Barb - Yes, I've been to Enchanted Rock a couple times. The first was on my honeymoon. I did really well walking to the top, but when it came to turning around and looking back where I needed to go back down . . . well, let's just say I sat down and cried. I have a little fear of heights that I forgot about when I climbed up. I only went part of the way up the second time when we took our three boys. I found a nice rock to sit on to wait while they were off exploring with my husband. Pam - It really is a pretty area - too bad you had a sleet storm for your wedding. But, I suppose if you can weather that on your wedding day, you can get through just about anything, huh? ;-)

cheryldee - we had thought about this for our kitchen, so I did a lot of reading about it. In regard to etching, it seems like it varies from slab to slab - some have an etching issue and some don't. And the degrees of etching seem to vary as well. It seems like you almost HAVE to get a piece from your exact slab to test it (or at the very least in your same lot) because it sounds as if the calcium content varies quite a bit. Definitely do a search for Bee's new kitchen (beekeeperswife) - she has some gorgeous Super White. And. Has. Etching. Even though the piece she was given (from a different lot than hers, as I understand) to test didn't etch. :( Best bet is to proceed very cautiously if you want this and aren't okay with etching. So many get this as an alternative to marble because they don't want the etching issues...but it's not a given that it won't etch. So, if you are okay with etching, you may do just as well going with a marble.

LOL Toni! No, but it sometimes feels like it! Raven, please do so BEFORE you HAVE to! Even if you only do it once. You don't necessarily have to learn to do the hook up, as there is usually someone who can get you hitched. Find someplace with plenty of room where you can be comfortable maneuvering. Even if it's from one rest area to another on the highway. Just remember that you need to make wider turns and more clearance in the back. Nanny98, keep that bee busy! I hope you get your cataract done soon. If you can drive a full size truck or van, you can drive a RV. That's what I was told, and it's true. Do what I just told Raven, to start with. Have someone who is patient explain every thing to you. I know at the Escapee club national rally, the Escapade, they usually have RV boot camp. I think it's right before the rally starts. In RV Boot Camp, they teach you everything you need to know to drive/pull your rv, what ever kind you have. Your vehicle, your unit, with you in the driver seat. There might even be other places/groups who offer this. You might want to look into it. This is the one I know of. I've driven it before, even started out from home in it once, I just don't do it often enough to be comfortable doing it. I've only emptied the holding tanks once. I have put fresh water in our trailer when we had it, but not in the motor home. I am slowly learning how to hitch up the truck, as we tow a Ford Ranger pickup behind it. And learning to get the break assist hooked up correctly. Eventually I will learn to do all of it. I told DH last year that if anything happened to him, I would probably sell the house and go full time in the RV, even if it was just parked most of the time in a campground. I would never be able to keep up the house and yard on my own. Maybe for a few years, but not for ever. Tami

@2rickies, "How did you keep track of the decisions that needed to be made during the budget phase and throughout the project? Did your builders give you a list with calendar benchmarks? How did they let you know what work had been completed and what was happening next?" Our builder didn't give us anything formal. We had already visited many vendors, done a lot of online research, and made most decisions up front, as I mentioned, and he provided us with a 20-page detailed cost estimate based on those decisions and bids from his preferred vendors and subs. However, he did double check (and sometimes triple check) with us before ordering anything, to make sure we hadn't changed our minds. Since there was so much time between our initial picking of finishes and the actual implementation (over a year, in some cases), there were quite a few things we did change, and a lot we didn't. He always asked, and sometimes I felt like I had to make a snap decision if he asked on a phone call, but normally if I told him I'd have to get back to him with my answer soon, he was fine with that. We also asked him periodically "when do you need to know about x", whether "x" was paint colors, doorknob choices, or siding style, etc., and he would tell us if he needed to know soon, or if we had lots of time to decide. We were not given any written list (other than all the line items on the estimate) or any calendar. Pinning him down on dates was the hardest thing and something we struggled with the entire build. His attitude seemed to be "it will happen when it happens", and ultimately, that is very true, given the demand for sub-contractors and the supply chain issues in the past two years. He didn't slack off at all, but a lot of things were out of his control. He did stay on top of things, checking with vendors on orders and dates, and relaying this information to us. How did he let us know what had been completed? Through photos, texts, and phone calls. We lived 20 minutes from our build so could see for ourselves and discuss in person with some frequency, up until this Nov. 1, when we were forced to move out of our rental (it sold) and into an Airbnb over two hours from our build until it is complete (looks like Feb.) We could have found a closer place, but it would have cost more (there wasn't much available that was furnished and pet-friendly), and the one we found is right around the corner from my mother, where we have our "stuff" stored, so we are able to receive packages, work on projects in her basement, and pack everything up. Once we knew we were moving, I asked him to send us a weekly status report and also put photos on Dropbox at least once a week, and he's been good about doing that. There have also been texts, calls, and a few emails in between each weekly report. So we always feel that we know what is going on and what is coming up. Communication, through any and all means, is the key. A builder who doesn't mind emails in the evening is a huge plus for me, as I would much rather have things in writing than on the phone -- I forget some of the things he tells me on the phone if we cover too many issues. 😅 With emails, I've saved every single one from him, and I can always go back and double check what he's told us.