Sunday, August 5, 2012

Remodeling...continued

We're getting closer...it's a long process, that's for sure!



Pulling up the floor, getting ready to lay the bamboo flooring.



This amazing team got the main floor done in just one day.  There's been alot of edges to finish and we haven't started the stairs yet, but we were very impressed how quickly they got the job done--Jeff, Brett, Duane, Scott and Kirk Case.


And what do you do when you finish a big project???  Jade Garden of course!



We lived with the kitchen on the front porch for way too long! 
 


Some finishing touches--even Marni gets involved in doing some electrical work! 


And now it's starting to look like a real kitchen.  The oven hood has protective blue plastic--that's not a fashion statement!  We just got the countertops in, love them, hung the light over the island, got cabinet doors on, and we really love the barn wood on back of the island.  We have a couple more places we're going to put it.  It's coming together!


Here's a view from the other direction.  We haven't got the island sink working yet, add it to the list!


Here's a close up of the granite sink which we are happy with.  We have a corner shelf unit to put where the plants are, I'll store mixer, toaster, wheat grinder, etc on it.  We ended up doing granite countertops.  The quartz we originally chose wasn't going to be available until the end of August--we just couldn't wait that long, and turned out we liked this granite much better.  We're really happy with it. 


I like having the island--it's a big one, lots of wonderful space.  A nice little bookshelf in the end of it for cook books.


We painted all the exterior doors, including the garage door, this wonderful Swedish blue, with a darker blue trim.  Really like them.  The living room is coming together, still some work to do.  Everything had a good coat of dust on it--much more cleaning to do!


And this is the new tv room--just barely started on this project.  We'll paint it and rearrange it.  We traded Jeff our sectional sofa for his sofa and love seat, then the sectional wouldn't fit into his new apartment so Trevor hauled it up to Washington and Jeff needs a new couch!


We used that long, wide oak plank that the bookshelves sat on in the old living room to put all the video equipment on.  This will look much better when we're done, this was just to get them up--we will carpet this room also.  I want to make/buy curtains for many if not all the windows.  Right now that wonderful sun is heating things up a little too much!

So, still alot to do, but we're very happy about the progress so far.  With Duane travelling alot now Brett is really doing alot--he's willing and able and very easy to get along with.  We're anxious for the children to have a better area to play--they've lived in the construction zone long enough.  It's been a real headache for Jen to have to watch them with everyone's tools and mess all around.  She's been a real trooper!

I didn't mention the office--the formerly smaller bedroom (now it's the same size as the other and has a bigger closet) is where Duane and I have our computers, and I am setting my sewing machine up there too.  I think it will work pretty slick.  We don't have a light in here yet, but that is on the list!

At the Coast

To celebrate Duane's homecoming from 2 weeks of training in Georgia we took the kids and grandkids and spent the day at the coast--very fun!



Lettie was so hilarious--she'd run into the water and back out just giggling and having so much fun!


 
We went to South Beach--totally recommend it.  The water is shallow for a long ways out and it is the warmest I've ever been in on the Oregon coast.  It was such a beautiful day, sunny, warm and just enough wind for kite flying.



 







A very fun time was had by all.  And we topped it off with dinner at Moe's, a coast tradition, even for those who aren't seafood fans!

Friday, July 6, 2012

Mom's Perfect Day

Here's a perfect day--everybody working together--laughing, sweating, talking, what's not to love about that!!  We had a great goal, our 20th Annual Independence Day Party at the Peach Place.  I got pictures of the prep, but none of the party--ah, typical...


No better beginning than Duane straightening up the garage.  We had to move stacks of insulation out to the barn and then move a ton of bamboo flooring into the garage, to await instalation upstairs.  We also had to clear off a couple tables to use for the party


Trevor attacked the driveway with the power washer.  After a couple weeks tearing out sheetrock and then putting new sheetrock in, the driveway was a mess.  He, with Gale's assistance, even dug into the sidewalk cracks--looks wonderful!
 

Duane polished up the BBQ--a couple of them in fact!


I spent some time in the garden--always weeds to pull


and Lettie played in the grass


Scott hauled some weeds, he was jack of all trades and willing to do whatever we needed.


Jen and Marni weeded the beans and corn--the garden has been so fun.





Gale, Duane's brother,  has been working on the tractor and mowers and cars--spends long hours helping with mechanics.  Brett has had a huge part in organizing us all, and doing anything and everything.  Here he gets a little break on the mower.  The yard looked wonderful and the weather was perfect for the party--we had a great time!

And back to "before" pictures of the remodeling project--we pulled up the old carpet and linoleum, moved everything into the den or onto the front porch, turned off the water in the kitchen, no sink, no stove, no counters--totally bare...



...and Duane unpacks the first bamboo flooring--these boxes weigh 90 lbs each--and they have to be toted upstairs.  Luckily we have some strong sons, who have been working the entire day installing this floor.  It looks amazing! 


Fun in a drawer!



Liza loves to be in charge of Sarge. 



The floor is progressing...


Jen has had a huge job watching over babies who have no place to play, and sometimes no quiet place to sleep.  She's taken it in stride with no complaints! 


There was no possibility of cooking at home tonight so we all went to our favorite place for a crowd--Jade Garden!  And now we're home and they are still working--want to finish tonight!  Yahoo!