End of Summer

This morning it dawned on me that the Summer of 2010 is over.  For me it has been a different sort of summer.  Usually they are marked by places we vacation and trips to the lake.  This year the only trips taken were to Fairfax to work on "The House".  I do have more accomplishments this summer in the before and after photos.  Both Glenn and I even lost a few pounds, I guess we were too busy to eat.  Our before and after photos don't look any different though.

It has been fun watching the two sets of Lambs grow over the summer.  I faithfully look for them as I drive by the farm.  One set was born totally black and now there is just a little on their face.  Some of the eight Hummingbirds I have watched over the summer have left for their long flight to Mexico.  I still see five of them taking hits at the feeders.  It is nice not having to refill the feeders every day.  I was making eight cups of sugar water every other day to keep up with their eating.   There are still a lot of deer around but the fawns have lost their spots.

I enjoyed getting to know Maggie, an au pair from Austria.   She didn't just steal Kyle's hart but mine and Glenn's as well.  I miss her smile and contagious laugh.  We hope she can come back to the USA soon.  Lansen's girlfriend Elena spent a lot of time with us over the summer.  It was so fun getting to know her better.  I felt sad each time she needed to return home.  Having another female around was a special treat for me. 

Monday I go back to work so Summer is defiantly over.  There is still a list of projects left to do and I will chisel away a little at a time.  It is time to move on to Fall and see what this season has in store.  Cooler nights, breezy days, daylight savings (yuck), lots of yard work and best of all Football and Hockey to name a few.

Kick Off

This has nothing to do with "The House" so I know some of you won't be interested.  I will still keep you updated from time to time but for now some new material.  Any one that knows me knows I am a sports fan.  Yes, little ol'me.  I go for the more violent sports aka, hockey, football and MMA.   This comes from being a Mama to three sons and even a male black lab.  I call it survival!  The funny thing is I love sports even more than some of my sons.

Tonight is opening night for NFL which is a great moment since it means Hockey season is just around the corner.  I started out watching football and knowing hockey was another cool sport but didn't pay much attention to it until about two years ago.  Now football is ok but Hockey is the one I love. 

Our family has a Fantasy Football League the BLF.  This will be our forth year.  We play for fun but are pretty competition.   My team name this year is the Marsha Mellows.  This name should put fear into the other team owners.  I am acting as the League Manager since Glenn already has more jobs than time.  We did an automatic draft this year due to last minute timing.  There are several players on my team I have never heard of so I need to do some homework.  I do recognize Tom Brady though.  Glenn picked up Ben Rothensberger  who is suspended for at least 3 to 4 games.  Mom and other sports fans have been wondering why Bret Farve is still playing and not retiring while he can sill walk.  Well he ended up on her team.  My sister-in -law who lives in Denver and is a Broncos fan ended up with Jay Cutler (their ex QB).  So there were a few funny automatic picks but for the most part the teams should start out even.

Our teams are set for tonights game and an exciting weekend ahead.  Lets play some football!

The House update #1

It is time to up date you on progress made at "The House".  No, it isn't finished yet.  Glenn has continued to stop in after his real job and put in a few hours of work.  Last week he finished the upstairs bathroom.

Perfect shirt!  "Handy Dad INC"

Over the Laber Day weekend I helped Glenn hang the mirror, and cabinet in the downstairs bathroom.  So both bathrooms are finished! Yea!!!!!  I painted doors and more molding pieces.  Lansen cut the molding, Glenn brought his table saw over which made this job much easier.  Monday was very frustrating since most of the day was spent on cutting out the place for hinges on doors.  They were having all sorts of problems.  But there are door on Andres and Joshua's bedrooms and the downstairs bathroom so far.  Lansen patched the hole in the living room wall that was still open from electrical work.  Glenn re routed the vent for the clothes dryer.  It was just going into the crawl space which was a very bad idea. 

I cleaned and painted the railing and base boards for the stairs.  Mom stained the upstairs hallway.  This is the last of the wood floors.  It will need three coats of polyurethane before calling it finished.  

Tomorrow a new stove is being delivered.  Yes, the one Mom spent so many hours cleaning self distrusted.  :(  We haven't had much luck with keeping the original appliances.  Hopefully the washer and dryer will work for a while.

Andres moved in on Sunday so all three boys are living there now.  It isn't too bad as long as they avoid the back family room/construction zone.  There still needs to be mini blinds for the windows but at least the windows are high so no one can really see in.

Lansen is going to be able to put some of his job experience to good use since he just got a job working for Home Depot.  Maybe he did that so he could see his Dad once in a while.  LOL

