American Resolve

It's been a while, hello again.

I'd like to take a few minutes and express my thoughts and feelings about the current humanitarian state of our country.

On my facebook page I seeing dozens and dozens of posts supporting Muslims and refugees. I suppose Trump is the main reason for the sudden influx of posts, but it has been a major topic for weeks, months. You either have people who are freely excepting the refugees with open arms and smiles or you have people who shy away from them, pushing them aside, saying "let's help you from afar."

Who is right?

Surprisingly, there is no right action; at least not in my eyes. I admire those with unwavering, heart-felt welcomes. I think those people are full of hope and compassion. I understand those with timid, fearful reactions, understanding those people need assistance, but would rather not have next door.

We start to point fingers, call names, and openly condemn those with feel different from us. To be honest, I feel this a pattern with the current politicians both currently elected, and running their big mouths hoping to be elected...but that's another post for another time.
We allow there to be a divide, a critical separation of our own citizens. I'll be honest again, I am one of those who would very much like to help those poor, victimized people...but from afar. 

Does that make me racist? Does that make me a bigot? Does that make me uncaring and cold?

No.

You see, I was 14 when the events of September 11 took place. I remember life before that day, and I see the long-lingering affects of that day on a regular basis. We are still scared. We are scared that simple tasks like going to work, going to the grocery store, eating at a restaurant, or going to the movie theater, could be life-ending.
I do get uncomfortable sometimes when a individual walks into a public place with hijab, or a turban. I don't like that my first reaction is fear, but it is. I am never rude to them, I hold open the door for them, I smile. I am polite and kind, but in the back of my mind I am wondering if there is more to them than I see. That's not their fault. They are victims too. Because of Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and ISIS our reaction is fear. The goal from those groups, after all, was this. To strike fear and incite chaos amongst innocent people. Through this they gain power and control. Through this, they win.

It's hard not to make the association between the Muslims of the world and these radical terrorist groups. The terrorists after all masquerade themselves as innocent, Muslim human beings. That's how they blend in and infiltrate our societies...that's when they make their move. That's when we all suffer. That's when they expose their true selves. Cruel, ruthless creatures, twisted and unfathomably evil. They not only mock the Muslim people, but of all humanity. Their intent so devious, so methodically planned out, their very own conscious must have been obliterated.

These individuals are what we are trying to protect ourselves from. These individuals that hide in the shadows of their own victims only to attack again. These individuals who pray on the good nature of humanity and steal good souls from the earth. These individuals we cannot identify, these individuals are counting on that.

Do not call me uncaring because I do not want to find myself huddled on the floor begging for my children's lives. Do not call me racist because the enemy is purposefully dressing themselves up as the innocent civilians of the middle east. Do not call me a bigot because my views differ from yours. Do not label me as "wrong" simply because you think you are right.

Do not turn on one another, when we do we become divided, and therefore, weak. ISIS feeds on the weak. This country only seems to come together when something horrific takes place. When lives are lost and other lives are destroyed forever. I am a reasonable, hard-working, understanding, compassionate mother, wife, daughter, and friend. Do not let the terrorists win by making me the "bad guy." My feelings are justifiable. I watch my children grow and I fear for the world they will inherit...all I want is to defend them and their future.

The battle of good and evil wages on and into depths I cannot imagine. I just want my babies to be safe, that feeling is shared among all families, no matter what religion or race they are. I don't pretend to have a solution, I just don't want to end up another victim...I don't want my children to end up another victim. I just want to keep my home safe. Surely that is something we can all agree on.

I accept there will be refugees, and I want to help those who need help the most. I just pray to God that we don't get fooled again.

"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

"Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve."

M.LEWIS

I Got This

Remember my last several posts when I talk about posting pictures of the house? Well...it's not happening this post either. Sorry.

I keep finding more things to put away, rearrange, etc. I have a lot of energy when it comes to designing a space, but when it comes to staging it and taking a picture I fizzle. I think this means I'm still tired. I love a good before and after photo, but when it comes down to doing it...I don't.

Last week took a lot of patience, and even then, I needed more. Addy's terrible-2-personality was in full-swing, making things difficult to accomplish...and any task frustrating due to all the crying. Lorelai has had some issues with the multiple moves, but that should settle down soon seeing as we are not doing this again for a long while (and hopefully never).

Tasks for the past week:
Fix the leaky faucet in the guest bathroom
Organize and start the picture slideshow for my Grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary
Appropriately evict any and all ants that have worked their way inside
Finish setting up the entry hall and dining room
Create a photo book on the building of our house

These things I had planned (the ants were a last minute add-on).

The things that came up unexpectedly:
Fix the toilet in the master bathroom
Fix the washing machine so I can provide everyone clothes
Spend the entire weekend installing 2 ceiling fans in the girls' rooms


I planned to fix the faucet myself because (even though it's under warranty) I didn't want to call and schedule a plumber, wait around for 4 hours for a 3 minute job, and have my dogs lose their sanity because someone new was over. I went to Lowe's for the part after spending some time learning what that part was. I couldn't locate it in the store and my kids were out of control that morning and I had to leave without getting anything. I then ordered the part online.

