Is this normal?

We had our POD dropped off and we had to have it cleaned out by the 20th. It had all the stuff in it that we could live without while we were in the rental home. Looking at all this crap valuable stuff it's hard to believed we survived! I know I really need to get rid of some of this stuff but how to choose?

This here is a set of 3 John Deere cups. I don't know if there is a 4th or not. I'm sure there was one at one time. I could easily part with these. If you're interested, hit me up. They can be yours!

These are my Harley Davidson coffee cups. I had these gems displayed in the kitchen of my very first kitchen in Jonesboro, GA. I bought this house in 1994, I believe. Others were decorating their kitchens in chickens, cows and duck motifs. I thought a Harley Davidson motif was the way to go. I'm so cutting edge, people. These aren't going anywhere.

Just a random assortment of white coffee mugs. I like two of these. Have I mentioned that I don't drink coffee?

These are mugs that I have been gifted. The one on the left is one that Ryan painted for me. The others are from the kids. The employee of the month I bought for myself because I really am an exceptional employee.

These mugs were given to us by a family member that is incarcerated. I mean how do you get rid of something that was probably traded for cigarettes? You just can't!

This is a set of two 2000 Disney World cups from McDonald's. These are just stupid. Have you ever tried to drink from a square cup? It. just. doesn't. work! These are gone! I'm almost embarrassed to admit I actually looked on ebay to see if these babies were valuable! I'm sure you probably got these for a dollar if you ate too many Big Macs. 

I mean, The FONZ! Really, are you gonna get rid of the Fonz? Don't even get me started on Porky!

Here's just a sampling of some of the Budweiser Retro Pint glasses and some "motivational" glasses. The huge cup from Lambert's, "home of the throwed rolls." Also two Coca-Cola glasses that one of Ryan's exes brought back from Europe.  I mean who doesn't like having a reminder of your husbands exes sitting around?

 I am aware that my selection of glasses further solidifies that I am white trash. However, I am ashamed to admit I may also be a hoarder.

Our First Night

We spent our first night in our home on July 20th. Shhhh, don't tell the home inspector as we haven't gotten our CO. It was as normal a night as things get for us. ChaChi and Ansley were putting on "shows." ChaChi spent the night with things shoved in the back of his underwear pretending to be J-lo. Should I be concerned? Ansley was the DJ. She announced it was a rooftop party at The Peabody Hotel and ladies get in free before 7:00PM. We had been looking forward to this night for such a long time It was all a girl could ask for.

This was the first time I have slept in my OWN bed in 21 days. I am so thankful for our friends that let us crash at their places while we were in limbo. Equally thankful for friends who invited us over for dinner or dropped off dinner. Times have not ben ideal, there was even a day I wore Ryan's underwear because I couldn't find mine. Am I sharing too much? We have lived out of a laundry basket, my car (which the air just went out), friend's homes and our garage. In the end it has all been worth it! Thankful to the Lord for providing what we needed when we needed it. However, I am not thankful for my painter or Comcast.

Homeless for 17 Days

It's been a few weeks since my last blog. (Sounds like I'm catholic and I'm about to confess something.) We just now got our computer hooked back up. Here's what's going on with us and the house. We got all moved out of the rental on June 29th. Of course the house wasn't finished and some friends of ours were out of town and said we could stay at their house. We stayed there for three days and then we switched locations to another friends house. We stayed there for a week and then returned to the first place we stayed. We figure if we keep moving around nobody would get too tired of looking at us. Apparently this was a good idea because my bff said she was surprised that so many people liked me enough to let me live with them. Honestly, I'm a little surprised myself. We have now gone from homeless to pet sitters as our friends have gone to London for the week. Our house should be ready by Wednesday. Our friends will be back Friday or Saturday so we'll stay here until they return.

We've been living out of bags, our car and our garage. I follow a blog www.thepoorganiclife.com and she is doing something called the Summer of 7 which is based on the book 7 An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker. One week she set out to wear only seven articles of clothing for a week and no makeup. Generally just simplifying your life in different areas. I was thinking that once I get settled into the house I would like to take on the experiment. Then I realized I've already been doing that for the last 17 days and I'll tell you now that it's over rated. I want my stuff back! Speaking of stuff, here's mine.

