Pepsi SU Seats Rock!

We went to our annual SU B-ball game on Friday night courtesy of Pepsi once again. This year our seats ROCKED! They were 5th row on the floor and we couldn't have been happier. The game was amazing and SU pulled out a win in the last minute or so. It was a sea of happy orange fans!

A Few Pics From Turkey Day

We had 14 people at our house for Thanksgiving and it was full of food and family. Here are a few shots...

Football in the new room

Watching the game intently

Trying to get my Gram to learn how to Wii

Gearing up the dining room for 14 people

Carving the bird Loading up the plates
Play time Seth style
More play time with my Uncle David
Full bellied smiles
Watching Christmas movies after all was said and done

Needless to say everyone had a blast we were all extremely tired by 8pm!

Thanksgiving Snowfest

On Thanksgiving morning we had much more on our minds than cooking a turkey, we had to gear up for snow removal and lots of it! It was really wet and very heavy, but we definitely made the most of it, got outside and enjoyed it and Seth built his very first snowman. We were having so much fun that we almost forgot to start the turkey. Luckily, I ran inside quick and got her started.
It is so great this year because Seth's legs are long enough to tromp through the snow and he really loves it! Thank goodness because with all of his snow gear on, it feels like he weighs about 50lbs. and there would be no carrying him.


Ro did the neighborly thing and dug out numerous neighbors who were extremely grateful!
Seth's first snowman. He didn't want to build a big one, yet just a little one his size.

Crossing the Finish Line

Yesterday was a mad crazy day filled with busyness and excitement. The carpet installer came at 9am and finished around 10:30, while the contractors were then working on the electrical in the dining room and the siding outside. When the carpet was done and the room was tarped, the contractors moved back into the room and finished all of the electrical. Today there are more little things to be finished up and the new windows will be installed in the front toy room. Basically the house is covered completely in drop clothes and it looks pretty comical.

While I was at work late doing parent-teacher conferences my hubs worked his butt off vacuuming and moving in some of the furniture. I came home to a beautiful new room and feeling much less stressed.
Many special thanks go out to people who helped us get through yesterday...

Thank you to my Mom and Justin for picking Seth up at Pat's and entertaining him until Ro could get out of work.

Thank you to Bonnie for coming over last night and keeping an eye on Seth while Ro moved in furniture and cleaned.

Thank you to Lewis for helping Ro lift that heavy heavy furniture!

We appreciate all of your help so much!

We will be cleaning and shopping for lamps and end tables tonight, pics to come!

On the Home Stretch

After only 3 weeks we are on the home stretch of our remodel and we are very anxious to have it done and to have the mess go away! We are also very excited to see the final outcome.

Right now the siding is about 85% done. They have some higher levels to finish up along with the windows that need replacing.

On the inside, the carpet is being installed tomorrow morning and then to our dismay, the contractor has to come and finish the wiring. We are not thrilled that it wasn't finished on Friday because I don't want them on the new carpet. What can you do, BUT put a huge sign in front of the door telling them to take their shoes off!!!

I am excited for Tuesday to come, that is when I will get the house cleaned and back in shape for our very special Thanksgiving dinner! Final outcome pictures will be on the way this week!

Happy Birthday!

A BIG Happy 3rd Birthday wish goes out to Seth's buddy Morgin today! We can't wait for your party!

Moldings Up

Today they didn't do much on the inside again, but they did hang the moldings in the new room. They look amazing!

It is still very hard to believe that this dream is a reality and we are so close to being able to enjoy it.

They are working extra hard on the outside and from what I can tell they got a lot accomplished today. It looks like they will start to tackle the higher leveled siding tomorrow or Friday and our yard literally looks like a junk yard with all sorts of leftover debris flying around. Thank heavens it is fenced in so our neighbors don't hate us for all the junk everywhere.

Other than that, there isn't much to report. We are just taking things day by day. Seth and I are feeling much better, but I think that Ro has a touch of a cold now!

Updates

Sorry I haven't updated with renovation pictures in a couple of days. They painted the room on Monday, but by the time I got home it was too dark and I couldn't take any pictures.

So the status of the house is as follows... The room is all painted and most of the electrical is in place. They painted the moldings today and I believe they will hang them tomorrow. Both large light fixtures are hooked up and they still need to install the can lights. They are really in the final stages of everything with the room and we are anxiously awaiting next week to be able to put the furniture in it and enjoy it. It really hasn't been a long haul, the chaos and dust have just been too much for my Type A personality! It will all be worth it in the end!

As for the outside... They are working extremely hard in the cold weather and it is all starting to come together. I'm not sure how long it will take to finish because they still have some window installations and odds and ends to tie it all together. We bought them a couple of dozen donuts for tomorrow morning to thank them for all of their hard work in the cold and windy weather!
We bought our new TV for the room as well as the furniture and Roland and some Pepsi guys helped him deliver and haul them into the house tonight. We are ready for next Monday to arrive!

PS ~ Sorry for the lack of Seth pics, but it is winter and there hasn't been anything exciting to report. Plus he is going through an "evil" streak and we have been having a heck of a time with him. THIS TOO SHALL PASS RIGHT?????

Good-bye Blue Hello Khaki!

