A skip to my step

Today I found myself with an extra skip to my step.  It could have been because my Madelyn rocked her first spelling bee right before my eyes.  It could have been because today is the last day of September and I am soooo excited for October.  Or, it could have been because today we turned a new corner in the progress of our house being built.  Today they started installing the marble in our master shower.  Translation, our house is about to take on it's own personality, completely separate from the others.  It is no longer a cookie-cutter house.  My style is starting to come through and I could not be happier.  Therefore, an extra skip to my step.  Could have also been the pumpkin spice latte.  But we'll never know.

I had to approve the layout of the marble going in our shower before they began installation.  It was so exciting to see my design spread out on the floor.  After a few tweaks, we had it just right and they were ready to start placing these beautiful marble pieces into our shower.  

A little inspiration from Mr. Nightingale

I had this sign made for our new gym.  I love this quote so much, it definitely inspires me to get my booty in gear on days I'm feeling tired and lazy.

They made some good progress at the house today.  They installed all of the toilet paper rods.  Slow clap.  We also got our medicine cabinets installed, towel rods, and all of the interior door handles too.   They are continuing to grade our driveway as well to prep for laying the cement.  I will be so overjoyed to have a driveway.  I have ruined more pairs of shoes than I'd care to count and have had to up my car washes practically ten fold.  Black cars and dust are not good friends.

All that's missing in the powder room is the actual toilet.  

CANNON BALL!!!!!!

We had our first design meeting today with our landscape architect.  Lots of fun things in the works for our new backyard.  It's still 100 degrees here, guess southern California hasn't gotten the memo that it's fall.  With those high temps we are having lots of pool envy and can't wait to be able to cool off in our own backyard.  

Thank goodness for open windows

When you show up in the evening to look at your house and they've installed the locks, you hoist your son right into that open window and voila… you're in!  Note to self, always leave a window open from now on.

Crazy amounts of progress again today, in addition to the exterior door handles and locks (no thank you for that progress).  They installed all of the bathroom and closet light fixtures, put up all of the exterior light fixtures, attached our street number to the facade of the house, and got a really good start on installing the roof tiles.  It's days like these I think they might actually finish on schedule.  

Field Trip

I took a field trip today to lovely North Hollywood to pick out our marble slab for the master bathroom.  I just love Calcutta gold marble and I can't wait to see this beauty all laid out in our bathroom.

Things are really progressing at the house.  Today they installed all of the outlet covers, light switches, smoke detectors, and can lights.  Hayden was so excited at the possibility of being able to charge his devices now while we are visiting the house.  Only one little detail in his way, there is no actual electricity running through those outlets just yet. 

Winter Dusk

The first thing I purchased for the new house was a painting of the Chrysler Building.  It was a Christmas present for Preston last year.  We both LOVE Manhattan and some of our best memories are of our times spent together in the big apple.  Our most favorite building that makes up that gorgeous skyline is the Chrysler Building.  It's just so sparkly, I could stare at it all night.  I thought it would be a great statement piece for the new office.  So today I got out the painting and sat in some good natural light and choose a paint color for the office that would compliment the painting.  Dunn Edward's "Winter Dusk" it is.  Quite fitting since I think Manhattan is most magical in the winter and the Chrysler building most stunning at dusk.  

Meanwhile, at the house today, they finished up all of the interior painting and installed ventilation grills.  Ventilation grills aren't exactly something to get excited about but it's one more thing to cross of the list so that's pretty darn exciting for me!   

Marble pieces have arrived

Today I went to the design center to approve all of our marble that just arrived.  It was so exciting to see our actual marble pieces laid out.  Not samples, but OUR pieces.  They all looked gorgeous, of course, so I signed off my approval and said a quick prayer as I left that they will begin work on our showers and backsplashes next week.

Here is  some of the marble that will grace our powder room walls.  

Progress...

Lots of progress today when we visited the house…

They started laying the brick on the facade of the house

They poured the concrete for our driveway entrance and our sidewalk

 We have our exterior shutters ready to be installed.  Think they'd notice if I painted them white?  

