Slowly, but surely

This kid must think I am some sort of pinball machine.  He could care less about what time of the day or night it is - he likes to party ALL the time.  This morning was the first time that I recall his antics waking me up, though!

Updates on the house...
- My tile guy sent me a text on Monday to see if we had picked up the tile.  W. T. F.  Nope!  Sure haven't!  Thought that was your job!  So, guess what Michael and I got to do at 8:30 Monday night after we put Ethan down (with my parents at home, of course)?  Deliver the tile that Michael had to run over to the flooring store and pick up!  Let me say that tile is heavy and a Matrix was not designed to carry it.  I was absolutely nervous the entire time we had possession of the tile.  Thankfully, we made it there and back with no issues.  The next afternoon, he got started and worked until late.  The shower should be finished by Saturday.
- Our cabinet man had installed more cabinets, which was awesome to see when we dropped the tile.  He is supposed to be installing more over the few days.  I believe we just have the island/lowers in kitchen, mantle, master closet and some doors left.  Fingers crossed that maybe we can schedule paint for next week!!
- Yesterday, I met with the lighting fixtures guy.  He gave me a couple of catalogs to go through, and last night Michael and I did just that.  We agreed on pretty much everything, so that was a breeze.  Now, I just need to schedule a walk-thru with him to make sure we get noted what we will need - and get a price.
- Speaking of prices... I had a small freak-out yesterday over the budget.  I asked our GC to meet with me at some point this week to go over the invoices with me.  According to my budget spreadsheet, I haven't paid for a few things but I know that can't be right.  I think what has happened on a few lines is that I received an invoice or two that had two or more budget items on it, and I did not separate it properly for my spreadsheet.  I need some help decoding the invoices to make sure I know who I have paid and haven't - and, where we really have busted the budget.

I'm telling you...building a house is stressful.  Staying on budget, not letting people screw you, making decisions to upgrade certain things, etc. is unbelievably stressful.  I am hoping that after I sit with Dustin and get everything straight, that we will be able to better plan for the rest of the items.  We can make some cuts on things like fixtures and landscaping - those we can always come back to later.  But, then you have the driveway yet to be poured that you are basically at their mercy on pricing.  Oh, and the remaining brick for the lip of the driveway and outdoor kitchen.  So, yeah.  Stressful.

I take my PHR test on Tuesday.  Can you sense the excitement?  I will be going through the online modules to check where I'm at over the next couple of days.  Then, I plan to brush up on my weak areas the couple of days leading up to the test.  Say a prayer for me!

1 holiday down...

So, turns out that our tile had not been ordered.  And, with the Thanksgiving holiday, it took a few days extra to arrive.  Supposedly, it was delivered yesterday afternoon and picked up this morning.  Fingers crossed that maybe we'll get our shower and tub backsplash done for the weekend - and maybe some more cabinets!  We did get a load of cabinets in last week, and I took some pictures but will wait to post when they're more complete.  We still need to decide on landscaping and light fixtures...

As far as physically, I am feeling more and more beat down every day.  I don't know what to do to make it better.  My HR class finished Tuesday night and I will test on the 17th.  My hope is that once the stress of the test is gone, I'll start to feel more upbeat.

I know that part of it is the holiday season and where we are right now.  I feel like a turd to complain, but emotionally, I feel out of place.  For the first time in our marriage, Michael and I don't have a "home" of our own for our little family.  We are so grateful and fortunate that my parents have space for us to stay during this transition time.  I just didn't realize how the holidays would affect me here at the end.  Throw in a nice serving of pregnancy hormones and you get a barrel of fun!  Michael is a trooper and more supportive than I could ever give him credit for.  I am truly blessed.

With the pregnancy, I'm still cruising along - which I am EXTREMELY grateful for.  My biggest hope for this (and any other) pregnancy is to be as uneventful as possible.  However, little Liam Edward is quite the mover and shaker!  He definitely likes to utilize all of his allotted space for activities.  And, by activities, I mean kickball and/or soccer.  Maybe we'll have two little NFL kickers!

