Granite Countertops are in!

The bathroom vanity tops went in on Tuesday and the kitchen came on Friday. They look amazing! Main fireplace stone started on Thursday. Hope to have kitchen backsplash and rest of tile work finished up by early next week. The master tub should go in soon after that.

The trim upstairs is done. The upper wood stairway is almost done. The balusters will go in 2/8. Main level trim is about two-thirds done. We're definitely getting there!


Lower level vanity


Maren's vanity


Boys bath vanity


Master bath vanity

Jan 17th House Update

Hardwood floors started to go in on Friday. Cabinets are done and waiting on granite which comes week after this. Trying to finalize cabinet knobs and stairway balusters. The newel posts and railings are in for the upper stairway. Treads and risers should go in this week. Our builder is busy with trim. The main level fireplace will get stone this week or next. The water and heat are on. Light fixtures continue to go in. Hopefully, we'll be in by mid next month!


Mudroom lockers


Master shower


Master bath vanity


The kitchen island is in!

More Cabinets & Light Fixtures

The kitchen cherry cabinets are done. The laundry is started. The boys bathroom shell is in. They'll start on the basement bath next. Still waiting for Maren's bathroom cabinet and mudroom cabinets.


The rest of the cherry cabinets in the kitchen.
The painted green distressed island comes tomorrow.


Master bedroom fixture


Connors bedroom


Maren's chandelier

Cabinets are going in!

The cabinets installers showed up today and got pretty far on the kitchen cabinets. They only have 2 more upper cabinets to install, the frig cabinet and a pantry cabinet left. Then they have to wait for the distressed/painted island to come on Wednesday.

The builder has been there since last Monday hanging interior doors. He also framed the main level fireplace and the mantel was installed today. Once he's done with the doors, he'll start on the trim. We're hoping to get the stone work done in the next week. The hardwood floors (great room, dining room and kitchen) will be installed next Monday. The lighting fixtures were delivered today and Maren's chandelier was installed today.

The timber guy is working on the stairway parts, then I need to get the iron balusters done. Then plumbing and carpet.

It's looking like mid-February. I'm really hoping to be in by Connor's 10th birthday (2/20/10). Wish me/us luck!


The south wall of kitchen cabinets
go in.


The corner going to the left.
The cooktop will go to the left
of the last cabinet shown.


Timber mantel is in!

Great Room Timbers are done!

The timber framer finished the great room timbers yesterday. Now, he'll move onto the stairway from the main level up to the second floor. He'll be doing reclaimed douglas fir newel posts, treads and risers. The balusters will be a custom iron design (that I'm still working on tweaking). The cabinets are being delivered tomorrow and I'm hoping will start to be installed before xmas. Trim and interior doors will start to go in. And lighting fixtures and switches can start. The hvac is being finished also. We're getting there! We won't be in by xmas, but I'm just hoping for being in by the end of January!

Maren's UMD Hockey Game

Maren's mite 2 team played a 6 minute game between the first and second period of the UMD v. North Dakota hockey game at the DECC in front of about 4,000 people. Maren volunteered to play goalie. She made 3 amazing saves. We won 3-1. Enjoy the pics!


Maren at the ready


1 of 3 amazing saves!


Following the puck


Another amazing save!

House Update

The gypcrete was poured last Wednesday. They are finishing the painting hopefully by Monday. The tile will start to go in on Monday and the great room timbers will go in this coming week. Cabinets and trim are supposed to come either this week or next (depending on how dry the gypcrete is). Light fixtures will start going in soon. Interior doors are supposed to come 12/14. The lower level fireplace and cabinets should go in within the next 2 weeks. Once cabinets are in, we'll have to wait for countertops 1-2 weeks. We still have to finish the great room fireplace with stone and mantel. Once countertops are in, then plumbing can start. We're also waiting for the stair parts to come in, then we can measure for the iron balusters, which will take another 1-2 weeks. We hoping to move by the end of January. Honestly, I'm happy to not be moving by xmas. I don't think that I'm mentally ready for that, not to mention that I haven't packed anything yet! We're hoping to have movers move the big stuff. I'll post more pictures this week.