strizver progress

Moving Forward Again

2011-11-11T05:26:00.001-08:00

Here is the finished version of my master bath. It's so awesome to actually have a master bathroom, not just a sink in the bedroom.

Something New!

2011-04-14T08:19:00.001-07:00

John installed the owl box he made. There is an incredible number of mice and gophers to be controlled. Preston and Ziggy just can't keep up.

Julie came by to start brainstorming on a design for the vanity top.

Here's a few pictures of the plantings around the pool. This is fun stuff for me to do. I love gardening.

2011-02-21T18:49:00.000-08:00

The wall unit is finally done. No more hole in the wall.

Barry designed and installed the railings. They will be powder coated and reinstalled.

Two Months Fly By

2011-02-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

It has been over two months since my last post. The house is progressing at a slow pace. John's dad passed away and he is helping mom with the readjustment. Ziggy has become a guerilla warfare cat. He camouflages himself in the honeysuckle and lays in wait.

Ziggy helped put up Christmas lights.

Our re-gifting party was a lot of fun.

The mantle looked great after I decorated it twice.

Hannah took a dip on Super Bowl Sunday. Sam helped with the final decision to go in!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-29T07:01:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving in Buffalo with SNOW!

Nick was online with the webcam to say grace with us.

We both added our expertise to the meal. I made the stuffing, John made the potatoes.

Veteran's Day 2010

2010-11-13T06:38:00.001-08:00

John took his seat on the USS Midway aircraft carrier.

Nick is enjoying the warm weather. The glass tile on the pool wall was finished today.

Nov. 4th First one in the pool and Sam's 1/2 birthday.

2010-11-08T06:54:00.001-08:00

Sam's half birthday. We're celebrating everything.

Nick was the first one in the pool. San Diego hit a 100 degree record high for November.

The water was 76-78 degrees.

I like it when it's 80 and above.

New addition to the Strizver family!

2010-11-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Here's our new kitty. Not sure if it's a boy or girl. So cute.

We made it to the Grand Canyon this week-end. Our trip for John's birthday was postponed due to my wrist surgery.

Progress continues.

2010-10-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

The remaining palms were moved and planted.

Glass tile now surrounds the gas fire pit.

The pool shed comes to rest.

2010-10-26T19:11:00.001-07:00

It was amazing to watch the shed being gyrated around on steel pipes, cinder blocks, 2x4's and a hydraulic jack.

It took a lot of twisting, turning, pushing and pulling.

It came to it's final position perfectly. It got a little tweaked and the door won't close but we can handle that.

It needs a new tile roof and some paint to match the house. Now the old laundry shed is the new pool room.

The pool is full of water!

2010-10-24T14:51:00.001-07:00

Friday afternoon around 3PM.

Saturday late morning.

Saturday late afternoon.

Sunday 3PM. Almost full.

3 Year Anniversary October 22nd

2010-10-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

The remembrance flag is out for the 3rd anniversary of the Witchcreek Fire. We had a gathering with other fire survivors to make sure we stay in touch and continue to support each other.

Pool interior complete.

2010-10-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

A whole team of guys showed up to Pebble Tech the pool surface. It started raining again just when they finished. It's cold outside!

25TH ANNIVERSARY - OCT. 19TH 2010

2010-10-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Twenty-five years of wedded bliss, and never a dull moment. It was pouring rain all day just like our wedding day.

Congratulations Nick!!! Passed CNA Certification.

2010-10-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

This is not Nick, but it certainly could be. He has been hold up in his room for weeks doing school work. Today he passed his CNA certification now he can get a real job!

The last of the palm trees were brought up yesterday. The landscape is slowly taking shape. So much goes into the infrastructure you just can't see the progress.

The multi-purpose shed made it's way back up to the house. Dave and Tracy are amazing how they move anything you want.

It will be my potting shed. I have a page torn out of Martha Stewart's magazine with the perfect set up. At the present time it remains a shed to protect building material.

Still more concrete!

2010-10-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

The north patio and deck supports were poured today.

John and Nick get power to the spa.

More concrete and more stone.

2010-10-08T10:28:00.001-07:00

Quartzite flagstone is being placed between the concrete.

The footings for the deck were poured and the patio was finished today. I love seeing everyone here!

Beautiful Trees!