The more I work on the slideshow, the more work I create for the slideshow. This will take some quality time to finish by Thanksgiving. It doesn't help that I can only work on it at my mom's house...that gives me about 3 hours a day divided between Addy's needs, Lorelai's needs, lunch, and drive time. Oy.

I think I have the ant issue under control. It's not a huge deal. Ants happen, especially when we get dumped with 5 inches of rain in 2 days.

I am almost done with the hall and dining room, I keep changing my mind and adding new things...but this is the least of my worries, it's just cluttery which annoys me.

The photo book is something that can (and most likely will) wait. That is all.

The toilet starting leaking Thursday. This problem I did call the plumber for. Water damage is scary. Now this leak was very small, I turned off the water, emptied the tank and lined the base with a towel. I already fixed the faucet by this point or I would have added that to their list. He came in on Friday and figured out the leak was in the tank. We will need a new one...they will have to order a new one...will have to wait for Monday to order and then it will be a couple days. Ok...well, at least we have other bathrooms. Not a big deal.

The washing machine broke on Wednesday? I lose track. I have a front-load machine which needs to air out after use. The door swings all the way open and the laundry room/mud room door slams into it. We had the same issue in the old house. The problem is with the machine, I'd like to leave the door open just a wide crack, not all the way...but I can't achieve this. Anyway, I was in a rush and pushed open the laundry room door and slammed it into the washing machine door causing it to hit the frame of the washer, snapping off the hook the door needs to close...and wash things. I was so mad at myself...and mad at the darn machine. It was an unpleasant reminder that in my mad rush I need to be calmer. Long story (somewhat) short, I found the part online and had it working by Friday.

Saturday we had the great idea to get the kids their fans. You know, it was cold and rainy so getting ceiling fans is needed. A very long story short, the first fan took a while, but no real issues. That was Saturday. Sunday was fan #2 and that was not so easy. Dry wall issues, outlet box problems, this lead to hardware needs and restructuring. All said a done, fan #1 is fine, fan #2 is ok...if you just use the light. We will need to tackle that problem later this week.

So...I am still waiting for a working master toilet, I need to work on the slideshow, I need to stop using my prime account for rush appliance parts, and hopefully life will slow down more before you know....Halloween, holiday shopping time, Thanksgiving, anniversary party, Lorelai's birthday, Christmas decorating, Christmas wrapping/shipping, and Christmas itself.

Really though...I'm in my house at last. I got this. ;)



M.LEWIS

Master Floor Lamp

I look around and I am loving how the house is shaping up. I want to share, but it is a lot of rooms, and therefore, a lot of pictures. Instead of a whole house tour now, I will simply focus on my latest addition to my new space.

My new master bedroom has a tall, vaulted ceiling. The room feels big without being unnecessarily large...if that makes sense. The old floor lamp I had previously in our room instantly felt shrunken and out of place. I told myself I could get a new lamp if I found one that wasn't too dense, wasn't too short, and wasn't too expensive.

I have to say, I love creating home spaces. I am going to be all nerdy and interior-designery for a minute: I love adding in different textures, colors, materials, and using things in unusual ways. Nothing too crazy, just a bit of interest and creativity...developing an accent (and room) that is unlike anyone else's. Wrought iron, steel, cedar, pine, canvas, paint, glazing, fabric print, and subtle transitions in color. I love forming my home, the place my life happens, the place my family is rooted.

Ok, so back to the lamp. :P

Here is my gem. It's simple, yet quirky. Black metal and neutral canvas. Perfect. It's inexpensive (and I had multiple coupons!) and it doesn't take away from anything in the room, it adds subtle character. I do plan to take a picture of my lamp in my space (at some point), but for now here is the picture I saw and decided to go for it.

If you are interested, here is the link to purchase. Hooray Target!  

M.LEWIS

Settling Avenida

Well, it's been a little while, but we've been busy. We moved into our house!

It was stressful, loud, hectic, and well worth it. We spent the last 2 weeks unpacking, organizing, situating everything big and small, and with a couple extra purchases (more to come) we are settled in and loving it.

The kids and dogs are loving more space, their own space, and not living out of boxes. This is mainly the kids, but you know...a big backyard goes a long way.

It's amazing how much stuff we have...and it's amazing how we had it in a much smaller house. I don't know how to keep from collecting too much, but it is definitely a goal of ours.

I am happy to report no major issues with the house. We had a ac pipe drip (just condensation), a plug above the front door not finished (it's finished now), and we still have a leaky faucet...but none of these are big issues. Seeing as we have been homeowners for several years now, these things are completely manageable. I feel like some people in the neighborhood are less forgiving...but I'm not focusing on others' problems. We love our home, and that's all that matters.

