Austin Critters #1

We're kinda new to Austin. So we're not quite used to all the critters yet. This is one we have in a neighbors yard. The thing is HUGE. Not quite the largest spider I've ever seen but it is about 3" in size from hind legs to tip of front legs. I did a quick LiveSearch and think it's a Yellow Argiope Spider (Argiope aurantia).

Kinda freaky...but kinda cool.

New Addition

Born 4/18/2007 in Ponca City, OK.

Doug, Ryan, Erika & Kenny took the 8hr commute from Austin to Ponca City to pick up "Wilson" on July 13, 2007. We drove just to the inside border of the Osage Indian Reservation to get him.

Click here for map to Ponca City, OK

Wilson, or "Willy"for short , is a Goldendoodle which is a mixed breed between Golden Retriever and Standard Poodle. Standard Poodles are hypoallergenic dogs that done emit dander and don't shed. When mixed with a Golden Retriever, they pick up much of the hypoallergenic traits of the poodle parent with significantly less shedding and dander. We're hoping that this will represent low(er) risk for both Ryan & Pearl who have some been known to have sensitivities to dog dander.

We're all HUGELY excited to have this new addition to our family.

Pearl's Professional Photo

As you all know, Pearl has recently received her real estate agents license. She is now actively marketing herself and trying to make boat loads of money so I can retire by the ripe old age of 45. Here are the results of her professional photo shoot.

Erika in Grease! - If You Only Knew

Erika performed in the play Grease with a bunch of local child actors/actresses. She worked nearly the entire school year learning the part. She actually played two characters. Cherry is the character you see her playing here and was the larger of the two roles. Needless to say, her parents are very proud.

Erika playing part of Cherry in Act 2, Scene 2 - "If You Only Knew"

Kenny & Erika Talent Show

Kenny & Erika performed this bit from the movie High School Musical. They practiced for weeks and did a great job performing out in front of everybody.

His name is "Marbles"

One of Kenny's friends gave him a rooster for his birthday. It makes ALOT of noise when you don't pay attention to it. Pearl & I were quite surprised to see this delivered...we have NO IDEA how to take care of it. But I am thinking of recipes! :-)

Puerto Vallarta Trip - 2007

We spent the first 2 weeks of March 2007 at Paradise Village located in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. We had a great time. Enjoy the pictures of our family vacation!

Holloween Trip to Puerto Vallarta - Part 2

Two other kids are Kylie and Jarrod from Seattla, WA. These are two kids that Ryan & Erika met the 1st day in PV and were the same ages. They spent nearly the entire week together and the two families joined each other for dinner 3 evenings.

Holloween Trip to Puerto Vallarta

New pictures

Closing date set!

Received a call from our sales guy and project manager. The date for closing has been set to June 23, 2006. This is nearly 1 year to the day that we went into contract and 3 months later than what we were expecting. We have a "walk through" scheduled for June 16, 9AM. This means they will have one week to resolve issues between walk though and closing. Not sure if this is doable. Should we hold our breath?

On a high note, they have completed:

1. Installing master bath tub
2. Sconce lights in stairwell
3. Appliances nearly completely installed.
4. Fixed some lighting probems
5. Blew in insulation in the attic space
6. Fixed some (not all) holes in wall

Carpeting is to be installed next Tuesday. They should have started the landscaping but heavy rains precluded them from getting started on that. Maybe today they can.

