progress (& pics)

If our house renovations were going to be turned into a reality-type show for HGTV or TLC or DIY Network or something, this wouldn't be some half-hour done-and-done show. This would be like...a full-length feature film. However, much progress was made over the weekend! Yay! It's starting to look less like an empty shell of a house and much more like me. It's almost possible to imagine actually living there, now. Almost.

Before I move on to the pictures, I'd like to say that none of this would be possible without Matt's wonderful family. Sometimes living in the same town as your in-laws is the best thing in the world. His parents and brother were with us all day Saturday, painting, fixing, sweating, and running to town to get food for us. They were awesome. Steve came back again today to help with more painting and to help Matt re-wire the something-or-the-other on the back of the oven (or was it the wall?). They were amazing to help us so much and I hope to repay everyone by hosting as many holiday get-togethers as possible at our house in the future!! OK, onto the pics. First a few general/amusing pictures, then I'll try some before and after (or 'during'...it's not really 'after' yet. No floors. No furniture. It's still a work in progress).

Friday evening, as we were walking Lola and returning to our house, we saw TWO rainbows (over our neighbor's house)!! The 2nd one is a bit hard to see, but it's above the first one. It was so beautiful!

The front of our house. You can see the lawnmower (that needs work to actually WORK...another work in progress) in the garage. I feel so grown up having a garage!

Mattie and Lola (who spends all her time trying to paw off her head lead) in front. It stinks not having a fenced-in yard here.

When Lola's inside, she makes herself really useful by finding things she thinks we need and bringing them to us. Here she is with the painter's tape...thanks Lola! (Then when you try to take it from her, she runs away with it. Perhaps she's really just playing...)

A common sight this weekend: Matt (or anyone) painting. And painting. And painting.
Brother Steve painting. Although this was his first time painting (or so he says), he had some mad skillz. I'm very happy he showed them off all weekend long.

Our new refrigerator! Look how huge and white and beautiful and shiny it is!!

Look how pristine the inside in! Don't worry, it's ALWAYS going to look this nice. I promise!

Mattie and Steve making a three-pronged thingy four-pronged (or maybe visa-versa)on the oven...way to go, boys!

The kitchen: Before. I really did not like the color of these cabinets. They made me sad.

However...a little paint (on the walls, that is) makes them look a LOT better!! I think I'm going to love my kitchen! (Appliances don't hurt, either)

The kitchen's still in progress...boys still have to finish up something on the back of the stove (that's why it's sticking out still) and there's a caulking issue around the countertop/wall joint that messed up the paint...needs to be figured out. Living room: Before

Living room: Now

Master bedroom: Before

Master bedroom: Now (and YES that's the exact same paint that we have in our current bedroom. Why mess with a good thing?)

That's all for now-- it's late and work will come early (7am, yikes). More to come in the near future! Remember, if you want to be a part of making all this magic happen...all you have to do is say so. :)