Before and After Family Room

We removed one of the three windows on each side of the TV so we would have a wall to hang Zan's Favorite thing in the house!  I am sure I rate somewhere near it!  ha  We removed the mirrors, floor, stone and added new stone along with a new wood stove.  We added on to the family room, adding a walk out patio to the back yard.  We transferred the bathroom to the new addition along with a walk in closet for jackets, shoes, etc.

The Family room

The Family room

The NEW Family room

The new addition

Before and After Dining Room

The Dining Room........

We kept the original windows.  We ripped out the carpet and wall air conditional unit.  The wall between the dining room and kitchen was also removed.  My favorite is the added front porch!  I love sitting out there waiting for Blaine to get picked up for school.  It's a great time to chat with him each day.

Our Kitchen

It's almost complete!! We just have some decorating to do and some speakers to hang.

The window looking into the back yard has a window seat so I can relax and watch the kids play. We originally had planned cabinets across the entire back wall with a smaller window. The more I thought about it, the less I felt that I liked it, seemed very closed in to me. I wanted open and we all know that I would never fill up 36 cabinets!! I had seen a kitchen in a magazine at one point and loved the shelves with under shelving lighting so I asked the builder to build me shelves instead.

I also loved window seats so we had to delay construction about eight weeks to wait for the window! We were never in a rush, we knew the project would take us forever so what was another 8 weeks? I love the window seat so it was worth it!

The cabinet guy built my Island identically to the one that I had in my mind! He was great and was so dependable.

The stone wall was the most difficult project. It started off bad when my poor dad and I picked it all up in my mini van. We drove about 15mph, he unloaded it all...it was so heavy!!

Thanks to Michele stopping by and thinking of taking a photo of the stone wall being built, we realized when she sent us the photo that it was different then what we imagined. Zan left work and decided to do it himself! The wall wore him out! He is so done with this house!!! Check out photo of placing last stone...two full days of work.

Blaine's room

You probably read in my other blog that Blaine, uncle Josip and Dad are obsessed with Giants! Blaine wanted a Giants room and thanks to his Uncle, he has enough to fill a couple of rooms!! We are gonna save some of it for the Man cave. ( if that ever happens)

Here are some photos...

My blog

Everyone has been asking why I stopped the blog....

We have been so busy the last couple of months. The kids went to TN so Zan and I could get us moved into the main part of house!!! Yes, we are officially finally moved in! We started transferring our life over about eight weeks ago. We LOVE it! I used to sneak out of my one room, into the garage for peace and write my blog. Life has changed, first, the kids were gone for six weeks so I had to grout, clean, grout, and clean!! I will never ask Zan to lay so much tile again!!! I love my bathrooms and kitchen but if I would have grouted one bathroom before the others were done, I would have cut back on some of my ideas!

Chance....

We worked very hard while the kids were away so upon their return, we could transfer them straight to their own rooms. Chance was the first to return..the first night, he cried about an hour and a half! He never came out of his room but he ripped off all of his sheets and finally gave up. Poor kid, it broke our hearts. Chance has only known our one room! He was a year old when we moved into it and slept with me his whole life!!! We thought it would take a few weeks but the next night, he went right to bed! No issues since........been about three weeks now! Success!

Blaine.....

He has the ONLY (mostly) finished room, thanks to his Uncle Josip! Uncle Josip gets him Giants posters, footballs, flags, helmets, fatheads and anything else that has the word Giants on it! I bought frames for all of it and insisted that we hang it all up because it was sitting in the floor! Actually, the fathead took up my entire kitchen island (check out Blaine's room blog). Blaine moved into his room with great joy! bGuess he needs a break from all of us, plus all of his buddies bought him a bearded dragon (lizard) so he does have some company.

Quinton....

We all know he loves MAGIC! I have framed a few Chris Angel (appropriate) photos, some Las Vegas pictures and some of his magnificent travel photos! Quinton dreams of performing in Vegas and he always talk about all of his trips! He wanted the biggest bed! He asked for a pillow top big bed so his bed takes up his entire room! Who cares, he LOVES it and that's what matters!!!

