I didn't expect...

I went to soak in the bath after baking all day for the 4th of july party on friday. I heard Mike sawing downstairs but didn't expect to find a huge hole cut into the laundry room floor. This afternoon we cleaned out the laundry room of boxes and clean laundry. I knew Mike had to replace the floor and 1 beem but i didn't think he would start on it right after dinner. It's almost 11pm and he is in there hammering the beems in place. He said since he knows what he is doing now it shouldn't take to long. He is planning on having to done sometime tomorrow.

The counter tops & under cabinet lights...

Are done! Mike and Brandon grouted the counters this morning. Then Mike installed the under counter lights. I will get pictures later after the kids do the dishes and clean them off. The look really nice.

Today the other set of counter tops....

These are taking a bit longer to get in because Mike had to level and screw the cabinets to the wall and floor. Then install the dishwasher permanently. Yeah! it won't fall over when you take both racks out. He cut the ply wood and screwed it to the cabinets and made sure the sink will fit. Next comes a layer of thinset, then the cement board then the marble tiles...Yeah!!

Finally getting counter tops!!

I know everything will get done but finally getting counter tops is wonderful. They will be dark almost black marble.

I am painting the girls closet with 4 color stripes. It will be Isabelle's play room when i'm done. That way she can set up all the barbie/bratz houses and not have to put them away everytime. I will get pictures when i'm done.

Off to do more painting. Kathie

Check out the new balcony

After Mike got all the structural sound the younger kids wanted to help with the balcony. Mike tongue and grooved the flooring himself. Then Brandon helped prime the undersides of the boards. Brandon also helped drill the holes and nail the boards in place after Mike hammer then together. Then they put the rails across the front and attached the balusters. Brandon drilled the holes, Isabelle handed daddy the balusters and the nails. I didn't get any pictures of them priming the railing today. Mike decided to take off the siding in the front. It covers the wood siding underneath. I was pulling staples and nails out of the window frame while Mike was removing the siding. A little cleaning and a fresh coat of paint and the wood siding will be beautiful. I'm exhausted, think I'm going to bed. Kathie

Ask a man to do something

And this is what i get. I asked Mike to check a 5 gallon bucket of pink paint and he flips it upside down to shake it without checking the lip. This is the mess. We scooped up most of it and when it dries i will be scraping it . Woohoo! go me!

The work continues...

The work must go on even though it has been in the upper 90's and the heat index over 110. Mike is still working on the porch and balcony. He is wiring the new lights and fans for outside. We decided to get the kids a small pool that they could play in. I didn't get pictures but Marissa & Patrick were in it too. Brandon & Isabelle spent most of the afternoon in it. I forgot to put sun screen on them and they both got burned. Put some apple cidar vinegar on it and they were fine. I have been sewing curtains for some of the other rooms. Today i am working on the ones that will go in our closet. Plus i have been scrapping the layers of paint from the stairs. That's a fun job. TTYL Kat

It's coming.....

That's what we say when people ask how's it coming. The pictures are the front porch in progress. Mike is done with the beems and is ready to replace the deck boards on top. He is also wiring the porch for new lights and ceiling fans.
The last picture is all the dogs in the wagon this morning when Mike was walking them. He had used the wagon for moving things and i need it out back to carry the clean ,wet laundry out to the line.
Tomorrow is the last day of school already. Tonight we have a honors banquet for Brandon. He has been on the Principal's list 2 times and honor roll the other 4. After Thursday we will have a senior, sophomore, 5 th and 2 nd grader. Wow can you believe Marissa graduates next year.

Cont. the front porch

Mike started removing the flooring on the balcony since he removed all the ceiling from the porch. (in the area that needs replaced) The first picture is upstairs looking down. And the second is downstairs looking up. It's nice and sunny but it's too darn hot already. It started yesterday in the upper 90's and humid. Supposed to last til middle of next week. Yuck! I am sewing curtains for the 2 rooms i just finished. Almost done with the first set then on to the next. I will try and get pictures when i'm done. TTYL Kathie

It's always something....

I was cooking dinner last night and Mike comes in and says I broke the last column. I was like what!? He explains while he was sitting on the stair out front getting ready to prepare the column it slipped off his lap and snapped off the end. It fell less then a foot. This column was the only fiber glass column that was on the house that we were going to reuse. (on the balcony on a corner) Mike jumps online to see which store has them for what price. Last Friday we ordered 4 from an online site and picked them up at a store in Suffolk. If you ordered them online they were cheaper then just going to the store and buying them. Plus they were loaded on a cart and all we had to do was wheel them outside and load them. Well they weren't cheaper anymore so we went after dinner and paid full price.
The pictures are the broken column and the room i just finished. It will be the workout room. The teenage boys can't wait til i get it done and set up.
TTYL Kat

Still working...

So the first picture is before we bought the house. From the very first time we came to see the place in Aug. '06. The second picture is last week when Mike had all the columns on the balcony out. The third picture is Mike working on the last column. The last 2 pictures are all the new columns Mike has already replaced. I have been working inside scrapping and painting. (and cooking and laundry) As usual i should get back to work. TTYL Kathie