Never-Ending TO-DO List

This was not an uncommon sight throughout the summer:

Installing Cabinetry

Here are a few "in-progress" pictures of the kitchen cabinetry installation.  The Hubs made some columns on each side of the fridge that will slide out and I can store canned goods in them.  Pretty sweet, right?

We opted for puck lights in the upper-upper cabinets (they will have seeded glass in them).  Ignore the stick that is holding the light up (freshly siliconed).  You do what you gotta do sometimes!

That farm sink is going to be fab!

We have quite a few "To-Do Lists" going around.  We write on whatever we can find as soon as we think of or realize something else we need to do.  We are also getting ready for the granite to be installed.  

I stained that piece of wood that the balusters attached into.  Let me just say that this railing has been a nightmare.  Don't get me wrong- I still love it.  It's just been a pain in my behind (and everyone else's who have helped me).  After taping, staining, sanding, re-taping, re-spraying, re-sanding, and finally re-spraying FIVE FREAKIN' TIMES...  I think it's finished.

List of Things To Do

When we met with the builders and made some of the decisions, we knew we needed to get started right away with some of our plans.
We opted to:
- Research and purchase all of our own appliances
- Buy a farm sink instead of using the stainless steel sink they would have provided
- Build and install all of the cabinetry in the entire house
- Install all trim work which includes: base, case, hang interior doors, railings, and closet organizers
- 2 tone paint the entire house
- Add extra insulation (in areas that weren't standard)
- Rough-in central vacuum system
- Install fireplace and mantle
- Provide the master vanity top and faucet

It was important to order the appliances as soon as possible so that we'd be able to design the kitchen cabinetry with all of the correct dimensions of each appliance.  I spent hours days researching appliances online, in catalogs, and called on "Pop" to dig up the Consumer Reports Buying Guide of 2010.
In the end, we decided to go with GE appliances.  I felt like it was important to order all of the same brand so that the finishes and hardware all matched.  I'm a "matchy-matchy" kind of girl, ya know!
I also researched kitchen sinks and faucets like no other.  Who knew there were so many choices.  I hit up the local pluming supply store and found out a little more info on them.  I knew I needed to have a Moen faucet (per builder) so that made that part easy.  Sinks were a little tricky.  My requirements:  white and single basin.  I wasn't set on a farm sink but after comparing prices and products, it appeared that a farm sink was the way to go.
Everything was ordered (probably the most money I've spent all at once- besides for a car, of course) and delivered just a few short weeks later.  I didn't really plan out exactly where I was going to store stuff once it came, so thanks Mom & Dad for letting our appliances live in the garage for months!

 Super exciting for The Boys to have a semi-truck in the driveway!

 Because of the fragile nature of this delivery, it needed to be inspected right after delivery incase I needed to send it back with the dude who just dropped it off.  No need to worry though!

 Appliance tower in the garage.