I checked this w/e - I thought I remembered big honkin' bolts from the set, sure enough, double sill plate is bolted to foundation. No movement there. But DH says all the lumber was green(er) than they used for stick-built houses 20 years ago. It's not Douglas Fir either. Chris - no moose here, just deer and a couple bobcats (I watched one walk 2 ft from my slider (up 4 ft in the air, no deck yet) and past my bay window (over walkout basement) and stalk/kill a squirrel. No one at DH's work believed him "b/c bobcats are nocturnal." Well, it was noon but overcast. Oh, we also have a bear (seen the claw marks on the trees, neighbors have seen him but we haven't). DH wants to get a pistol permit b/c he doesn't like carrying rifle with him when he goes out for a walk. Our (800 ft) driveway is in a subdivision with "builder's acre" lots but we have 97. Plus back up to neighbors (a mile away in a different town!) who have acreage too.

You've gotten some good advice, I will try and organize mine so that it is easily readable. Kitchen: Beautiful! Put a larger table under that wonderful lamp Family room: A+++ This room makes me want to buy the house. TV looks puny though. Suggest either taking the twin bookshelves from the Living room to frame it up in there or remove it to somewhere else. Recreation Room: While this seems like a great place for kids to kick back, it is right outside the master bedroom so be careful about playing up its recreational (read that: noise ) possibilities. Maybe divide the room's purpose. There is one large window with shears and nothing on the second smaller window so it seems it would lend itself to that. Consider too that the way that you have placed the furniture in the rec room is conducive to people sitting there but not people walking through--they are walking through on their way to the bedrooms. Even putting some sort of bar with stools that is set--I don't know, give them something to look at on their way to the bedrooms so they arent' thinking "This is the bonus room." As far as purpose, you could even envision it as an extension of the master as a sitting room with and office hidden behind a screen--just one idea. The problem room in this house in the formal living room downstairs. Those recliners scream old and dowdy and the bookshelves framing a picture seems unfinished. This is THE FIRST room a buyer sees when they walk in and it is not as inviting as your family room and kitchen--it should be. Someone has suggested and office or dining room--both good ideas. You could also use that staging trick and put something in there that is a conversation piece in and of itself so that people don't think too much about the room. Put one of the recliners up in the master and maybe if one will fit, in the rec room. All in all, I think the feedback that you are getting about floorplan is more about inconsistency. Two rooms (the rec room and more importantly, the entry room) pale in comparison to the warm inviting feel you have created in your other rooms. Bring those up to the same level and I think you will have it made.

"Love - I want to know how your first school function goes. Go be there for that little boy." The strange thing is---I used to go all the time, to soccer games and baseball lessons, swim lessons etc. I even did some volunteer reading work in his first grade classroom. Have been to at least three or four Christmas concerts, etc. Then she assaulted me and the order said SHE could be around me only at school/extracurricular events. Otherwise, she could not come within 20 yards of me. In the event she had to come to our home (most dropoffs are at school), she had to stay at the curb, could not even pull her car into the driveway. THAT was when I stopped going to stuff. I just decided it was too much. The problem, too, is that SS now FREAKS---because he witnessed his mom punch me, saw her be taken to jail, etc---if we are even in the same vicinity. :( He is worried about a repeat. The big issue, I think, is that BM will still say nasty stuff to him. He senses the animosity from HER to ME and he has as much said that he worries she will punch me again. Then, when he gets upset, BM turns it all on ME and complains to DH that I made a big deal of the restraining order and it must be all MY fault that SS is scared. That he really KNOWS his mom would never do that again and if he is worried, it's because he thinks I want his mom to be arrested. AUUGHHH. Honestly---the family therapy you all have done would probably be beneficial to US. Just last week, for example, SS had a half day of school. I had a doctor's appt. in the afternoon and my DH had some work stuff. DH said he would miss his work thing if he HAD to but he just asked BM if she wanted to pick SS up and spend the afternoon with him; normally, she jumps at the chance for extra time with him during one of our five day stretches. She said sure, no problem. Okay, well, at 6 pm that evening, I had a haircut and color scheduled. I went a bit darker and the night before had been looking at magazine pics with the kids, asking them to help me pick a look. So BM asked SS what *kind* of doctor's appt I had that prevented me from getting him??? NONE of her BUSINESS. Well, SS knew nothing about the dr. appt, and he just said, "I don't know, I think she is getting her hair cut." BM flipped! Absolutely flipped. Nasty texts to DH about how high maintenance I am, and what a joke it is that SHE had to drive to get SS so I could get my hair done???? And that I owe her GAS MONEY. There just are not words. A.) I DID have a doctor's appt. B.) He is HER son. Good heavens. DH told her---and he was SUPER nice about it---that it was NOT a big deal and if she couldn't pick SS up at noon, he would do it! He just put it out there as a solution if SHE wanted to do it, and he made that very clear. But the biggest issue is that BM then runs her mouth to SS aobut how terrible I am, and how poor BM had to drive sooooo far to SS's to get him so "I could go get my hair done." Hate her. I really do. :( She throws fuel on SS's issues---because I never say a WORD about her to SS, nothing bad AT ALL. I smile my fake happy smile and *fake it till I make it.* I would never let SS see how much I despise that woman. She's his MOTHER. But she....makes it really difficult. So...then being around each other at events and such, just...ughhhhh...like I said, at some point, I would like to do the family therapy you guys did. Now is not the time---I am in my own individual therapy right now, and want to focus on that, on me, the only person I can control. :) Thank you for your kind words. I try to do the best I can, glad you can tell.

Thanks - unfortunately they are unresponsive and the company no longer exists shortly after finishing the job (we had so much work done to an older house it took me a while to realize the little things that were done poorly - I've learned that lesson of how to choose folks to work on your home the hard way. I realize this seems like a glaring mistake but it was a gap that didn't bother me too much at first, but got worse when we recently had to shim up the counter which was also poorly installed. Thanks for the paintable caulk suggestion - maybe I should try a caulk backing strip (or whatever those are called) and drywall putty if needed for the gouged looking part, then caulk and paint?