December 17, 2010: Winter Wonderland

Snow hit the area yesterday, so this morning we got to see the house in a different light:



Mailbox - check! Maybe it already has a few Christmas cards in it...



From the perfect sledding hill in the backyard:



We were there for our Pre-Settlement Demonstration with the Project Supervisor - he basically provided an introduction to the house. We now know all kinds of important things like where to turn off the water and gas, how to program the thermostat, who to call if we have any warranty issues, etc.

4 days till closing!

December 8, 2010: So Fresh and So Clean, Clean

The house is built, landscaped, & cleaned, and we're cleared for closing, so it's all systems go!



The kitchen with shiiiiiiny countertops (as far as we can tell, the only thing not finished in the house is the cabinet/drawer knobs):






Family room:

Basement (aka the Man Cave):

The view from the window in my CLOSET (yes, there's a window in what I've designated as the "hers" closet):

We move in two weeks from today... bring it on!

December 7, 2010: Stick a Fork in It...

... it's done!



Mr. S was up near the house today so swung through to check things out... and was rewarded with columns, shrubs, and trees! He inundated me with cell phone pics, so I'm posting a few...

(Never fear, the mini-van in the garage is not ours, it belongs to the cleaning service who was there wiping all the dirt and grime away - another sign that the house is ready for us!)

From the back:

The back yard:

Front yard:

We should get finished interior pics tomorrow... stay tuned!

December 1, 2010: The Grass is Always Greener...

... when it's freshly laid sod!!!



Wouldja look at that! What a difference! Not to mention the painted shutters and door, light fixtures by the garage... it's really coming together! The backyard also rolled out the green carpet:



We weren't sure about how the weather would affect the landscaping package - now that it's getting colder, we were afraid they would have to wait until spring to lay the sod, etc. But they got it in, and the monsoon we got last night surely helped it get started.

There are some new arrivals inside too - appliances!





And bathroom fixtures!







And a chandelier!

Carpet should be going in today or tomorrow... T-minus16 days!

November 25, 2010: B&E, with a Minor

After the Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot, we decided to stop by the house with my sister, her husband, and 2 1/2 year old daughter so they could check out our new 'hood. The house was looking lovely on the outside (it was nice to finally see the siding in the daylight):

But naturally, too many goodies tempted inside to be satisfied with peers through the window. Which is when Mr. S had the brilliant idea to see if the garage would open. Which it did. Which led to all of us breaking & entering into our own house, with a 2 1/2 year old in tow (hopefully this won't end up on K's permanent record).

There was lots to see - including the granite countertops! - so I'm glad we went in. But I was quickly reminded of why children and construction zones don't mix - K went running through the empty rooms as fast as her little feet (with too-big shoes) would take her, and several trips had her covered head-to-toe with dust and dirt by the time we left. She looked like she'd been to a war zone, not to her aunt and uncle's new house!

Can't wait for you to come over again to play, K... but we'll wait until the house is finished first!

November 23, 2010: ...and all the Trimmings

While we are really looking forward to our Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings with Mr. S's family later this week, today we got photos of a different kind of trim:

Railings!

And baseboards!

And mantle!!

Oh my!

Exciting as these details are, they were definitely overshadowed by the arrival of cabinets. (Dear, sweet cabinets! I can't wait to start filling all of you!)

And not to be forgotten - the tile:

And finally, we have a driveway. The supervisor wasn't sure if he'd be able to get it in before the asphalt plants close for the winter, so we'll be giving thanks for all manner of things - including driveways - this Thanksgiving.

November 19, 2010: I'm Floored!

This week's update:

The painters applied the first coat of paint and on Wednesday the trim carpenters installed the cabinets, doors, trim, etc. At the end of the week, the ceramic tile was mostly installed. Next week, the painters will be applying the second coat of paint and the hardwood and vinyl floors will be installed.

T-minus 4 weeks!

(RE: this post's title: As Gram's memory declines, she's surprised by almost everything. Her signature phrase of late - "I'm Floored!" - seemed an appropriate title for this week!)

November 16, 2010: Junk in the Trunk

Or, more accurately, in the garage:

Apparently this is the storage area for all the doors, trim, applicances, railings, etc etc etc. All to be installed this week.

Yep, just received a new batch of pics from the sales manager. It's nice to see things in the daylight - certainly different than inspecting drywall via flashlight.

Other new pics from this week... the morning room:

The family room:

The dining room:

The master bedroom:

The master bath:


And last, but certainly not least:

November 12, 2010: Flashlight Tag

On Friday night we drove up to see the house - we knew it would probably be the last time we could sneak around inside before they start locking it up at night. Although I left work early to give us plenty of time to get there, both the traffic and daylight savings time conspired against us, leaving us with this:



Yup. Pitch dark.

Mr. S had the brilliant idea to stop by the grocery store down the street, and we picked up two flashlights. So yes, we essentially roamed around the inside of a totally dark unfinished house with flashlights, hoping no one would see lights inside and call the cops or anything. And I have to say, it was kinda fun.

Inside, the drywall is all hung, and somewhat mudded - the big white tank outside is for the propane fire/heater thing that's in the basement drying the mud down there. I didn't take my camera inside, but wished I had for that one shot - the image we had peering down the stairs to this big fire machine roaring. It looked for all the world like the fires of hell had relocated to our basement.

This week the drywall will be finished up, and then begins all the fun interior stuff: doors, paint, trim, cabinets, and ceramic tile. T-minus 5 weeks, folks!

November 12, 2010: The Countdown Begins

The brick exterior finished up last week - we're loving all the details around the windows. The drywall should be going up as I type. (In related news, we asked the Construction Supervisor last week why "DANGER" is spray painted on our living room floor. Apparently no one had ever asked him that. It's because there's a rectangle cut out of the plywood there, that they'll remove to drop the drywall through for the basement. Fascinating.)

And against all construction-nightmare story odds, it appears that the house is going to be finished ON TIME, if not slightly before. Our final walk-through is December 17, and we just got our settlement date: December 21. I plan to draw Christmas trees on all the boxes, since that's as close as we'll get to holiday decorations this year.

We're heading up tonight to take a peek - can't wait to see what else has changed!