Wow -- am I behind!

My father-in-law not so subtly told me this evening that I am woefully behind on updates. I thought for sure he was wrong.

Oops.

So yes! Updates!

How about this for a start?

This is our new porch light. It's attached to our new porch...

...right here. Isn't it nice? I think so, too. Rich did all of it: designed it, cut out all the dental work and molding, built it -- the works. We love it and think he did an awesome job.

Perhaps you might also notice our new front door. It seems to have the power to make people swoon. Don't get me wrong, I like it very much, but it has yet to make me swoon. Perhaps when I walk through it for the first time to go home for good. Yes, I suspect it will make me swoon then.

But wait! There's more!

Much of the work that Rich has been doing (at least the stuff that I'm really into -- I'm sure there is some other "structural" stuff, as if that matters) can be boiled down into these two pictures:

Bee-utiful stairs. These are the stairs from the main staircase, which Rich restored, stained, and sealed. They shine like the top of the Chrysler building! He has also built stairs going to the basement (utilitarian, and though not so lovely -- sorry, Skip, I call 'em as I see 'em -- no longer a death trap like the old originals) as well as stairs going down into the family room. Those have also been stained & sealed, and while I would be happy to post photos of those as well they would, um, look remarkably like what you see above. Shiny and new and lovely.

And then there's this:

What's this? Crown molding and paint! Everywhere we turn! Sara's room is done (pinkalicious) as is the hall bath (purplerific, because I am a sucker), the laundry room (pictured above in a super fun color called "Jack Frost") and the upstairs hall and stairwell. And much to my surprise and delight, the master bath is painted as well! See?

The tub surround and shower are tiled too, as you can see here. Tile on the floor is next, then we can install the loo and sinks.

So, yes -- there has been progress. Slow but steady wins the race, right?

I promise I'll try to do better with the updates!