2010-10-06T19:11:00.001-07:00

Jeff and I searched the local nurseries for these Mesquite trees. They are even more beautiful standing alone. It's difficult to choose when they are all stuck side by side.

Several are planted in front of the house. So nice to see green again.

The Jacuzzi is back!

2010-10-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

Lot's of activity today, moving and planting trees. I just get to sit at the table with my arm propped up on pillows. This is not for me, the days seem to be 48 hrs. long.

The spa made it's way up to it's new pad.

Beautiful double rainbow from our hilltop.

Celebrating Birthdays

2010-10-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

Beautiful sunrise, makes you stop and be thankful.

We did get to celebrate John's birthday.

We all made it to Grandpa's 90th birthday!

Sept. 18th John's 62nd Birthday

2010-09-18T06:58:00.001-07:00

Preston caught this gopher fair and square!

The concrete around the pool was poured last Wednesday while I was laid up in the trauma center.

I visited Jill for a few minutes to see their rebuilding progress. Today is John's birthday, unfortunately I will be having surgery at 2:30 pm to repair my wrist.

Progress Returns!!!

2010-08-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

The landscaping is finally getting started. Four different crews were here working outside. Concrete being formed, walls being built, drain and irrigation pipes laid and boulders moved.

The Brewer concrete crew is setting forms while Dan and Tracy lay pipes and bring the dirt back up that they took down a month ago.

Taylor and Tracy play "bumper skidster" in the driveway. Who is in whose way?

Dan doing business in the trenches!

Nick and I with Dave Matthews. Nick won tickets and backstage passes.

Back to Reality

2010-08-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

John sightseeing at the beach.

After China and Las Vegas we spent a relaxing week camping at the beach. Now I'm back to lining up the landscapers. Monday we'll have a full crew moving boulders, placing drains and forming concrete. I'm so excited about covering the dirt.

This is how I like to use a shovel. I dug a "bathtub" for Leila and Piper.

The snakes are out in force! I was wondering what sprinkler was on as I stepped out onto the patio. Duh, the rattling sound was a coiled diamondback a few inches away from me. Nick took care of it.

A few minutes later Preston and I were running down the driveway and came upon this Grand Daddy with 13 rattles! Nick to the rescue again.

July 30th 2010 Return from China

2010-07-29T20:54:00.001-07:00

I took a picture of the budah without realizing I stole a spirit or something. I guess ignorance is bliss.

Here is our tour group after visiting the "Forbidden City".

We climbed the Great Wall of China!

July 4th 2010

2010-07-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

The wall is done and looks great.

The solar system will go on this south facing bank.

Fireworks at Ramona High School.

Donna's dad and Ted's mom joined us for the celebration.

July 1, 2010 The dust keeps flying!

2010-07-01T08:33:00.001-07:00

Tracy and Dave finish the retaining wall. We have to keep the windows closed all day to keep the powdery dust from invading the house. The landscape plans are in the works.

Father's Day 2010

2010-06-21T22:03:00.001-07:00

John made a wonderful chicken fajita dinner on his new cast iron barbecue griddle (Father's Day present). I whipped up the margaritas! Tuesday I should have the landscape plans.

June 17th More and more dust!

2010-06-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

Nick is back to digging ditches.

Bob is replacing fixtures because the flourescent ones drive me nuts.

Tracy is patching the hole that is too big for the new fixture.

The pool coping is being prepared for grout.

May 25th Planning for hardscape.

2010-05-24T09:34:00.001-07:00

The shotcrete was put in on Friday.

It looks like high pressure blown on concrete.

Here is the finished product as of today. We need to come up with a hardscape design so they can place the boulders and bring up the trees. My visionary brain cells are all used up!

May 20th Pool Rebar Complete

2010-05-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

The rebar is finished and the shotcrete is going in tomorrow.

Preston LOVES THE DIRT. He's getting his summer haircut today.

May 19, 2010 WE HAVE FINAL!!!!!

2010-05-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

The inspector arrived in the afternoon and signed us off. We are officially in the house. What a great feeling.

We connected the reverse osmosis to the fridge and were looking for leaks under the sink. I saw water coming out of the wall!! Nick had to climb up into the rafters to the far reaches of the attic to find and repair the leak. That's him wedged in the trusses. He had to dodge nails and fiberglass. What a trooper.

May 11, 2010 Progress Returns

2010-05-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

Dave and Tracy are back. They are digging the pool today.