Hard to believe we're almost half way through October...but to be honest, this year has been a blur. I refer to it as our lost year, mainly because of the prepping and selling of our first house, then moving first to the apartment, then finishing the new house, then moving again into our second house. People look at me funny when I say "I never want to move again" but I think they are the ones that are crazy. I am not a good mover. I grew up in 2 houses in my life. The first house from ages 1-4, and then the house my family still lives in from ages 4-23. My parents don't plan to move, so I can plan the same, right? ;) Lorelai is 4 now, it seems fitting. I plan to get things polished and post pictures later...hopefully when things finally cool off. 95 in mid October is not ok. :(

Halloween is approaching quickly. Addy had trouble settling on one costume, so I choose for her. Adalaide will be Tinkerbell...a perfect fit if you ask me. She bounced around a witch for awhile, but never wanted to wear the witch costume. She found an old bee costume at Grandma's...but it's too big. I figured Tinkerbell is a good fit of wings, wand, tulle, and sparkles. I am making it, so I can tailor it to her tiny body better. ;)

Lorelai is going to be a Fairy Pirate Princess...it was once a Fairy Robot Pirate Princess, but she has since dropped the robot factor. She'll have mainly fairy princess elements, but with a pirate hat and an eye patch...it shall be interesting. I'm just telling people she is dressed up as her imagination. :P

More to come later, farewell from Avenida Ln! :D

M.LEWIS

Apartment Days are Numbered

Wednesday is our closing!

That means packing, planning, sorting, organizing, and lots of patience. That's right, it's "the move: part 2."

Not a whole lot else to update you on. The next post should be from the new house (and hopefully with a lot of pictures!)

I cannot wait to get out of this apartment! AH!


M.LEWIS

Ikea Dresser Hack

A little weekend project turned into an less than perfect transformation, but now that it's all done, it was worth it.

Here is a little Ikea hack of my own.

Here is our dresser. We have two, placed side-by-side to make a mega dresser. It was inexpensive and it had a lot of storage space, great for a newlywed couple on a budget.

Well, the look of them never thrilled me and years later, I have finally done something about it.

After applying a stencil with chalk paint (and antique glaze) I added a a custom fit wood top and I feel it looks so much better.

(Ignore the pile of pillows in the corner.) Collectively, I invested about $95 in paint, stain, wood, stencil, screws, glue, wood filler, etc. I really like the look now, well worth it.

No "how to" here...just a picture and an idea to share. :)


M.LEWIS

Kitchen Bench

I decided to add a bench to our kitchen table. Easy for kids to use, extra seating, space saver. I was sold on the idea pretty early on, but I now got around to doing it.

Not much use in showing a picture. A bench is a bench; but I left Lorelai help assemble it, and I let both girls sign the bottom.

While I plan to keep this bench for quite some time, I wanted to snap some pictures and preserve their little mark on building something for our home.

M.LEWIS

Countdown to Avenida

5 weeks out from Avenida move. I cannot wait. Seriously, this apartment is shrinking by the day. Each week the house is getting better and better. I am so in love with it, and we still have a lot of love to put into it.

Not much else to report really. I am just prepping with furniture and textiles for the new house. The goal is to have a lot of it purchased and ready to set up so we don't have a mad rush of "Oh shoot! Adalaide doesn't have bed!"...right now she is still in the crib. I know, 2.5 years and in a crib. But she is crazy and tiny...so the crib works best for us in the apartment.

Oh to have a yard again...with trees! I can't wait!

Now to make the next 5 weeks pass quickly and smoothly. Hmmm....

M.LEWIS

Waiting Game

We're still waiting here in apartment land. I'm trying to be proactive while waiting; thinking ahead to what I will need to buy for the new house, how I want to set up the rooms, etc. Our latest purchase with this in mind is a new tv. It was a big purchase, but one that was probably overdue. Of course, with a new, big tv, comes a new appropriately-sized tv stand. So that's 2 new things accomplished.

I am thinking about changing the bed situation for the girls. Our current one is not working well and was not meant to be long-term. Addy climbs out of her crib now, and rather sleep in Lorelai's bed, so I might go ahead and switch around a few things to keep the peace at bed/naptime better.

I am itching for a yard, and more importantly, so are my dogs. It's a scorching 106° outside (and that's before the heat index), so the kids aren't missing the backyard too much yet, but the dogs are crazy...mainly Nora.
Leashing them up all the time is getting old, and Nora misses sitting and surveying the yard...so she tries to do so from inside, which doesn't work too well.

Our upstairs neighbors are by-far the loudest, most frustrating people to share a ceiling/floor with. They have a toddler son who, by the sound of things, has full reign of their apartment. Stomping, jumping, crying, screaming...the usual sounds of a child, but at midnight, or 3 am? That's not ok! I am being woken up, or kept awake by someone else's child, and that's frustrating. I have been quite tired lately due to this, yet I can't really change anything about it.

At least there has been great progress at the house lately. Drywall, stone, brick, and stair work have all made great strides this past week. I hope this continues. I so want that September 30 closing date to stick...though we have decided to rent the apartment through October just in case hiccups pop up along the way. A pricey, but needed, safety net.

More stone and brick since accomplished

Stair railings in, and drywall/texturing almost complete!

One month into our lease, and I am so ready to move out! It's like taking a vacation, but removing all the fun parts of a trip and just focusing on the "live out of a suitcase" displacement side of it. A little over 7 weeks left...in theory. FINGERS CROSSED!

Avenida Exterior Update

A couple minor hiccups in the Avenida progress. Our original stone is no longer available in the quarries right now. So we had to pick out new stone. We found one very similar, but with more variation and more uniformity. I think I actually like it better. It's just a bit of a delay on the front exterior. This stone will also be on our fireplace, along with a flag stone cap on the hearth. I am really excited for that progress.

