We're in!!!

I'm sorry - I've been very bad about updating this blog. You probably already know by now that we are in the house. We are so happy with it - it is our dream home. We'll probably be finishing the house until early retirement, but we actually got a lot more done than we initially thought thanks to our family friend Alby who has been painting, spackling, installing closets and helping with a myriad of other projects for over a month now. We are so grateful for his help.

There are a number of other people we want to thank and acknowledge for helping us through this process and for building our house - our families, Todd Niemaszyk, Mike Connell, Bobby Penny, Dan Peirce and Mike Grady.

I'm going to post some additional photos from the inside, but wanted to get these up to show you the outside finished product.

We're getting there

Plastering is done!!! I was secretly afraid I would never get to say those words. Our friend Dan Peirce is hard at work doing some of the finish work we can't do, using Matt as his laborer. We installed the kitchen and playroom flooring. We're also painting (see previous post) and the siding is in process. We love it - color is Boothbay Blue. This weekend, we PAINT PAINT PAINT.

Jack of all trades

We're at the point in the project where we can actually put in some sweat equity ourselves. This was my visual as Matt walked through the door Wednesday night after a hard day's work - Retirement Counselor by day, painter by night.

Look closely - see the paint stains all over that Brooks Brother Wrinkle Free? His comment "it was old and had blood on it (from what?? ;')" Okay, makes sense.

I'll say it one more time - PORTICO

It's all coming together now. We had the frame inspection last week - thumbs up. Insulation and that inspection in the past few days and the blueboard was delivered today. They will hang it this week and plaster next week. Heat is hooked up now and so is the water, though it's not yet running through the house. It's fine because we don't have any working faucets, yet!

I have been obsessed with the front portico since I first saw it on the designs and I have not-so-patiently waited all this time to see it come together. It's not finished yet, there will be columns and some finishing touches. But, you can get the idea in these pictures. Matt thinks I just like to say the word "portico". But, I love it!

So, next week we hope the siding begins. I CAN'T wait to see that. We're using Hardie Plank cement siding. It may seem strange to some of you because the house is so old and we are trying to maintain the old look. But, we spoke to someone with a similarly aged house who used Hardie and Matt saw the house for himself. It is a good product and comes with a 50 year paint warranty. Can't beat that! The trim is going up this week, too. That is real wood.

Okay, enough for now. I'll update again at the end of the week.

More views with windows

Here are some pics from this morning. Most of the windows are in now.

The top picture is the view from the edge of the kitchen into one of the openings to the dining room and, beyond that, the family room. The view from the back of the house - the three windows with one on top is my favorite feature of the new addition. There is a large cut-out like shape next to the deck - that is the opening for a slider that will eventually open into a 3-season room. We're really happy with the chimney - the brick is called Old Glory and we love it.

Roof and Windows

We have WINDOWS! Now our house doesn't just look like a box. Very cool.

I spoke too soon about the tarp. Seems the middle section of the roof is in very tough shape, so we'll have to live with the tarp for a bit while they work on fixing it between snow and ice storms.

The roof is almost done!!

We FINALLY get to say goodbye to the tarp and get a peek at how our new/old house is shaping up. All of the new sections of the house are roofed now and the middle section will be completed tomorrow. ..This upcoming week we'll get our windows popped in. We hear they are beautiful and cannot wait to see them!!