Happy New Year!

After weeks of frantic activity, Christmas, quickly followed by New Year's, finally came!

I was supposed to do a home tour post last week but I just didn't find the time to sit down at the keyboard and do it! 

So here's a quick tour of our home, all decorated for Christmas (before it all comes down)!

Our live tree

Our tree is always live. This year we did not add all the ornaments we own. I went with a simpler selection. We have quite a few because the kids get one every year from their aunts and uncles. When they move out, they'll take them with them and then our tree will feel bare!

Nativity

Next to our tree is our manger scene We bought this one years ago at a craft fair in Hickory, NC when the kids were young. I liked the rusticness of the simple wooden shapes. Plus I liked that the kids could play with the figures without fear of breaking them. Although we are not Jewish, we have a menorrah. Jesus was Jewish and we are into our Jewish heritage because of Him!

Decked out buffet

Our buffet in the dining room is all dressed up for the holiday with an advent wreath and apothecary jars. I had been wanting these kind of jars for a while and finally found some that I really liked and could afford at Beall's Outlet this summer. I've been having fun decorating for the seasons with them.

Festive apothecary jars

I filled one with red and white ornaments, pinecones and pieces of fresh Christmas tree. The other one has small red and silver balls, peppermints, mini pinecones and fresh Christmas tree branches.

Fireplace mantel

And, finally, here's our mantel. The stockings for the kids were made by my mother. Mine was too, actually, when I was little! Michael's is the one he had as a child. That's why it's different than the others.

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus! And here's to a healthy new year!

Cleaning house

One of the things I'm trying to focus on more now that I'm not working as a Sonlight advisor is to deep clean and declutter the house. I've been following Spring Cleaning 365 for over a year now. She focuses on one area a week, giving you daily tasks to tackle. Most tasks take 5-15 minutes. She also gives you a monthly habit to form. Currently we are in the kitchen and the Cleaning Habit for this month is to Clean Your Kitchen Every Night. I love to get up in the morning to a clean kitchen! I've been enjoying doing the tasks. Some days are so busy that I don't get to them but I leave it in my email inbox and then try to tackle it the next day (or the next, or all on one day).

I've informed my family of the current monthly task and am asking for their participation. If I clean the kitchen after dinner and then go to bed, I do *NOT* want to wake up to a dirty kitchen or things in the sink. If they make something, then it's up to them to clean up after themselves. It's been going well. Do you have a method to your cleaning? I'm HOW old and I'm still learning! What are your tips?

Paint and floor

The mudding is completed and priming and painting have begun. Here you can see the bright white walls and knock-down ceiling.

Kevin has also begun laying the floor. I really like the light bamboo. I want them for the rest of the house as well!

Alas, we leave tomorrow for two weeks and so I will not be posting anymore pictures until we return. I expect the room to be finished then so you, like me, will have to see the finished product and no more "in progress" pictures. Hopefully the shed will be almost (if not completely) finished too!

Drywall and mud

The drywall is finished and they have begun to mud. Today they should finish that up. The outside is painted. Next is painting the interior and then flooring, trim, electrical switches/plates, closet. And then it wil be finished! The end is in sight!

View of vaulted ceiling.

View of closet taken from the doorway.

View of the other side, taken from the closet.

Insulation and dry wall

They finished installing the  insulation.

They also installed sound proofing (so our little princess can sleep in the mornings as she is wont to do).

Drywall was delivered. We had to move our wine rack so they could stack it by the door.

Here is Kevin installing the ceiling. He also put in the air ducts with a return today. It's really coming along! Tomorrow they will probably finish the drywall. The electrician is going to come out to put in the plugs. Won't be too long now! Annie promised Kevin that when she's well (she has a little cold right now) she will bake him cookies. Kevin was jealous when he found out that she baked cookies for Jordan and Adam.

Siding is on!

We went out of town last week for a trip and when we returned the siding was almost all on. They finished up on Tues. The top part remains to be painted.

Here you can see the siding that was replaced is all painted and finished. Below is another close-up shot of the room.

This is the future site of the new shed (where that pallet looking thing is). We had to move the stuff that was there so that they can get started on that. It's gonna be big! Yey! The plan is to be able to park in the garage again!

From a window to a door!

Progress had slowed down a little due to a failed inspection but now that we passed it it should pick back up. This week we went from a window:

to no window:

to an opening:

to a door!

While they couldn't work on the room they replaced some rotten siding:. First they wrapped the space.

Then they installed hardiboard:

On Friday they passed their inspection so Saturday they were able to lay the shingle. Monday they will start the siding on the addition.

We have a room!

The front porch is finished! We have been having coffee on it in the mornings or after lunch. The weather has been so pleasant for it. You can see Penny inside watching me (she "stayed" so well!)

The back porch has also been poured. Today they come clean up all the debris. It's going to be great for parties!

In the above picture you can see the room's foundation. In the below picture you can see the foundation and the window which will become a door...

Now the frame is being built...

The sides are going on...

And we have a room!

The room seems a bit dark so we will add another window on the wall that you can see in the above picture. Today the inspector comes. Once that happens they will shingle and wrap the exterior with Tyvex. Then the electrician comes. It's moving quickly now! Annie is getting so excited!

Here's an inside view.

And a view of where the door is going to be.

New porch!

Yesterday they formed the footers and made the new porch. The cement truck came in through the back yard. We took down three fence panels in order for him to fit. It's so nice to live on a cul-de-sac that backs up to apartments!

View of the front part of the front porch with the brick laid. We are imitating what was already there.

They had to carry the cement by wheelbarrow because the cement truck would have cracked the driveway.

Dad couldn't just stand around and watch so grabbed a shovel and helped out!

Finishing it off. Looks so good!

Here's how they poured the footers.

View of the opened up fence.

They are making good progress! Today Annie baked cookies for the guys! She's really excited about the new room!

Addition!

No, I'm not talking about mathematics...I'm referring to an addition onto our house! We had the house up for sale for 6 months but it didn't sell. We had put it in the Lord's hands but my father was praying that we wouldn't sell! (ha ha! I guess he is better connected than I thought!) Tommy however still really wanted his own room so my dad came up with the idea of enlarging the shed and he would foot the bill (since it's his fault we are still in this house!)

Here's a before shot...

Before the demolition could begin we had to move a few things. The strawberry bed had to go. I gave lots away, transplanted quite a few and then decided to sell the rest as a fund raiser for Timothy's summer camp. We moved the brick walk and the large white stones so that we can pour a large concrete slab that will serve as a future Florida room and new back porch.

This is the FULL strawberry bed that had to be relocated.

Here's the new strawberry bed, located on the back of the house near the compost bins, much smaller and thinned out.

And here is a shot of the demo.

Today the block and sand were delivered. The forklift driver was amazing! I couldn't believe how well he handled that machine! He was able to drive it through our double gate which meant we didn't have to take down fence panels (just yet).

He fit, but just barely!

We have decided that Annie will take the new room. She really wants a loft bed and this room will have vaulted ceilings, giving her plenty of headroom. Tommy will keep his room and Timothy will take Annie's room. Eventually we will glass in a Florida room which will double as a hang out room whenever we have family gatherings. And we hope to eventually get a pool. I guess we are digging in deep!