Progress Progress Progress!!

Every new home purchase has surprises

From the last post, it may be clear that I need to do a little catching up. My goal is to write about what we are currently working on and show the progress a little at a time. This post will be a magic, blink of the eye change, a fast forward post, due to my procrastination problem (I've been talked about making a blog for this since July).  
I may also from being a bit overwhelmed by all the chaos that moving creates.

We closed on the house on June 26th, 2017 and have wasted no time making this old house our new home.  We had really hoped to have found, and closed on our new house in early spring, but due to high demand for homes in our price range, the market had slim pickings, even in the spring when there is usually a boom in listings.

We started with by first tackling the non existent landscaping and yard. 

Before:  North Side, only a small path to this secret garden

After:  We found a rock wall boarder and a lot of house behind all that growth

 Everything is overgrown, we figured out that we own a tangle of Blackberry, Raspberry, and Grapevines, All Mixed Together. 
"Sigh" I hope that you never have to experience this. I still wish I hadn't, and still lots more cleaning out to do.

It probably not clear to see the wall of trees behind are covered
in grapevines, and so is everything on the ground

No Surprise here. We needed new roofing on back extension ASAP! Many many missing shingles. This took a chunk out of our budget, since we hired roofers to do it.

HINT: To all the house hunters out there who have partners that carelessly say  
"I just did a roof." Meaning he is capable of replacing the roof himself. 
Make damn sure they are NOT scared of heights and have the equiptment to do it. 

Poor Don had a really really hard time admitting to himself that just he couldn't do it.  

We ordered windows from Matthew Brother (Maine made) which came in the day before our summer camping trip to New Hampshire. 

Look how big they are compared to the baby ones we are replacing.

I love Camping and relaxing by the lake.  
Look the girls are having fun in the paddle boat.

"Sigh" I'm having a hard time relaxing because...I'm excited to get our new windows in. 

I want it NOW Donny!!!

Very close to the original size, just a bit longer 

Yeah!! We've Started 

Cedar Shakes painting station, mostly painted (reluctantly) by our girls, Jill & Maya

Our new siding with weathered gray stain. Painting both sides will make them more weather resistant, but they took a good day to dry, we had to be on the lookout for any quick summer storms. When the wind kicks up, they all fly off the line :(..

Look Pretty new trim arount the windows, I saw this on a cape in Searsport and found instructions on Pinterest*

I Love Pinterest.  It's a great  way to find designs that you like and keep them organized and easy to find when needed later.

Another way is to take a drive on the coast or around a favorite neighborhood to see what other people have done for siding, window trim, color choices, landscaping, etc.  Take pictures or go back to Pinterest and find it there and save.   I prefer to get inspiration this way because it gets me out of the house and away from the computer. 
Bonus!! I get to see it live and in person. ;) 

Repairs to the sill under the door, Newly painted trim, door, and new light fixture

Our new steps to with pocket solar lights, and a little Holiday cheer
We'll paint the steps next spring and add a walkway  
Yes, that is a grapevine wreath on the door*

Drum Roll Please... After 4 months of working weekends, we have finished our 1st goal of completing the front portion of our new house.   

Lets see the Before and Afters

Our Dream Home on July 1st, 2017

Wow!!  I love it!  It's nice to see phase 1 completed

I am so excited to start phase 2, as we move inside to update the downstairs living areas.

1st I need to Thank all the peps who worked so hard with us

Don and I give a Big Thanks to

My Mom and Dad ( Julie & Ted ) for shacking all of us up for 4 months till we found and closed on this house.  Thanks we love you both Soo Much!

Don's Parent Barbara & George for helping us out several time with clearing our the gardens, brush, and chipping limbs, to helping us move in and clean the house.  George was a great help with the window installation and gave us the idea to use a PVC pipe as a water gutter on the front entryway *find it in the front steps picture 
Thank You Both So Much.

My sister SueSue and her husband John for helping us move in and the use of their trunk when we needed it.

*Pinterest for helping me with ideas and keeping them organizes. I found the front step design there, and instruction for window trim similar to a house I saw on the on the coast.

Our 3 Little helpers with clearing the yard and painting shingles

Jill

Maya

Dalton

We are now in to December and I'm caught up with our house progression.   My next post will be on our current projects.  We've been inside working on Demo during the month of November.  I show you whats happening now.

Till next time.  

Me and Donny