Tuesday, April 13, 2010

SOOOOOO CLOSE!!!

---- We are getting so close!----
We are working our butts off (ok, MATT is working his butt off!) to get this house done by the end of the month!  Matt is hoping to get inspection done next week as long as a couple of things happen that are kinda out of his control (countertops, gutters & land being graded out). We know countertops are getting installed TODAY (YEAH!), but we aren't sure about the other 2 things! So yeah... we can see the light at the end of the tunnel... just not sure EXACTLY how far away it is! 

I got the "go-ahead" from Matt to start packing up the apartment, so I am trying to "balance" my time at the house with cleaning it up and final projects with packing and cleaning up the apartment.  But as of right now, my plan is to get everything moved out the apartment and then give it really good scrub down!  It has kinda been neglected the last couple of months! (sorry Dad H.) AND, it's more exciting cleaning the new house than the apartment (sorry again Dad H., haha).

Here are some more current photos:

Appliances are at the house 
(most are in, just the stove is waiting for the countertops to be put in)
Stove, Microwave

Dishwasher is in!

Laundry Room
We have to wait for the dryer to come in at the end of May (or something like that!), but good thing we had an extra dryer in the storage trailer!


WE HAVE CARPET!!!
Master Bdrm looking a LOT BETTER!


Guest Bdrm with Carpet

Dad Derks' craftsmanship with the tile! I absolutely love it!

New lock on the front door!

Stair railing project started!!!







1/2 of the spindles are in!

It is so great when a plan/idea comes together. I just said that to Matt last night. 
Me: "Wow it looks great!"
Matt: "You sound surprised? You picked it out!"
Me: "Well, you never know how it really turns out until it's done! I mean, I had the idea that it would look great, but you just never know!"

But I am surprised at how little things I would actually change so far!
Decorating/Home Decor stuff I am really happy with so far!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Somethings Never Change...

 (more photos added)
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
Somethings NEVER CHANGE!
 If you noticed from 2 posts ago, I put up a photo of my brother Keith throwing Mikayla up into the air when she was probably about 1 year old or so.  This year in Florida, it wasn't different. Although it didn't happen a lot, I was able to get a photo of my brother throwing Mikayla up in the air again. This time, she looked a LOT MORE SCARED!  (What can I say, we love to torture the kids! haha.. j/k).

 
We couldn't leave Madison out of it!

Or Cassidy! (well, Cassidy really just stood on Keith's hands!)


What fun we had. It was a GREAT VACATION!  The drive to or from Florida wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. We only stopped 3 times each way. Making it in about 16 hours or so both ways! I would recommend driving overnight to anyone who has enough drivers. So much better of a drive than during the day when it just seems to drag on and on!

When people have asked me what we did on vacation..... my reply:
"NOTHING"
and that is pretty much what we did. No attractions.
I... went shopping with my mom & Trish one of the days to the outlet mall b/c it was raining... 
but other than that.... I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING PUT LAY OUT in the warm sun! And I have a free tan to show for it!  Hopefully it lasts awhile!
Matt... went golfing with the guys twice and didn't really sleep as much as he probably needed to.

Here are a couple more photos from the vacation:
Cassidy inside some tubes! She's so cute!

Fun photo of Mikayla getting ready to jump into the pool, even though you can't tell by the photo!

Matt and I had a little fun in the pool too!

All of us girls in our Gap sweatshirts we got at the outlet mall!

Mikayla took this great picture of my brother Bud. I just love his shirt... fits his personality!

Guys went golfing 2 days!

On our little "siblings night out + Rich", we went to Matt's favorite restuarant!  
Mmmm.. it was yummy!!!!!

I actually TRIED riding the bull! Wow... it was fun though!

It was Keith & Trish's 9th anniversary the night we went out!!!