Joe does the pictures and I do all the boring details, although it feels like anything but boring these days.  Joe is absolutely loving the crazy schedule I am setting with all the appointments. ;-)  Let's see since I last wrote a week and a half ago. 

We have picked out all of our appliances which are the Fridgidaire Gallery with Smudge Proof stainless, yes!  We went there twice.

We have met with the cabinet makers.  That was AMAZING.  We got a tour of the place too.  The guy who will make our mantel for the fireplace has been a woodworker for 53 years.  They do incredible work there.  Once we have the plans finalized, I will tell you what it has.  They will be making our kitchen cabinets, the 3 bathroom cabinets, laundry room cabinet, huge locker piece for the mudroom, and a large cabinet/decorative shelving piece for our bathroom and fireplace mantel.

We went to the granite place to pick granite.  Never knew that would be a 3 hour process.  Again another eye opening experience in this warehouse seeing these huge blocks of granite.  They had standard and then up from there to Tier 5.  Joe and I both definitely had tier 5 taste, but we found a standard that we loved as well.  We also got the kitchen sink there.

Let's see, we picked out our flooring.  We will be doing a laminate in the whole main area (kitchen, dining room, mud room, foyer).  It looks like a darker wood.  We have vinyl in the 1/2 bath, kids bath and laundry room.  And we have tile in our bathroom.  Carpet in the great room, study, stairs and 2nd floor.

We have been to the stone place twice, and will have to go back again.  We know what we want, but aren't quite seeing it, so we need to make a decision.

I also hired a designer to come over and help me put it all together.  That was worth its weight in gold.  I would have tapped into my talented aunts had they been closer, but she really did an amazing job.  It is hard for me to imagine being able to "see" everything.  She gave me recommendations for the carpet color, vinyl, granite color, outdoor decking color, outdoor decking railing color, GROUT COLOR (there was like 30 choices, seriously!), blinds (thankfully I had these great samples my aunt gave me.  Thanks Auntie Pat!), paint colors for the whole house, stone choices.  I think that was it.

We are taking many of her suggestions.  The stain is the most difficult.  I have our laminate sample right in front of me with 7 different stains I had put on wood.  I am praying a little birdy will talk into my ear and tell me which one will not clash!

I think that is all, along with lots of time at my dad's room in the hospital.  I am just so grateful it appears he will be okay.  That wasn't the case a week ago today when they couldn't stop the bleeding in his brain.

So, I will keep you updated on the details side.  This week we are going back to the stone place for the third time and making a decision.  I want to run out to the neighborhood first and find out what stone this one house has, which means more pictures to post.  We also have to meet with the plumber this week to pick out the bathtub, shower insert, sink bowls, faucets (although we kind of already did).  I am also trying to meet my designer lady to look at dining room tables.  She gets paid by the store, so it is free advice for me.  Plus I am going to smuggle my stain samples and laminate sample and try to get her opinion quick on that.

I am also glad to be getting a lot of the choices done before school starts next week.  Although, Katie does have her orientations for her live online classes this week.  She is excited to be starting Queen of Heaven Academy this year.  She was even more excited to be taking Roman History as an added class (must take after Joe).