Day Thirty three

Waiting on the furniture

New microwave

Ready for more dishes

Medicine cabinet

Mom and I did a lot of picking up and moving of tools and supply's to the family room and soon to be Lansens bedroom (when finished).  I hung the newly painted black and white medicine cabinet.   The bathroom is going to look sooooooo good, with the large black and white square design floor and other black and white accents.  Mom sprayed closets and rooms with bug spray.  Glenn got an early start and finished the ceiling in the orange room and put the finishing touches on the bathtub.  Andres stopped by and measured and cut the molding for the bathroom.  Lansen and Josh spent their day packing for their move.   Glenn was unable to get a U-Haul since all the rental places were closed today.  It makes prefect sense to be closed on Sundays, right?  He was able to borrowed a trailer from a friend.  Most of the larger furniture and the refrigerator fit.  The items left will fit in either Glenn's truck or the van.  You did notice I said "the refrigerator fit".  You faithful followers from the early days are probably wondering about the one in "the house" that Mom spent a lot of time cleaning.  After giving it some time we decided it wasn't getting cold enough.  Fortunately I had an extra fridge stored in our barn.   I will use the stored one at my house and give the boys the one we have been using.   The only problem is the one that has been stored doesn't have an automatic ice maker.  Glenn is not too happy to give that up but at least we don't need to by a new refrigerator.   Oh, when I was looking in the barn for things the boys could use in their new house, I think I found the correct feet for the sofa.  I will let you know later if they are or if we need to use the ones I took from the sofa destined for the dump. 

I hope the boys will find all these cleaning supplies

My blog post won't be as regular since we are mostly finished.  I will keep you up to date on our progress as it happens.  There will be an open house once "the house" is totally finished.  I will also work on a before and after photo album.  Thank you for your comments and encouragement through this process.  It has been fun writing the blog.  Who knows maybe I will keep posting but with a new theme. 

Construction Zone!

Day Thirty two

 This week has flown by and now it is Saturday-----WOW!  Mom and I leave for "the house" around 9am
but stop at Wal -Mart on the way.  There are only a few jobs for us to do today.  Most of what is left has to be done by Glenn and Lansen.  There are a few areas that will need paint at a later date but they are not ready yet.  I decide to finish painting the medicine cabinet and the floor molding.  Elena prepares the bedroom floors so Mom can put a third coat of polyurethane on.  After seeing the living room we decided a third coat was necessary.  Glenn painted the second coat on the ceiling in the upstairs bathroom.  Lansen and Elena measure the living room for floor molding then work together to cut it.  Glenn makes a trip to a rental store to get a special roller for installing the vinyl and a nail gun to make putting up the molding easier.  After we all leave Glenn works on the pluming for the bathtub. 

Lansen and Andres will start moving in tomorrow.  I feel like the home improvement shows the day before the family returns home.  There a several unfinished projects and tools and construction debris ever where.  The living room, bedrooms and dining area are finished except window blinds.  Tomorrow should be interesting.

Day Thirty one

I need a real job so I don't get tasked with being at "The House" by 8 am to meet the delivery man or set up man.  Today it was the FIOS Verizon man.  I love how they say you need to be available between 8am and 5pm.  You would think they could narrow it down just a little better.  He did arrive at 8:30 so getting there at 8 wasn't a total waste of time. 

I was up at 5:30 so I could clean at least one of our bathrooms and do a few loads of laundry before leaving at 7:00.  I haven't seen our Maid (that would be me) in several weeks and things are defiantly falling behind.   If we don't get the Fairfax house finished soon our house will need a total renovation. 

I finished the second coat of paint on the bathroom and cleaned the light fixture.  After looking over the medicine cabinet and still not being happy with how it looks I decided to paint it black and white.  The vinyl floor is black and white so it should look pretty nice when it is finished.  I also painted more floor molding.

Lansen was the only other worker today until Glenn got there after work.   They got the kitchen sink totally functioning.  Lansen attached most of the floor molding in Josh's room.  Glenn installed part of the shower wall in the upstairs bath.

The boys will start moving in tomorrow and Sunday since school starts on Monday.  I just wish we had another 2 or 3 weeks before they needed the house.  It will be a little harder to finish up once they move in.  Everyone is being a good sport and trying to stay positive.  Getting the internet and TV put a big smile on Lansen's face today.

First piece of furniture

Day Thirty

Front of house

Oh my, I can't remember what we did yesterday.  Glenn and I were there early, the mold man came to do a follow up inspection and it passed with flying colors.  Glenn stayed and put in a few hours before going to his real job.  He finished sanding the bathroom so I could get at least one coat of paint on the walls.  We need this finished before the sink and toilet can go back in place.   While he was sanding I put a second coat of paint on the hall closet. 

Bathroom with wall again

Floor molding and vent cover

Lansen and Mom arrived later in the morning.  Then Andres showed up early afternoon.  He and Lansen spent most of the day cutting the floor molding and placing it in the correct room.  They also put some cover plates on wall sockets and vents.   Mom sanded the living room floor and applied a second coat of polyurethane.  It has been very difficult to put the polyurethane on the living room floor.  You have to go through the room to get up stairs.  Some jobs require cutting things downstairs and hauling them upstairs.  The floor also has to dry a minimum of two hours.  Everyone had to take off their shoes and wipe off their feet to travel through the living room  to keep it clean before a coat of poly was applied. So after the second coat was good and dry we put sheets of plastic down so shoes could be worn.  There was great rejoicing!!!!!Glenn applied the third and final coat just before leaving for home.   What an ordeal but it is finished.  SIGH!!!!!! 

On the way home Mom and I stopped by Home Depot to pick out some vinyl floor for the bathroom.  We also got a new facet for the sink and some other odds and ends.   You will never guess who we saw there_____ well maybe you will_____ Glenn.  He had to stop by after his real job and before heading to "The House".