Zan and I....

We barely have covers!! Kids first!!

We all love our new space. Life seems so breathable! We never go upstairs into the "room" anymore, I often walk up to get something and I can't imagine that we all lived in there for so long.

I will be sending some updated photos of the house. Today, I am headed to the shore with my boys.

Our Little Helpers

The house is gonna mean so much to all of us. We have all spent our days working on this crazy house! The boys have been so wonderful spending lots of days at Home Depot, unloading car with stuff, or just sitting on the wood so Zan can cut it!!! No matter what the task, they have been in great spirits!

Fun at the Franc's

Even though we only live in one room with no air condition, we still manage to make the best of it! We love our neighborhood. We have so much fun with friends and neighbors.

Blaine visits the Blaine's

Off to California...Blaine loved meeting his "namesake"

Nothing to do with the house but I never want to forget this trip so I am adding it to my Coffee Table Book!!

Zan and I wanted to get away. The guilt hit us that Blaine was old enough to appreciate meeting the couple he is named after...Nicole and Mickey Blaine. So guess what...our romantic week turned into upside down Rollercoasters!!!

We decided to surprise Blaine with the trip(before you feel sorry for Q, he went to Norway last year without Blaine, and Chance{he's the "third"}) we dragged Blaine all the way to the airport, seated Zan on the plane and he never realized he was going on a trip! After we told him to sit, we showed him a packet with Disney, Universal and the beach...he could barely breathe!! He was so excited..we then told him that he would be seeing "the Blaine's".

In flight, I was shocked that when he told the flight attendant that we tricked him, the flight attendant asked what he was going to do and all he said was that he was gonna see Nicole and Mickey Blaine!! What about Disney and Universal?? I should have left him with the Blaine's to bond and had my "romantic weekend"...what was I thinking???

Anyway, The Blaine's are sooo much fun!! They are like us and enjoy crazy people!! We love them!! We had not seen them in about three years so we had to reunite with a BANG!

In flight, we bribed Blaine and trained him well so he could make 50.00 to "blow" on junk!! We told him that we were gonna surprise the Blaine's by him knocking on the door and pretending to be Mickey's long lost son. He had to pretend he was doing a report and had snuck away to meet his true father!

We arrived at 8:30 AM for our surprise, we were rehearsing one last time and darn it! The Blaine's pulled out of the driveway!! We went after them! They went to Starbucks so the plan had to change, we rehearsed with Blaine again, he was to approach Mickey and say ask if he was Mickey and that he was his father! As we were about to send Blaine into Starbucks, Mickey came back out(it was a long line and Tegan had gymnastics) so we took off following them again!

He dropped off Nicole and Tegan and took off again, we knew he must be desperate for his Starbucks! We follow him. By now, I say to Zan that he totally suspects he is being followed, Zan believes that he is clueless! Mickey tricks us by pulling into a closed down Taco Bell and of coarse we pull in so he speeds away! We loose him at this point but as we are driving, we notice a Starbucks...we pull in to see if we are lucky enough to find him and he is there!!! The poor guy was hiding out calling his wife with this horrific story that a family in a big Cadillac are following him all over LA!!! He sees us and takes off down a back alley blowing dust in the wind.

We figure we have lost them but Blaine remembers how to get back to the gymnastics place. We can barely breathe from laughing and worrying that we have scared the daylights out of our friend( we did not have their numbers). We pull into the gymnastics and there he is, on the phone! He flips, stares and then walks past our car recording the license plate! Blaine is so nervous that the police are going to arrest him but we threaten his 50.00!!

