Starting to take shape

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 Today, Julie and the kids and I went out to the lot after work to discover that the block has begun to be laid for the foundation.  It is getting easier now to picture the completed house with every thing that is added to it.


It's crazy to think that our floor level will be at the top of those blocks.  It seems so high seeing it like this.  Especially when you consider that the ceilings will be 14' high in some areas.  I spoke with the builder and asked him to raise it high in order to have steps that go up to the front porch instead of the porch being almost level with the driveway.  Because we will be putting an in-ground pool in the back yard, he said that it is best to not have a large drop-off from the back porch so we compromised on this height that we have now.  Actually seeing it in person looks more than adequate!

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Julie and I are still undecided on the brick and trim color for the exterior of the house although we do have some ideas.  Our builder's wife is a professional interior designer and we are meeting with her on Monday evening to go over samples and get her input on what would look best based off of our tastes.

As an added bonus, while looking at our lot this evening, we got to meet the couple who purchased the 2011 Parade of Homes Dream Home behind our lot.  They are an extremely nice couple who moved in last month from Marcus Point in Pensacola.  The wife is a retired Lt. Colonel and the husband is a retired engineer from England.  Julie and I talked to them some time and we think that they will make great neighbors.  As we were talking, we also met the family that purchased the lot directly to the right of ours at the end of the cul-de-sac as they arrived to check on their own property.  They have plans on building soon as well and they too seem like a great family who seem to be our age.

We are very excited about what is ahead.  I know that there is still a huge mountain to climb until the house is complete but we are taking it one step at a time.