So, I guess moving your whole life to a different state can be a lot of work! I say that as if I didn’t know it would be. Over the last four weeks, I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had the energy to blog. I still don’t have the energy, but need to bite the bullet and get you updated! I thought it would be fun to just show you the last four weeks in pictures! So, here we go!

I finally completed painting the ceilings. Right before the guys came in to do the floors.

I was able to get all the flooring moved out of the center of the house so I could get in there to paint. When the flooring guys came in and started moving it around, it felt so good to see them doing it and not me. That stuff is heavy. PS I’ll be blogging about the floor guys because they were so fabulous, they need their own shout out blog!

Later that week, Laurie and her daughter Lindsey came up during the week and the four of us girls removed the drop down ceiling in the kitchen. I can’t even tell you how happy it made me to get this done. It was the last real demo that we had to finish before the floors came in. It was so messy but we had so much fun getting it done.

It’s fun to work with people who don’t get frustrated and crabby during a big job! We had a lot of laughs.

Here is our finished product. 

After thinking about it the next day we decided to take the sheet rock out all the way to the beam that divided the family room and kitchen. I’m so glad I did because it’s going to look great! All I had left to take out was the wood around the nook area. Later…

Later that weekend, Emma and Lindsey removed the last of the ugly kitchen tiles from the island! So happy to see that go. They did a great job.

My dad came up later that week and started working too! PS careful if you visit me, I will probably put you to work! Anyway, he removed the stove top from the island. Great to have it out, but sad not to be able to cook now unless we microwave it.

The rest of the weekend, my dad worked on our sprinklers. He replaced broken ones and got them all working in the right directions. I’ve never seen the lawn look better. You can see him down there digging up the sprinklers.

Thanks to my Pop, it’s starting to look like a golf course out there.

When everyone left, Emma and I moved out to the little house so the floors could be installed.

We saw this! We have a cherry tree! You’re welcome, little birds.

The floors were leveled, and they started laying the material down! I was so excited to see this happening! We went in every night to see the progress, and boy did they move fast. 

While the floors were going in, my best friend, Kim came up on her way to Tahoe! I was looking forward to hanging out but she insisted on doing some work. So we weeded for the first day. She’s too adorable, and really, just the very best friend I’ve ever had. I just love this girl.

We cleared this area too.

Then, we played. Emma taught Kim to shoot a bow and arrow, throw knives, and shoot a .22 rifle.

I’d say she is a natural. I’ve never seen a group like this come from someone’s first time shooting. Nice going Kimmie!

Meanwhile, more leveling and floor installing was going on.

Finally, the floors were completed!!! They are beautiful.

Once the floors were in I really wanted to get the painting done before we moved in the furniture the following week. I was able to get the whole house space, Emma’s room, the hall closets, and the guest room painted. It’s looking good.

Steve’s office will have a feature wall in it and I was able to complete part one of that.

In the middle of all the painting, I took a few breaks in the evening where Emma just drove me around in the 6 wheeler to remember why we moved here…

Then back to more painting.

I’m kind of in love with the guest bedroom colors. Yes, that’s a pink ceiling. 

Later that week Emma and I drove back down to Southern California for the big move. While we went through the Mojave desert, we saw this.

Later that day we saw this! Baby Liliana! I can’t wait to see this little lady again in September. Love love love

The next morning we picked up the truck and started loading up. My girl Kim and her husband Mike showed up to help a bit. It wasn’t long before we realized there was no way we were going to get this done alone. The two of them stayed the whole day into the evening helping us. Then, they invited us to stay at their house because we now had no beds to sleep on! We could have NEVER completed this move without the two of them. I’m so thankful for wonderful people in our lives and Mike and Kim are two of them. I can’t even tell you how fabulous their guest bed felt at midnight, after moving and cleaning our apartment all night. So, up at 4 am and on the road to the ranch.

In the hot van, filling the holes.

As we were driving the 8 hours up I passed Steve who left an hour earlier. I couldn’t help but feel so in love and so thankful that this guy is my husband. He’s the best partner, always doing the jobs I hate and driving the big trucks.

First thing in I found at the house was this little guy… Not too happy that we found two more baby mice in the house that weekend. Time to replace the threshold at the front door because there is a huge gap under it.

The first thing I set up was our little living space, so we had somewhere that felt normal. Tiny rug… lol

I put this table together.

Steve went home, and my uncle Leo came by while on a road trip! It was so fun having him and his wife Valerie visit. We had some good food and visited Virginia City for the day! Alix’s best friend Chelsea drove up with us for the move and she helped us unload the truck! It seemed like a good time for a trip up the mountain to hit Pope Beach in Tahoe. It was really nice to relax and visit with the geese on the beach.

Back to work. I was able to clean, sand and prime the cabinets in the kitchen.

Then I moved on to the nook ceiling. I used the sprayer, which was hilarious. I liked it but it takes so much time prepping and then cleaning it, that I’m not sure it’s worth the trouble.

Now that Alix is here, I talked her into mowing the lawn! She actually enjoys that sort of thing. 

Later that day, my dad and Laurie came up for another visit! They brought their two german shepherds, which made Emma happy. They started working right away.

Laurie power cleaned the walkway where I made a huge mess with paint when I cleaned the sprayer… sheesh

Then we discovered a sprinkler that has been over watering… meaning it was broken down under the lawn. This is when we learned that the sprinklers really are four feet under the ground.

After a day of the four of us digging under the lawn and following the water leak, we had to lay down and watch the clouds a bit…

So, back to the leak. We finally asked Jason who works at the farm next door to us to dig us a hole to the sprinkler so we could repair it. Sometimes it’s hard not to wish I didn’t buy this house. When things break and I’m so tired from working, I start to question it. My dad had to talk me off the ledge this week for sure. 

This is Jason, we love Jason.

So, after a thousand trips to this place… we got it repaired. Laurie stayed here after my dad went home, and Steve came up (right after working 131 hours without a day off from work). Laurie crawled into the hole up to her neck and repaired the sprinkler. I could die, how do I even know people that are willing to do such horrible things to help us out? Being up here alone is hard and having our friends and family who help has been a true blessing.

In the middle of all the work, we’ve really tried to enjoy the evenings, or the clouds, or the sunset. We do take time to sit and breathe. Emma had several days of being auntie to my dad and Laurie’s dogs.  They love her.

Last week Steve was up and he mowed a ton of weeds. He installed my refurbished threshold, yay! No more mice.  Can’t wait to sand and paint that door… later.

 

I completed the cabinet painting.

The farmer next door completed first cutting of the oat hay.

Steve left for home and I painted the island. PS we also got the fridge into the house. It didn’t fit! Anyway, I sawed off part of the cabinet and will instal a shelf later above the fridge… add that to the list.

After I completed the island, I finally tore out the last of the ceiling edges. Now it’s ready to be replaced with the tongue and groove pine. PS we also had an electrician come and install 11 can lights into the ceiling! 

Yesterday, I sanded and primed the nook desk. 

Next up the window sills then, the wallpaper. I’m tired, but I really need to get this kitchen completed. I feel like it’s the brain of the house and my “brain” is in disarray right now. After that is done, I’ll just work through each room, one at a time.

Seriously, sometimes I just need to get out and look around so I can remember that we’re here and we have the rest of our lives to be here.