5/24/06 No Closing date yet

5/24/06 We really thought we'd get a closing date by now but work has been soooo slow. What is up with these guys? Don't you want to get your money? Unbelievable! Today, a tile guy was there putting in the rest of the floor tiles in the Master Bath and Kitchen. But unfortunately, he was give the wrong shade tile for the kitchen floor so he couldn't finish his job.
5/22/06 Had a status update meeting, said we should get a call from Ethan this week. Could this be a bluff? The address (number) was put in front of the house. A man was there checking the windows to make sure it doesn't stick. The laundry room sink was installed. The kid's faucets were installed but in the front left bath, water sprays from the bottom when water is turned on! The blocks to cover the outside A/C unit was painted grey and the rest of the underpinning. When we went to check on the house at 6 pm, since the front door was locked, we went thru the one car garage and there was a baby rattle snake stuck in the garage!!!! Luckily, hubby was there to save the day. After a good 15 minutes, he was able to get the rattler out. He just kept coming back in. EEEEK!
5/19/06 A new GE Monogram range was delivered today. But it is the wrong cooktop. It is a grill cooktop not a griddle! This is now take 2 on the stove. Mirrors were installed today and guess what, in the Master Bath vanity, they didn't move the electrical outlet and the mirror was put over it. Which means, I'd be sitting down looking at an outlet! The glass shower doors were installed in the master bath.
5/18/06 Saw Jason on the job early in the morning. He said that electricity is in but just shut off. Jason asked me if I took the toilet seats! What's up with this guy? Does he think I will steal a stupid toilet seat? For what? In the afternoon the lights were turned on so at night we came back to check how the house looked with the exterior hilight package. Many of the light switches don't work. Like in the left rear bath, the light was left on and there is no way to shut it off!
5/17/06 The appliances were delivered today, the hood, microwave, separate oven, dishwasher including a cooktop! Cooktop, we don't get a cooktop but we get a range! The garage door opener was installed!
5/16/06 They dug out the side behind the driveway looks like to put in a retaining wall.
5/15/06 The integrated marble sinks in the kids bath were put in. But in the left front sink, it's already chipped! The marble in the vanity area for the Master bath was put in but it is far from matching the other marble which was already put in months ago!
5/11/06 The Master bathroom shower area tiles were ripped off the walls again! By evening, it has been re-installed. Topsoil was brought in for landscaping. The front door was stained!
5/10/06 The electric meter was inspected and passed!
5/9/06 The sewer line passed inspection!
5/8/06 Ashley left a message about a new Toll Brothers policy! All homeowners have to be escorted to see their homes. Stop by the office to make an appointment! This is because of people getting hurt on the job and homeowners stopping the job and workers walking off the job! What bull! Spoke to other homeowers also building and no policy like this was ever mentioned to them!! A crew of painters were in doing re-touch on the walls and doors!
5/5/06 New tile guy on the job re-doing the wall tiles in the shower! They removed the tiles to reinstall since we were not pleased with the job! But tiles will still not line up around the tub!
5/4/06 The central vac unit was installed. The new vanity cabinet was installed in the master bath
5/3/06 Sewer line was being installed in the backyard! But guess where the plumbers decided to put it? Smack across the backyard! Ok, what does this mean about getting a pool put in! Forget it now unless I pay for it! But the plumbers happily moved it! Nice guys! Master bath tub was put in but no jets!
5/1/06 The water tank was installed in the garage!

4/28/06 Slow progress

4/28/06 It has been a slow and stressfull week. More grading was done in the side and back of the house. It is raining today and there is an area by the front porch (right) were the gutters aren't catching the rain! Who are these bozos?
4/27/06 Window screens were put in. More dump trucks coming in to bring fill.
4/26/06 The central vacuum outlets were put in. Lots of dump trucks came almost all day dumping fill in the back. The Devouglers closed on their home today and their right most neighbor closes tomorrow. Everyday this week, workers have used the toilets, ripped off the tape, I have replaced them and they still keep using them! I printed out signs in English and Spanish not to use the toilets due to no sewer hook-up and let's see if this works. A couple from Seattle (Kate and Scott) came and took a look at the house. They were thinking of the lot next to us. They were back the next day in the sales office.
4/25/06 The gutters and downspouts were installed today. Frustrating day as 3 of the downspouts were put in the front of the house rather than the front side! Since
4/24/06 A man was there putting in the gutters, the couple were back sanding down the drywall patches. I showed them a large hole in the basement but they didn't fix it! Also new stucco was applied in the lower areas (called underpinning). But the first layer was already cracking! At the status meeting today, the tilers were suppossed to come back and fix the master bathroom.
4/22/06 There was a couple that patched the drywall holes.
4/21/06 A crew came in today to clean up the inside of the house including the basement. I had them clean the cabinets and they cleaned the tubs and removed all the cardboard covering the tiles.
4/19/06 Plumbers were in the house today to put in the fixtures and the toilets. Still no sinks in the kids bath. I put tape on the toilets to prevent workers from using the toilets as there is no sewer hookup!

4/18/06 Security system/Electrical

4/18/06 The security system panel was installed today. Some marks on the wall were done in the first wall where repainting/repairing is needed.
4/17/06 Some grading was done in the backyard. Throughout last week, truckloads of fill was brought in. By Friday, the dozer had a flat.
We met with Ashley and brought up issues about the poor tiling job, electrical work/concerns, the kitchen desk delivered was not a right match, and the laundry room cabinet had a crack on the base. The house still doesn't have electricity and no schedule for the plumbers to return.
4/5 thru 4/14/06 3 Electricians were there, Randall, Dale and Jose putting up the electrical fixtures. By the end of the job, still missing were 2 master bedroom closets and the 2 car garage. Many lightbulbs throughout were missing. Very disappointing, one of the electricians enjoyed chewing tobacco and spat all over the house and the new deck! This was gross and very upsetting. Also, learned that it was the first time the 2 electricians have ever installed from scratch a panel/meter on the outside. Yikes!
4/5/06 The fireplace hearth was put in.

