Ringing from the Rafters

Here they are!

Just Another Amazing Day

Christian surprised me with my first SUV as a graduation/Christmas/birthday/Easter/Kwanzaa/Arbor Day gift.  Now I am officially a backroad dweller.  Felix and I spent most of the day out and about enjoying the new ride, and we were excited about the new progress on the house when we returned to the farm.  One major step was they filled in the huge pit surrounding the house which I affectionately refer to as "the moat".  Now I don't have to worry about the boys falling in and breaking a leg.

Gus marveling at his future home as cousin Will Sanders exits.

The back.

Invisible Progress

Yesterday the work crew was at our house.  I saw their trucks, but though I peeped out the window to watch them several times-no dice.  This morning Felix and I braved the mud and cold and walked over to see what they had been up to. 

We couldn't see them because they were in the basement!

This is the door and window in the basement.

Basement stairs.

Looking into basement from upstairs.

Plus they got another wall up in Felix's room.  He was pretty excited.

Upward Progress

Side

Front

Back

Dynamics of a Date Night

The boys often spend the night with mom and dad on Friday night.  This is wonderful because it allows Christian and I to have a date night.  Here is what a date looks like when you are building a house:
-We will drive to Florence and talk about how excited we are about the work they've done on the house this week.  We will discuss our favorite things about the house.
-Then we will go to Lowes, Home Depot, and if we are feeling really romantic The Wood Floor Store.
-Followed by a nice dinner where we talk about the things we need to buy from the places we visited.
See, building a house is a lot of fun.  The months leading up to completion do take over your mind though, but it a fun kind of full mind take-over. 
Maybe the builders will be back today-if so, more pics to follow.

Upstairs!

Two little monkeys sitting on the stairs.

Today they started the upstairs! 

Sticks

They framed the first floor!  Even though it was a foggy and muddy day, the crew came out and got our first floor framed.  They can't even imagine how happy this made us.  As soon as they left Christian, Gus, and myself hopped in the car and headed that way.  We walked all through every room on the first floor.  It is soooooo exciting to have those walls up. 

From the front.  Our living room is to the right, our bedroom to the left.

From the back.  Our master bathroom is to the left, and our kitchen to the right. 

Playing House

This morning we went to check out the sub floor.  It was fantastic.  They have the walls marked off in red so we were able to see where things will actually be. 

Me sticking out of the basement stairwell.

Christian in the jacuzzi tub.

Cooking at the stove.

Warming his hands by the fire.

Our driveway.  Love it!

Movin' Right Along

View from the front.

View from the back.

Long Time No See

 This is the day they poured the slab.  I think it was the first step that really excited me because once it dried we were able to stand on what will be the basement floor.  That's wonderful and surreal feeling to think we are standing on the same floor we will be standing on when we are a little old couple-God willing we can walk downstairs to the basement.

 These are the basement walls, and the foundation for the fireplace.  It put a perspective on the size of the house to be able to be walled in.

Okay, okay, okay.  I haven't posted in almost a month.  BUT-in my defense, they haven't been out here working much due to weather.   We do have a basement now, and hopefully after next week we will be "in the dry".  I hear that's good.  So November has been busy.  Our family dog was hit by the garbage man, and has a broken pelvis.  This requires a lot of attention so the blog has suffered.  I also have my Christmas shopping done.  That should count for something, right?  Here are a few pics of the progress to get everyone caught up.  Plus a photo of Mouse, our dog, during her recovery. 

Looks Good to Me

I don't know what this is exactly, but it looks like progress.  I'll take it!  They are scheduled to dig the well tomorrow.  Let's hope my water witching skills are accurate.

WIll We Make It?? Yes We Will!

Today they poured the footers and last week they weren't fast enough in doing anything, according to Erica.  Today they are right on schedule, but my question is this... Will we be able to endure the anxiety, stress, waiting and any other type of thing that could make this house building process take any longer than we "believe it should"?  I really don't know the answer to that question yet, but let me assure you we will be tested.  We have already been tested by cows, sheep and goats (aided in no small part by their caretakers/paddock movers).  What next will we be tested by?  Perhaps a small group of asteroids will hit in the center of the slab, once it is poured, thus hindering our forward progress because of the slew of reporters, scientists and "true believers" coming to gawk and test said asteroids... I really don't know.  But I can guarantee everyone of you that there will be further tests for both me and Erica and I am praying, everyday, that we make it to the final product... Because I know we will!

Footloose and Fancy Free

We have footers!  It really helps to put the size of the basement in perspective.  The other day, when it was just a giant hole it seemed so small.  My brother-in-law reminded me that I wasn't comparing it to another basement.  I was comparing it to the entire great outdoors.  Yes, it did seem small.  Now it seems perfect.  As we were walking back up our new driveway tonight, we were talking about how this was going to be the perfect driveway to ride bikes up and down.  It is going to be a magical place to grow up.  I'm so happy for my boys.

Ground Breaking News

Today was the day!  October 20th, 2011 (a late birthday present for me, and an early one for Christian).  As of today there is a hole.  A really, really, really big hole.  It is glorious!  It is everything I wanted a huge hole in the ground to be. 

Sleepless in Westpoint

I have a bad habit of staying up all night when I'm excited.  I just knew they would break ground on the house today, so obviously I didn't sleep last night.  At all.  To my disappointment there were no big roaring machines this morning...or this afternoon...or this evening...and I'm pretty sure they won't come in the middle of the night.  So I guess they will start tomorrow.  My father-in-law offered his sympathetic words, "I assure you this will not be the only time you are disappointed by a contractor."  Great.  I'm still chomping at the bit to see a mound of dirt in the field that will soon be our yard.  And I'm certain Christian will be glad to be settled in so I will quit waking him up at 3 a.m. with suggestions for paint colors.

Capture the Flag

Finally, after mountains of paperwork, they are ready to begin construction on the house!  Next week we are set to have a hole in the ground.  I've waited my whole life for this hole in the ground. If you happen down our long dirt road, don't be surprised if you find me standing and starring in contentment.  This morning Christian and I walked out to the open field full of visions of the future, but what we found stopped us in our tracks.  Our flags!  Our precious orange flags that symbolized the four corners of our lives were trampled, torn, and most missing all-together.  Cows 1, Sanders 0.