Blaine gets out of the car, he walks over to Mickey. He says, you look like my Daddy! Nicole is on the phone and is hearing all of this so she starts walking out as Mickey is asking who and where is the mother! Blaine says you met my mom eight years ago!! Mickey was repeating, "who is your mom?" I decide that we have tortured the poor guy enough so I step out of the car ( he stares at me wondering about eight years ago) then it hits him and he screams to Nicole(still on phone panicking)...It's the FRANC'S!!!!!

Blaine did awesome and we all cracked up all day!! It was the best joke ever and Blaine loved being a part of it!!!

He fell in love with them and even said he would visit a couple of weeks in the summer!!!

Nicole gave birth to Finnley Blaine two days after we left! She was overdue so it was not our fault in any way!! Even though I am sure we put a big scare in her that she thought she had a seven year old stepson arrive overnight!!!

Bathrooms taking shape

We have started tiling the bathrooms. I NEVER realized how much work goes into every detail of a house. I will never complain again about the price of renovation! These guys deserve every penny that they charge. Zan worked for many days just to get to this point. (we still have so much more to do in the master bath)

My parents are expected in the next few days so Zan and his brother are trying to get a bathroom for them to use. One night, Josip came over.....I was in a deep sleep, Zan wakes me up to tell me that they need my help!!! I come stumbling in to be told that I need to get them fresh water while they grout. I didn't even know what grouting meant!!! How difficult could it be to get them fresh water a few times??? VERY VERY DIFFICULT!!!! I took about 200 trips to the sink. I thought I was gonna have a temper tantrum!!

Now I am kicking myself because I am the one that begged for the walls to have tile in my bathroom!! If I would have known that it was this hard, I would have just put down the plywood and left it!

Do we need a Dog????

Blaine fell in love with Princess! Princess needs a new home but it looks like the Fardo's have first dibs! We did enjoy scaring Zan though with the picture! The kids all enjoying a fun afternoon playing in the neighborhood and Princess went back to the Fardo house!!!

BUT...if it does not work out, plenty of kids loved Princess that day!

Happy Mother's Day

I had a fantastic Mother's Day. I am not exaggerating!! The 3 boys and I watched a movie. The boys then planted flowers for me while I painted a few pieces of floor moulding!

The ice cream truck stopped by!!!

Zan and I hung doors late into the night.

Can't complain, great day and stuff accomplished..

Quinton turns 14!!!!

We had our first party this weekend in our new home! Quinton turned 14 and loved his party! We had all the neighbors and a Magician!!!! The house is not together but it is finally safe!!! We have railings, counter tops, and running water.

Stair railings

The house is now safe!!! It was pretty scary for awhile, the drop could have been about 15 feet down onto concrete. We had to keep the house locked up at all times to keep the kids from running around. We love the railings. Chance keeps leaning into them saying "I can't fall anymore", Quinton , ofcoarse swings from the "open" stairs the minute he walks in the door! Typical BOY!!!

Productive week

We had a good two weeks (helps with the in laws being around)

Josip helped with the bathroom floors. I never knew so much went into renovating. I thought you could just lay down tiles. NO NO, you must use "Green sheet rock", this stuff called Duroc board then tile! Did I fail to mention special Duroc screws? Also, the fact that those screws cannot puncture my floor heating tubes!!!!!!

We also had the carpet put down in all the bedrooms. My Dad put the second coat of paint throughout the house and painted the rest of the rooms!!! My Mom and painted all the windows, which was a long grueling job.

Grandparents are the best

My parents main goal of this visit was to put the trampoline up finally!!! The kids kept asking last year but the yard was a mud pit from the construction.

My parents arrived to install it the first day, two weeks later. Done!! We had two snow storms and lots of rain.

The kids are so happy!!! Thanks Grandma and grandad

Counter tops

I walk into the granite store thinking it would be easy....no way! So many choices, like hundreds! I got annoyed with all three boys pulling the heavy granite samples off the wall and the workers glaring at me and telling me how heavy they were so I left in anger!! Zan made me go back "alone" and I found two that I liked.

