Thursday, December 29, 2011

A Year In Review

First, I wanted to thank you for all your
encouraging comments and say welcome
to my new followers. 
I treasure you all! Your support
has kept me going over this past year.
Wow, what a year it's been....
In the past year....

December 2010
January 2011
 In January we purchased The Cottage...
We spent the next month taking the interior
from this
to
from this...
and
from this
to
this
and from
this
to
to this!

By mid January we decided
to to put an offer in
on what would become our new home
The Provision.

January - February

Once our offer was accepted we
spent January and February
getting the big house ready for market.

Everything was staged to sell!
The Family Room
The Kitchen
The Dining Room
The Guest Room

By the end of February we had
closed on The Provision.

March

March was spent
raking...
removing carpeting...
and demoing a basement rec room!

April

In April we landscaped the cottage.
Began gutting the Provision.
And filled up the first of many dumpsters to come!

May

 In May demo continued inside the Provision.
Our big house went under contract!
And we hired two contractors to
repair termite damage,
add and subtract walls
and flip the stairs.

June

While we continued demo inside
our contractors installed our new windows.

We also closed on the big house and moved
the family- two adults
two teens and two big dogs
into a two bedroom apartment.

July

July meant the start of trade work.
The house was upgraded from an oil furnace
to gas.  Since all the walls were removed
we also had all new ducts and returns installed.
All the existing plumping was pulled
from the house, so new plumbing
was also added this month.

New wiring was started this month too!

While we outsourced the trade work,
Wayne and I assumed the position
of general contractor for the remodel.
During these months we spent looking
for deals on cabinets, plumbing fixtures,
flooring, doors...etc!

August

The minute we passed inspection...
Our Insulation specialist was
there installing insulation.
Then a team of drywallers came in and drywalled
the whole house in a day and 1/2!
The drywall finisher came next and
spent 3+ weeks finishing it out!

September

Wayne and I started tiling!
Kitchen/ great room floor was installed.
Kitchen was installed. (we outsourced this)
And trim around the doors and windows were installed.

My job was to Spackle, caulk and paint
EVERYTHING!

October

October brought more tiling projects.
The Kitchen Back Splash
The Mudroom Back Splash
and
Master Bathroom (both floor and shower)
Kids Bathroom (both floor and shower)
The upstairs was finished and carpeted.
Wayne built the stair railing and window bench.
The original hardwood floors were sanded
and poly ed.
And the new treads on the stairs were
stained and poly ed.

November

In November, we finally got to move from
the apartment to our new home!
We had wanted to have all our projects done before
the move, however once the last set of
inspections were passed.... it was time.
Wayne and I finished the mudroom cabinets
after we moved in!

December

Having a minute to breath,
I made some JOY ornaments
to pass out with cookies to my
new neighbors!

Since it has been such a long year,
we were just too tired to
drag out all our Christmas decorations,
but the few I did,
 added just the right festive touch!

It has been a big year, one I hope not to
repeat this coming year!  Doing 10 years
worth of DYI projects in
a year is crazy tiring!

But the result has been a true blessing!
God has been Good!

Oh, we still have a list of projects to do...
the landscaping,
window boxes,
boxes to unpack,
a basement room to build,
a basement and
storage barn to organize,
a storage barn to paint
The Cottage exterior to paint,
etc.....!

Must rest up...

Hoping your New Year is
 full of your own Blessings!

Happy New Year!

I am linking up to
over at French Country Cottage
at Between Naps on the Porch.







23 comments:

Lakeshore Cottage Living said...

I'm exhausted reading your post...I love everything you've done. I amazed at your ability to do all of this. Aren't you glad for a new year? I AM!!! They say that moving and renovating takes a year from your life and I think "they" are right. Happy New Year Dee Dee!!!

Christine said...

I'm standing up and cheering!
What an amazing year!
This post really shows all the hard work that went into all three homes. Crazy!

It's great to have you back to blogging.
I have missed you.

Happy New Year, to all of you.

Wendy said...

Wow! What a busy year for you and Wayne!! It is such a good read and a wonderful ending....or maybe it is a wonderful beginning!! Happy New Year, sweet friend!!

Ronda Batchelor said...

Wow! I'm so excited for you! What a lot of work but it looks so nice. I wish I could visit and ooo and ahh and just tell you how great it all is!!!

Gillian Layne said...

I adore your blog posts. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us! :)

Custom Comforts said...

All I can say is "Wow"! I thought I worked hard, but you make me want to curl up and hibernate for a year. I am amazed at all you have done and the abundant energy God has blessed you with. What a talented couple you are and so truly blessed. Newest follower. I can hardly wait to see what else you will be doing cause I love watching construction and seeing things transformed ~ just like God does with us. So glad to meet you.
Cindy

Kath said...

Oh boy, you sure took on a challenge and then conquered it! Looking forward to your upcoming projects. My husband and I are doing big and little projects on our new old house too! We've got one bathroom and the kitchen on our plate in 2012. Thanks for following me!
--Kath

Jen said...

Happy New Year to all of you as well! We WILL get down (up?)there this year to see you guys!

Unknown said...

As much work as I'm sure it was, it actually looks like FUN!!! Great job! Cindy

Jane@Cottage at the Crossroads said...

I am so impressed that you and your husband were able to do so much of the work yourselves. What a beautiful home you guys are creating.

Anonymous said...

Aunt Linda said..... that house is unbelievable!! I have always known (or thought I knew) how talented DeeDee and Wayne are, but I am so amazed!!!! I just cannot believe the vision they had and how proud they can be of that house--that they made their HOME!!! I wish I just had just an ounce of their talent. WONDERFUL!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm speechless! DeeDee and Wayne's house journey is amazing and their house is absolutely beautiful. I'm amazed (but shouldn't be) at their talent and dedication! What an accomplishment, and how cool that they got to put together their dream home together, and primarily by themselves.

Angie

Anonymous said...

I am sooooooooo impressed. Thanks for sharing.

Donna

Anonymous said...

The house looks beautiful but still homey.

Greta

Karie said...

Wow! What an huge undertaking. You have a beautiful house from what I can see. I look forward to more. Thanks for sharing. You deserve a long rest. Karie

Scribbler said...

Incredible! I will watch with interest as you progress. Kudos!

the misfit said...

I painted a room a weekend in the months following our move into our house. Everyone I told this thought I was superwoman. I am now duly humbled - I am in AWE. Were you guys holding down jobs while you did this? Please say no. I don't think I could handle THAT much humility :).

Anonymous said...

DeeDee and Wayne, you have done a wonderful remodel on your new ‘old’ home. You might want to consider being a general contractor on other homes that need a remodel.

Cindy

Anonymous said...

Dee Dee, your blog is awesome. what a year you've had! I love the new home and your style really makes the place look amazing! i'll have to get some tips from you!

Gina

Michelle said...

What a busy year for your family. You guys took on incredible projects and worked magic with all of them. Here's to wishing you a less busy and more peaceful year (full of artistic expression!) in 2012. (((Hug))) It was fun to catch up. ---I have missed you!

Unknown said...

How in the world did you do all that in one year!?! You're my hero!!! I'm going to look through and take notes along the way!!!

XO, Aimee

a woman who is said...

That was impressive...you DO need to rest a bit...I am exhausted imagining all your work =) Lovely and wonderful...be blessed in your new nest!

Courtney ~ French Country Cottage said...

Wowsers- what a post and year of projects!! Thanks for linking up at Feathered Nest Friday!