & then decided last minute to grab a bottle of wine & head to my "house" to celebrate finally having a slab.  So, I guess you could say I hosted my first party at my new house. =)  I know things will change once there are 25+ houses on the street, but it was so peaceful out there.  It's kinda like country living in the city.  Fortunately I will have a tree line behind my house & not another house so it makes it really "cozy".  Hopefully this was just the first of many parties to come.
Sunday was church followed by lunch at Whataburger with my parents.  I know you are super jealous of my very exciting life.  ;)  I celebrated Easter with the family Sunday evening at my Mama's house.  We played our traditional game of baseball (it gets serious, let me tell you!), had a fish fry, played a game of pitch & finished off the evening with an Easter egg hunt.  My cousin Abby summed it up perfectly when she said "our family is pretty awesome".  I couldn't agree more.
 
  
I almost forgot...we actually finished off the evening killing this bad boy!  A copperhead was crossing the road at my aunt's house on the way home. See - way too many creepy, crawly things in the country!! =)





Friday, April 18, 2014

{Look What I Finally Have!!}

After about 2 weeks of NOTHING happening at my house, things finally started rolling again last week.  The final prep work for the foundation was completed and for once, something finally went as scheduled/planned!!  I had received word at the end of last week that my foundation would be poured bright & early Tuesday morning.  However, when the rain & 40 degree temps happened on Monday, I knew for sure there would be another delay. I sent a text to the builder Monday evening & he assured me everything was still on & we were still good to go!

I made a quick trip by there before work on Tuesday & sure enough - by 7:30 - the trucks were already there.  I waited til about 8:30 & then went back by and it was actually happening!  I couldn't get a very good picture of the actual pouring process because the street was blocked with concrete trucks, but seeing them there & seeing it FINALLY happening made me a very happy camper.  Add that to the fact that Tuesday was also April 15th & the end to {a majority} of my tax work & it was a VERY good day!!

Here are a few pictures:
 
 
  
 And this is where we are now.  I am sure it will be another week or two before framing begins & it actually starts to look like a house.  But, the process seems to be moving pretty quickly once framing begins so I am {kinda} starting to see a very faint light at the end of the tunnel.  =)
Happy Easter!!



Friday, April 4, 2014

{Long Time, No See...}

It's April.  How can that be?!?  And it's been almost 6 weeks since I blogged last...what can I say, I kinda suck at this.  But, in my defense - work this time of year is CRAZY busy for me.  My job involves tax stuff so right now, it's lots of 10 hour days & 6 day work weeks.  But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel...only a few more weeks! I think I can, I think I can...
And then there is the house.  Oh the house.  I am fairly certain it may be the death of me.  At the end of February, we decided that we would not keep the trees & so those came down a few weeks later.  It totally changed the look of the lot, but I think in the end - it was the right decision.  The idea of a tree falling on my house in a year or two wasn't too appealing.
After the trees were removed, there was an issue with the position of the house on the lot. Due to the angle of the lot & the position of the pre-poured driveway, I either had to have an angled house or a curvy driveway.  The angled house drove me crazy so we decided on a straight house & curvy driveway.  It will give it character, right??  Of course, all this meant more delays.  The construction crew was literally there that Monday morning waiting to get started while we decided what to do about the house.  Unfortunately they had to come back a few days later since plans had to be redone & everything reset.  But, by the end of the week, there was FINALLY a house starting to take shape.
  
Dirt was brought in & by the following week, the plumbing was roughed in.  And then the progress stopped.  Unfortunately it has been stuck at this step for almost 2 weeks.  When it's finished & I actually move in, I will love the fact that it's 3 minutes from work & on my way from work to the gym.  Right now?  Not so much because I drive by every single day & each day that nothing has happened, I get more & more frustrated.  This whole thing has definitely been a lesson in patience.  Next month will be 1 year since I sold my house & moved back home.  To say I am ready to have my own house again is an understatement. 
But, as frustrating has this whole process has been  & as many "issues" as there have been {and believe me - there have been plenty}, I know it will definitely be worth it in the end.  I can't wait to have walls to paint, rooms to decorate & a yard to work in.  Speaking of yards, if you have driven by the new subdivision & commented on the teeny tiny yards - no worries, mine isn't one of them.  It's hard to get a good picture of it, but space will definitely not be an issue for me.  Any volunteers to come help me landscape it or help build a pool?? =)
{That is the back of the framing of my house on the far left.  It goes from there to the treeline on the right.}

So, while I patiently wait for my house to be finished, what else is there to do but shop!  I need new stuff to put in that house, right??  But ask my mom & she would probably disagree.  I have acquired quite a large "stash" of stuff over the past year.  My room at their house is starting to look like a store.  I have stuff everywhere.  Pretty soon, the only space left will be a trail from the door to the bed & to the closet. =) Last weekend, some friends & I headed out to Warrenton {with all the other THOUSANDS of crazies}.  I didn't find anything I couldn't live without & what I did like, I couldn't afford.  But, it was still lots of fun & it was a gorgeous day.
{Seriously - what was up with the doll heads everywhere?? Kinda creepy!!}
 
I have also been embracing {and enjoying} my last few months of country living.  While it is pretty & peaceful, I am definitely ready for my city living again!  I have also found out who some of my neighbors are going to be & I am super excited because they are GREAT people.  Can you say awesome block parties?!? =)