New pick of stone, Granbury Chateau

An example of light flagstone for the hearth cap

The drywall is up. I haven't gone inside yet to see it, but I am dying to!

I confirmed the kitchen hardware and their placement with our builder yesterday. (So pretty.) And I signed off on our landscaping design with our landscaper. We were able to have the trees that we want, where we want them, along with a collection of bushes, shrubs, ground cover, and ornamental trees that we picked out. Best part, it didn't cost us anything,

The two pieces of hardware I picked for the kitchen

Our approved landscape design

Our closing date is a bit fluid at the moment, we will probably add on one more month to our apartment lease just to make sure we aren't in a serious jam later. A week difference between closing and move out is a bit too close to make me feel comfortable. It's another month's premium rent, but I don't think there is a feasible plan B, so we will just have to go with it.

Hopefully I will have new interior pictures soon!


M.LEWIS

Between Kingsmill and Avenida

You know that scene in Jurassic Park where Tim is in the smooshed SUV, stuck in the tree and Dr. Grant is leading them down before the falling car crushes them? They finally get to the ground and the car falls over on them, they are unharmed, but in the wrecked cab of the SUV again. Tim, exhausted, says: "Well, we're back in the car, again." Dr. Grant responds: "At least we're out of the tree."

An odd comparison, but this is how I feel about life right now.

I cleaned and organized and cleaned and packed and cleaned and repaired and cleaned our house getting it ready for list, I then repeated all those tasks during the contract period, and repeated them yet again until close. I was pooped. I am a perfectionist, and I wanted my house to look, well, perfect. It wasn't perfect, but I think it was pretty good. We packed up our world, moved it into a garage/apartment, turned in our keys, and left our home for good.

I was tired and stressed. My goal at that moment was "get it clean, get it pretty, and get out." I did that, and now that I'm out of the house (and in an apartment) I am exhausted, and somehow back where we started before the house ever happened. "Well, I'm back in an apartment, again."

What is my "Dr. Grant" response?

"Well, at least we made money and got a new house...eventually."

It's the "eventually" part that is the hardest right now.

I try to focus on the positive, but it is the negatives that continually get in my face. Being happy, or even content is difficult at 12:30am and your upstairs neighbors are crying, screaming, stomping their feet, and slamming their doors.

No yard is both a relief (no maintenance) and a frustration (the dogs...enough said).

I am thankful for a walk-out back porch and grass right outside the porch. That makes the dog situation not too bad, but we do have to leash up and beg for scheduled bodily functions many, many times a day.

We have an attached 2.5-car garage, and that is where 80% of our belongings reside. There is no down side to this. Our stuff is all together and with us. I am grateful for this. We also can park right outside the garage, so that is a guaranteed, close parking spot.

We finally have internet and tv set up. Yes, I am one of those people that need internet and tv. Having this helps my patience and makes me feel connected to the outside world.

The major downsides are my noisy co-inhabitants and the, well, non-cleanliness of things. Again, perfectionist here, I spent hours cleaning and cleaning...and this place has rewarded me with sticky paint, hard water and lime stains, and roaches. Yes, we have found several...it's disgusting. I bought bait/poison, I think it's helping.

My mind is impatient. I want to get into my new house asap. We do have a scheduled closing date now, September 30. I pray this date sticks. We have the apartment through October 9, so we don't have much wiggle room to play around with. Please, pray with me. I don't know what would happen if our lease ends and we don't close on time. I don't want to solve that problem.

Let's hope no more Jurassic Park scenes come to mind.

M.LEWIS

Kingsmill Days Numbered

This very well might be my last entry from the Kingsmill territory.

We close on Thursday, but have possession until Sunday evening. The movers come Friday and hopefully we will get at least 90% of our things moved then. We still have all of Saturday and most of Sunday to move any lingering items. Of course there is still the need to clean up the things I can't right now, i.e. vacuum under beds, peel glow-in-the-dark star stickers off the ceiling, and touch up paint.

I feel pretty on top of things right now...but it is only Monday. I have already packed most of our things. I am waiting for Wednesday evening to pack most things...mainly kitchen things. I will even unplug the refrigerator/freezer then and allow it to defrost in time for the movers to arrive bright and early Friday morning.

I have to remember to deconstruct the back deck. That I keep forgetting. It's amazing how many more things we have gained in 4 years.

We do have an attached 2 car garage with our apartment, so the goal is to use it as a storage unit and keep all of our things in one location. But that does mean that we have to squeeze in a refrigerator/freezer; and washer and dryer; a huge, heavy dinning room table; an extra couch; a lawnmower; Lorelai's queen bed, dresser, and nightstand; and many more large items, and tons of boxes.

I do hope between the apartment space and garage we can make it all work.

I have scheduled water to be shut off, but we will need to set up shut off for electricity/gas, TV, and internet...not to mention setting up all those things at the apartment. Though, we are going to try to just watch Netflix and other online tv options so we can avoid the whole cable thing again.

