Snapshots

Happy Monday everyone!  I'm happily sitting next to the fireplace, sipping coffee, and feeling thrilled that I have today off work!  A three day weekend is good for the soul, indeed!  

We worked hard on our house this weekend.  We are in the process of framing the shower and putting sheet rock up.  As soon as that is complete, our tile will be installed.  We are getting so excited!  

I don't have have one project to share with you today.  Instead, I have snapshots of the past week.  Enjoy!

Our new bathroom window!  Our house has single-paned windows throughout.  Eventually, we plan on upgrading to dual-paned windows (not in the budget right now).  However, since we gutted the whole master bathroom, we decided it wouldn't be complete without a new, pretty window.  So, we officially have ONE dual-paned window in our house now!  (Obviously, the little things excite me).

Nick and Greg installing the plumbing into our shower.  We did a lot of research and ended up purchasing a Kohler thermostatic valve and faucets.  I like hot, hot showers, and Nick likes not so hot.  This will allow us to set the temperature that we each like.... without having to mess with the faucets to get that "perfect" temperature.  Pricey, but worth it in our opinion!

Shopping for bathroom fixtures and mirrors.  How about this one??  The mirror has a T.V. installed into it.  Nothing like watching Buster Posey run the bases as you brush your teeth!  We passed on this purchase.... ;)

Our shower has a ceiling, our shower has a ceiling!!!  That ceiling is cement board... heavy stuff!!  I learned that you use cement board in order to create a moisture barrier.  Cool stuff.

                                       Finished product.  Next up... the walls!

Day trip to Hayward to pick out granite for our kitchen counter tops.  So many styles to choose from!  Luckily, Nick and I were on the same page and it wasn't hard to make a decision.  

That's all folks!  We are plugging away and making progress.  Our goal is to be sleeping at our house for Christmas Eve.  Not sure that it will happen, but having a goal in mind helps us to stay sane and work towards something!

Happiest Lawn on Earth

Our property has A LOT of grass.  Did you know that watering grass is outrageously expensive?  Well, I didn't.  When we received our first water bill.... and it was $154, I flipped... mainly because we AREN'T LIVING THERE YET!  When we move in and start showering and flushing toilets our bill will be $500 a month!  

Well, we have since learned that you don't need to water your lawn as much as we were.  We probably had the happiest lawn on Earth in the month of August...  Very green, hydrated grass! 

Well, it's in the future plans to make our yard more water efficient.  However, in the meantime, we will deal with having a lot of grass.  

That being said, we decided it was time to make a very important purchase.  

Drum roll please.....

It's exciting stuff, people!  It's not just a lawn-mower.  It's a gas, self-propelled, nifty, red lawn-mower.  We haven't named it yet, but that's coming.  

I wonder who will get stuck mowing the lawn..... Nick or Ashley??  

P.S.- Thanks to the friends who let us borrow their lawn-mowers over the past four months!  You were a huge blessing to us!