Dear Santa;
Even though we know that you don't really exist, we've continue to "play along" as long as the kiddos are young/naive enough to still believe....
We also have left behind serious consumerism in favor of a more traditional approach to Christmas. Because JESUS really is the REASON FOR THE SEASON the children will only be getting 3 gifts each this year. Just like Jesus did on his Birthday. Though i know in her heart of hearts sis does not want Frankincense or Myrrh (or Gold for that matter).
In order that we shall not shatter their belief in all things we will continue to indulge in the Santa Claus fantasy for ONE MORE YEAR. Also, smarty pants (Danielle) is already on her way to denouncing you...thus she will in turn ruin it for Bubba I have no doubt.
So here is their list - and we threw in a few extras if you can manage...
SIS
Please oh please oh please give her the American Girl Doll. That way she can stop begging ME and thereby save me $95 plus s/h not to mention the matching outfit for HER that will likely set me back at least that much more. No pierced ears though Santa, pierced ears are for hussies.
BUBBA
He dreams of all things LEGO Santa. Make sure the little Keebler Elves bang out something dazzling in the Lego department - thus saving my wallet an additional 89.99 or so.
DERELL
Well Santa, he has been a very good boy this year. He has run himself ragged and is sick with worry that he wont be able to finish our dream house. I can't think of a tool he doesn't have so I am gonna wish for something useful like a weeks vacation far far away. I'm sure there are some travel vouchers or discounted hotel stays you can shove in the old stocking. Just asking!
ME
Well as for me...please oh please make Costco magically have about 20 more boxes of this So I can finish my Master Bathroom and shower. Dont know how we are going to swing it without you Santa - at this point i can afford a box (10 tiles) a month- and have my bathroom complete in about a year and a half. I know they are kinda heavy and may weigh down the sleigh...but if there is some way - i will happily pay for any chiropractic care the elves may require. I'm sure Mrs. Claus completely understands my need to have this finished by Christmas. Then you and my man can lay around the other 11 months of the year i promise.
Love,
The Coates Family
Oh and p.s. The eldest in college would like an XBOX ELITE. Ya, i know... ridiculous! But apparently his REGULAR XBOX was not good enough and he sold it to a friend, and now hopes mommy (or YOU) can provide him with $400 worth of the newest and best technology. I know wooden toy trains and horsies are more along the lines of what your elves generally crank out...but that is all he is asking for - so I am hoping they have some pull with Microsoft.
Monday, November 30, 2009
11.30.2009 One BUSY Slacker!
Has it really been 2 weeks since my last post?! Oh MY. Well if you follow my right sidebar, at least i have been Tweeting(?) Twittering (?) - whatever - you can follow my tweets there.
It's been crazy, and the house is looking not much further along in these past weeks sadly. Though MUCH has been accomplished -it's not always visible. Let's run down what is and isn't visable
-insulation sprayed in basement exterior walls, theater room, breezeway, garage
-Garage Door was put up
-Garage sheetrock hung
-drop down sofit built around heating so we can hang ceilings in basement
-2 upstairs rooms painted
And here is more that gone done these past 4 days that we took off work during the Holiday and got busy
-Recepticles and Switches in upstairs Guest room - yippee we have POWER!
-Kitchen painted accent color (RED) on 2 walls - it took 4 COATS ! UGH!
-2 closets and interior of pantry painted
-All speakers (12 zones) cabled and boxes put in
-TV Coax ran from Satelitte location to termination spot
-Soffit finished
-Garage Sheetrock taped/textured
-Guest room reconfigured/rebuilt to make it bigger w/ walk in closet
and lastly - as of about 4pm today (Monday) the entire upstairs (Living/Dining/Kitchen/Halls) should be painted. I decided not to paint the ceilings white. If i see it and don't like it i have the option to change my mind... but i am pretty sure i will be fine. I picked a warm brown called Persian Fable. It will be everywhere including the kids bathroom (in a different sheen). I'm even having that color in my Master. I picked "Peace of Mind" for the guest bedroom - again a bold yet warm color so i am excited. The red in the kitchen is also warm, and dark - though Erick & I were scared after the 1st coat bcuz it literally looked like blood. Many a joke was cracked (all day long actually) about the color - but when all was said and done (4 coats later) it darkened up to what i was hoping for. I think it will be awesome!
