Happy New Year!

Happy New Year folks and welcome to 2012. 2011 was certainly a big year for us in many ways, not least of which was the transformation of our house. There was work in the last week of 2011 and as we kick off 2012, it is nearly finished, lots of little things to tidy up however we are using the new home as it was intended.

After new years eve, Chief and Deputy decided to continue using the food left over from Christmas. No shopping required yet, Chief really did buy enough food for the street. Fire up the BBQ, yogurt, toast, muffins, juice. It was very pleasant just opening up the windows and eating outside. In fact we have been having all our meals out side in the new alfresco area since Christmas.

The big work the last week of 2011 was the painting. The render has now been painted and the entrance way completed. This is how the house looks now. The front needs some grass and a new driveway to complete the transformation.

The blue of the gable has been toned down and followed through to the veranda post, new entrance landing and also around the alfresco area. The new entrance way changes the look completely.

And of course it wouldn't be complete without a statement door. Wayne has always talked about a statement door, so we followed the blue and have a Notting Hill door ...

The stairs were completed, stained with a natural stain so the colour of the wood comes out. The stairs are beautiful, lovely colour and Marissa has decorated the stairs, getting all patriotic for the cricket on the 3rd day of the New Years Test which is Ladies Day and McGrath (Pink) Day. Marissa likes to attend with Deputy and have a Daddy day.

It wouldn't be the Christmas/New Year which having to put something together. Brendan had chosen his new desk so it required assembly. Hint, don't look up when your name is called ...

The finished product matches his bed and then resulted in a re-arrangement of his bedroom. Brendan has finally finished his room.

Brendan being upstairs has freed up his old bedroom to become the study. Deputy had a new desk to construct which took hours with all the bits and pieces. The result is our new desk in the study, finally we have a proper study to work in. Chief decided to get an early start on the blog at the new desk. The new desk chair is on order to complete the room.

Marissa has been busy shopping, finding a new quilt cover that she liked, and then reading that it was Marissa White. She was rather chuffed. It looks great on her bed and with her new Christmas chair, we haven't seen a lot of Marissa as she has been enjoying her new, own space and reading a lot of books.

Well, there ends 2011. It has been a very busy year and as we relax in the new space and enjoy the finished work, the dark, cold days and nights with no lights, no break from the outside wind seem like a distant memory. Has definitely been worth the effort.

Holiday for some!

Whilst the rest of the country was taking the Boxing Day holiday today, the Chinese painters were back on the job early this morning (at 7am!!) to start work. Today was painting the alfresco area, entrance way, render area and stain the stairs.

The kids weren't happy about being banished from upstairs all day however the end result, with another coat to go tomorrow, is fantastic. Beautiful colour coming out of the wood.

The back alfresco area looks so much brighter now that the ceiling has been painted, walls touched up.

You'll notice the posts have been painted the new blue, taking the tone down a notch and this has been followed into the entrance way and the veranda.

And for all those (everyone it seems!) people not happy with the gable colour, it is coming down the tone as well. The front door is also getting the treatment. Another coat to go however coming up better than the green!

The painters are back tomorrow to finish off so we expect another early start. Still not finished, but we are a day closer!!

Boxing Day Test

The big day, Boxing Day and all that really happens on Boxing Day is to get ready to watch the cricket. Today we were also getting into entertaining mode again, Chief's brother was in Sydney from Melbourne and was coming to visit with his wife Lisa.

We had a wonderful day with Peter and Lisa and most importantly, Deputy was able to sit outside around the table, talking away while still being able to clearly watch all the action of the Test. Success!!

Peter, Lisa and Marissa dutifully posing for Deputy. Later on the table was full of food again, Deputy firing up the BBQ and Chief proving that she did have enough food for the street!

Christmas Day - Next!

Well we reached Christmas Day. The kids had requested that we stay home this year for Christmas and given the hectic year of work, building and everything else that goes on with life with 3 kids, Chief and Deputy decided that was a good idea. Given that building was still taking place deep into Christmas week, would have been hard to go away anyway.

Chief over the course of the past couple of weeks (or longer) had been inviting anyone she knew (and anyone she didn't know as well) to come over for Christmas breakfast. Next neighbor's Wards were on the list and good friends Merchants. This was seriously going to test out our new entertaining area and given that we had not been hospitable for a long time, our skills to entertain.

Before everyone arrived though, we had to open presents. The highlight of the day was our 3 kids. Christmas was broadcast to them as being a little lean this year due to the building works. On Christmas morning after they had opened their presents, all of a sudden they disappeared and returned with a present each for Chief and Deputy, bought out of their own money. They had discussed it together and all gone out at various stages and bought the presents. Chief and Deputy a little humbled, a little teary however very proud of them.

Then the guests started to arrive, Merchants, Wards and then the Rusin's, much to Chief's surprise. Whilst Chief had invited the Rusin's, Chief's phone had not been working for a couple of days so hadn't received the text saying that they would be coming. Chief had been telling everyone that we had enough food to feed the street (this is not a lie by the way!) so food was not an issue.  