I had warned Zan beforehand that I had seen the Chiseled Edge and REALLY wanted it for the Island. He actually agreed and we LOVE it! We had it installed and so now we just need a backsplash!!! So many decisions!!!

Did I fail to mention..the house is a MONEY PIT??

Things were finally speeding up! The walls were painted, kitchen installed, countertops placed and floors in two rooms. I blogged that there was light at the end of the tunnel... then today!!! I came home to this!!!!

As you can see, Josip is as disgusted as we are! Story goes...Zan was removing the old tile from the stove area and the concrete floor began to crack...then shake and wobble!

Half of this room was a garage years ago. The previous owners who added to the house cut corners. I guess an adhesive should have been placed to hold the concrete floor in place...guess what? The concrete floor fell apart!! For the women who think like me...my only question was...when do we get to fix it and lay my wood floors down?? More BAD NEWS!!! For it to be done properly, wood floors should not be laid for 60 days after the concrete!!!! I swear this house! I better live in it for life because I am never buying another home!

The benefit is we are gonna have a completely new home since everything we touch falls apart!! Josip rented a tool that broke the concrete up so we could carry it outside and Zan cleaned it all up tonight. Weekend job ahead of us! I need a vacation!!!

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Today was the best day ever!!!!!! I just sat and smiled as the floors and kitchen were installed. Zan, Josip, Mr. Franc and the kitchen crew worked the whole day and the kitchen came to life! Our cabinet guy is named Zeilko and he is amazing!!! He is actually an Angel in my eyes! We still have lots to install but we finally see the light!!!

below... My Future window seat!!!

Best Helpers

The boys have done their fair share helping with the house. They charge more than the average! Normally, a new Wii game is part of the negotiating when it comes to Blaine.

Working Men

They told all of us that they needed to help move 4,000 pounds of floors but this is what I caught them doing!!! To their defense, Zan was told it was gonna be very heavy! Once he took the plastic off the crates, it was a bunch of 45 pound boxes. They were done in ten minutes! Very nice to see all the help show up, Zan and I really appreciate all of you!

Chance sitting in his future bathtub....

Chance loves to run in the bathroom and say,"I'm jumping in the bathtub"

Laundry Room

I told Zan that I can live in my one room forever but I CANNOT live without my washer and dryer! He surprised me on Monday night when I came home from work. He had laid the tile in the laundry area!!!!!! We just need to finish painting it and hook it all up. I will be so less stressed....my poor friends....

they ask me over for coffee or happy hour and I walk in with laundry.

This is why I married him

Seriously, how adorable is he?? He probably spent more on his gear and new spray gun then if he would have just hired Jose!!! The Franc luck, we will still hire Jose!!!

The painting has begun. He and his father primed all the ceilings and walls. The house looks so sterile..its so clean and white!

As you can tell, his father had a fight with the spray gun! I see where Zan gets his stubborness because Zan had ten extra pair of goggles(his gear) and his dad would not change them out. I kept bugging and he kept saying, "I'm fine" but I kept bugging the blank out of him anyway.. till Zan finally told me to stay out of it!!! I just could not understand why he would keep them on for twelve hours when I had ten clean pair. UGH!!!

Prepping to paint

Chance was such a good sport. He tried to help but soaked the newspaper that Zan had placed on windows for protection. We then gave him my phone and placed him under me so I could keep close eye on him!! It's amazing what you can still accomplish when you have kids!!

We needed a break.

We needed a break! Zan and Blaine went skiing and I hung at pool with Quinton and Chance. We had a great time! Much needed break from the house

The sheetrock is up, we have walls finally

The project is really starting to come together and look like a true house. Zan and I are so excited!!! The boys are starting to love it!!! I think they can see the outcome now. As the guys were putting up the Sheetrock, we decided to tackle another project. ...

We decided while we have such a mess that we should just complete the basement. We called Santa and as usual, he did a fantastic job!! I just figured that the basement would always bother me so while the house is so torn up, let's just do it. Zan agreed.