We've got everything we own shoved into the garage!

We've got everything in the kitchen except our appliances and we should have them installed tomorrow. This is  SW Resolute Blue.

Hardwoods are finished in Early American stain.

 Laundry Granite is Mystic Mauve but it just looks gray to me.

I'm loving the bedroom color it is SW Carefree

 Master Bath Granite is Blue River It's gray and black but some really cool flecks of blue show up when the light hits it the right way. How do you like that square sink?

This is the desk in Ann's room it is Caledonia Granite

 Ansley's granite is Blue Eyes. It is back with flecks of blue.

This is Ann's sitting room. We spent the day over there cleaning. They are so ready to start moving in so I let them move that little table and chairs.

2 Days

Exhaustion, pure exhaustion. We are at the house trying to get everything pulled together and trying to pack this house at the same time. The thought of living in a hotel isn't sounding like such a bad idea to me anymore.

They finished installing all the cabinets today. This is the laundry room.

 This is the master.

Kitchen

Ansley's bathroom

ChaChi's bathroom

This is a little nook in Ansley's room where we are putting a desk.

This is the office 

Today we had the porches, driveways and sidewalks poured.

Back porch

 Driveway

Sidewalk

The electricians also started hanging the lighting.

Ansley's sitting room

ChaChi's bedroom 

Ryan's GA Dawg room

There is Herb again! Thank God he is back to fix everything. He is a jack of all trades. Yes, he can even lay brick. Who knew?

7 Days

The tile work continues.

This will be the tile in the bottom of the shower.

 The granite got installed in the kitchen yesterday.

 I'm so excited about the way the granite turned out! I think it really pulls the two cabinet colors together.

I have packed a total of 2 1/2 boxes. I am completely overwhelmed with trying to finish building the house and pack this one up. The house we are living in seriously looks like a bomb went off in here.

9 Days

Yesterday we got the drain in the master shower and the mud pan laid. The drain was moved for the freestanding tub. I was finally able to locate a faucet for the tub. The tub is super awesome but had I known what a headache it was going to be I may not have gotten it. Glad I didn't know...

 This is the laundry room.

 This is Ansley's bathroom

This makes me question why I spent all weekend sweeping out the house.

Counting down the days.

We have to be out of this rental house in 10 days! It's hard to believe that we will have been here one day shy of a year on the 29th. We were never planning on it taking this long! I feel like our lives have been upside down for most of the year. It's funny to me that as hectic as things seem to me, fortunately the kids don't seen too affected. Ryan and I have been married for almost 11 years and have moved ten times. Maybe they are just used to it. I never moved. I lived in the same house from the time I was six months old until I bought my first house at twenty. I hope this is my last move for a very long time.

There was a lot going on at the house today. The rest of our doors got painted. Tile is being laid. They got a good portion of the tile done today. They will come back tomorrow to grout it.

 This is Fabrique, Noir Linen in the 12 x 24 laid in a brick pattern

                          This is the master bath. We chose Daltile Fabrique the color is Noir Linen 12 x 12 also in a brick pattern

 This is Ansley's tub surround this is just white ceramic subway tile.

This is ChaChi's bathroom. I let him pick it out. Not because I'm a sweet mom but because that was one less decision that I would have to make.

There was a lot going on at the house today. The rest of our doors got painted. Tile is being laid. They got a good portion of the tile done today. They will come back tomorrow to grout it. We have most of our lighting. We have our plumbing fixtures picked except for my freestanding tub faucet. What a headache that has been.

Tomorrow our plumber is supposed to put our shower pan in and put the drain in the master bath. The tile should be mostly finished. I don't think we will be able to move in, in 10 days but we are going to try to get as much done as possible.

I have only packed one box because we spend most of our days running around doing things trying to get this house built. I really do need a sister wife. If you're interested: must be over 300 lbs, hard worker,  and only looking for short term relationship. Oh and if you have your own hand truck that is considered a bonus.

My mom is supposed to leave the hospital tomorrow. It was such a relief to find out that the antibiotics are working and another surgery will not be necessary. It is so hard to be here with her in Atlanta in the hospital. So thankful that the Lord is healing her.