Tonite we are heading up to check on the painting and put the kitchen cabinets back in! Then I can put the old crappy countertops in (for now) and have a functioning kitchen! I'm gonna try to get him to install the microwave tonite too *wink*.
What didn't get done was the bathroom. The plastic blue outhouse/porta potty is still a permanent fixture on my front driveway. Mainly bcuz our septic is not functioning so even if we did get the bathroom flooring/toilet/sink in - nothing is draining. ICK! Over a year with no use and it's....well SOLID. We are on a septic system, it needs water flowing to it so it can do its job. No water flow, no go. Kinda like a human body eh? I'll stop now, i know i'm making Lynnette queezy with TMI (sorry sis).
Lastly, i took a 10 minute video tour yesterday for ya'll to see - but literally it has taken 4hrs so far to get it uploaded on One True Media. Maybe by when i get in the office tomorrow it will be done.hehehehe I'll post pics and more tonite - ttfn.
It's been crazy, and the house is looking not much further along in these past weeks sadly. Though MUCH has been accomplished -it's not always visible. Let's run down what is and isn't visable
-insulation sprayed in basement exterior walls, theater room, breezeway, garage
-Garage Door was put up
-Garage sheetrock hung
-drop down sofit built around heating so we can hang ceilings in basement
-2 upstairs rooms painted
And here is more that gone done these past 4 days that we took off work during the Holiday and got busy
-Recepticles and Switches in upstairs Guest room - yippee we have POWER!
-Kitchen painted accent color (RED) on 2 walls - it took 4 COATS ! UGH!
-2 closets and interior of pantry painted
-All speakers (12 zones) cabled and boxes put in
-TV Coax ran from Satelitte location to termination spot
-Soffit finished
-Garage Sheetrock taped/textured
-Guest room reconfigured/rebuilt to make it bigger w/ walk in closet
and lastly - as of about 4pm today (Monday) the entire upstairs (Living/Dining/Kitchen/Halls) should be painted. I decided not to paint the ceilings white. If i see it and don't like it i have the option to change my mind... but i am pretty sure i will be fine. I picked a warm brown called Persian Fable. It will be everywhere including the kids bathroom (in a different sheen). I'm even having that color in my Master. I picked "Peace of Mind" for the guest bedroom - again a bold yet warm color so i am excited. The red in the kitchen is also warm, and dark - though Erick & I were scared after the 1st coat bcuz it literally looked like blood. Many a joke was cracked (all day long actually) about the color - but when all was said and done (4 coats later) it darkened up to what i was hoping for. I think it will be awesome!
Tonite we are heading up to check on the painting and put the kitchen cabinets back in! Then I can put the old crappy countertops in (for now) and have a functioning kitchen! I'm gonna try to get him to install the microwave tonite too *wink*.
What didn't get done was the bathroom. The plastic blue outhouse/porta potty is still a permanent fixture on my front driveway. Mainly bcuz our septic is not functioning so even if we did get the bathroom flooring/toilet/sink in - nothing is draining. ICK! Over a year with no use and it's....well SOLID. We are on a septic system, it needs water flowing to it so it can do its job. No water flow, no go. Kinda like a human body eh? I'll stop now, i know i'm making Lynnette queezy with TMI (sorry sis).
Lastly, i took a 10 minute video tour yesterday for ya'll to see - but literally it has taken 4hrs so far to get it uploaded on One True Media. Maybe by when i get in the office tomorrow it will be done.hehehehe I'll post pics and more tonite - ttfn.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
11.15.2009 A Busy Weekend
First off, i guess i better give the bad news first. I took absolutely NO photos this entire weekend. I am really slipping! It was mostly because i was busy, and it was cold outside and i had left my camera in the car hehehe.