They completed the dig and dirt is EVERYWHERE again.

May 5th, RV'n across the midwest

2010-05-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

Frank and Carol's RV.

Ribs to your heart's content!

Oklahoma City BBQ at Earl's Rib Palace

Frank, Carol, Janice and John in front of the reflection pool.

The Oklahoma City Memorial of the 4/19/95 bombing. The reflection pool is only 3/4" deep.

May 3, 2010

2010-05-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

I'll bet you thought we fell off the face of the earth. Absolutely nothing changed in April. Joe and Jen came up for some finishing work but that's about it.

I can't believe how much stuff the motor home can store. I keep taking box after box out and it's still full.
We got the pool mapped out today so I guess it is becoming a reality. I'm trying to get HDTV to help design my landscaping. They actually emailed me back for more info. What a kick that would be to have them come up here.

April 1, 2010

2010-04-01T05:38:00.001-07:00

Not much going on except for the mantle being installed. I couldn't find my pictures of Frank Fullen, the master woodworker behind this beautiful piece.

I spent a week in Buffalo with my parents. I watched TV, ate and walked around the park every day. Only gained a pound this time! Here I am with my friend Nancy's parents and mine on the far right, outside a restaurant.

March 6, 2010 Sunday Morning

2010-03-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday morning and it's raining. We are cozy in the house. The little details are taking the most time completing.

Richard is cutting down the plywood so we can install rope lighting under the counter top.

Bob is installing yet another after thought switch for the lighting.

Hector loves to do chores (for $).

John and Hector finish installing the warming drawer. I can't find the directions for it's use.

February 25th Murphy's Law kicks in.

2010-02-26T00:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was full of frustrations. I guess it goes with the territory.

1. I bought the wrong strainer basket for the bar sink.
2. The dishwashers did not have power cords, so no installation.
3. The showers were ALL non-functioning for various reasons.
4. The pool bath door is splitting.
5. Little parts are everywhere, I know they belong to something.
6. The door handles were not replaced properly after staining some fall off when used. The shower door handle broke off.
7. The wrong piece of granite was cut for the island.

And on and on, all in one day.

Week of Feb. 14th 2010

2010-02-21T05:32:00.001-08:00

John enjoys the fruits of his labor.

The giant roll of carpet was finally moved from the garage. It's finding another home.

Tim and Richard lay the bedroom flooring.

Master bedroom, finished!

Nick finishes painting the guest bedroom.

I finish painting the dining area.

Tracy and Lance start evening out the outside. They're laying keystone blocks today.

Conrad sets up the internet service.

Richard finishes the range top.

Preston makes himself at home!

Feb 15th 2010 Final Touches

2010-02-16T21:19:00.000-08:00

The travertine floors are finished and polished. No shoes! Right, I wish.

The wet bar is finished, so come over for a Margarita! We still need bar stools.

Valentine's Day 2010

2010-02-16T21:14:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Valentine's Day with the Tripps and received our second lemon tree to plant in our yard.

Sam and Nick wired our internet service. We're ready to go online. We've been running back and forth to the motor home for service.

Feb 11th Kitchen Slate Complete

2010-02-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

The island slate is done and it matches the rest of the slate so well. Large pieces were mitered to mimic the other random design.

Feb 6th Ping Pong Table

2010-02-16T21:07:00.000-08:00

Jonathan brought John a Ping Pong table. It is now in the center of the Great Room and ready for play at any time.

Feb. 5th The floor is in!

2010-02-05T05:49:00.000-08:00

The travertine is in and it's beautiful. Today there will be a whole lot of grouting going on. Everyone comes with knee pads!

The pellet stove serves as a cozy fireplace. It will be nice to sit at a real dinner table with chairs at the right height.

The bar top is in it's final stages of completion.

January 29th Shower doors and flooring.

2010-01-29T07:54:00.000-08:00

Danny is installing the glass shower doors. John can't wait to use the "giant" shower.

There were 5 guys here doing the floor. We are having Married Couples bible study here on Feb. 6th. I'll be painting today.

January 22nd Water, Water, Everywhere

2010-01-22T11:22:00.000-08:00

Nick has been "Home Alone" holding down the fort. It has been storming like crazy every other day. He's only seen one water leak in the attic. The storage container is finally dry! It only took 3 gallons of tar sealer to keep the water out. We are in the San Francisco Bay area visiting John's family. I'm trying not to think about what's going on at home.

