Our 2nd Christmas

So we're spending our second Christmas in the house this year. 2009 ended up being a bit of a bear, I went on assignment in the DC area from August '09 - February '10. We did watch the Saints become world champions from the media room, though, so that was very exciting!

I'm finally getting things organized and put away. The last room that hasn't really been tackled is my craftroom and I hope to get that done before the end of the year. We've had many gatherings at the house, parties with family, dinners for the Race and Gravy series and for our community at St. Albans, and this is just the beginning of our memories here.

So what about the energy savings? Save for a bill this past summer when our air conditioner malfunctioned (still under a fantastic warranty, thanks Maytag!), our highest electricity bill has been about $120. I did some comparison and had we stayed with DEMCO (we don't get a choice around here), our bill would have been lower than it was in our old, smaller house (seems Entergy's rates are higher for electricity).

And does the stuff really work? LED can lights. Check! Tankless water heaters. Check! (Although, I should mention unlimited hot water probably isn't the most environmentally friendly use of water resources when you're in the shower and it feels really good!) Concrete floors. Check! Extremely easy to maintain, though they do make you more tired when standing on them for long periods, so we're investing in a few gel mats for the kitchen.

I should also mention that in July 2009 we added a member to the Nelson clan. Little Chester is a Scottish Fold/British Shorthair cat who has jumped right into the family. He loves sitting in the big art glass windows in the game room and eating, well, just about anything.

As 2010 draws to an end, we pause to count our blessings. At a time when people don't have a lot or maybe less than they used to, we've been extremely blessed with this beautiful home and the great benefits of investing in energy efficiency and sustainability. I still wake up in the morning and think, "I love this house."

From our home to yours...have a blessed holiday season and a wonderful New Year!

Finally! New Pictures

I finally got the new pictures off the memory card and uploaded. Click on the newer pictures album at right and it will take to the Picasa page with all 82 new pictures on it.

Next post: Our electricity bills... energy efficiency earns its reputation.

Open House: Saturday, June 6

This Saturday, June 6, we will host our marathon open house from 12:00 Noon - 12:00 Midnight. All are welcomed to drop by during this casual event (kids too) as we hope it's a good chance to share our new home with our friends, family and neighbors.

New Pictures really are coming soon (I know, it's almost as bad as a sign saying Free Beer Tomorrow at a bar) and we hope to capture some great moments from the open house on Saturday to share.

For the details on the open house, go to our E-vite invitation by clicking HERE.

Hail Storm Doesn't Dampen Landscaping Joys

* NEW PICTURES COMING SOON *

On Sunday, May 3rd it hailed as we were visiting with Stone and Tony who were in for JazzFest in New Orleans. After our landscaping was just complete last week, we were a little concerned as pellets of ice began pouring out of the sky, but were relieved that they did little damage to the beds, bushes and young trees. The soaking rain also helped the grass and the rain meter installed on our watering system worked flawlessly as it did not turn on Monday morning after all the rain on Sunday.

First Night!

Tonight is our first night in the new house. We're sore from moving in, but still very excited. Susan's Mom is piloting her own TV show for HGTV called "My Daughter's Curtains, Aren't They Awesome" (kidding, but Mom has been awesome making curtains for the new house). The PODS got picked up today and all that's left to empty is the storage and our apartment.

And two paws up from the cats on the cat room... they love it. They've sniffed every inch of it.

My First Beer in the New House

A picture from last Friday. Something about completing a project/dream this huge that makes a beer taste so darn good!

Check the slideshows for more updated pictures. I'll take and post more tomorrow as we prepare for move-in on Saturday... well, it starts on Saturday, let's not get too ambitious. The PODS come on Monday. So while folks are chanting "Throw Me Something, Mister!" we'll be moving in.

I'll shoot some video tomorrow too.

And Let's Not Forget the Master Tub

I had a pretty bad day on Friday. It was a tough day at work, I was frustrated by the chaos in every facet of my life and the incredible lack of control I had over any of it. So, I rushed home from work, put on some "play clothes" (remember when we had play clothes) and went to the jobsite with a beer in my ice chest.

I climbed in the bathtub, fully clothed, shoes on, everything. Popped open my beer and sat back and sipped as the week just evaporated right there.

Imagine how good it'll be with water in it!

The Creme de la Creme: The Master Shower

In a tremendously efficient use of materials, our builder had this idea to cut the 16x16 tiles into rectangles and use the remaining pieces as the back splash and baseboards in the master bathroom. The final effect can't be done justice in pictures... it really is spectacular. And we virtually eliminated tile waste.

Lighting with Electricity

The lighting fixtures were installed over a mater of days by the electrical guys. The LED recessed can lights were a gamble that really paid off. Beautiful, dimmable light quality with a fraction of the energy used by CFLs and a micro-fraction of regular Edison bulbs.

Installation and Staining of the Front Gable

Believe it or not, these beautiful gable piece was built by our cabinet maker, Robert Shamburger. Catalin stained it to match the door and the interior wood. They make a great front façade that makes the house noticeable from Nicholson.