We met the Rusin's when Brendan (our eldest and the one holding court) and Maddy (closest) where 4 years old. Marissa holding up the post was just a little baby. The Rusin's are moving to Bowral in the new year so this was really nice to see how the kids had grown up.

After the breakfast crowd disappeared, it was time to wash up, set the dishwasher into action and get ready for round 2. Christmas Eve, Deputy and Brendan were doing keyboard duty for the Christmas Eve services at church. We found out that the music director Ryan and his young family were spending Christmas alone this year. A quick invitation and we had a Christmas lunch with guests. The English couple over the round had also been party to a Chief invitation and while they couldn't make breakfast, they came over in the afternoon.

Our lovely fluffy rabbit Cricket had a day of being loved as little kids just love a good fluffy rabbit to cuddle!

As Ryan and his family left, we started packing up and the phone rang. Our good friends Brad and Jenny, godparents to our kids, and also another set of Chief invites were close by and wondering if they could come over. Sure, there is plenty of food! Brad, Jen and Nat were all pretty full so it was a cup of tea however Deputy wanted dessert so the pavlova was made and cut. The kids started watching a movie on the big screen, we sat out the back and just relaxed and talked, and by 8pm, Brad and Jen were hungry again so we settled into finishing off the prawns, steak, chicken and you name it from earlier in the day.

Gave us a chance to light the little citronella candles and what do you know, they hung beautifully off the kitchen bench hooks.

At the end of the day, we'd served up Christmas breakfast, lunch and dinner. The new alfresco area was marvelous. We had a crowd for breakfast however it didn't feel like a crowd and the flow in and out of the house, and particularly Chief's canteen style kitchen was a winner as being in the kitchen did not mean you were out of the party.

The kids were joking, 'whose next?' after Brad, Jen and Nat left. We asked the kids whether they enjoyed Christmas and they all said it was one of the best Christmas Day's they have had. New house, their own house and showing it off helps however we hope that for everyone who came, they enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed putting it on. We did though sleep very well that night!

Yep, it's been worth it!

Today, 2 days before Christmas, a little early mark from work enabled Deputy to put the table together for the outdoor setting. Tonight we christened the BBQ (nothing burnt folks!), ate as a family around the new setting, doors and windows pulled back, our Christmas present on the wall in perfect view. It was a very pleasant way to end the week.

While we were eating, the TV man was busy installing Chief and Deputy's little piece of luxury. Deputy had some money to spend from being at the one work place for so long, so a small investment was made. Now we can really hide away!

All the beds have now been made, able to sneak in and grab a shot of Brendan's new bed. As you can see, looks like a bed and room of a 17 year old boy!

Joel loves to get the Scaletrix slot car set out and he is particularly happy as he can now set it up in his room. He just hasn't been able to get it working properly yet.

Yesterday we had photos of the before and after look of the house from the front. Today we'll do the back of the house.

Before ...

And now. All that is missing is growing the grass back ...

Yes, it is the same place. The tree there proves it however the rest of it, amazing transformation and one that we are looking forward to enjoying now that we have gone through this journey to get here. If we do not post before Christmas, have a Merry Christmas and remember, it is Jesus that is the reason for the season!

It's a Christmas Miracle!

Yep, that's a garage door. Halleluiah! Took them nearly all day to install however, it is installed. Means we now have the lounge and chairs upstairs and can access the boxes to start unpacking more things. Looks good too just quietly.

The other big thing to note is the site is clean. Wayne and Phil loaded up everything, cleaned up and yes, the car is now back in the driveway. The render was completed on the front left side. Now just all needs to dry so it can be painted. The last little bit is the painting of the entrance, alfresco and render plus a little bit of touching up. This is likely to be next week now as the weather is still not the best drying weather. Means the stairs inside will have to wait for their staining.

Before we started building ......

What it looks like today ...

The other big excitement today, the kids new beds arrived. Joel and Marissa very quickly set about dismantling their old beds and setting up their new beds. The excitement was evident. They love their new rooms and beds.

Joel ...

Marissa's bed ..

Now it is time to clean up a little and get ready for Christmas. It is not quite finished by Christmas, the weather beat us in the end however we are so very close. It has made a massive difference already to the way we are living. Has been worth it!

Lets cook up a storm!

Not a great use of words as we've had enough rain and storms lately. Today Phil and Wayne were back, Phil finishing off the brick work in the garage, and that was about it. The render man was meant to return however I think he was still drying out from Monday. The weather was good today, sunshine so hopefully this has helped the drying process and we might see painters later in the week.

With Christmas fast approaching and a few people scheduled to visit over Christmas and Boxing Day, Deputy felt it wise to put the house warming present today. Grandad Deputy provided the present so we had a BBQ to enjoy around the new alfresco. Lots of pieces later and a bit of help from Marissa and tadaaaaa

Boxing Day Test, new TV on the wall, BBQ put together, the new outdoor setting arrived today, will be built once the painters have finished, can't wait!