January 17-18 First Night in the House.

2010-01-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

We decided to sleep in the house because the storms rock the motor home and we don't get much rest. We brought up a mattress, bedding and the coffee pot. Preston slept inside and was not restful. He roamed around a lot, needed to go out at 1am and wanted to sleep in our room. The heavy rain hasn't arrived yet as of 5am. Just plumber activity today.

January 16th Bracing for a storm.

2010-01-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

We are expecting the worst winter storm in the last 15 years, up to 20in. of rain. John and Nick will be placing drains and sandbags to keep the hillside in place. I took all I could out of the motor home so we can bring the slideouts in, Stevie the cockatiel needs to move. We'll try to get everything inside so it won't blow away. Then we'll just wait. Hopefully watching the Chargers win.

January 13th The long stretch.

2010-01-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

Here is my beautiful Oceanside Glasstile kitchen back splash over cook top.

Outside patio barbecue area.

Master bath sink vanity.

Things have slowed down dramatically. The daily progress is minimal. So many finishing touches require a combination of trades to be involved and I can't get them here at the same time. There are days or weeks between each step. We have dinner at the patio table that's in the great room so we can all sit together. There's still a lot of white powdery dust. Here's a few areas that have progressed.

January 6th, 2010

2010-01-07T05:24:00.001-08:00

So, I ask, "Will you be grinding this outside?" He said, "No, it's a dustless process." SURE! This is why I don't want to move in yet.

Here is the bar top with the glass tile inset. Now it needs to have the glue removed and be polished. Then he'll stain and seal it. I'm anxious to see the finished product.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010

2010-01-01T05:38:00.000-08:00

We celebrated a New York New Year (9PM PST). I was asleep at midnight so I could wake up at 5AM to go to work. I'm starting off the New Year with great optimism, renewing my strength through my faith in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 40:31 Those that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.

New Year's Eve 2009

2009-12-31T18:44:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve, champagne, full moon, pit fire, we're OK!

Front view of the house.

Patio view where our front door was.

Great room toward kitchen.

Great room looking west. Nick took these pictures in sections and put them all together. Click on them to get a closer look.

Christmas Eve 2009

2009-12-24T05:41:00.000-08:00

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

First Christmas tree in our new home.

December 16th What do you see?

2009-12-16T05:37:00.000-08:00

Here is a piece of slate in our fireplace. Jen noticed that it looked like the three kings. Click on the picture to enlarge it and see if you also can find them. It's awesome.

The kitchen granite is so beautiful in natural light. The cook top was placed yesterday and today the backsplash should go in while I'm at work. It's so exciting to see it take shape.

Dec. 14th Granite goes in.

2009-12-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

Here is the master bath vanity. I am excited to see the sinks and faucets go in this week.

Lots of tweaking cuts to make it fit. Oops, one piece broke in the truck over a bump in the road. I will be back in the granite yard tomorrow morning to choose another piece.

It's amazing how it all fit together. CCM did a great job matching the seams it flows so beautiful.

Dec 12th Preston Makes Himself at Home

2009-12-12T20:07:00.000-08:00

Preston made himself comfy while I glued the mosaic glass design to the wet bar counter top. It was pouring rain outside.

The house on the hill. Not ready yet.

The trailers in the mud pit. YUCK!

December 10th Grout and Fireplace Slate

2009-12-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

Jen is the master for glass tile and grout. She is finishing the tub deck. I love having her around to give me another woman's take on things.

Joe and Octavio are perfecting the design of the fireplace slate. The pieces are laid out like a puzzle and they continue to move them around to get just the right look.

Raphael placed the liners and grouted the shower. He started the floor since I finally found the matching 2x2 slate. I was trying to match the slate on the wall with the same color for the floor. The glass tile looks so gorgeous.

Click on any photo to enlarge it then click your back arrow to return to the page.

December 9th Granite Fabrication

2009-12-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

The granite has been measured and will be installed on Monday. Here are two of three slabs side by side. The photo doesn't show the beautiful coloring because I took it with my phone.

We better be in soon. John and I are out of usable space in the motor home. John's space is the passenger seat, mine is the dinner table. We know what the early astronauts must have experienced.

Dec. 7th Water, water everywhere!