Hopefully, I'll have more updates after the weekend. :)

Rainbows & butterflies

...building a house is neither of these.

So, we've had "relatively" smooth sailing so far - no huge hiccups.  It only makes sense that we're starting to hit a few here towards the end, right?  I say hiccups, but they're more like annoyances.

Three weeks ago, we selected the tile for our shower and backsplashes.  This week, my GC asked me if they were ordered.  My first thought was, "Um...whert?"  See, when we picked it out, they explained to us that they would get our measurements from the guy doing the work - who they have on file.  Then, either they would get back to us on a price, or he would include it in his estimate for us - either way we were fine.  I sent a text to our guy that same night and told him where we were and that they would be needing/getting the measurements from him.  Well, after Dustin contacted me, I immediately called the tile store.  Of course, I had to leave a message with our sales rep - who did not call me back.  I tried again this morning, and after a brief "on hold" stint, she answered.  I still don't know if it's been ordered or not.  So, I reached back out to Dustin and our tiling guy to let them know.  So, here we are.  Our tile guy is going to contact our sales rep (well, his sales rep - she is the one who manages his account).  The rep also said she would contact him and get back to me before the end of the day.  She tried to say that they may have the measurements, but not placed the order yet - it's on her "task list".  WTF?!  We did our part THREE WEEKS ago!!  Is that not ample time to get measurements and place an order?!  Wow.

Moving on... Our first load of cabinets was supposed to go in after lunch today.  I'm going to assume that may not happen with Mother Nature's shitty attitude.  We're supposed to have rain until around midnight tonight.  UGH.  But, hey!  What's one more day or so, right?  And, guess what else can't get finished in the rain?  The brick.  Yep, yep....the back, outdoor kitchen, and one side of the house is not fully complete.  I knew building into the cold, wet winter and around the holidays was going to bite us in the asses.

Of course, the weather is supposed to be damn near perfect for Thanksgiving and the weekend!  I guess them's the breaks!

The important stuff (house post)

An event from this morning reminded me of why certain things are important when it comes to trying to build a house on your own.

Let me preface this by saying... Michael and I started out on this journey with little to no clue on what to expect.  I have the benefit of working for a very successful residential construction company.  If we did not have my connections, I can assure you that we would not be going this route.  We have learned SO MUCH and are willing to share our story with anyone (hence, this blog), but I have to say that I could not imagine anyone doing this based off of our "advice" alone (hence, this post).

First and foremost, find yourself a good, well-connected General Contractor.  When I say "good" I also mean that this person is not an asshole.  You want someone who will get the job done without burning their bridges over it.  I was lucky to pretty much have the pick of the litter on Superintendents, and I asked opinions before reaching out to one.  I mentioned our GC's name at the permit office and the lady behind the counter could not stop talking about how nice he is, and how he never made them feel like they were dumb when they called with questions. This has paid off immensely in a few areas.

This brings me to another cost-cutting measure - pay cash when possible.  BUT, always get an invoice.  You do not want to run the risk of a vendor coming back to say that you never paid them.  I keep the receipts for our cash withdrawals and staple them to the invoice.  I also keep a detailed "active budget" in excel, and make notes on how each item/service was paid.  It might sound like a pain in the ass, but the real pain will come when that $10k invoice that you paid cash on is landing you in court for supposed "non-payment".  Just for good measure, I keep every invoice (cash paid or not), mark when I paid and how it was paid.

If something doesn't look right, whether it's an invoice or something on/in/with the house, always ask.  I have "run the risk of looking stupid" on several occasions.  I could care less if I look dumb - we want this house to be well made with everything we are paying for done correctly.  Also, do not get in a hurry.  In the grand scheme of things, two weeks ain't shit.  I would rather wait now to have exactly what we want.  We will be in this house for years, and this moment in time will seem like the blink of an eye.