I have set up a forwarding address with the USPS and plan to switch most paper bills to emails to avoid any extra shuffling. I will also have to change our address with insurance companies (health, car, renters), the bank, credit cards, etc. I will wait and plan to change our driver's license info once in the house...WHICH I am told could be mid September. I am mentally planning for later so I don't get disappointed when things take longer than they think. Construction tends to do that. ;)

Avenida is moving along nicely though. We should be drywalled shortly. We have our plumbing and electrical inspections to go through, we have our floor plug installed, our kitchen island pipes and wires set up, we have can lighting in place, arches marked out, and almost all the windows installed.

Once drywalled, we should hit a good pace of progress. I pray for speedy, but quality work to be done so we can get in as soon as possible.

Back to my boxes and newspaper. Packing onward.



M.LEWIS

Avenida Building

House progress report!

Framing the 2nd story.

Plywood covering and window installation.

More windows and roof installation.

I think most of the progress will be made from the inside for awhile, until the brick and stone work. I cannot express to you how happy I am to finally see a house sitting there!

Here is some more house/lot pictures I have been fiddling around with.

Here is our house superimposed onto the google maps lot.

Here is our house (a sneak peek on the 1st floor layout) on the lot with the desired fence line and possible tree placement.

Yes, I messed around online with this stuff all the time. I don't have the real thing to play with yet, so I have to make do. ;)

Our current house is still under contract (yay!) and we are having it appraised tomorrow. We are still making some repairs, but should be done by the end of the month. Still on track for closing on 7/7 and end of possession on 7/12. We move into our apartment on 7/10. All coming up fast!

Just over 2 weeks until we say farewell to Kingsmill!

Here's to more progress and easy moving! (Hahaha, I know, I know...)

M.LEWIS

An Adult Tantrum

I feel like having a tantrum. So bear with me, or move on...no hard feelings. ;)

Every time I get on the internet there is always some group "setting the tone" of where we should stand, of what we should all think. If you disagree with their platform you are heckled and given cyber eye-rolls and asterisk sighs. You might even get one of my favorite responds "omg. I just can even right now."

...That is always a favorite in a mature debate.

While I know I am feeding into the fuss by playing devil's advocate, I also feel it is necessary. I refuse to acknowledge that the whiny participates of social media get to lay the ground work of what is right and what is wrong. And it is usually just that; their view: right, all other views: wrong. You can bet they will have more than just a few choice words for you, usually contradicting and boasting themselves at the same time.

There are a number of social issues to pick from at any time. Recently, race and gender top the list. I did my fair share of arguing with these when I should have probably just shut down the computer...but I never have done well with keeping my opinions to myself.

Right now I am most frustrated with the banning of the confederate flag. No, this does not mean I am racist. No, this does not mean I support racists. No, this does not mean I favor segregation or discrimination. All this means to me, is this: I believe that you have the right as an American to buy a flag, even a confederate flag. I could go into depth on how the flag we all know is far more complicated than "a symbol of slavery," but even if you want to view it that way...shouldn't you be able to do so? Sure, people might think negative thoughts about you, they might jump to unsavory conclusions, but it is your right to buy, fly, or wear a symbol of your choosing.

To ban this, is un-American, and that angers me. (Just for the record, you can still buy nazi symbols just fine.) The internet blows up with the flag issue, and everyone follows suit. The media has an uncanny way of swaying millions of people by mere suggestion.

I am not a fan of "open carry" which recently passed here in Texas, but I do respect the merits behind it. I think some take it too far, but the law on which it was built upon is solid, and again, I respect that. The America I felt I knew seems to be shrinking and shying away from the online petitions that people sign without understanding or knowledge of its content. You can reach the masses in an instant, changing the way the country perceives issues, big and small. You influence the way people receive facts for the drama, for the story, for the thrill of a fight...but we are missing the bigger issue.

We are not the land of the "always right", the land of "my way or the highway", the land of "everything revolves around me and my feelings", the land of "what ever I read on buzzfeed"; no, we are the land of the free...and that means you have the right to feel whatever you want to feel. Yes, your words and actions have consequences, but you have civil liberties...like buying or flying a flag of America's past. People might sneer, but that is their right, for we have freedom for all, not just for the loudest voices on facebook.


Ok...tantrum over. Thanks.


M.LEWIS

Kingsmill Drama and Avenida Framing

Do you remember my previous post about our house under contract? If not, you can read it HERE.

All caught up? Good.

Now forget what you read because our first buyers (yes, first) backed out about about 52 hrs after I wrote that post. :(

They set up an inspection Monday afternoon for Wednesday afternoon, then, a mere 2 hrs before the inspection was supposed to take place (and after hours of me cleaning and prepping) I got a call from my agent telling me the buyers were backing out.

Why?

Well, the reason isn't overly important, but I will say it was, well...silly and completely false. This, however, made it really hard to talk them out of it. I doubt their reason would have made a difference, their minds were made up, and personally, I feel it was only a front for another reason to terminate the contract.
Anyway, after a brief panic attack, our agent secured us another buyer who loved our house that previous Saturday, but couldn't compete with the first buyer's offer. Now, seeing as the first buyer was gone, the second buyer was eager to secure their offer with us, landing them the house. :)

Honestly, this buyer seems really excited to have the house, and knowing how much time, energy, money, and love went into the house since we purchased it, I was happy to know some other family was going to love living here.

Their inspection was Friday and we ironed out any repair work to be done today. Nothing major, but some tricky...mainly due to ordering special parts. I am confident the timing will work out though.