2009-12-07T22:01:00.001-08:00

It's pouring rain in and out. This is ridiculous. We paid over $100k for this bucket of bolts. The ceiling was leaking so much John had pots and pans everywhere catching drips when I got home from work. UGH!!!!

December 6th Adding Color

2009-12-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

I almost didn't decorate at all because things are so packed away. But I rummaged through the storage container and found some lights and our little decorated trees. It's quite cheery at night. Even Stevie's cage has lights.

Rene and Armondo created this beautiful slate wall where the pellet stove will go. The picture does not do it justice. On Monday they will start putting the same rock on the fireplace. When it's done I want our family Christmas photo in front of it.

December 2, 2009

2009-12-02T19:31:00.001-08:00

The cabinets , doors and windows are stained. Only one hitch, several shelves were left outside to dry. They were forgotten, we were gone and it rained.

The tub deck just needs grout. My perfectionist husband and wife team wanted to redo the middle of the front. I like it the way it is.

Mom and Dad Strizver, 45th Anniversary celebration! We were glad to be there for the memory.

Exterior stone and more decisions.

2009-11-20T16:47:00.000-08:00

Today the exterior stone was being placed while the painters were staining the doors and windows.

Tom (TWF Designs) and Merielle (Oceanside Glass Tile) chose the kitchen back splash tile using the granite sample. We lugged this 30 lb. piece of granite around to make sure it will go well together. Tom is my interior designer. He is steering me in the right direction and the house shows it.

We have exterior color.

2009-11-17T05:35:00.001-08:00

Two raffle prizes in one day! Woo, hoo. God is always there leading me to the next blessing. Fun things take my mind off all the other STUFF.

The exterior stucco is finished. Now the stone veneer is ready to go on. The painters will be staining doors and windows today. I can't wait to come home from work and see the progress.

November 8, 2009

2009-11-08T07:16:00.001-08:00

The kitchen cabinets are going in, not without some twists and turns. I'm glad Richard is a perfectionist. Joe also brought up the fact that our under counter fridge won't fit if we don't put tile under the whole island. Wouldn't that have been a bummer?

The glass tile in the master shower is gorgeous. Sometimes I just sit in there and marvel at the artistry it took to install it.

I took my copper sink out of the box and put it where it's going just to see what it will look like.

All in all we're moving along. Just a few hitches, none that can't be fixed with more work and more money. Tom helped me choose the remaining granite and shower door glass. I thought I would never decide.

Halloween Party at the Strizvers

2009-11-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

Sponge Bob characters galore! We had a blast at our house party. It was so great to feel like we had a house to invite guests to.

Tile, tile, tile!!! Oct. 28, 2009

2009-10-28T22:28:00.000-07:00

Julie and I worked on the wet bar with glass tiles.

Joe started the master bath shower with stone. His two guys are working on the other shower.

Whole house paint.

2009-10-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

Nick and I worked into the wee hours of the morning preparing the house for paint.

In one day the whole house was primed and the ceilings were painted. All other interior work came to a halt so they could get the job done.

Oct. 21, 2009 Two Year Anniversary, Witchcreek Fire

2009-10-21T05:28:00.000-07:00

The KUSI news team was at our home reporting on the two year anniversary of the Witchcreek Fire. They did a brief interview then a live broadcast.

Sasha is the reporter.

Robb is the camera man.

It's amazing to us that it has been 2 years living in the motor home. With determination, perseverence and faith in Jesus we will succeed.

October 18th, 2009 Choices, choices, choices .......

2009-10-18T19:32:00.001-07:00

I'm overwhelmed with choices. The paint is the hardest part. I already have 5 quarts of paint and the drywall I painted to see what the colors look like. They seem to change by the minute.

Preston and Rupert made off with John's old back pillow. They play tug-o-war with it.

John and this crew of guys spent the day clearing the regrowth of brush on the east end of the property. We won a silent auction that got us the help of CDF to assist in the job.

October 15, 2009 Ready for paint.

2009-10-15T22:17:00.000-07:00

The drywall in complete and textured. I'm trying to decide on paint colors. Check back with me in a week! I am terrible at choosing paint colors.

Here is a glimpse of my granite for the kitchen. I love this stuff. I just hope it looks good as a counter top. The cabinets are due Oct. 27th.

These guys are creating a mold for the concrete counter top. It is going on the bar. They already finished the fireplace hearth.