They painted the pantry and all of the closet rods and shelves in the house

I'd say it was a very productive day!  Keep up the good work guys, this gal doesn't have much patience left for this house to be completed.  

I got to wear my new wellies today to visit the house.  It was a much needed rainy day here.  I absolutely love the rain.  I just wish it would hold off until the house is complete.  Having a weekday go by without any progress is pure torture!!!!!!  

While the workers were busy installing the last bits of the base boards, I was in my happy place… deciding on trim for our window treatments.  

And now a little fun fact about our garage.  It is supposedly the perfect napping spot.  I don't think a week goes by that I don't walk through our garage and see at least one worker snoozing in the corner of our garage.  One time, Hayden and I were visiting the house and there five.  FIVE grown men, sleeping in our garage like it was nap time in preschool.  Today, Madelyn almost tripped over a napping worker as we entered the house.  I'm not really sure why they choose our garage for their siesta, but I like to think it's because we already have a positive, calming energy around our house. 

Good riddance

The pups are sure going to miss this couch.  Me?  Not so much.  

I'm doubtful this thing will even last another six weeks and 3 days until we move.  I'm pretty sure once the moving van pulls up it will just disintegrate into a big pile of threads, fluff, and Great Dane hair.  My sweet Chloe girl is all skin and bones and needs a comfy spot to lay, so I let her use our couch whenever she wanted.  What I didn't account for was the wear and tear on a piece of furniture when your 115 lb. dog uses it exclusively to rest on.  Do you see how she smashes the cushion?  A cushion just doesn't bounce back from that.  And Charlie of course observed her and now thinks that is the proper way to sit on a couch, with all your weight smashing the back cushion.  Oy vey.  Add to that the lovely huge tears from Charlie's puppy teeth and you have one sad excuse for a sofa.  I sure hope the dogs like the new and improved dog beds we've invested in for the new house because they are NOT going to be on the new furniture… while I'm in the room.  

We visited the house tonight after sushi.  It was a beautiful evening so we opened up those bifold doors for the first time.  

Multiple Personality Disorder

Our builder has been awesome.  They have stayed on schedule (praise the Lord) and have been very accommodating with our requests for architectural changes as well as agreeing to add some extra touches to our house at my request.  But one such request they put the kibosh on faster than I could say, pretty please??  Our house was slated for a specific elevation... ranch style.  Now, there is nothing wrong with a ranch style facade to your house.  I can totally appreciate this type of construction and think it looks quite nice.  BUT, our house is going to have a major multiple personality disorder.  On the outside, definitely ranch style.  On the inside, more classic/transitional with an English feel and a pop of glam (hey chandeliers, how you doin?).  Maybe down the road we will put up a good fight with the Homeowners Association to repaint it.  But for now, here is how the house is coming along on the outside, my pretty ranch house…

We also got our kickin bifold doors installed yesterday…

Who needs throw pillows? I have a Georgia Peach decorating my new couch.

I'm spending the morning with my Georgia Peach, lucky me!  After a long run and playing at the park we came home and crashed on the new couch to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  I got up to let the dogs out and when I came back she looked like the perfect accessory, sitting so nicely in the corner.  Our couch was delivered last weekend and since we are maxed out of space in our garage, it had to go in our bonus room now.  So we sold our old couch and have started using the new one.  It goes against my rule of not using any of the new stuff until we move BUT it was awful nice on Sunday during our traditional family Sunday dinner with the Mayfields that we ALL fit on it as we watched AFV.

Can't wait to get this couch in our new bonus room!  

Stopped by after school today and found our banister finished.  Boom!   Just like that.  All carpentry jobs are finished with the exception of the base boards.  We have all interior doors, our pantry shelves, and closet rods installed.  Those closet rods will soon be ripped out and replaced with some serious dream closet action thanks to my good friend who works at California Closets.  Love having talented friends!

My baby girl and our new banister