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!

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!!!

Florida Trip so far....

samples

 check this out.... just put up some sample birth announcements

 that i made for a friend.

+ derks photography & design blog +

in 3 weeks....

FLORIDA HERE WE COME!

I am soooooo excited... and ready for a vacation.

But NOT AS MUCH as Matt is ready for a vacation.

Matt NEEDS a vacation. 

Matt DESERVES a vacation.

He needs to get away and just let the house sit for a week.

He needs to take a break. 

Sleep as much as he wants.

Get a nice suntan.

Play a little golf.

Get his mind off the house for a little bit.

so, in 3ish weeks..... really like 2 weeks from Friday.....

we will be on the road heading to Kissimmee, FL.

We are going with part of my family. Sadly, not everyone can go.  We will miss Dale, Esther, Lydia, & Kyle (Dale is an accountant and it is a very busy season for him!). I remember the last time we went to FL with the whole family (minus Matt b/c he was busy with work and we weren't engaged yet either!) But here are some photos that i came across bringing me back down memory lane....

Yes, this is what we do with our kids in the Derks family.....
My dad did it to us.... and we will carry on the tradition and do it to our kids!

I just absolutely LOVE this photo....

Dale & Lydia in the house pool

Awww... Bud & Lydia walking at SeaWorld

Cassidy & I on a ride at SeaWorld

Lydia & Madison playing in the water park!

All of us at Sea World

All of us girls went to Disney a day and let the guys behind!

 My mom & me in front of the castle!

That was a lot of fun!

Closest to skydiving I'll ever get.... it was fun to ride this with my brother Keith..... he was nice to me when he could see that I was a little scared... and he put up with my screaming in his ear as we were going down.

Riding the G-Force with Bud.... 

 

This year.... the rest of the family + Bud's friend Rich will be there.  My sister-in-law Tricia's parents/family have a house down in Kissimmee, FL right near Disney. So we will be able to  sit by our own pool or go to the community pool and just BAKE in the sun (that reminds me, i probably should go at least tan a couple times b/4 i go so that i don't get fried while down there and be miserable!). But i pray that it is sunny, hot, and i come back with a great tan (that always makes me feel better about myself - i hate being pastey white!)

then, after we get back..... 

it's BACK to working on the house and focusing on getting to move in!

Exciting Weekend....

Introducing.....

AVERY LeeAnn VIS

Born March 5, 2010

Precious new baby girl of our friends Brian and Ashley Vis!

Look how cute she is....

 

The Fab 4, is NOW, the FAB 5....... 

So Happy for you guys!

 

Proud Momma and her baby!

  

Bryan is just loving this whole DAD thing... 

Avery already has him wrapped around her finger!

  The miracle of childbirth and the gift that God has given in the form of children is so amazing to me. 

Avery will be loved by so many people.

 I can't wait to take more photos of her. 

House Happenings.....

SO, this weekend, more got done at the house, despite the fact that Matt had to work all weekend! 

We are so thankful for the help of my dad & brother, Bud and for my cousins coming out

and getting our stone put on as soon as the weather got warmer!!!!

 

 Thursday they put the mosaics on the floor....

  

Friday, they started on the rest of the shower.....

  

But could only do so much up the mosaics b/c of the weight of the tiles on top of it.

So that should hopefully be finished up today (Monday).

  Colvin Masonry, my cousins, HARD AT WORK.  They did a wonderful job!  

The "science/math/thinking" that has to go into it with the different sizes and how it all just fits together like a puzzle!  It's just amazing to me.... something I could never do! 

THANK YOU GUYS!!!!

  

  

 

and today, 

THE CABINETS are getting DELIVERED.... I am SOOOOO EXCITED! 

Not that they are going to be put IN and INSTALLED, 

but they will be delivered and ready to be put in when we are ready for 'em! =)

 p.s. i really knew how to blog better. or that i was more interesting 

and able to write more"captivating" stuff.  But i'm just not a good writer. =\ Oh well.......