It was a good weekend though. Cold, but good. I spent Saturday prepping for paint. I painted the little bathroom but it turned out terrible. They didn't put my cut-in brush in the bag at the paint store, and it was closed before i realized that little tidbit. Since the ceiling were already painted I tried to improvise and it was UGLY. We are gonna have a "do-over" with the paint sprayer on Monday or Tuesday.
I got Sis' room all taped and it is painted. I went a lighter shade than what she wanted because i was SURE it was going to darken up by the time all 4 walls were painted. UMM, NO!! So it's a bit pastel for me and might warrant a do-over as well. But if so that is later....MUCH later. So her room is painted! One down, 7 to go. (rooms that is - not all bedrooms obviously) Oh and then there is downstairs but i am not going to think about that now.
The guys got some sheetrock and the 2nd walls up in the Theater room (for sound proofing we double wall it with sheetrock in between) so it will be ready to be insulated on Tuesday. The electrical is still not done in 1/2 the basement and all of the garage - which all needs to be done before the insulators can come...so it will be a busy Monday. I never realized what a pain it is - having to know where all the lights will go, what kinds, etc. so the proper electrical can be done and the box in the right place! When all is said and done and walls are in it will be so exciting.
It feels like we are in slow motion but this is the part that takes forever. And we need to buy trim and still construct a whole bathroom. Craigslist here i come. I need to get a vanity, toilet, tub/shower enclosure, flooring, lighting and fixtures for about $500. Last time i looked just the tub/shower surround cost that much. Scary!
Hopefully mid-week or Thursday the tile will be started. Lets just say it is a rude awakening with 6 inches of snow and using a porta-potty outside! Even the blue stuff is frozen solid! Sorry for TMI i just thought that was too funny, like they should have anti-freeze in it.
Well stay tuned, i have one more walk thru for the electrical tomorrow to make sure we got everything where it needs to be before the insulators come. The other 2 bedrooms will be painted on Tuesday, then the priming of the kitchen & living room should also be done by Wednesday.
Have a good week everyone. The packing shall commence again for me!
It was a good weekend though. Cold, but good. I spent Saturday prepping for paint. I painted the little bathroom but it turned out terrible. They didn't put my cut-in brush in the bag at the paint store, and it was closed before i realized that little tidbit. Since the ceiling were already painted I tried to improvise and it was UGLY. We are gonna have a "do-over" with the paint sprayer on Monday or Tuesday.
I got Sis' room all taped and it is painted. I went a lighter shade than what she wanted because i was SURE it was going to darken up by the time all 4 walls were painted. UMM, NO!! So it's a bit pastel for me and might warrant a do-over as well. But if so that is later....MUCH later. So her room is painted! One down, 7 to go. (rooms that is - not all bedrooms obviously) Oh and then there is downstairs but i am not going to think about that now.
The guys got some sheetrock and the 2nd walls up in the Theater room (for sound proofing we double wall it with sheetrock in between) so it will be ready to be insulated on Tuesday. The electrical is still not done in 1/2 the basement and all of the garage - which all needs to be done before the insulators can come...so it will be a busy Monday. I never realized what a pain it is - having to know where all the lights will go, what kinds, etc. so the proper electrical can be done and the box in the right place! When all is said and done and walls are in it will be so exciting.
It feels like we are in slow motion but this is the part that takes forever. And we need to buy trim and still construct a whole bathroom. Craigslist here i come. I need to get a vanity, toilet, tub/shower enclosure, flooring, lighting and fixtures for about $500. Last time i looked just the tub/shower surround cost that much. Scary!
Hopefully mid-week or Thursday the tile will be started. Lets just say it is a rude awakening with 6 inches of snow and using a porta-potty outside! Even the blue stuff is frozen solid! Sorry for TMI i just thought that was too funny, like they should have anti-freeze in it.