So, in the mean time, how has our new house been coming along?

This is our lot a few days ago. As you can see, framing has begun, and they are progressing swiftly!

This is our house as of this morning. Second story coming along, and everything and everyone is so excited.

It's crazy how deceptive the lot size is from the street (pic 2). Our backyard is actually very spacious and we are really looking forward to a bigger (but not too big) yard (pic 1). Look how small Chris looks in that picture. If you look hard, both girls are there too.

So, we are just shy of 4 weeks until we need to be completely moved out. 3.5 weeks until we can move into our apartment. Oy, the sound of that still sounds "eh." With any luck, we will be out of the apartment in a couple months, and then, THEN we will move (again, *sigh*) in to our new house!!!

Right now, I have a lot of packing to do. And I will have a lot of packing to do for the next 3 weeks. We did schedule movers to move us (round 1, that is) and we will see about round 2 when the time gets closer.

Life is moving along, and hopefully there will be no more unwanted surprises!


M.LEWIS

Patriotic Mason Jar Lanterns

Life has been a wee bit stressful and eventful, but before I get into that, I wanted to share a pinterest win with you all.

The example, not lit

The link is HERE and it's called Patriotic Mason Jar Lanterns.

The example, lit up

The result

I did require more time and attention than I thought, but they came out really cute, so I am very pleased.

I have not lit them up yet, we've been a bit preoccupied, but I think they look great. If you attempt, don't get cheap stickers, because you will spend 5x the amount of time peeling them off with out scratching the paint with straight pins.
Also, be prepared to touch up the straight lines if you are a perfectionist like me. I just looked a the DIY page again, and I see their lines were sloppy like mine, they just went with it though.
They also distressed them, but I figured, give them a couple years and they will do that to themselves. :P

I still want to spray seal them with some kind of sealant to prevent too much chipping and scratching, but the main work is done.

It was a project for yesterday, Flag day, but I finished them today. I think decorating with the flag and other Americana styles is great all summer long, so these will be put to good use. We won't be decorating too much this year since we are in the process of moving, but these jars will help keep things festive, yet void of knick-knack clutter. :)

Now, for the house news? That will be coming up soon...


M.LEWIS

Under Contract and Foundation Setting

After weeks, months, stressing about cleaning, and spot painting, cleaning carpets, scrubbing showers, replacing windows, Chris dedicating hours to yard work, washing every item that can fit in the washing machine; I am happy to say our Kingsmill house in under contract this evening.

We listed and had first viewings at an open house late morning on Saturday. Though, our realtor told us she received a cash offer at 2am...2 in the morning! What?! Who does that? Anyway, she told them we were not accepting offers until the open house. Our realtor told us we had 18 families come through our house. We then had 4 private showings that same evening, until 6:45. We were pretty exhausted, including the dogs. Nora, thankfully, did not throw up once even though we were in and out of the car several times.

By the evening we had 2 notifications of incoming offers. In the morning we had 3.

All were either list or over.

After a little back and forth (and more showings in the mean time) we finalized a deal with one buyer for over asking in under 30hrs since listing.

We were flabbergasted by our luck. Not only did we get strong offers hours after (and even before) listing, but had such great feedback about our house, both in words and in price points. My prayers were heard and answered. I am forever thankful.

Now we go under inspection. I will not be surprised if we need to fix a couple things, or even tweak the price to compensate. No matter what comes up, I am confident we are in good standing and well on our way to moving closer to our new house.

Which, finally got its foundation poured on Saturday! :D :D :D

View from the street

View from our backyard

This weekend has been a whirlwind, but there is still so much more to go. More updates to follow!



M.LEWIS

The (not so) Calm Before the Storm

Life is about to get crazy.

We are listing our current house for sale on Saturday, accompanied with an immediate open house. That means from 11-2pm we will vacate the house; Chris, myself, the girls, AND the pups. We will travel with our car sick dog all the way to my in laws house to camp out for a few hours.
Please say a little prayer for us and our house. May the right buyer bid on our house, and quickly. The faster we find a buyer, the sooner I can begin to pack up the entire house. Oy. That is an overwhelming task at this point.

Latest news on our new house? There is none. :\ Still no foundation poured. I must say, trying to stay patient about it is getting more and more difficult. I did email the builder asking about the timeline, so hopefully he will have some good news for me later today. I certainly don't want to come across as whiny or naggy, but the saying "the squeaky wheel gets the oil" comes to mind. We'll see if that works in this situation.

In the mean time, I am a list-making machine.
A list for cleaning what and when, a list for future color-coding packing boxes, list for change of address notifiers, a list for chores that need to happen...and when, etc.

Seriously, moving this time is far more complicated and stressful than the last move. I sincerely hope this is our last move. This introverted homebody is not cut out for it.

I will update with some actual news soon. Cross your fingers for me!

Waterlogged

This is what my news feed looks like lately.

This is almost daily.

Just in 12 hrs...almost 2"

That 20% is the lowest we've seen in some time! I hope it continues!

You are reading this right. That's approaching the +5" mark.

In February, we were in "exceptional drought" the highest level. Today, we are drought free...and flooding in every local lake.

Yay. More coming.