They started putting the siding up on Friday and it is looking great. Our only snag at this point is that the weather man is calling for snow all week so we have no idea how that will affect the progress.

On the flip side, the addition is about 85% done and the major dusty mess is done. They painted the ceiling and primed the walls on Friday so tomorrow they will continue to paint and hopefully get a ton of the base coat done. The moldings and wiring will then follow. Our only other snag with that is that the carpet won't be installed until one week from tomorrow. So they might be done with the room and we will be twiddling our thumbs next weekend waiting for the carpet to come on that Monday. I am becoming more patient though, so at this point I am very looking forward to Monday, the 24th! At least next weekend we can give the house a BIG cleaning and de-dusting before the carpet comes. We also sold our old couch on Craigslist (love that site!) so we are headed to pay for our new set today and we will pick it up later in the week. It's hard to believe that in a little over a week we will be able to sit in our new room and kick back. We can't wait!

Lagging

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, but Seth and I have been sick and there is nothing exciting going on at our house except for mud drying.

We have come to the conclusion that Seth's cold is due to him finally breaking his second year molars through on the bottom. There are little points sticking out and we know from past practice that whenever he gets a tooth, a cold and/or stuffy nose comes along with it.

I do have a sinus infection and I'm on day 4 of meds. My sinus' feel better, but my congestion isn't letting up at all. I'm trying to be patient, but I'm exhausted so I'm staying home and trying to catch up on some rest today. Seth is home with me and he is very mellow thank god!

As far as the home remodel goes. They are putting the final skim coat on the walls today and doing the decorative ceiling coat. They are also starting the siding. The siding crew is here and working as I type. We have been waiting for this day since it seems like the mudding is taking forever. I should have some new pictures in a day or so.

Here is to everyone everywhere feeling BETTER!

Mud & Wait

We are at the point where we have to be extra patient. They come daily to sand and mud and then paint later this week. It is still moving along at a great pace and our contractors are great! The mess and chaos is getting to me a little, but there is nothing I can do but WAIT!

Over the weekend we bought our entertainment center and picked out furniture and a new TV, but we have to wait until the 24th for the carpet installation to move everything in. That will be an exciting day. We just stare into the room in amazement that we are finally accomplishing a dream we have had for such a long time.

End of the Week Wrap Up

The pictures aren't as good as the room truly looks at this time, but it was dark and hard to take pictures from the angles I was at.All of the windows are now in!
All of the drywall is hung and ready to be taped and mudded on Monday.

We were also given a BIG surprise... they will be doing all the painting and we don't have to hire it out. We are thrilled and de-stressed by that fact. So we are headed to Sherwin Williams in a little bit to pick out paint and have it here and ready for the middle of next week.

Tonight we are headed to our friends the Castana's for a Welcome Home Party for Lee! I can't wait, it will be so much fun!

Laugh it Off

I picked up one of my students this morning for a one on one session and her teacher asked me if the baby was moving and such. So we chatted for a minute before I left with the little girl. Walking down the hall she says to me, "I didn't know you were pregnant I just thought you were eating too much!" So I said, "I definately wouldn't eat that much and let myself get this fat." She then says to me, "Well my mom eats too much and she has gotten really fat, not pregnant!"

Oh, the brains of children! You just have to laugh it off and move on!

OHHH the Excitement

Today a ton was accomplished once again. They tore out the exterior wall to the house and opened up the room. We can now finally tell how large the room will be and get a feeling for it. They also insulated the ceiling in the old part of the room along with the rest of the wiring. As you can see in the picture, the drywall will come tomorrow.

Four out of the five windows are also in. The last one is yet to be installed because they are still climbing in and out of it to get to the room.We are still amazed that the work is coming along so quickly! In other news, I went to a conference in SYR today and it was great! It was also nice to get away from school for a day.

Happy 31st Birthday to Jen Voss today too!

We will celebrate this weekend with you!

Day 4 Progress

Today our contractors worked their butts off once again and they were able to do all of the insulation inside and below as well as gut out the little TV room to get that ready for insulation and sheet rock. Tomorrow they say the windows are going in and the sheet rock is going up. YIPPEEE!

Side wall in small TV room with Ro's hole covered so minimal dust came through to the breakfast nook.

Opposite wall of small TV room where our TV used to sit, now gutted! Notice there was NO insulation in the walls at all. No wonder our heat bills are so high!

New room all insulated!
New large side wall all insulated. Where our new TV will sit in a few weeks!

Messes & Goodbyes!

We officially moved all of the furniture out of the small TV room last night in preparation for the gutting of the room. Now our diningroom is all tarped and ready for the dust.

I'd like to say a special goodbye to the beautiful ceiling that my hubs built for me in that same room a couple of years ago. I went to NYC for a weekend before we had Seth and when I came home an ugly cracked ceiling was covered with a beautiful wood ceiling and now we have to say goodbye to it because it will be covered in recess lights and new drywall! So goodbye to the old and thank you for many good years!

3 Days

This is what has been accomplished in only three days. We are impressed and thrilled!

Side view from the driveway

Back side view

View from the fence side of the yard

My boys standing in the new room

We will keep updating you as the days pass! Have a great week!