3/31/06 Tiling

3/31/06 The front door was delivered and installed today. No other new work. The water was hooked-up to the street. Perhaps this means the plumbers will come back next week.
3/30/06 Thursday, the tiling was finally completed in the kitchen backsplash and master bath. The central air conditioning units were delivered and installed today. The electrical fixtures were delivered today and stored in one of the closets.
3/29/06 Jason came by to talk to us about to resolve the master bath problem with the knee space. Also went over other stuff concerning the kitchen back splash by the desk area. The deck was completed today.
3/28/06 Rained today. Geronimo the tiler came late this afternoon to put grout on the foyer tiles. No other work done.
3/27/06 Deck was being started today. Looks small. Some work in the kitchen backsplash was done. The windows were cleaned inside and out over the weekend.

3/24/06 Tiling

3/24/06 Three men were tiling, one in the boy's bath, one in the kitchen and one in the foyer. At end of the day, kitchen, girl's bath and boy's bath were completed. Earlier in the morning, men were removing the wood around around the driveway.
3/23/06 Men finished laying the thin set or wonder board in order to lay the tiles. At the end of the day, all the boards were laid. The sunroom and eat in kitchen have been tiled. It rained last night so some of the driveway brush lines were gone by morning. Told Ashhey about concern in MB knee space and in the powder room where the cabinet should be removed so that they could tile properly.
3/22/06 Some of the tiles were delivered and men started laying tiles in the master bath. Some men were installing a special board which was needed before laying the tiles. The driveway and front porch were poured today. The kids wrote their names by the driveway apron.
3/21/06 The granite in the kitchen, powder room and marble in the master bath were installed. It is gorgeous! I noticed then that the knee space was too tight in the master bath.
3/20/06 No work today. It had rained over the weekend so the driveway was not poured. Met our new project manager, Jason. Met with Ashley and Jason at the house to discuss many concerns and questions. This is where we had our status meeting.
3/17/06 The trim and doors were painted white! What a mess! Now the walls also have been painted white! And so have been the kitchen cabinets and the railing!

3/15/06 Interior Painting

3/15/06 Oh what a mess! One painter was spraying Spanish Sand, a brownish tanish color in all the rooms, one was spraying white paint on the shelving and doors. One man was caulking around the trim work. Then a small bulldozer was spreading sand all over the front of the house levelling the dirt getting ready for the driveway.
3/14/06 A man was caulking around the doors and filling in the cracks and holes in the trim work getting ready for painting. One man was staining the wood on the wrought iron stairs. He used a Spanish Oak stain. A man was installing both garage doors. More clearing was done in the lots in front of the house and towards the cul-de-sac. The granite people came by to template the cabinets. Said they should have granite done tomorrow!
3/13/06 No work going on except a delivery of sand in the front driveway and dirt was brought in the right front side to fill in the slope. Today, our current neighbors, the Edward's signed a contract to buy a home 2 doors from us on the same street. They are a wonderful family and we look forward to having them closer instead of 2 blocks away. We lost Jeff our sales contact and Jeff our project manager which was promoted. We have no idea who will replace him but will still oversee our site since he is now responsible for all of the Reserves. Ashley is our new sales contact.
3/10/06 Looks like they finished installing the wrought iron stairs! How gorgeous!

