Five on Friday - Busy Week, Fridge and Cabinets

Friday!  I have literally been running around like a crazy person since we've been back from Florida on Tuesday night.  Been getting ready for her little party tomorrow and getting our house straight for some visitors that arrive later today.  Remind me to never have a birthday party at our house again.  It's crazy!  Plus I have zero time to get anything done with work etc.  ANYWAY!  It'll work out and yes she turns TWO on July 4th!!!  Crazzzzzzy!

ONE:

My little friend has been off this week.  I'm sure it's because we were gone for four days but she has had trouble going to sleep (she was up until after 8 every night this week, playing in her crib), she has been a little fussy in the mornings as we drop her at Becky's and she just in general is off.  I mean laying down in the middle of her floor never happens.  But it was a super sweet moment!

TWO:

We went to dinner at Cantina 1511 on Wednesday night for Mexican food and she was the greeter in her dress that's too big.  Isn't it cute though?  From Sugar Bit!

THREE:
Yesterday we put our flags out as we do for Memorial Day, July 4th and Veterans Day.  Would you all believe when I told Molly Anne that it was time to put our flags out and I asked her where they were, she led me outside and into Kevin's workshop and pointed to where they were?  She remembered from when we put them away after Memorial Day Weekend a month ago?  I was impressed.

Side note - any idea what Molly Anne is getting for her birthday from my parents?!  I got her prepped with a book ha!

FOUR:
This little boy has been soooo sweet.  He's extra fluffy and soft right now after getting groomed on Monday at Camp.  He's got his short, summer 'do!

FIVE:
At last!!!!  Last night we finalized our Fridge decision after 3 long weeks and a lot of chart comparisons.  We were between this and the GE Monogram and it boiled down to what we really wanted and what will be best for resale although I hope we never sell this house with the amount of work I've put into it!  

Yesterday I went to a cabinet manufacturer and spent 2 hours figuring out what our cabinets will look like.  This will be the design of the ones in our kitchen, master bath, guest bath down and butler's pantry.  We are doing a bit cheaper one for the other bathrooms, mudroom and theater room.  This won't be the color or hardware though.  I had to pick all of that out too.  And which drawers got paneled and which didn't. All kinds of stuff.  Very detailed!

Our kitchen cabinets will go to this height which is 105" and just under 9' plus crown molding so it'll be close to the top.  There will be about a 9" space between the crown molding on the wall and the crown on the cabinets.  We will have one solid cabinet all the way up - no glass or second cabinet up top so it won't really look like the below picture.  

Alright yall, I have a bunch of work I have to get done and a bunch of other things too.  Will be back to share Molly Anne's 2nd birthday at some point!

House Update

These little updates are becoming a mush of a lot of information.  It's actually been nice to look back to see how far we have come because a lot of days, I don't feel like we've gotten far. Then I think about moving in 120 days and I'm like, "WHO IS PACKING THIS HOUSE!?!!"

1.  We are still working on appliances and cabinets.  These two go hand in hand and they need to be decided on ASAP.  We get pricing from one more cabinet guy on Friday after we pick out selections from them today.  We are closer on the fridge decision too.  Other than money deciding this, there is also the water/ice dispense thing that we use many times a day that we want to be convenient. We don't want to make a cheap decision now that costs us more money later.  There is a lot more than it looks that goes into picking a fridge.  Cabinets, plumbing and electrical are all dependent on which fridge we choose.  Ahhhh.  I think as of last night, we are down to two options.

2.  Next Friday we are finalizing tile.  I think we have the company narrowed down after finally getting pricing from our install guy.  

3.  Waiting on pricing for hardwoods, carpet, rubber flooring for exercise room and countertops.  

4.  Electrical is wrapping up and audio video pre-wire is happening.  Dry wall soon?  We've had lots of decisions on how to line up the can lights and electrical outlets in the kitchen and family room area.  Yikes, I hope we made the right call on all that!

5.  Working on pool design.  AYE!  Any suggestions on what you like or dislike about your pool or one you visited?  What have we not thought of here?  Thinking no to the spa (hot tub) as of now.  

Would you all be interested in a post where I explained how the house building process has worked for us?  I feel like anyone who asks me about it hasn't known how it works and I didn't know before we did it either!  I've learned a good amount in the last 1.5 years!  

Marco Island Round Two

Kevin and I are back from a vacation in Marco Island, Florida which is on the gulf side just south of Naples.  We went two years ago while I was pregnant with Molly Anne for Kevin's birthday.  That time we stayed at the Hilton which is currently under renovation.  This time we stayed at the JW Marriott.  It was very nice!

This was a work trip that Kevin received for a good year last year.  We were so excited because a lot of our friends were also there!  We love this group of friends.  I do believe when you travel with people, you get really close with them.  We have been all over the world with this crowd (China, Japan, Paris and Monte Carlo).  This was our reunion this year!

Originally we were going to take Molly Anne with us but ultimately we decided to make this an "us only/adult" trip and we are so glad we did.  It was necessary, especially since we hadn't been away by ourselves since last June when we went to Denver.  We talked about Molly Anne constantly and wished she was with us while we were there!

On the bus heading to the hotel.  