Just in case you don't know where were are in these maps, we are diagonally in between Addison and Mckinney, about half way, give or take. So look back over those pictures...yeah...it's depressing. Not because this rain has almost busted the entire state out of drought (this is a good thing.) but because we are STILL waiting for the foundation to be poured at our new house (boo!). 

Why, oh why, did this rain even have to happen the spring we were supposed to be building our house?!

This rain has delayed things BIG TIME.

We were supposed to have drywall going up in the house now, but instead all we have is still pipes sticking out of the dirt. We are waiting for the rain to stop, for things to dry out, and for the sun to shine for several days with NO rain. Then, and only then, can we get our concrete foundation poured and cured for framing.

This weather has dampened my spirits and drenched the soil. We were supposed to be moving into our new house at the end of August...and that's clearly not happening.

Due to the rain, we will have to move into an apartment for several months. This was not in the original plan. Never did I want to take away my kids' (and dogs') house without putting them in a bigger, beautiful, new house. This depresses me.

What makes it worse is when people try to tell me all the rain and flooding is good, and that they want more rain. 

I'll wait until you put thousands of dollars down on a new house, spent hours picking out floor plans, lots, flooring, paint color, doors, light fixtures, tile, etc.; I'll wait for you to guess when to put your house on the market for a short 3 week close (crazy market right now!), then do a home inspection, fix any found problems, pack up your life, move into a small apartment (with 2 kids, 1 skittish dog, and 1 carsick dog) all with NO work being done on your house; I'll wait until you are delayed, and delayed, and delayed, watching your apartment lease grow longer and longer, envisioning your kids getting fussier and fussier, THEN I'll look at you and say "This is great! I want more rain! What's your problem?"

I'm not going to lie, that little rant made me feel a bit better.

I know our situation could be far worse, but still, this is so far from ideal it's not even funny anymore.

I know the house will be built eventually, but my mood sucks a lot lately, and for good reason.

Sorry if I don't get all chipper and the expected 3"+ we're scheduled to get in the next few days, my enthusiasm has fizzled after the first 15" we have received. Every rainy day is another delay to me, and nothing else. That's just what life feels like to me right now. Did I mention we got .76" of rain in 3 hours last night? Where is the Texas I know?

Can we fast forward to summer? This will be the only time I will want to. :(

M.LEWIS

Rainy Days and So Many Mondays

We are in a brief relief of all the rain we've had this spring. It picks up again tomorrow. It's been great for the drought, but terrible timing with the building of our house.

We were supposed to hit dry wall in a couple days, but instead, we are still waiting for the foundation to be poured. So, that means, our whole timeline has been delayed, at least a month.

It's been frustrating and stressful. Our original timeline was going to be difficult enough. Finding a buyer who would let us stay until the new house closed (mid-late August) with a signed contract before drywall (mid-late May) was going to be a long-shot. That's a long closing period, and overlapping the start of a new school year.
Now, with new delays and probably future delays, our timeline is just not working. Our new closing date? Who knows.

So, through all the up-in-the-air issues with our current house and our new houses, we have decided to go ahead and list our house, get in sold, get the contingency taken off our new house, and "tough it out" in a apartment for [hopefully just] a few months.

That has been difficult to digest. I know so many families live in apartments, and I sound a bit hyperbolic, but it is a huge change for our family.
Not only will it cost a lot more money to pay movers twice, pay a rent higher than our current mortgage, pay pet deposits, pay for internet setup, setup water and electricity accounts, actually move everyone and everything twice, BUT we would be giving up our 2200sqft house for something half the size. Oh, and finding one that allows huskies is surprisingly difficult.
And there is still a possibility that our planned 3-month lease could go longer if this pesky rain won't quit.

We have been planning this since January, and here we are mid May and we are barely have a foundation. This process has been s l o w. I just keep praying for the rain to move out and on to somewhere that really needs it. Sure, we did need it, but we literally have flood warnings weekly, so we're set for now...and I would really like this gnawing pit in my stomach to leave. We have so much excitement, money, hope, and plans tied up in this new house...it's just so irritating it doesn't exist yet.

I keep praying that this process gets easier, that the plans get rolling, that the weather cooperates, and that we will be financially secure at the end of this ordeal.

I love the house we're building, that's why it's so hard to wait so long. I know by the end of the year we will be in the house (with any luck, for several months by that point) and it will be all worth it. That is the drive for my patience. I remind myself of this, but I struggle a lot.

Funny thing is, we haven't even listed our current house yet. We have been told it will sell fast, and I sure hope that is true. That is a whole different stress.

I don't want my kids to be uprooted and confused, but I know they will be. I feel guilty taking away their home without putting them in a better one. I want this awesome opportunity to actually feel awesome.

So much uncertainty, so much needed patience. I must learn to adapt somehow, and so must my household as a whole. Dogs included. Oh, boy.


M.LEWIS

Rx to the Rescue

I rarely go to the doctor for myself (unless I'm pregnant). I go for the kids and dogs, but for me, I rather just tough it out. I don't want to take the kids with me and I don't want to ask someone (my mom) for assistance. I usually pop a couple of Tylenol, drink fluids every hour, and try to rest. (I know, hahaha.)