Well stay tuned, i have one more walk thru for the electrical tomorrow to make sure we got everything where it needs to be before the insulators come. The other 2 bedrooms will be painted on Tuesday, then the priming of the kitchen & living room should also be done by Wednesday.
Have a good week everyone. The packing shall commence again for me!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
11.11.2009 HAPPY VETERANS DAY
First off, i think we should take a minute to offer thanks to someone we know who served in the armed forces, or remember someone who lost their life fighting for our country. Go ahead, i'll wait.
Ok, so now for the news here. We awoke to light snow this morning. Yay?
Neigh!
There was however siding going on out the homestead yesterday, and i got some photos. See here
As of this time, not much was accomplished today due to weather (?) and/or novices without a clue - i dunno where to place the blame. So i will ask the good Lord for the ability to cover my mouth at this point so i will only speak loving words.
Moving on.
In loving and happy news, my drywall guy did in fact show up today and prime my bathroom, hall, and bedrooms. This means i can get busy on the painting. He is going to do the ceilings on Thursday - so Thursday afternoon/night i am good to get busy!!! We could have a finished room and small bathroom by this weekend. Yippe. Stay tuned.
In other little known facts about me...i am a Twilight FANatic. (incase you didn't see my countdown at the bottom of this blog) The funny thing is, i actually didn't see the original Twilight movie until it came out on DVD. I just didn't know what all the hype was about. It wasn't until after i saw the movie that i borrowed / bought all the rest of the books in the series. I became HOOKED! Way to jump on the bandwagon AFTER the craze eh?! Even funnier still, i never read the first book, having seen the movie, until recently. The book was ohhhh so much better than the movie and i L.O.V.E. the movie so it's probably a good thing i didn't read it first. For those not in on the craze, the 2nd book in the series NEW MOON (turned movie) is out on Thursday 11/18/09 (Midnight showings everywhere) Guess where i was a 6:00pm? Hmmm, that would be ME standing in line to get my presale ticket. These are the kinds of circumstances where i am oh so happy to live in a SMALL TOWN. Only like 20 people ahead of me. Still my (numbered) ticket has me 99th in line on the night of the movie. At least i am not 200 or 250 and sitting in the FRONT ROW getting a neck ache! I am stokked. So next Thursday night i not only get to watch my favorite TV show (Greys) then i get to go to the movies for NEW MOON. It's a great night!
Ok, so now for the news here. We awoke to light snow this morning. Yay?
Neigh!
There was however siding going on out the homestead yesterday, and i got some photos. See here
As of this time, not much was accomplished today due to weather (?) and/or novices without a clue - i dunno where to place the blame. So i will ask the good Lord for the ability to cover my mouth at this point so i will only speak loving words.
Moving on.
In loving and happy news, my drywall guy did in fact show up today and prime my bathroom, hall, and bedrooms. This means i can get busy on the painting. He is going to do the ceilings on Thursday - so Thursday afternoon/night i am good to get busy!!! We could have a finished room and small bathroom by this weekend. Yippe. Stay tuned.
In other little known facts about me...i am a Twilight FANatic. (incase you didn't see my countdown at the bottom of this blog) The funny thing is, i actually didn't see the original Twilight movie until it came out on DVD. I just didn't know what all the hype was about. It wasn't until after i saw the movie that i borrowed / bought all the rest of the books in the series. I became HOOKED! Way to jump on the bandwagon AFTER the craze eh?! Even funnier still, i never read the first book, having seen the movie, until recently. The book was ohhhh so much better than the movie and i L.O.V.E. the movie so it's probably a good thing i didn't read it first. For those not in on the craze, the 2nd book in the series NEW MOON (turned movie) is out on Thursday 11/18/09 (Midnight showings everywhere) Guess where i was a 6:00pm? Hmmm, that would be ME standing in line to get my presale ticket. These are the kinds of circumstances where i am oh so happy to live in a SMALL TOWN. Only like 20 people ahead of me. Still my (numbered) ticket has me 99th in line on the night of the movie. At least i am not 200 or 250 and sitting in the FRONT ROW getting a neck ache! I am stokked. So next Thursday night i not only get to watch my favorite TV show (Greys) then i get to go to the movies for NEW MOON. It's a great night!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
09.10.2009 Addyson Grace (again)
What can i say? I am a proud Auntie. I just wish i could have been there to love on and snuggle this little girl! Oh and her big sister, i would be tickling her right now. But instead, i have to settle for pictures. Oh so cute and adorable pictures! Like this one.....