We had an awesome room with the best view!

We headed down to the beach right away and met up with everyone!

Saturday night we went to Marco Prime for dinner.  It was good but not as good as when Kevin and I went two years ago.  They're redoing their outdoor patio and we missed having that.  It was such a cool atmosphere.  Plus, our server wasn't very fun which I really think that can make or break a fun dinner!  But it was nice to go to an 8pm dinner instead of 5pm with children haha!

The next day we were on the beach all day long!

I wore this bathing suit which is on big time sale and these shades!

We all went up, took showers and got ready for dinner at a place in Goodland, Florida.  We hadn't been to this area last time we were in town so this was going to be fun.  It ended up being the cutest little spot!  I wore this shirt, J.Crew Matchstick white jeans which they don't carry anymore and these shoes!

This is how you saw what was on the menu....they brought out this big board and put it at the head of the table.  They were closing after Sunday night for 3 months during their slow season so this was the last night and they were out of a lot of things.  

We toasted to a job well done by the guys last year and to great friends!

Kevin got grouper and I got soft shell crabs of course!  They were wonderful!

They had live music in the other room and after dinner we went in there and had a big time!

Brooke and TMark.  They live in Alabama.

Miller Lite crowd!  Mills was excited when we told him about this, his namesake! ;)

We had THE BEST time.  It was probably one of our favorite nights ever.  We went back to the hotel after the place closed and hung in one of our hotel rooms and played Cards Against Humanity.  You know how that is after some beverages.  Hilarious.  

The next morning, Kevin and I rented a car and drove around.  We ended up going back to Goodland to see it in the daylight.  This is where we had been the night before.  It's called The Little Bar!

We also drove back to the marina where we had chartered the boat to go fishing last time.  We wanted to get Molly Anne a shirt because she was on the boat that day too!  We got her one but the smallest they had was a Small so she has awhile before she can wear it.  Oh well, it was more for the sentimental reason anyway!  We watched the boats come in and checked out what they had caught.

We had a late lunch at The Snook Inn.  This was the view.  

Grouper was delicious.  We got the same thing!

Then we headed to the other marina and checked out the boats there too.  

There is Kevin checking things out.  We sat on the bench for awhile and enjoyed the nice breeze and just hung out!

We made our way back to the hotel and got ready for the big gala event.  Ya know, the one where the dress code was elegantly casual?!  Ha!  There were about 250 agents and their guests there so about 500 total people.

We were asked to sit at the head table which was super special!   The salad was amazing...it was burrata cheese over a pea puree with nuts around the outside.  I'd never had anything like it but it was really good. 

Filet for dinner encrusted in something green which I cannot remember what it was.  

As they brought out dessert, they set this vase on the table and it overflowed with the white steam or whatever all over the table.  Presentation is everything!

I wore this dress!  It was comfy and perfect for the evening!

Good times with great friends!  The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel, packed up and got on the bus back to the Fort Myers airport.  We got to the gate and John Fox was there - he used to be the Panthers coach!  

First we picked up Mills and then we grabbed Molly Anne from Ms. Becky's.  Mills did end up going back to camp and thankfully he didn't get bitten this time.  I think he got the royal treatment!

All of this was possible thanks to Kevin's parents who kept Molly Anne!  I know Molly Anne had fun with her Nana and PapaG!  We are so thankful to them for keeping her!

We were SOOOO excited to see our girl!  We missed her so much!  But it was good to get away just the two of us too!  We really had the best time!  Now, back to reality and playing catch up at work, home and on the new house!

Molly Anne at the house!

Any time we drive past a construction site or see anything related to construction, Molly Anne shouts, "HOUUUUSE!"  I guess when she sees dirt she thinks of the house!  

This whole thing has been an interesting thing for a little girl.  We started planning this when she was 6 months old so she's mostly always heard about it.  I wanted her to still feel like the home where we live now was home.  So we call where we live now, "home" and the house we are building is called, "house."

Part of getting her used to the house has been taking her over there during all aspects of it.  It isn't the easiest thing to do because we have to watch her like a hawk and she rarely gets to walk around due to holes in the ground, splinters from wood, stairs, nails etc.  

Last Thursday I picked her up from Becky's and took her right over there because I knew none of the guys would be there and it is pretty cleaned up on the inside.  AKA nails aren't everywhere now.  Anyway, I asked her if she wanted to go and she said, "YES!!!"  She has loved going to check on it when I pick her up.  

Girlfriend loved it.  We went upstairs and I made a huge deal out of her room, her closet and her bathroom.  She checked it all out.  It was adorable.  I made the mistake of showing her her vanity and told her she'd likely be getting ready for prom there.  AH!  Here are some pictures...

I'm probably going to frame this picture for our house!  I love it!  She's like, "here it is!"

Checking out her room.

How many clothes can I get to fill up my closet?!

A peak into her bathroom!

Walking from her room into her jack/jill bath.

She kept saying, "bath tub!"

Plumbing.  We talked all about the pipes and wires! 

It was only a 20 minute thing but I think it was special for her.  I know it was special for me to have some time over there letting her look around without being there having to decide on something!  It's the little things like this that matter!