the two more weeks club

We closed on our home on July 15th. I had grand ideas of getting the painting, woodwork, floor refinishing, and door painting done in two weeks--before we left on our Hebgen trip. Then we could move in, unpack, and start into the fun stuff--decorating!  It was a grand plan.  And we worked like crazy for two weeks, but it didn't happen the way I had imagined (surprise, surprise).  I resigned myself to the fact that it would probably take two more weeks.  We would get back from the cabin, keep working and THEN be able to move in.  Before school started, of course we could be "in."

Dad measuring for window sills.  Notice the periwinkle in the back ground, and the terra cotta wall in the foreground?  ...Two of the four different colored walls in the kitchen. 

New front door!  (Will soon be painted "moody blue.")

Nathan--sanding away!

Breanne helped us so much.

Sand. Mud. Vacuum. Repeat.

First coat of varnish.

 We got home from the cabin, and started working again.  Mom and Nana helped me with the garden.  Tom was our refinishing king.  My dad came and hung doors, knocked out walls, measured, ordered supplies, made our garage secure, and brought up issues and ideas that we would never have thought of otherwise.  Breanne, Nathan, and other friends and family members came and helped us sand, paint, caulk, putty, and prep.  Samuel was at the house every day after work, working his little tail off.  I pitched in where I could.  We told everyone at church that we would be finished enough to move in in just two more weeks.  

Sanding down doors.

Samuel's semi-permanent expression for the past 3 months.

So, we worked hard for another two weeks.  But we didn't get done.  We ended up needing new windows, getting the furnace and A/C replaced, needing another coat on the floors, and running into some lovely "gifts" from the previous owner (bless his soul).  We finally got a hold of the ever elusive electrician.  We made decisions, then changed our minds.  Sometimes we disagreed on things we envisioned.  We discussed, researched, and made decisions again.  We visited Ikea and Home Depot and Lowes several times.  People would ask, "When do you think you can move in?"  To which we would reply, "Oh two weeks.  Definitely.  Just two more."

Surprises left by the previous owner.

Primed walls!  This is before the new windows...

And so we continued. For two more weeks.  And then two more.  And here we are, three months later--October 14th--and I promise we will be moving in soon.  We are getting our counter tops in a week.  We get to go to Seattle to pick up some hand-me-down couches this weekend.  So we will finally be moving in!  Soon.  Probably in less than two weeks.