And the best part? She has a cute little mole/brown birthmark on her left calf. It's oh so cute and distinguishing - see here....
And then...wanna know the best part? She's not a redhead at all. She has BROWN hair. How cool is that? I am sure it will fall out and come in RED but for now it's brown. hehehe.
Wanna know the best part? My man - out of the blue the other night - says to me, "Honey do you want to go to California for Christmas?" and i started bumbling about how i would love to and see the baby and all but we just can't afford it. And he said he could make it happen. But we can't - we can't close the shop, can't leave both our houses, don't have the money....and he just stopped me and said if that is what i want we will MAKE IT HAPPEN! Oh how i would LOVE that. So we will pray that somehow someway we will see our family and this new addition this Christmas.
Today is gonna be a great day...can you feel it?!!
Oh, and in house news, i should have updates soon. Haven't been out since Saturday. So I'll go today and take some pics and share progress with ya'll!!
And the best part? She has a cute little mole/brown birthmark on her left calf. It's oh so cute and distinguishing - see here....
And then...wanna know the best part? She's not a redhead at all. She has BROWN hair. How cool is that? I am sure it will fall out and come in RED but for now it's brown. hehehe.
Wanna know the best part? My man - out of the blue the other night - says to me, "Honey do you want to go to California for Christmas?" and i started bumbling about how i would love to and see the baby and all but we just can't afford it. And he said he could make it happen. But we can't - we can't close the shop, can't leave both our houses, don't have the money....and he just stopped me and said if that is what i want we will MAKE IT HAPPEN! Oh how i would LOVE that. So we will pray that somehow someway we will see our family and this new addition this Christmas.
Today is gonna be a great day...can you feel it?!!
Oh, and in house news, i should have updates soon. Haven't been out since Saturday. So I'll go today and take some pics and share progress with ya'll!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
11.09.2009 Welcome Addyson Grace
My sister Kelly had her baby today! We are SOOOOO excited!
Addyson Grace was born Monday November 9, 2009 at 7:56am
She is 7 pounds 10 oz. and 21 inches long
(HUGE compared to her last 2 pound+ babies!)
you can see her story at http://aviewintoourlives.blogspot.com
Addyson Grace was born Monday November 9, 2009 at 7:56am
She is 7 pounds 10 oz. and 21 inches long
(HUGE compared to her last 2 pound+ babies!)
you can see her story at http://aviewintoourlives.blogspot.com
Sunday, November 8, 2009
11.07.2009 Sheetrock!!
I can't believe another whole week has gone by without any posts (sorry)! I also can't believe it is NOVEMBER already. Just a few things got done on the house this week so not much to report. Saturday however was a pretty busy day.
First thing Saturday Lowes delivered the siding and trim for the Garage and Breezeway. That was exciting. We are gonna be a little miss-matched for a while, because we got the NEW Hardi-plank siding that we are going to be used on the rest of the house later. {We can't do the house until next spring or summer when (1.) It warms up and (2.) We have the money to do it!} Anyway, we didn't want to throw money down the drain by putting up some junk siding in the meantime just to rip it off in a few months. So they got a few trim pieces up and started on the front of the garage first. It was super cold so it was hard to work. In other news......