Oct. 7th 9:00 PM After a long day at work.

2009-10-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

No pictures because I'm not a happy camper. I got home from work to find the only nice thing in the garage, a new cabinet, did NOT get covered before the spray paint went on! AARRGHHH! OH well, thanks for letting me vent! I NEEDED THAT. As my friend Renee would say "Step away from the edge." OK, I'm drinking some wine and going to bed.

October 5th God's Blessings

2009-10-05T07:38:00.001-07:00

Although there's a rainbow, it has not poured rain on us yet. We're not prepared for rain. This week the garage will be painted then the doors go on. Then it can rain.

This is my beautiful glass door that Dolores made. It is in Barry's family room for now.
The drywall is being textured this week then it will be ready for primer. The cabinets are being made and I'm still searching for the right tile. Wish me luck.

More Stucco and drywall.

2009-09-29T09:23:00.001-07:00

The brackets for the bar seating are in place.

Tim is still on the roof. Maybe someone moved his ladder!

Now this is crazy work.

Mike and his crew spray on the brown coat of stucco. The job site is a nasty mess.

Lots of Activity Sept. 23

2009-09-23T22:21:00.001-07:00

The 34th annual Virgo Birthday Party took place on Sunday. Still going strong, haven't lost one yet!

The dry wall hangers were going great guns today. I have to stop making changes.

Richard prepared the vent enclosure. What a perfectionist. I love it.

John put together PVC fire hose bibs. I was gone all day choosing flooring and lighting.

Fish and Fowl

2009-09-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Sam caught a 35 lb Halibut and won the grand prize. We could eat for a week.

This cockatiel found it's way to our motor home. Nick went on the roof to bring him down and it climbed up onto his shoulder. He now has a cozy cage and is protected.

September 14th, 2009 Insulation Installed

2009-09-14T18:41:00.001-07:00

The insulation installers were here all day. It sounds so weird inside now.

I'm sanding the doors and will be staining and sealing them.

September 6th 2009

2009-09-06T21:53:00.001-07:00

It has been very hectic taking care of the details in building the house. Our crew is working painstakingly to keep things moving ahead.

Richard creates the bar from a photo I gave him.

Joe finishes the rough electrical. I promised no more changes until after the inspection.

The outside gets wrapped for stucco.

Roof tiles, front door , bathtub and a fireplace.

2009-08-17T08:33:00.001-07:00

Brian, Tim and Nick work on the roof.

Now we need a doorbell

There's a beautiful copper front that goes on the fireplace.

The bathtub isn't quite ready for water.

Frame Signing Aug. 8th

2009-08-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Not many photos to share, we we're too busy touring with our friends. Our walls are covered with blessings and drawings. We look forward to our next milestone celebration.

Aug. 7th The Cow Jumped Over the Moon!

2009-08-07T22:34:00.001-07:00

When I got home from work tonight Nick shared some photos he took with his new camera. The moon was full and bright. He is so creative! It reminded me of a video I have of Sam reciting the nursery rhyme. What a sweet memory. We still have the video, thank God. Tomorrow is our frame signing. I thought the day would never come.

Waiting for roof tile.

2009-08-04T03:42:00.000-07:00

I saw the Skylift arrive at about 7AM. Then nothing. The delivery truck loaded with roof tile broke an axel. It never arrived. We wait.

Christ In Action team visits with us.

2009-07-26T05:50:00.001-07:00

Denny, Sandy, Dan, Leo and Dave stopped by to see our progress. Christ In Action is a disaster relief ministry.

Rich, Tim, Brian and Nick worked on getting our windows in.

Fired Up Sisters Fashion Show

2009-07-24T06:34:00.000-07:00

After unloading the packed 24ft enclosed trailer and several trucks we came back to the Strizver compound so the ladies could go through the clothing we got.

Too much good stuff!!!

2009-07-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

Preston loves to hang out on the COOL floor, right under foot. There's not much room in here.

Home Depot just donated a trailer full of items to The Fired Up Sisters. The Meyer's let us use their trailer so we could do it in one trip.

We have doors and windows.

2009-07-22T22:27:00.000-07:00

Our roof is done. What a project. We need tile now.

Our entry doors were delivered today, courtesy of Home Depot. I LOVE THOSE GUYS!
The doors were donated and they even delivered them. They are perfect for our entry.

July 10th Justine is 21!!!!!

