Day 30

Deacons from the local Church of Best Buy arrive with our new LG front loading

washer and dryer!

The dryer need to be vented form the side in order to fit our design. Mason is helping Jen as the struggle with the vent ensues!
Drumroll please......introducing.......the fantabulous Upstairs laundry Closet! Yay!
I know it may sound silly, but I started having a sense of both accomplishment and nostalgia last night as the new feature took form. Wow! Look at us! We've got what is quickly becoming a new trend in housing, and upstairs laundry facility.

And Wow! Look at us!We are just like that ultra maven of modern times,

Ann Marie from "That Girl".

Ann Marie had it all...cool clothes...a cool pad... and a stacking washer and dryer!

Day 29

Larry went home today after putting in 28 straight days of hard work, turkey sandwiches, late night baseball and afternoon thunderstorms. He did a great job! My posting has become even more important since I'm sure he is going to keep close tabs via this blog from North Carolina! We'll try to keep everyone in line, Dad! ;)

The wood arrived today and is in the house acclimating. Wayne plans to start this Saturday.

This is the slab of recovered cherry that will eventually become our countertop/vanity. The good side, which will be face up is absolutely gorgeous! However, you are looking at the bad side, which in my opinion isn't all that horrible!

Day 27

Jen and Larry are putting the finishing touches on the laundry closet/master suite doorway. The shower door tracks take their place amongst a sea of green!
It is always a sign of progress when paint goes on the wall! Jen is painting the laundry closet which will soon be adorned with actual laundry appliances!

Day 28

Richard started grouting the shower today! It really gives a great idea of how the colors combine. Every day another piece of the puzzle comes together!
The 28th day ended with a transformational event as the doors to the laundry closet/master suite doorway went up! I just can't even describe what a huge change it is to top the stairs and see our idea and vision come t life! Slide open one door and do laundry. Slide open the other and enter the master suite! Dad, you did an awesome job and we are so appreciative!

Day 26

The dryer vent for our new UPSTAIRS laundry closet gets installed by our resident

Jack of All Trades. An aluminum tube sticking out of the wall never looked so good!
Oh look everybody, Jen is sweeping up dust again!
The walk through from the bedroom to the new dressing room is primed and ready for paint and the work Wayne will do on the floor to patch the hole where the wall used to be. Most of you will remember Wayne from the posts about the floors downstairs. If not, check the archives. He will begin work on the floors for this project in two weeks.
New light fixture for the walk through.

Day 25

The beautiful slab of travertine was installed today!

On Sunday, Larry will install the shower track on top of the travertine and in between the tiles along the wall to the left.
Peek-a-Boo!

We used to have doors...now only sheets...

Day 24

In keeping with our nightly event of pretending to shower, Jen shows us how much fun she has while bathing!Soon to be our shower head and faucet.

I just have to say again...the tile is just stunning!

The frame for the other doorway which exits the bedroom and enters the bathroom is going up. The doors on both ends of the hall will be modern style sliding doors.
I left this note in case we succumb to the never ending drywall and sanding dust that is permeating our every surface. I hope someone finds us.
The stress of this renovation has finally gotten to my baby. He is hitting the bottle hard these days.

Day 22

Larry has taken a couple of days off here to go help out a bit at my grandmother's, so his progress will begin again on Day 24. Apparently, the man never takes a day off!

Richard knocked out a good bit of the tile today, leaving us with two complete walls tiled to the ceiling and a partial to go. Then its on to the floor, grout, caulk and setting the travertine splash.

Can't wait!

Isn't it gorgeous?!

Day 21

Today marks 3 weeks under construction.

It also marks countless:

• trips to Home Depot and Lowes
• inches of sheetrock dust
• trips up and down the stairs
• bottles of water
• trips to the grocery store
• pizza deliveries
• temper tantrums
• etc. etc. etc.

You can't tell it from this photo, but this is absolutely the smoothest wall ever patched and prepped for primer. Ever.
The doorway to the laundry room and the entrance to the bathroom, is almost complete. If you squint a little you can almost see it...come on...use your imagination!

Richard busted out a bunch of tiles today and it is really starting to look like the shower we envisioned!

You have to imagine the grout, but it's not hard to tell how beautiful this is going to be!

Day 18

Jen has been given the task of mudding over the seams and imperfections in the sheetrock.

I think someone may have a second career...

In the meantime, Dad forges ahead on the wall build out for the new laundry closet.

The walkthrough from the master bedroom to the dressing room actually looks like a passageway instead of a hole in the wall! Just look at the spackle job! Wow!

Richard's second day of work brings us a bit closer to the finish line.

Day 17

You have no idea how good it feels to post these first pictures of the tile going up!

Yahoo!

The process is slow and requires a lot of patience on our part, but it is worth it to see the shower area finally start to take form!

Those of you who know my dad, Larry, also know of his crippling struggle with arachnophobia. You may also be aware of the crazed lunatic he becomes when he in fact does cross paths with a spider.

In light of these facts, you will be very pleased to hear that I removed and disposed of this specimen before he got out of bed this morning!

I shudder to think of the destruction he would have imposed had he found it first.

In case you can't get the scale from this pic, the width of this beauty was 4 inches!

Day 15

We are very excited to see the mud pan go down on the shower floor. After this dries, Richard will start laying the tile! Eeee!

Larry started framing out the doorway from the bedroom to the closet. This should be done by tomorrow. Light fixtures are sitting on go!

Day 13

Drywall is starting to go up and the room is actually starting to feel like a bathroom. A very dirty, floorless, styleless bathroom...but a bathroom nonetheless!

Jen's Achilles Heal was finally revealed as she attempted to cut out the hole for the window. The girls is angularly challenged!

Thank goodness Mason came to the rescue and helped measure out the correct window dimensions! Whew!

Day 12

Jen and I were able to help out some today so hopefully we actually DID help and not just get in the way!

We started off the day by gathering some materials that have come in this week, like our beautiful tile! SQUEAL! Isn't it wonderful?!

Underneath this logo sits a brand spankin' new Santa Rosa one-piece-low-profile toilet! We are very proud of ourselves for forcing Home Depot to price match Lowes so we saved $37.50!

Holla!

The shopping spree ended and it was time for Jen and I to get to work, so thus began the most beautiful installation of insulation I have ever witnessed. It was fast, smooth, and gorgeous! Just look at the craftsmanship! (she paid me 20 dollars to gush!) ;)

I took time to start cleaning up and sanding down my new laundry closet. It's 10pm and I am still finding dust in my ears and nose!

Even though the outside of the house has come to look like this

and a thin coat of drywall covers every surface inside,

great things are just around the corner