I was inside most of the day (yay!) and out of the cold. Our sheetrock guy showed up right after lunch and got busy (double yay!)So all but one little piece was hung on the living dining room wall, pantry and closet. Erick came up this weekend to help out and they put him to work screwing up the sheetrock as Jim hung it. It was great to watch. I kept them stocked with screws and cleaned up the scraps.
Our next plan is for the bathroom texture and hall to be re-done and then the bedrooms to be sanded on Monday. (If you recall we had to start all over in all those rooms because there were tiny holes.air bubbles in the texture - so even after i sanded and primed the bath & bedroom he had to texture again!) With the rooms now re-done he can spray the primer in all those rooms and i can finally get BUSY on the painting. So i hope by mid-week to get started on painting. Once that is done he will start the tape and mud of the new areas we just hung the sheetrock for. If all goes well, next weekend i can paint my kitchen. Then hang the cabinets and put in the appliances and voila! Thanksgiving at the new house. That would make me sooooo happy. I am hopeful and optimistic but not convinced we can actually get it done in that timeframe.
Once the outside (siding) is done it will be time to focus on the inside which should come together quickly when all our resources are all working in one place (inside).
I am hoping Sunday to repaint an old cabinet. We have one down in the kids playroom, and i want to test it out on THAT first before i do it for my master bathroom vanity in the new house. Just to make sure i CAN, and that it turns out the way i am hoping. I've never done it before so it's really going to be a test. I'm up for the challenge! It should be exciting!
Here's some pics of the workers and sheetrock that got done
Erick Inside the pantry
Erick busy screwing up the sheetrock on living/dining area wall
Nearly Finished - walls, closet and pantry drywall is hung!
Apparently little watchers were taking pictures without my consent!
First thing Saturday Lowes delivered the siding and trim for the Garage and Breezeway. That was exciting. We are gonna be a little miss-matched for a while, because we got the NEW Hardi-plank siding that we are going to be used on the rest of the house later. {We can't do the house until next spring or summer when (1.) It warms up and (2.) We have the money to do it!} Anyway, we didn't want to throw money down the drain by putting up some junk siding in the meantime just to rip it off in a few months. So they got a few trim pieces up and started on the front of the garage first. It was super cold so it was hard to work. In other news......
I was inside most of the day (yay!) and out of the cold. Our sheetrock guy showed up right after lunch and got busy (double yay!)So all but one little piece was hung on the living dining room wall, pantry and closet. Erick came up this weekend to help out and they put him to work screwing up the sheetrock as Jim hung it. It was great to watch. I kept them stocked with screws and cleaned up the scraps.
Our next plan is for the bathroom texture and hall to be re-done and then the bedrooms to be sanded on Monday. (If you recall we had to start all over in all those rooms because there were tiny holes.air bubbles in the texture - so even after i sanded and primed the bath & bedroom he had to texture again!) With the rooms now re-done he can spray the primer in all those rooms and i can finally get BUSY on the painting. So i hope by mid-week to get started on painting. Once that is done he will start the tape and mud of the new areas we just hung the sheetrock for. If all goes well, next weekend i can paint my kitchen. Then hang the cabinets and put in the appliances and voila! Thanksgiving at the new house. That would make me sooooo happy. I am hopeful and optimistic but not convinced we can actually get it done in that timeframe.
Once the outside (siding) is done it will be time to focus on the inside which should come together quickly when all our resources are all working in one place (inside).
I am hoping Sunday to repaint an old cabinet. We have one down in the kids playroom, and i want to test it out on THAT first before i do it for my master bathroom vanity in the new house. Just to make sure i CAN, and that it turns out the way i am hoping. I've never done it before so it's really going to be a test. I'm up for the challenge! It should be exciting!
Here's some pics of the workers and sheetrock that got done
Erick Inside the pantry
Erick busy screwing up the sheetrock on living/dining area wall
Nearly Finished - walls, closet and pantry drywall is hung!
Apparently little watchers were taking pictures without my consent!
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