Tile, Garage Doors, Radiators, Outside Lights, Carpet, Stairs, Doors

We've installed the garage doors.  (See that it's snowing?)

 

The front at night.

The tile is finished.  We put a motif in front of the stove that matches the one in the front hallway.

All of the tile is grouted.

We were given lovely white couches from a dear friend, and they have taken up residency already, in the school room for the moment.  I plan to get slipcovers for them before they're no longer ~white~

The radiators are being hooked up little-by-little.  (See the tubing coming from the ceiling?  Those are each connected to a radiator on the first floor above.  6 down, 8 to go, I think?)

I got the basement very clean and orderly to make a little painting/ staining workshop down here. 

I've spent most of the last few weeks enclosed in my "studio"... sanding and staining stair treads and risers and doors.  I'll be staining for a few months yet--more doors, then cabinets, then base trim and window and door trim.

Laying out the carpet.

"Playing out" the carpet.



I couldn't resist a few snow pictures.  It was just beautiful--MUCH prettier than in the pictures.  A wet snow had coated every limb of the trees.  This is our road.

And our driveway.

Cabinets are in place.

Learning to use the carpet stretchers.  We're pretty pleased with our carpet job, although we learned a few things about seams as we progressed!

Carpet's done!

Grandpa came to help install the massive, heavy (48") range hood.

{Pretty.}



Outside lights are almost finished.

The new propane tank is installed.  Even with only half of the radiators in, the house is nice and warm!

 

The skirt board on the Loft stairs.

Loft carpet.  We did this room last, and its seams are the best!

 

Installed the attic door to keep out the cold.



David did a quite professional job with the Loft stairs.

And----  Beautiful Corian countertops!  These were installed today, on St. Nicholas Day... what a delight! 
This is an amazing amount of counter space.

The island was designed to be "the same size as Grammy's."

We got a great deal on half of the Corian at the Habitat Restore last year.  It was sage green like I wanted, and still a current Corian color.  We were able to order the rest of it online, and hired someone to fabricate it. 
We ended up with lots of Corian for less than the cost of laminate.

The garage door is in

Garage door from the inside.

Still trimming windows.  He also just installed the safety railing across the upper patio door, which is required by the Inspector before we move in (because there's not yet a deck.)

 We're making great progress; will keep you posted, as we get nearer to the end!  (and if ever you wonder why I haven't posted in awhile, just figure that I'm staining.  That's where I am.)

 

Flooring, Rough Grading, Start of Cabinets

All the railings are installed, we're almost finished sanding and staining them.  They turned out well.



Tile started in the front hallway.




David giving a tour of the mechanical room.  We regularly give tours of the progress; these dear guests are visiting from Virginia and Alaska!



Tile finished in the entryway.




 

We have finished painting all the trim boards that go outside around the windows.



The garage lighting is installed, so I can paint and stain past dark!



The Cousins came to watch the rough grading.  (They also brought their dad to help!)






Just one day with the excavator left us with a fairly flat front yard...

...Retaining walls on the driveway side...

...and a flat spot to set the LP tank.

The siding is almost complete now.  Just a little around the garage left.

Mommy sanding floors.  We rented sanders over and over, and sanded for hours and hours and hours.



David applied 4 coats of polyurethane.  We're sure that's not quite enough to protect them from all the rough-housing to come, but the project had to move along...



 



The Bathroom became HQ for a few weeks while we finished floors--it was the Kitchen/ Playroom/ Nap-room!







We spent all day on our anniversary grading this yard and sanding floors...!  Starting to look like a house when you come up the driveway now.

I've picked this spot for a garden next year : )  The driveway is on the left, and the house on the right.

The front yard finally got some attention.  We'll have to take out a few trees next Spring, and rent the Skidsteer again to level more of the yard.  We don't really have level spots on our hillside, but are determined to make some room for swingsets and volleyball.



A happy anniversary

(Ready to quit and take the kiddos to Culver's for dinner!)



David built the cabinet bases and screwed them into place. 

Here's the bathroom with the cabinet installed (and a playpen and dollhouse!) 



Our good friends are back to help install the radiators on the first floor.  There are 1-2 in each room, and they sure look sharp.



In progress right now:
Radiator Installation
Staining Stair Boards/ Doors/ Trim
Installing Tile in the Kitchen
Finishing the last bit of Siding on the Garage


Things are moving along beautifully; we are loving seeing so many things finished!