Monday I had a sore throat. We stayed home all day and watched movies. It wasn't terrible, but it was a long day. Tuesday I felt better. My throat didn't hurt, but my head was filling with congestion. We did leave the house for a bit, but by evening time I was feeling really run down.
By Tuesday night, I felt terrible. I took every medication I could and I still felt like death. I got very little sleep and by the morning, I felt weak, exhausted, and sore.
My nose and face were throbbing, my throat was raw, and my neck was swollen making it hard to swallow. I started running a fever and with my strength and stamina teetering on zero, I did what I had to do.
Unable to properly care for my little ones, and almost unable to care for myself, I called my mom and then I called the doctor.

I was diagnosed (a few hours later) with acute sinusitis, aka, a severe sinus infection.

A few hours later I was home, antibiotics and steroids coursing through my system, I was feeling a bit better.
By bedtime I had my second and third round of steroids and another dose of antibiotics and I was doing a lot better.
I slept. I slept more than the last 2 nights combined.

This morning I feel miles ahead of where I was just 24hrs ago. I am not one to jump to the doctor or to load up on antibiotics, but man, I know when I need to, and I am so thankful I did.

Thank you western medicine. I love you.


M.LEWIS

Avenida Progress

While things are wildly unpredictable in our household lately, it's nice to know (and see) progress is being made on our new house. Sanity is a distant light slowly growing bigger and brighter. Though, I emphasize s l o w l y.

This will pick up sooner than I can imagine, at least that is my bet. Seeing as I have never built a house before, this is just my best guess.

Here is our progress thus far:

Lost cleared and leveled

Foundation lined

Trenched for plumbing

Plumbing! Pipes are visible! 

Crazy as it sounds, these pipes are the first thing put in (beside the already-there dirt) and they are so exciting!

I will be so happy when there is an actual foundation! So go away for a bit, rain. My house needs a floor!

Oh, and just for fun, I took a picture of a spec house in another neighborhood that is the same layout as our house; I then photoshopped in our bay window and our cedar garage door design and added corbels. It is not our brick, stone, paint, or stain, but you get a good idea of what our house will look like. I tend to look at this picture almost everyday.

My computer transformation

Final computer rendering (again, not our brick, stone, etc.) SO PRETTY

In mean time, we are getting our current house ready to list. I am trying very hard to keep things looking as new and clean as possible...very difficult with our 6 month old husky pup. Did I mention sanity being a tiny glimpse of hope far away? 

Life is stressful to say the least, but knowing that I will be in my dream house in a matter of months helps me push forward. Do I have another choice? No, not really. But I could be crying a lot, and I'm not. ;)

Hopefully no more illness, no more dog destruction, and hopefully soon, a quick and flexible buyer. Not too much to ask for, right?

M.LEWIS

Avenida Foundation

Foundation framing!

Designing the Avenida House

Building a house is a long process, but we have completed a pretty big step. The design center, also known as "my happy place," was a 3 week process, but we completed it today!

Major expenses were the wood floors, stone fireplace, blinds throughout, and upgraded carpet. All worth it, especially the wood floors...I am so tired of cleaning carpet in the main living areas.

We went with standard appliances, lighting, and most hardware. Honestly, although they are standard, they are really nice, so I am pleased with the standard options. These include granite countertops, stainless steel kitchen appliances, wrought iron/wood stairs, and brushed nickel lighting.

But enough talk, let's see some pictures! First, to refresh your memory, the exterior of the house.

Upgraded elevation with stone, cedar shutters, and a cedar garage. Front bay window is completely unique to our house to fit correctly on the property. No complaining here!

brick

close up on the stone, level 3 stone that is

exterior trim color, cedar stain color, and stone

  

Ok, now for our more recent choices:

Front door (close enough, I googled the name of the style) Craftsman 8' with 6 panel window and shelf (our stain not pictured)

Wood flooring in main downstairs (kitchen, dining room, breakfast nook, family room)

Trim color (also cabinet color) and wall/ceiling color

In the kitchen:

kitchen faucet

granite counter tops with our flooring and cabinet color, "Swiss coffee." Very fitting.

Not the best picture for the color, but more the style of cabinets

Another picture of the granite and the backsplash tile- subway style (3x6), "greige" laid off-set; light grout. 

Potential hardware for kitchen...will decide with the builder

Bedrooms:

Upgraded carpet

carpet color with trim color and then wall color

Master bathroom:

upgraded tile that holds the "greige" colors I love, with similar colored grout

This will be laid on the floor, shower backsplash, and tub area. We will have the "swiss coffee" cabinets, chrome/brushed nickel faucets and hardware, and white cultured marble countertops.

The other bathrooms (and utility room):

upgraded beige tile for the flooring, 13x13 with similar colored grout

Other tile in bathrooms (shower backsplash) will be standard white square tile and matching grout. These will also have similar countertops and faucets/hardware as master.

The stair railings are wrought iron and wood, the stone fireplace will match our exterior stone along with a rustic mantel (with corbels!), matching wood stains through out. Man, I loved picking out everything.

I wish I could share what everything will look like, but I took pictures of only the non-standard items. Even then, the colors don't really ring true to what they look like in person. You will just have to check back on the progress on our house-building adventure! ;)

Thank you Lord for blessing our family with such a wonderful gift.

M.LEWIS