11.29.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 7:57 pm by Elisa
the counter is in!
It took the guys almost all day to install it and fill in the seams
Black Pearl Granite
the sink doesn’t work yet, but hopefully by tomorrow.
the master bath also got counters and the backsplash for the tub
the countertop is jura stone which is a natural stone that is very cool- it has fossils and crystals in it.
the fireplace mantel was completed
as was the staircase re-do
moving forward- it seems one step forward and two steps back but I am hoping that by the weekend we will at least get to move back into the other front room so we are living out of two rooms instead of one.
When this is all said and done look for my book at your local book store called, “How to survive a home remodel with three kids and 4 dogs.”
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Posted in ElisaLou at 9:13 am by Elisa
Today is supposed to be a busy day around here- hopefully a big progress day. I have been without a kitchen since August. A couple of weeks ago they put our stove back in but still no sink and without a sink, well you just can’t cook. I have been cleaning up a bit in the dog shower but that isn’t working. I would use the downstairs bathroom sink but they took that out when they did the hardwood floors so now we have to wait until they are done painting. I am assured there is a method here- but when you are tired of eating out (yes, I did say that!) you just want a kitchen. Today we are supposed to turn a corner (and I say supposed because I have learned to never get my hopes up as things can change very quickly). Today is the day the countertop is supposed to arrive. And with the countertop is a sink, and a sink means the dishwasher can be hooked up. Yippee! So I thought I would take some pictures at 7:30am and then maybe by 7:30 pm things will look a little different. Crossing my fingers anyway.
This is the blur of before school activities around here
Our living space has dwindled down to one main room downstairs and it is filled with couches, tables, fridge, you name it. I pulled this small end table and a few places to sit out of the pile so the kids could actually sit down to eat. The floor is all covered, so no good pics of the hardwoods yet. We have to wait until after they paint.
No countertop
Not sure what is going on here with Shiloh- I think Austin might be sharing his breakfast with her
This is what the dining room looks like right now
The room below is original to the house and was not going to get remodeled, we were actually using it up until the floors were refinished a couple weeks ago. Now it is getting painted and will hopefully be done today- this is the library/den and our Christmas tree will go in here
I actually love this room. It is small and cozy with a brick wall, fireplace, and that little white door is a place to store wood (it has exterior access). It has built-in shelves and cabinets.
Another view
Yesterday they started the mantel on the new fireplace in the family room
Very traditional, nothing fancy. And as it has been the way with most of the project, a picture hanging above it from a magazine- I just pull them out and give them to the workers and voila- I have a mantel, or a dog shower. Tile to arrive soon for the surround and the hearth.
So there you go- hoping for a productive day around these parts.
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11.28.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 9:13 am by Elisa
Looking forward to putting up a tree this year, hoping that my house will be far enough along to allow it to happen.
In the meantime check this out
My house is filled with framed kid art. What could be better? This one was done by my very talented 10 year old niece Emma. For those familiar with the Austin area will know that this tree is at Zilker park. Not sure when they started it but even back when I lived there they put it up every Christmas and everyone would go and spin inside of it.
Emma’s art won 1st place from the city. Yay Emma!
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11.27.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 8:10 pm by Elisa
I have to admit, I really like Martha Stewart. Her decorating style is classic and traditional and it is exactly what I want in my own home. I like to tune in and check out her show while I am sewing. The other day Annamaria was on which was very cool and today she had a few of her dogs on the show for a doggie fashion show. One of her dogs was misbehaving (the show is live) and she mentioned that her other dog puked in her bed last night. Not only was I thrilled to hear that Martha’s dogs sleep in her bed but I slowly realized that two of the most powerful women in this country are major dog lovers, Martha and Oprah (I think Oprah has her beat- she has 7 dogs). So there you go, while most people think I am some kind of freak for having so many dogs at least I am in good company.
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11.24.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 9:35 am by Elisa
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11.21.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 7:21 pm by Elisa
Happy Birthday Andy! Who is the big 37 today!
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11.19.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 2:24 pm by Elisa
Yesterday Cole and I loaded up the pack (or the 2 dogs, one rat, and one co-yote as my dad calls them) and brought them down to the farm. Andy and the older boys are still back at home but staying in a hotel while they do the floors this week.
This is Zoey’s first trip to the farm so you can imagine how weird it is for her to have so much space to roam. She tends to stick close to the house and when she does venture out she quickly runs for cover.
Astro teaches Shiloh the fine art of border patrol
Barley takes a break
Shiloh never stops, she loves it here
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11.17.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 6:04 pm by Elisa
Sometimes I am absolutely amazed by people. Most of the time in a good way but every now and then in a not so good way.
I sometimes list extra fabric that I have on an online place that is similar to Ebay only it is focused on crafty items only.
A couple weeks ago I got a message from someone asking about some fabric that I had listed there. They wanted to know my shipping charge to Canada (I only list domestic shipping). In order to find out the cost to ship internationally I have to weigh the fabric. Unfortunately Andy grabbed the Rubbermade bin with all the extra fabric and took it to the storage place where we are housing things during our remodel as we are about to do the hardwood floors and we have to move ourselves and a lot of our stuff out of the house.
I had not responded to her message yet since I don’t know the answer to her question. Today I get this email from her
Sent by TheHaps on November 17, 2007:
Etsy is a funny place.
There are professionals who make things full time and earn a living with their official business, and there are people who just do it for a bit of extra money.
Either way, though, I believe that offering good service, and treating people well is important.
If you are going to continue to sell things here, even just a few things here and there, you need to seriously work on your customer service. To have things listed in a shop, and then to IGNORE people when they tell you they are prepared to pay you money for something, is absolutely appalling.
You may well be busy, you may have difficulties in your life that are keeping you from taking two seconds to respond to someone, but if this is true then you need to take down your shop altogether. Also, you may just be lazy and not know about basic kindess or how to treat people.
Either way, I am deeply unimpressed and telling as many people as I can to stay clear of your shop.
Good day.
I am not usually one to put this kind of stuff out there but I think as we approach the holiday season it is just a reminder to treat other people with respect. She is absolutely right that I should have responded to her, and quite honestly I thought I had. I get a lot of emails, and sometimes one or two slip through the cracks. Either way I am sorry that I didn’t let her know the situation. But I guess I am confused as to why she didn’t just email and ask again, or ask if there was some reason that I wasn’t responding. My life is a little crazy at the moment and while this certainly is no excuse I am just thankful that it is crazy in a good way, and not crazy in a bad way like having a really sick child or a death in the family. But did she know that??
My first instinct was to link to her shop- to play the same game she is playing. But that feeling passed, there are always going to be not so nice people out there and I think the 200 plus people that swing by this blog on a daily basis are not here to read about mean people. And the good thing is that most people aren’t like that.
So, let’s just move on.
Here is what Andy and I did today
we layed sod! It is so nice to have grass again! The dogs were so happy they were rolling around on it and the boys and friends came out to toss the football after the Buckeyes beat Michigan!
A great day, nasty email and all.
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Posted in ElisaLou at 12:00 pm by Elisa
Beat Michigan!
Flying the flag from our almost finished front porch!
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11.15.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 8:49 am by Elisa
Usually it’s just the older boys that like to head over to catch the Blue Jackets but last night Cole and I decided to tag along. It was the last warm night that we are expected to have for a while so it was good to get out.
Love this area, it is absolutely amazing how much Columbus has changed in the last few years.
And the Blue Jackets didn’t disappoint
And I think I have mentioned before the real reason that I like to go
(These two photos by Jeremy Renkel)
Thought this one was cool
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