Exterior painting done/Cabinets in 3/9/06

3/9/06 Work is progressing very well. Finally. Painting of the exterior is complete. They were doing retouch this morning. We like to color. It is better that we thought. They used Sherwin Williams' Chadwick and the accent is Swiss Coffee. The kitchen cabinets were being installed. Looks like the bathroom cabinets, laundry room were already done. Also, the wall texturing in the house is done! The doors were in place, looks like they were getting ready to install them. Also men were laying the trim to get started. The powder room cabinets are not stained but the cabinet installer said they were going to be stained later. Also I pointed out that one of the kitchen cabinets were suppossed to be a desk. Didn't I already point this out to them at least 10 times? At the end of the day, all the interior doors except for the main front door were in. All the trim upstairs and the shelving are in. Most of the trim downstairs were put in. The kitchen cabinets were all completely installed except for the desk in the kitchen and knee space in the MB bath. Luis the trim carpenter says he should be done by tomorrow Friday.
3/8/06 At lunch time, a man was putting sealants around the accents around the windows. Then by afternoon, they were painting the right side and back of the house! It is a very pretty color. One worker is spraying and 3 others were painting the accents. They were still sanding the spackle inside. Then by 3 pm a man was taping the inside of the windows by 5 pm Doug said they were already texturing the inside walls! Wow they were fast. I didn't even get to see them. And they had already painted most of the front, exterior. The interior doors, trim and cabinets were delivered today! Yey!
3/7/06 Spackling continues. They finished the 3rd layer of stucco. They have removed the scaffolding in front of the house. Why? When this is needed for painting. They also started clearing the lots across the street to the beginning of the cul-de-sac.

3rd Layer Stucco/Spackling 3/6/06

3/6/06 3rd layer of stucco complete in the front, left and right sides and behind sunroom and kitchen. Spackling continues and worker says they should be done tomorrow (3/7), then texturing on 3/8. Received a call from Jeff and Jeff to let us know that painting of inside and outside will begin the end of this week.
3/4/06 Sat. Workers were there spackling, putting the corner strips for walls and windows then spackling over them. Men were on stilts and the kids watched them work on them. We notice that the extra band around the garage columns and the gameroom box below columns were missing.
3/3/06 Workers continued to spackle and tape the house; exterior workers applied stucco on right side of house including right side front of house. By end of week, all of front, left side and right side was complete. More outrageous stressfull news! At lunch today, the workers were kicking football around the garage, a makeshift ball made of red tape used for taping plastic on the windows, at the end of the day, they had put a hole in the garage wall!!!!! Boy was I mad!
3/2/06 Workers started taping and spackling the house. Started applying the 3rd layer of stucco which is this white cement applied by hand to put additional texture to the house. Started on left side front and left side of house.
3/1/06 No inside work today as the inspector came and approved the wall board (drywall). Inspection must pass prior to taping/spackling.
2/28/06 Finished drywalling the garage today.
2/27/06 Inspector came but drywall was not complete. Delivered more drywall for the garage. 2nd layer of stucco was completed today.

Begin Stucco 2/22/06

2/22/06 The first layer of stucco was applied today. At 2 pm, the men took a break after they completed the entire house already. The front porch, arch and columns on either side is not how it is suppossed to be. This is after they forgot the arch, then they forgot the columns, now the columns were put in yesterday but the arch was not fixed! Urgh. They finally put the accent on the game room window. A team of drywallers are now installing sheetrock in the first floor. Looks like they will be done today.
2/21/06 A crew of 3 people were in the house installing drywall. At the end of the day, they were almost done with the upstairs. The downstairs has not been started. Another crew came in the afternoon to finish putting the plastic around the windows and roof, getting ready for applying the stucco. Looks like they came in early today to frame out the front porch, they put in the columns. But they still need to redo the arch to be curved into the columns. The electrical for the front porch lights were moved into the columns.
2/20/06 President's day and men were working. We went to the house to do more sweeping before they put the drywall so that sawdust and debris would not be trapped within the walls etc. Early in the morning, 2 men were fixing the wood frame by the dining room. With my little spanish, he explained to me that some wood frames buckled due to the cold and when sheetrocked, the wall would bow out. About 7 wooden frames had to be fixed. This had to be done before sheetrocking obviously.
2/14/06 The arch for the front porch was put in today. But where are the columns? They are going to stucco next and the columns are missing!
2/16/06 Cement bags were delivered and sand was delivered yesterday.
2/13/06 OUTRAGEOUS! Men continued to work on the accent pieces on the exterior. Two men extended the roof out from the gameroom window. As I watched them complete, one man went to the garbage pile which was held in place by 4 pieces of plywood nailed together. As he took his hammer, I thought he was trying to move the pile to make room for stucco work. Next thing, he had taken one plywood, which held the garbage, then cut it with an electic saw. Then placed this WARPed wood on the roof part of the gameroom window! I was outraged by this sight. Using the garbage for materials!!! This was brought up to Jeff and Jeff but I know that this was never replaced.
2/11/06 Insulation was installed today, Saturday. I brought cookies to the workers and thanked them for working on a Saturday. A crew was also working outside finishing the wire on the exterior.
2/9/06 Insulation was delivered today! Hurray. Almost a month since they ordered it.