So much is happening!

Well, it has been quite a while since I've added anything, but we have not been idle! Our online business was very busy for the past several weeks, and we have been busy preparing for our own Christmas celebrations. Work on the house has continued, as well! Even in this cold! I'm such a wimp - I show up, take a few pictures, and leave the guys to keep working!

Well, here's some pictures of what has been happening:
This was the day they were putting in the floor joists. The webbed design makes them stronger, and they are able to put wiring and duct work through them without cutting into the wood, unlike an I-beam. I'm told this is also safer if there was ever a fire. These kind of floor supports don't burn through so quickly, so a firefighter walking on the floor would be much less likely to fall through! Hope we never have to test that one!



These guys have got some special DNA that prevents them from realizing that the wind is blowing and it's only about 12 degrees outside! They are walking on the tops of walls like it's something they do everyday!

Below is a shot of the sub flooring on. The stairwell is guarded so no one falls through - the stairs aren't there, yet! We are so excited to see our first floor!


Larry took these pictures when we stopped by after church yesterday. The windchill was below zero, so the rest of the family stayed in the van - where it was warm! I was so jealous - he's been on our first floor!



Below, you can see some of the framed up walls - this is Rebekah's room! She is packing, already!


Today was the original date set for placing the outer walls, but our builder and crane operator have come down with the flu! We are praying for a speedy recovery for them, as well as good weather for next Monday - the newly scheduled day for the placing the outer walls. The walls will go up in two days, Lord willing and weather permitting! The SIP's are a huge part of the energy efficiency of the house, and I'll be telling you more about those later!

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year! We'll be posting more in the days to come!

Here is my first attempt at adding a video to this blog! Turn down the volume - I wasn't thinking about the sound when I was filming, and we sound silly! Tell me what you think! This was the day that they put in the basement walls.

Slower week

This week, we really don't have a lot going on, but I thought I'd better post an update!

Last week, I was out of town, so that's why there were no posts for so long.

The work going on last week was behind the scenes - our builder was working on coordinating suppliers and sub-contractors. That work has continued this week.

They have also started framing the interior walls of the basement in preparation for the sub-flooring for the first floor. My builder tells me this is pretty boring. Well, it might be for him! BUT - I've never seen the walls of my new home being framed in! Nonetheless - it's a muddy mess out there, and so I'm staying away for now. Our truck will not hold me and the five children, and I'm not willing to chance getting our minivan stuck in the mud with all those construction workers there! How embarrassing would that be!

Right now, and Lord willing, the subflooring will be complete early next week, and the SIP's (outer walls - more on them, later) will be installed on December 22. I'm told that if that date doesn't work out, then they'll be installed on the 29th. We'll be sure to have pictures and video of that available!

We also have a neighbor to the north of us who is busy building his own home, so it's kind of fun to get a first-hand look at two completely different types of construction happening at the same time.