Starting to Frame

The end of last week brought lots of changes at the house.  they got all the roof completely off and the carport area that is becoming the front of our house was taken down too.  Everything was totally opened up.  

Then, it turns out that it was going to be really involved to raise the current ceiling height a few feet and what would have to be done to make it done right was going to take the framers longer than if they just started from scratch.  SO, they agreed to take down the walls and start new for no additional cost.  It meant they would get things done sooner and be more efficient, which was fine with us.  

It was so weird to drive up yesterday and just see the foundation with the fireplace remaining and the new exterior walls going up. I loved getting to walk around and see all of the rooms marked and trying to picture what it will look like when there are really walls there.

While we were there yesterday our neighbor from across the street stopped by to tell us the kids were welcome to come over and play on their play-set anytime we were over here.  The girls jumped at that opportunity and had fun while Robby and I went over things.  Hudson was snoozing away in the car, but I know he will love having somewhere safe to play, too.  

Since this week is Thanksgiving Break for the kids, I won't be over there everyday to check on the progress like I normally do.  It's also supposed to rain a good bit over the next few days, so we'll be anxious to see what is done when we stop by later this week!

Lumber

Hooray for lumber!  

Yesterday a load of lumber was delivered to the house and today when I went by after lunch I was amazed by what had been done in just a few short hours.  The roof was almost completely off in preparation to start the framing inside and a lot of the windows we plan to reuse had been taken out.  It looked so open and I am SO very happy to see this progress!  I can't wait to see what happens the rest of the week! 

Making Their Mark

This week we had to wait on the weather to cooperate, but in the end we have a garage slab! The grading of the garage area was completed along with the back filling of the garage.

Then we had to wait for the temperatures to warm up a little so the concrete slab for our garage could be poured. It was so cold this week!  They finally got to it today and although the weather was a little overcast and misty at times, they worked around it and got it done.  I met Robby at there this morning to see what was happening and we saw the big concrete trucks arrive.

Hudson was so excited about the BIG trucks.

I got an idea then that I would love to have the kids hand prints in the concrete so I tried to time going over there after school.  When I went back it was still to wet to do hand prints so we went on to Handley's ballet class and then back after she danced.  The concrete workers were in the final steps to get it prepared, but they were so kind when I asked about putting the kids hand prints on it.  Most everywhere was to set up already, but they showed me the best place to do it so we gave it a whirl.

They were excited to make their mark on our new garage floor.  Handley went first and did great, Harper was next and hers looked perfect, too.  Then it was time for Hudson and he smashed his fingers altogether so it looked like a big blob.  One of the guys there smoothed that area out for me so we could try again.  And that is when Hudson decided that he wasn't interested in playing along anymore.  I offered him lollipops, his paci, popsicles...basically anything I could think of to bribe him to do his hand print, but he wanted none of it.  You should have seen me wrestling an uncooperative and unwilling two-year-old to get his hand into the cement.  I'm sure the guys there working were laughing at me and my muddy, cement covered shoes may never be the same.  BUT, I got my sweet little hand prints and that is all I cared about.  His isn't perfect, but I just know we will love having these hand prints on our garage floor years from now when the kids are all grown-up and I will remember what an effort I went to do get them.

For the record, tomorrow I will be putting all of our rain boots in the car for the duration of the rest of the building so that we can avoid the messy muddy shoe problem we ran into tonight.

Slow Moving

If there is one thing I've learned so far about this process...it's that it is slow moving.  Robby says I'm going to drive myself crazy by going back daily (or twice daily in some cases) but when I pass right by the street we will be living on every day it's hard not to swing by and check out progress.  So much of what is happening right now is dependent on the weather so that plays a big factor in what gets done day-to-day.  I love seeing what happens each day, but will love it even more when I see walls and can actually walk through the house instead of just imagining what will be there.

This past week the concrete walls for the garage were poured and the black waterproofing was painted on the backside.

While these not-so-fun things are taking place, I'm thinking more and more about the interior of the house including awesome furniture pieces like this one that will be in it.

This hutch came from my great-great-grandmother's house on my Dad's side of the family.  It's been at my parents' house and I always told them I would love it some day.  They offered to let us go ahead and have it so we can bring it back at Christmas along with another piece of furniture I am getting.  I am just so excited! I love things with history and I also love mixing old with new and rustic with elegance.  Kind of like old farm house meets a crystal chandelier.  My mom got all of her stuff cleaned out of it last week and send me this picture of it.  She was commenting that the funny thing is that nowadays people pay to have furniture look distressed and this piece actually is distressed after the years and years of use.  I can't wait to have it in our new house!

Footers

The past few weeks things have been happening, but nothing too picture worthy.  The final demo has been done, the septic system was installed and completed and our footers were poured this week.  We're hoping the weather cooperates so that the garage walls and foundation can be completed this week and then the framing will start right after that!  Then the real fun begins. :-)