In the middle of it all...

We like to do things big, I suppose! I am just decompressing from the month of May!
Some highlights of May:
Started construction, our twins turned 6 yrs old, my husband celebrated a birthday, my mom celebrated a birthday, mothers day, family birthday party for twins, friend birthday party for twins, school birthday party for twins, a ballet recital complete with technical and dress rehearsals, karate, tap, jazz, countless t ball games, basketball, gymnastics, and a 4 day hospital stay for my husband complete with shuffling off kids.

Oh, and somewhere in the middle of it all we put our entire life's belongings into storage, closed on our house of eight years, moved in with my mother, and enjoyed he excitement of watching someone else begin construction on our new home!

Baement Walls are Waterproofed!

Another day in our exciting life! Blogging about our wrapped walls! They are waterproffed! So Cool!

I present to you: "The Walls!"

A little fun with our big pile of dirt. I snapped the pic before I started yelling to get down!!! Priorities!!! : )

What's more exciting than watching paint dry?

What's more excitng than watcing paint dry? Watching concrete walls dry! Well at least if  they are the walls of your brand new home! Then, they are of course a topic exciting enough to blog and post pics about!!! : )

Here goes... ENJOY!!!  : )

Basement Wall are Poured!!!

We have footers!

THE BIG DIG

The BIG DIG has begun!!!! May 14, 2012

Selections, Selections, OH MY!!!

Overall, I will say that this process has been pretty simple. Ryan has their system down, and it certainly works for them, at least. Their systematic approach to selections is certainly why they are able to keep home building within the affordable range for thousands of buyers each year.

Truthfully, I kind of liked being given only a few choices of colors, materials, etc...

I do wish that we were given a little more information up front so that I could do my "research" at thinking at home first before showing up at the selection center. I did have a small idea, mainly becuase of the snooping around on these blogs that I took the time to do, but that was it. I did go back a few times to make a few changes, however.

Here are some samples and pics of what we chose:


Shaw Upgraded Level 2 Traditional Allure "Sand Dollar": Family Room, Living Room




Shaw Baseline "Warm Stone" : Finished Basement



Shaw Baseline "White Fox": Upstairs Bedrooms, hallway, stairway



Bruce Hardwoods "Gunstock": Mud Room, Kitchen, Morning Room, Powder Room, Front Enterence Way





Brixton BX02 Sand Ceramic Tile: Upstairs Bathrooms





Upgrade Laminate "Antique Mascarella": Kitchen Countertops and Gourmet Island



Bathroom Cabinets



Stairway Banister Railing





samples of countertop, kitchen cabinets and hardwoods together...

Timberlake Scottsdale "Maple Cognac:: Kitchen Cabinetry

Kitchen Cabintes and hardwoods together

Kitchen Cabinets AGAIN.... Scottsdale Maple Cognac



Fireplace Surround Granite" Tropical Something - next to rug.... Not sure I like this tile still... UGGHHH!!!





Standard GE Stovetop: Upgraded to Gas- another seclection I wish I had put more thought into...






Upgraded Over the Range Microwave by GE

 

Lucky Number 14

So far our lucky number in this journey appears to be 14! New street address: 114 Lake Forest Drive Signed contract to build: April 14, 2102 The Big Dig began: May 14, 2012 June 14 is approaching next week...hoping that we can keep rolling with luck 14, and we might be ready for predrywall meeting...???

Mortgage Free! Well, at lest for a month or so....

The past few weeks have been a whirl wind! The Big Dig began on our new Ryan Venice, and we FINALLY closed on our home of nearly 8 years, the last 3 of which we had it on the market for sale!The sale of the home want rather smoothly until the final week. The Week before we were ready to close, the buyers came back and asked that we contribute another $1000.00 to be used towards their first years insurance or they were going to walk away! WHAT!!?? We were just a bit annoyed to say the least. We were already paying 100% of their closing costs through some creative paperwork. My theory is they just didn't have the money at all to close. They literally walked into the purchase of our house without a dime out of their own pocket. Whatever, and good riddens! As upset as we were, we werent really in a position to call their bluff, as we were already under contract with the Ryan home, and construction had just begun.The sale finally closed last week, on May 29th, and we are mortgage free for at least a few weeks! Construction is moving along nicely with the new home, and it looks like we will be on target to close as projected in late July or early August.