Here is the status of things: Beams are done! They are amazing, we are all in love. We have now come to the part where they must be caulked, puttied and sanded. We have also arrived at finish work! Luckily, it's mainly baseboards, trimming doors, and a couple of window sills. Easy-Peasy. Yeah, right.
Every surface is a work surface. Jon is replacing windows, one at a time. His pal Nathan comes over a lot to help, but they can only do one or two in an evening, and neither have many free ones of those. This needs to be done as quickly as possible, because we have all of this scaffolding set up outside that the stucco guys set up, but they can't do their part until the windows are in. But we must paint the soffit and fascia
before stucco, so that we don't have to cover everything with plastic. It's this weird time-crunch of order.
I kept wondering how in the world we are going to paint the soffits. Jon bought a bunch of spray-paint, but we can tell that will take a while. And
how in the world are we getting up to those peaks in the front of the house???
Yikes!I ran up to Floor and Decor to check out tile possibilities for around the fireplace. This needs to be done quickly, but
after paint and
before carpet. I kept coming back to this classic marble.
We kept wondering how in the world we were going to get all the trim done. Jon needs to focus on those windows! He didn't want to bother his dad, but I knew he would be more than willing to help us out- it is how he is! Turns out, I was right! Sweet Paul was over here almost every day, measuring and sawing and nailing. He's the best of the best! It saved us sooo much, I will forever be grateful to him. What a guy!
The evening that all the trim was in place, all the kids happened to be home. Jon cranked some tunes and we all worked in the room together. For me, it was a real special night that I'll always remember.
I loved the glow from the outside, hearing music and laughter, knowing the kids were in there working away.
Every nail hole had to be puttied and sanded, and every seam had to be caulked. For not a whole lot of finish work, it was all just a lot of work!
In-between construction, I had to snap a pic of cute Paisley heading off to school. What a doll!
I knew the painting had to be all me. Jon needed to stay on those windows! Jon ordered us a paint sprayer, but it was too tiny for this big job. Three minutes in I could see this was not the way to go, it would take me
days. Rolling almost seemed it would be faster. Luckily Paul has an awesome heavy-duty paint sprayer he brought over "just in case". I was trying to avoid using it, due to the massive clean-up and flushing out it takes.
I knew this was going to be such a big job! Every inch has to be primed. Then painted. At least twice. Ooof. I looked at the calendar and the days it just had to be done.
Jon and I picked out carpet. I went ahead and scheduled it, giving us just days to get everything ready for it. Jon suggested we push it out- but either way, we have to get carpet in to stay on schedule! Our electrician Manny needs to come get things powered up and lights installed. But most importantly, we have a missionary returning, a bedroom to set up and a homecoming just around the corner!
Paul's paint sprayer was awesome. I think I had the whole thing primed in about 3 hours. Not too shabby! Jon helped with the clean-up, which was very helpful. He cleaned up my mess while I cleaned up myself.
Of course, we had to carefully tape everything off to the main house.
The next day I got myself ready to get this paint color on. Jon got me an entire paint suit with hair cover and face mask. I learned from the priming to use all of that! For the room color, I debated several different whites, and then landed on my tried and true Swiss Coffee. Once I had one wall done, I could see it was the right choice.
Painting this room was no joke. I couldn't wear my eye goggles because they were covered with spray immediately. I tried to keep my mouth and nose covered at least because the entire room was damp.
I tried to work in the side rooms before it got too dark, then worked by the lamp light. It was so much up and down that ladder! I felt I would finally be in a groove and then it would start shaking telling me my five gallon bucket was out of paint already and time to change it out. It would take 15 gallons of paint!
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| Ahhhhh! I will never be the same! I'm not kidding. I will still have white paint in my lashes three months later. | | |
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| I was at the tail-end and we realized we still needed to paint the doors. I was only able to do a couple and ran out of paint. Darn. I had to roll the rest. |
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| In the meantime, Eli is living his best life! |
I cannot tell you how happy I was to have this part behind us!
Painting is done!!!I cleaned those floors as best as I could, going over every square inch with the vacuum, then mopping. It felt like all the dust particles were painted into the concrete. Then, I put the tile in around the fireplace. Phew! We are ready for carpet!!!
I really cannot believe we made our deadline and everything got done. It feels sooo gooood!
I was so excited for the carpet to be installed. I knew things would just feel cleaner and less dusty, like a real room that we can leave the plastic off the opening! Just one guy pulled up with the biggest roll of carpet in the back of his truck.
Just you? He said this job was no problem. He first went over the entire floor with a scraper. Then vacuumed (oops!) He worked all day, but got it done!
Eeeeeeee! It finally feels like a real room! Eeeeeeeee!!!!
After he left, I just laid on it. It feels so nice! It makes me smile to see the kids stretched out on it as well. Everyone seems drawn to this space and just sprawls.
When Adren calls, we show him the progress, but he doesn't even seem to know what he is looking at. It's like he can't be bothered and is so far removed. I feel so much unease and panic lifted at this point, because now no matter what, I can set up his room! Even if the outside isn't done, or the step down isn't covered by flooring, or under the stairs... I can set up his room! Yay!
He called us one Sunday night with something he wanted to discuss with us. His mission president said he would allow him to extend one transfer. Part of me thought-
That will give us more time to get things ready! But I also thought about how July will be much hotter for an open-house, our yard is running on no working sprinklers, so things could look dire by then. That would also put him home the same weekend of Trek, and Dad and I are in deep with the planning and commitment. So many people have backed out, I just couldn't do that to Kent and Mary, and the others on our committee. I asked Adren, What will six more weeks do? He is just having a hard time wrapping things up, he loves it so. But he may as well come on home and move forward with his life. I know he was disappointed in that reality.
But just come home already!Jon keeps working on those windows!
And awesome Paul has repaired the crown molding in the new dining room! Now I can touch up all of the paint everywhere.
Through all of this, I really needed to spend an evening in the office. The Salesbro's finally took some of their stuff they've been storing so I wanted to arrange things and see what works. I arrange, take pics, and mull things over later. This made me realize I am going to use all of our folding chairs and tables for the Homecoming!
Slowly and quickly, things are coming along. I am grateful that we are able to work through all of this together and have a great new space to enjoy as a family! I am grateful for all of the areas Jon covers and schedules and follows up on. He's been so on top of everything, I am just so grateful he's the one to take care of all the workers. I'm loving my life :)
