He said "I think we should try and refinance." She replied, "We don't have a front door."

Good Thing we still went for the refi anyways - in the midst of our destruction, construction, designing and shopping. But we locked in at 4.875% for a 30 yr fixed-pretty excited about that one! So the refi is complete, Mark is done with ski season so now it is game on with the house. The last couple months were definitely nice, but I'm very excited to start seeing some progress again. We've decided the next big thing to tackle is the kitchen and in true Stankey fashion we decide to do TWO - I mean if you're doing one already, how hard is the second?! We have decided to make the basement into a one bedroom apartment - hence the 2nd kitchen. So to make room for the kitchen in the basement we need to begin with moving the laundry room. Good bye shop-hello laundry! I'm sure I'll have plenty of new photo's and stories soon. Nothing like a little adventure to get us ready for Summer. Since we had a new oven to replace our old double oven (that hasn't worked since October, 2008) I asked Mark to remove the old one and put the new one in. Mark did but now there is something wrong with the wiring - not really the oven. ugh! Oh well, I've gone this long with out an oven-what's a few more days/months. At least we can grill!

She asked: What were we thinking having a New Year's Party? He replied: It'll be fine. You know what?! It was great!

Thank you to everyone who rang in 2009 with us! We had a wonderful time and hope you did too!

The week before New Year's we decided to remove all the insulation in the cantilever on the back side of the house and spray with foam insulation. We had to order the insulation online (remember the pics of the haz mat suit?) and it arrived right before New Year's. So Dec. 30th we decide to remove all the bat and spray in the new stuff-hoping to make the basement warmer for all the ping pong enthusiasts. We were a bit disappointed in the amount of time and the continuing lack of heat in the basement. But out with the old and in with the new!

Mark also reworked the electrical around the front door and the living room french doors, we re insulated, put up the vapor barrier and sheet rocked around both doors. We were going to try and plaster before the party but insulating the basement took a little bit longer than expected.

So here we are Jan. 2nd, 2009 and not much has changed from 2008. We took off the 1st and rested up from the week's of entertaining and working. No rest for the weary-today I've been cleaning up from the party and Mark is getting all the wall's prepped for plaster. Our camera's on the fritz so I'll post pics as soon as I can. The great thing about 2009 is that we will be working on the interior of the house-the bad thing about 2009 is that we will be working on the interior of the house!

She asked "Are you sure you need to hang that last gutter today." He replied, "I just need to get it done."

Saturday Mark hung the last of the gutter's. Yes - in the freezing cold and swirling winds Mark is up on a ladder hanging gutters! But now they are all up! I worked at insulating the area's around our new french door in the living room and front door area. Our front door is still "plywood" - Yes, Fancy. But it is now insulated. I thought it was funny on Monday watching Mark shovel the path to our front steps - which is currently not an entrance. Guess he's just trying to see what friends of our are really reading the blog!

Tuesday we were judges for a Northwestern College event - hallway decorating - very intense. And afterwards Mark said, "I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed with all the things we need to do before New Years." I (in the nicest way) replied, "Just starting! I've been concerned about that for months!" Good thing we both have some time off around the Holidays to you know - cover up insulation, fix the hanging electrical, insulate the basement, fix some tile. All the normal party prep stuff. And yes, if you are reading this you are invited to the New Year's Party.

He said "What are you going to do when you are done with those books?" she said "talk to you again."

The painter's officially had their last day last Wednesday! (To view larger photo's scroll to the end) This morning Mark was playing frisbee with the dogs and I was getting ready to leave. He turned with a huge smile and said look at how happy we are! I think it's the week off of having to come home from work to start working on the house more than anything. But it is good! The stucco has been added around the doors - so we will paint that this summer. Mark ordered the gutters to arrive today so he can install this weekend. Once the gutter's are on we will take down the scaffolding that has been up since June. That should make the neighbor's happy! I have been completely useless with this Twilight book series that I'm reading. Maybe that's why "we" are so happy right now?! All in all the house is buttoned up well and we are enjoying coming home to it. Soon it's on to the interior!

She said: One of the best sounds ever is the sound of a running furnace!

Last Saturday Mark, Paul, Jae and my Dad put in two French Doors and the last window! All in a days work. I helped put the piping (foam tube) around the doors and window, Mark sprayed the insulation, and we were officially "closed up" for winter. Tuesday came and the furnace was turned on-works beautifully. Oh so nice to feel warmth when entering your home!

This week we had our first real frost and the roof looked great! No obvious loss of heat areas so another huge win for the Stankey renovation project.

This week has been mostly rainy and the contractor's have only put in 2 days of work. Maybe 3 if today starts shaping up. But they need to be done next week - it's just getting too cold for painting. Another bonus is the stucco guys are coming next week and will re-dash everything before winter so the only thing we'll be missing is a front door. And who does that really affect? Trick-or-Treaters maybe...

"We've got Glass, not class, glass" - He said.

Wahoo! Two windows in! Hey it's a start! Thanks Kevin for the help today. Mark and Kevin put in 2 windows while I finished burning the paint off the bedroom windows. Absolutely beautiful day! The plan is to have all the windows in this weekend and then both the doors next weekend. Pray for warm weather...then the furnace will be in full swing!