Floors

Since the floors were getting done, Sandra and I were staying at her parents house these last few days (and we'll be there for Labor Day weekend) to the let the polyurethane dry and avoid the toxic fumes. I came back to the house today and I'm very pleased with the results. As you can see, there was quite a bit of crap on the floors from the rooms that had tiles removed. The floor guys did a great job. You can click on the pictures for a larger view.



I recommend these floor guys. Pleasant to deal with, reasonable rates, nice job. What more can you ask for?

Gustavo Molina
Xceptional Wood Floors
908.258.2901
http://www.xceptionalwoodfloors.tv

Two months in...

We've been in the new house for 2 months now. In that time, we've been busy. Especially Raph, bless his heart, because I've been very little help due to my advancing pregnancy (note the picture that was taken when I was 21 weeks, 3 days pregnant...or 5 months if you prefer). Raph has single-handedly removed all the carpeting from the living and dining rooms, the upstairs hall, and all three bedrooms. The additional work of removing the ugly tile that was inexplicably glued to the hardwood floors in the baby's room and the office fell to Raph as well. Luckily, we have floor guys coming in tomorrow and Thursday to sand and polish the upstairs. Finally, Raph can take a breather!

Raph's brother Rob is helping us out by doing a time-consuming and expensive treatment on the walls in the nursery. Eventually, the nursery will be painted and all the baseboards and trims will be brand-new and clean.

I have added a couple of small touches to the master bathroom (it feels funny to say that, as it is actually smaller than my walk-in closet in Forest Hills was). I bought a bath mat, hand towel, and waste basket to add some character to the place that did not compete with the overwhelming quantity of pink, but also did not enhance it. Good times.

I hope that after the floors are done, the house will start to get a little less cluttered since we'll be able to put away a good amount of the stuff that's currently still in boxes in the living room. I'm also dreaming of the day we can paint our bedroom and change the window treatments (1990 wants its floor-to-ceiling vertical blinds back, please). We need at least one room to spend time in that doesn't feel like a work-in-progress.

Don't get me started on the kitchen. Actually, I take that back. PLEASE, let's get started on the kitchen!

20 Week Sonogram

We completed the 20 week sonogram this past Tuesday. It's an anatomy exam, so the doctor checks for everything. You could see the spinal cord, the heart beating, legs, arms, etc. Pretty amazing stuff. We are waiting until the baby is born to find out the sex, but feel free to guess from the pictures!

A New Beginning - New Jersey

Hello Friends!

We've started this blog as a way to keep our friends and family updated on our lives as we move from our apartment lifestyle in New York City to the homeowner lifestyle in Cranford, New Jersey. Since we don't really "do" MySpace or Facebook, a blog seems most appropriate. We'll post up about any house projects we are tackling, as well as the things we're learning about home ownership. We'll also be posting updates on the baby!

We officially moved in July and a lot has already happened, so we'll be playing catch-up for a little while.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy.

Love,

Raph & Sandra