Weekend recap: Red Cross Ball & "Diving Board" Dogstress

One of my best friends, Julia, was in town for an engagement party and stayed with us this weekend.  I loved having her here!!

This was Saturday before her party and before we headed off to the Red Cross Ball.

I recycled an old, old dress (circa early college).  No new dresses in this girl's near future!  Clearly Josh still loves a pink tie -- looks almost identical.

A little photo booth fun at the Ball.

Lots of framing and demo is happening at the house.  It's amazing how much work and progress we see each night when we head over there.  I can't say enough good things about Gephart Hill -- they are just awesome.

The dogstress found a new perch....she proceeded to jump off it like a diving board and Josh and I put her back up there encouraging her to do it again.  What does this say about the type of parents we will be?!?!

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XO,

Whit

Kauai Highlights

During our time in Kauai the themes were:

1. Gorgeous views all over the mostly deserted island.

2. Lots of rain and rainbows.  Kauai was stunning, but glad that we saw a LOT more sun in Maui.

3. Roosters (who knew there were so many running around the island)

4. Josh getting in hot tub and about 10 children joining each time -- I was about to pee in my pants laughing.

5. A sleepless father (jet lag did not do his poor body any good!) in a shared room.  He was quiet as a church mouse but had a little flashlight he kept shining around the room -- can you say shadow puppets?  It was cozy, but we were glad to have space and privacy in Maui. :)

6. Helicopter ride > golf (Josh missed out by playing golf & being scared so I went on a romantic ride with my parents!)

It was so nice to be able to spend 9 nights with my parents.  I can't remember the last time I saw them for that lengthy of a period and it was perfect.  To my darling hubs -- thank you for planning the trip and being the best son-in-law ever by letting my sweet parents come along.  I love you.

On a hike

Off to the helicopter adventure

We were only supposed to bring water, camera and sunglasses on the helicopter ride.  I was feeling irrational anxiety and brought my Chanel pink lipstick at the end.  Safety blanket for this girl = lipstick.

View from our room in St. Regis Princeville

XO,

Whit

Happy homecoming

I've never been more excited to come home from vacation.  Don't get me wrong -- the trip was awesome (a few highlights to come!), but besides wanting to see my little 4 legged BFF I couldn't wait to see what progress they'd made on the renovations.

We received the following two pictures on the trip -- can't say enough good things about the builders.  How nice of them to send us a few little updates of their hard work?!

Here is what we found today upon our return.  They were working very hard.  So exciting!

It's good to be home.

Off to bed.

XO,

Whit

Aloha!

Off to Hawaii until for a much needed vacay with the hubs and the rents.

Maui and Kauai here we come!

XO, 

Whit

The scary, scary inside!

So "tomorrow" turned into almost a week later.  Sorry for the delay.  I have overextended myself a bit -- new real job, new part-time job (details to come in a few weeks!!) and new renovation with lots of research to do and decisions to be made.  Enough with the excuses, without further ado, here are some photos of the interior of our new home.

Let's go on a tour!  Remember, I warned you it's scary.  An eighty-year-old man was residing in the home and his new bride didn't want to move in -- shocker. :)

Kitchen

After demo started in the kitchen (you'll see a lot of Josh in these photos)

Dining Room

I wish I had a close up of the wallpaper -- it's really too bad that it's in bad condition because in some places I see that it was elegant and interesting in its heyday.  You can see more floral wallpaper peeking out underneath in some places.

Foyer

More of the 4' wide door!

Demo began in the foyer, too.

Living Room

The two doors on either side of the fireplace lead out to the screen porch (Josh's favorite room!).

Things like the sconces may be staying for a while.  On the right you can see the 4 windows going across the front that we loved (in dining room too).

Screen Porch

More of Josh examining his favorite part of the house!

Stairwell

The previous owner must have began painting in the home.  Isn't that wall horrifying?  Is that black mold??

Bedrooms

Two of the bedrooms.  Notice the wallpaper that has been framed -- it too is in terrible condition (but wouldn't be keeping it anyways).

Master Bedroom

This is the current master, but we'll be adding a new master over the new den/kitchen so this will become the guest room (or as my parents refer to it "their room").  It has access to the roof of the screen porch which is nice.  Mind you, there are no railings.

Full Bathroom

You know I love pink -- but pink toilet, pink vanity, pink tub, pink tile and pink trim is a bit much for me!  All of this bathroom has already been ripped out.

Aren't you jealous of that dolphin border!  More wallpaper in terrible shape.

Half Bath

You can see the demo in progress on the right.

So that's the tour!  A lot has happened since I took these pictures, but there is SO. MUCH. TO. DO.  I'm decisive, but the amount of decisions and research can overwhelm anyone.  Thank God for our fantastic builders with our weekly status meetings -- this little Type-A is very pleased to know they like a schedule.

Who wants to be my first guest?

XO,

Whit

Have we lost it?

Sorry for the delay on this...

I'm so excited, but we may have lost it.  Still not sure how I got Josh to see my vision!

First -- we know this is going to be a big project and undertaking and rest assured I won't be trying to make it a complete DIY adventure.  Afterall, there are codes and inspections to pass!  I'll let the pictures speak (mostly) for themselves.  

Second -- I will not let this completely dominate the blog, but I do plan to make this the way my mom & dad keep up, it's the easiest way -- so you've been warned.  :)

Third -- interior pictures to come soon, but let's take a tour around the outside first.  Just like I did when I was scoping it out.

From far away - it's not too shabby.  The landscaping needs some major love.  I am thankful for the giant magnolia tree in front right side of yard and am praying the oak in the front is not dead (it has black bark!).

One thing we fell in love with were the big windows and loads of natural light every where.  As you can see, the windows need a some major TLC, but the old glass will remain.  Then there's the front door -- labeled the "most interesting door in Raleigh" by our builder friends -- it is at least 4' wide (here it's covered by 2 smaller storm doors).  The two color paint job was an interesting choice.

A little cleaning up has already started as you can see below (back side of house).  Just the very tip of the iceberg.

There is a little garage structure in the backyard.  It's kind of in the middle of the yard, which is not ideal.

Here is the side view from driveway (L) and garage from the second floor (R).

And Josh's favorite feature -- a sizable screen porch off the living room (sorry for the bad iPhone photo, I don't have a better one of the outside).

First impression - have we lost it or are you seeing some potential from the outside?

I'll post some inside pics tomorrow -- that's where it gets really scary.  I mean it.


Hope to be moved in by late summer / early fall.

XO,

Whit