Get multiple bids.  We were fortunate enough that our GC has worked with several vendors and knew who to use on most areas.  However, we did have to get a few bids on brick laying.  This takes time - again, do not rush.  We waited an extra week or so to get the bids and then make a decision.  Cheapest is not always better.  Again, this is where having a good GC comes into play.  They should be familiar with the market and fair prices.  You get what you pay for, and when it comes to building a house, you don't want to cheap out of everything.  However, don't let yourself get taken to the cleaners either.

You can never have too many electrical outlets or too much lighting (inside or outside).  Electrical work is one of those things that you want to have nailed down before the sheetrock goes up.  If you even THINK you might want an extra outlet or light here, maybe a speaker there, DO IT NOW.  Do not wait.  It will be two or three times the cost to do it once those walls are up.

And, finally (for now), if you think of something and think it's too late, still ask.  I didn't ask certain questions to the guy who built the only other house like ours until I "thought" it might be too late.  Even then, I went to our GC with my ideas and advice, and we were able to get those items taken care of.  Pretty much until the sheetrock goes up, anything can be adjusted.

These are just a few items right off the top of my head - and this is assuming you have your plans and budget in hand.

It's a babeh....!

You know what I love?  Red Raspberry Leaf tea.  I can have roughly a glass or so a day right now, and then I can drink it pretty much all day towards the end of the 3rd trimester.  It's not the tastiest tea I've ever had, but it's a really nice herbal tea - and I cold steep it to make sure it's never bitter.  I've been drinking a crapton more tea in general.  Almost every morning I've been getting a passion tea at Starbucks.  A random mix-up on my usual iced tea shaker now has me addicted to the hot version.

So, I guess that's enough about tea.

I'm sure you're probably curious about what we're having since I mentioned it on the last post.  I think it's safe to release the news on here..........

 

I get teary every time I think or say "my boys".  Michael has visions of running and playing ball with his boys - and this Momma could not be more ready to watch that.  He and Ethan will be best little buds - when they're not fighting! ;)  Plus, I love that they will be able to bunk up later if we did want to go for a third.  We wouldn't move any of the babies to the 4th bedroom across the house until years down the road.  Michael's mancave is safe for now.

 

Updates with the house:

The brick layers have started working, and we have interior doors!  Woohoo!  So, the trim guys will do everything they can until the brick and cabinets are done. 

 

 

And, just when I thought I was done with paint... I get the estimate! If you've been following along or have spoken to me in the past month or two, you know how much I despise paint selections at this point in time. Well, I finally got everything selected - walls, trim, cabinets, ceilings, etc. And, then I get hit with the cost of all of those different color selections. Wow wow we-wa... I basically doubled my budget. So, back to the drawing board!! What I decided was the make the ceilings, cabinets and trim color the same. I am requesting a quote on what the cost will be for keeping my island a different color - the number will determine the outcome. I also cut out four room colors. I tried to be smart about them, and hopefully that will pay off. I still have to get an estimate from the girl who would/will be doing the antiquing in the kitchen. Hopefully, that doesn't cost me an arm and a leg!

I think we decided on granite, too. Let's just hope the sticker shock isn't as much as the paint!
 

Mommy brain

I am so out of it.  Our financing woes might have just been lessened.  DSLD brought mortgage and title in house under the same name.  I am so used to thinking about those being reserved for DSLD houses only, but they are totally not.  They can offer the same deal we were looking at with GMFS, but I might get a nice break on the closing costs!  Halle-lur-ya!