2009-07-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

An outdoor celebration for Justine! It was hard to keep the candles lit, but it was memorable.

There's lots of directions putting this house together. It's a good thing I'm not responsible for reading them.

Happy July 4th

2009-07-04T05:47:00.001-07:00

Barry treated us to a great celebration at Barona Casino. I'll be working today so I'm glad we got to see a fireworks display.

Nick is on top of the world. He received a call from CSU San Marcos regarding his acceptance into the nursing program. All is well.

June 28th 1st Wall Signing

2009-06-29T22:14:00.001-07:00

Pat and Joel Ford came up to sign our walls. They were the first to do so. If you can't come by personally, send a note and we'll post it to the walls. MOVING FORWARD>>>>

June 23rd The roof goes up!

2009-06-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

The trusses were delivered and crane lifted into place. Now they are being placed upright and supported. I'm busy selecting roof tiles and thinking ahead to appliances. Lots of time and money. It seems like everything costs $10,000 or more.

June 15th Interior walls and patios.

2009-06-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

Today we poured the garage, patios and columns. Richard and Tim were putting up the interior walls. It actually is getting to look like there will be rooms. Of course, I already want to move walls around.

June 9th, The exterior walls are finished.

2009-06-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

The exterior walls were filled with concrete and the interior walls are ready to stand up. Next comes the roof after the top plates are finished. It's beginning to look like a real house. Nick is back in the trenches like he was when we were building our addition.

June 2, 2009 The Full View

2009-06-02T07:29:00.001-07:00

You can actually see our house from a distance. The crew is putting things together quickly and Richard is getting things ready for the roof trusses. The problem will be getting 53 ft. trusses onto our job site. Click on the pictures for a better look.

May 30, 2009 The Walls Grow Taller

2009-05-30T08:23:00.001-07:00

Each morning I go up to the building site and take new pictures. It's so comforting to see the progress. I'm not ready to make all these decisions it makes my head hurt! I picture myself in a complete home and it helps.

May 27, 2009 We Have Walls!!!

2009-05-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

Preston and I are happy in our new kitchen. The walls and window openings are going up quick. The blocks are hollow and will be filled with concrete. I love walking around inside and imagining what it will be like some day.

May 22nd, 2009 The Blocks Are Here!

2009-05-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

The ICF building blocks for the exterior walls arrived. The truck was too long to make it to our site so we unloaded it and trailered them in. It's a good thing they are made of styrofoam. They were still heavy. I got squished a few times.

May 20th The slab is curing.

2009-05-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

The concrete is curing and we hope not cracking. We have been watering it to slow down the drying process. The garage floor is being prepared for concrete and the wall block is being delivered today. The semi driver will be checking the route to determine if he can get to our street. If not, we will be trailering the loads to the site.

"Foundation" May 15, 2009

2009-05-15T21:45:00.001-07:00

We were up at 5:00 AM to be ready by 6:00AM. The concrete was pouring at 6:15. Ten loads of concrete and eleven hours later the forms were off and the day was done. We have a foundation! We are exhausted!!!! But we are very excited to see this progress. The walls will go up May 25th. It should take two weeks to complete. In the mean time the insurance battle continues.

Land Blessing May 3, 2009

2009-05-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

We had a blessing with our church family on Sunday. Everyone wrote their favorite verse and added a blessing for our new home. We put some ashes from our home and mixed it with the ground of our new site. Everyone put a little into the bottle. What a great beginning and special day.

May 1, 2009 Preparing for concrete.

2009-05-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

The surface is being prepared for the concrete slab. It is back breaking work to spread out huge piles of sand and level them to look like this picture. I quit after 90 minutes. Where are the Marines when you need them? John has been searching for day labor on the "Hire Patriots" website. Most of the guys who replied can only work week-ends.

April 23 "WE HAVE A BUILDING PERMIT" Woo Hoo!!!

2009-04-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

We finally have a permit. The forms and underground plumbing are being finished today. Sometimes I felt like this day would never come. All four neighbors are starting at the same time so we can share our experience. I hope it's all good.

April 17th 2009 My Master Bedroom "To Be"

2009-04-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to see things start coming to life. This will some day be my master bedroom. Lots of pipes have been added since this photo, My new job is going well. I love being back with the babies in the NICU. Sherry is a very patient preceptor, she is a wonderful teacher and co-worker.