Jan 1st...Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Happy 10th Anniversary! December 28th marked 10 amazing years for us.
Surprise ceremony to renew our vows...check. Friends and family there to support us and show their love...check. Babysitter...check (Thanks Amanda!). Getaway to the Lodge...check. Covenant marriage...check. My wonderful husband...priceless.

Window boxes were built and primed and ready to put in. I forgot to rotate the picture before I uploaded it...sorry.

Stairs on the back deck are getting worked on.

Lots of shopping. Tons of shopping. So much shopping that I am, in fact, sick of shopping. And for those of you who know me well, that is almost impossible. Over the break, many people have shopped with me and without them, let me say that I wouldn't have made it. So, thanks, Laura, Stephanie, and Doyle. I have been waiting so long for the days that I could shop for lights and faucets and door knobs. And now that its time, I am so overwhelmed that I can't make decisions. Thank goodness for the massage chairs at National Home Center because they gave us a good break from the shopping and let us relax (that is until the guy came and bought one and only left us one!).

Here's some lights I found at Home Depot for our bathroom. There will be 2 sconces on one vanity and the light bar over the other one.

I really want a nice whirlpool tub in my bathroom so I can take long relaxing baths in a huge tub and watch some television (yes, there will be a flat screen mounted to the wall above the tub!) or read and have an adult time out. So, I was worried about going over budget with the one I picked out at Lowe's and I noticed Home Depot had a tub I really liked. So, I started looking at the measurements to see if it was narrow enough. Yep. Then I looked to see if it was 6 foot and it was! (Hardly anyone carries a 6 foot tub in stock...special order $$$.) So I asked the salesman why the great price ($749 vs. $1200 at Lowe's) and he said that because it is a stock item and ALL Home Depot stores carry them, they can buy it in bulk and sell it at a much better price. If we had to special order this tub, it would be over $1000. Woo Hoo! Tub decision made. I was with Laura and Stephanie on this shopping trip in Fayetteville/Rogers/Springdale, so Doyle and I could just go pick this baby up in Ft. Smith. So Monday, Doyle and I go to Ft. Smith to do some more shopping and guess what? Not ALL Home Depot stores carry this tub in stock. Talk about upset!!!!!! But, the sales manager made it up to us by transferring the tub to Ft. Smith and selling it to us for $699. It will be here Monday.

Drywall is hung and waiting for more mud upstairs.
Playroom.

Bathroom

Man-nest

Did you know that every door and window have to be puttied, sanded, and caulked before they can be painted? You did? Okay...well, have you ever done it? Have you ever taken those little sanding pads and sanded every square inch of all 17 doors and their frames? How about 19 windows? How about caulking? Sounds simple, right? Sure, no big deal. You just take the gun and squirt some caulk around the edges. Nope! You gotta wet your finger (remember it is 23 degrees outside) and smooth it out so it looks really good. Not only that, but you've gotta do every crack and miter. Talk about some sore and chapped fingers...but man does it look good!

Ty was such a big help sanding...

The weather has slowed down the brick progress, but the brick layers have been working despite the cold the last couple of days. The gable on the left is awaiting rock (and so is the porch and other gable). The peak above the garage is finally complete.