Bad news (but not really), we might not be seeing our cabinets go in until next week.  No biggie - paint should getting done and the brick layers will be starting this week!  I finally decided on a color - Benjamin Moore Seashell for all the cabinets.  We'll be doing a glaze for the kitchen, so that will differentiate it from the living room.  The other rooms are spaced enough so that it won't look so exactly the same everywhere.  But, the truth is.... I am just tired of looking at paint.  If I was a better planner, I would have been scoping out paint at other people's houses for years now.  Instead, I'm flying by the seat of my pants and praying I don't end up with a mismatched house!  But, I know it will be easier to change them later with the neutral color on them now.  I'm hoping to have some new progress pictures to post later this week or early next to show some visible changes.  Today, I am meeting with Dustin to decide on the trim carpentry - shelving in the pantry/closets, closet rods, etc.

In other news, Ethan finally spilled the beans on the baby!  I am going to wait just a little longer before I go all "social media" with it because I want to make sure all of the family we want to tell personally has received the news.  So, I will probably reveal BOY or GIRL in my next post. :)

20 weeks & I'm exhausted!

So, Mommy has already hit the "I get winded easily" point - or maybe I've just had a few rough days.  This does not give me the warm and fuzzies about the next 20 weeks!  Oh yeah, I've crossed the halfway mark [little pregnant dance]!  Because of everything being all packed up, I haven't been able to compare this pregnancy to Ethan's as much.  I do have my past blog posts to refer back to, so that has helped a little.

At this point with Ethan, I had gained about 3lbs.  I also weighed 20lbs less than I do now.  So far with this pregnancy, I've gained 1 pound.  I am more than ok with that considering that I'm already starting ahead of the weight game.  Being part of the Expecting Success study has made me feel better about where I am.  According to their prediction chart, I should have gained at least 3-4lbs more, but my nutritionist keeps telling me that I am still in a great spot.  Bottom line - I'm not worried.  This baby will grow how it sees fit.

I will say that I have definitely noticed that I carry this baby MUCH lower than Ethan.  Most of my pictures from Ethan's pregnancy show me carrying him much higher.  With this one, I feel like the baby is nestling right above my bladder - and I do mean that I feel it; literally.  I'll have to get Michael to take a picture of me in the same dress from this time with Ethan to get a better comparison.

Moving on to the house... We have picked shower and backsplash tile!  Woohoo!  And, I received a text that our wood beam is up:


It came from an old cotton mill in Alabama.

We can stain it darker, which is what Michael really wants.  It has a lot of character and nifty markings that I want to preserve as much as possible, though.  Two rows of brick will go in the space above it from the kitchen side.  I think it looks pretty freaking sweet, and gives our house a little something extra unique.

The sheetrock will be complete Tuesday - textured and ready for paint.  I spoke to the lady I would like to have antique the kitchen cabinets, and she'll come out to look and give us a price as soon as the cabinets are in.

And, now we've hit the point where we need to start considering our permanent financing options as well as insurance.  Dum, dum, DUM....  Turns out that it's expensive no matter which way you turn it.  Be forewarned - if you build your own house, it is freaking expensive before, during and wrapping up, but it is worth it.  Part of our problem is that we're not first time homebuyers, and we're not selling our first house.  100% financing options don't really exist for people like us.  So, we're looking at a couple of different options that will get us to where we want/need to be.  Yes, we will have to come out of pocket even more money, but we do plan on staying in this house for the long haul.

Which brings me to my next topic... Christmas.  Michael and I decided that we are not going to do gifts this year.  We are making our ways around to each family "group" to let them know to please not do for us since we won't be participating in that aspect.  We feel like this is the perfect opportunity to take a step away from the materialistic side of the holidays and try to refocus on the "true meaning of Christmas".  We have no idea what our funds will look like next month as we wrap up the house, and I have no idea when I would even have time to shop or where to store gifts, etc. etc. etc.  This option just made sense for us.  We haven't decided what we're going to do for Ethan, because we do want to keep the magic and sparkle there for him.  I guess that will mostly depend on our funds and where we are at that time.

So, next week we will possibly be looking at more complete house.  Once the painting is started and the cabinets are going in, that's really going to shape things up.  CANNOT.WAIT!