Blogger's Choice Awards

Well we are now into the year 2008...great, great, great!! Blogger's Choice Award Party was a blast and I am glad so many of you came. I could not have asked for a better night. It went off just how I wanted it. Congratulations to all the winners.

OK...JK, we did not have the award party and no one was invited, let alone, made an appearance. I have to apologize for the delay. Our house was scheduled to be complete by Christmas, but we hit a bump in the road. Or should I say we chose to put a huge obstacle in our path. Brade and I decided we could not do the remodel and not change our very dated, white, dingy brick fireplace. Therefore, we set ourselves back three weeks to rock the entire thing!!

Let me give you a little background. Reference EXHIBIT A for a reference as you read this story. Our fireplace is actually quite large. We have a large wall in the entryway, then a wrap around in the hall, and then the traditional fireplace facade in the family room. I am sure it was quite lovely and inviting in it's day, but it has become outdated.

Being seven months pregnant, I could not think of a better way to spend the eighth month than doing manual labor as a rock layer. I know, you wish you would have thought of this when you were nearing your due date. All that energy and bundles of ambition you have about this time of your incubation process.

Let's just say after several trips to Harristone (by myself) to pick out rock, order it, pick it up in two different vehicles and then finally delivering it to my house, I could put a lot of grown men to shame!!

Don't get me wrong, Brade is an amazingly hard worker, but unable to get off during "bankers hours" to handle the rock situation.

And so we began our adventure...

Worked tirelessly nights and weekends...

... Jerry Rigged some contraptions...

...replaced the door ...

...and made a place holder for the mantle...

...after three long weeks Brade placed the final stone in the masterpeice!!

,,. TA-DA!!

...and we are finished with the ROCK!!

Brade and I worked out a great system of me placing and him doing the mortar! He seriously worked so hard on this and did an amazing job. Thank you again to Jen and Ror, Tyler, Jeff, Trev, my dad and of course mom (bringing the food) for all your help!!

We are still waiting for our mantle and the new seat, but all in all, we are very happy!! The moral of this story...the Bloggers Choice Awards are still going to happen. We will have carpet laid next week and then I will be sending out the invite. I truly apologize for the delay!!