Let There Be Walls!!!

I left the house last night and we still had only the sub floor... I go home tonight after work and all of the exterior walls are up! Those guys must have busted their butts today... When I left for work it was cold and rainy, then about mid afternoon it started to rain again and about 3:30 a terrible storm went through, I didn’t even think they would work today... But long and behold, the rain didn’t stop them and they got all of the outside walls up and in place (with the exception of the garage walls, which I assume will be put up tomorrow). Chuck also called Mike today and told him that the roof trusses will be delivered Saturday morning! So next week we should have a roof. Mike is pretty sure he will be taking next Friday off work and feels that with a little help he should be able to get all of the interior framing completed! It was so exciting seeing all the work they got done today!

The front view of the house... Mike told me I have way too many windows!

Here is Gabby, her and I were deciding where rooms were going to go!

Here is the view of the back of the house... Lots more windows!

More Framing from the inside view!

Mike and my brother drilled the hole for the water line into the house, Gabby and I were in the basement when they broke though and I snapped a picture of Mike looking into the basement!

Deer Update...

Well, it is not good news... She passed away at some point during the night. I feel pretty bad, but we did do everything possible for her and she didn't die, upside-down in that ditch.
Mike talked to Chuck this morning as well (he went up early this morning to check on the deer) and they are working on the back portch today. Keep checking back for updates, I am sure a lot is going to happen this week!

HOLY DEER!!!! YIKES!

Normally I would say HOLY COW!!! But in this case it is HOLY DEER! Mike, Scott and my Dad were getting ready to run the pipe for the electric service and Mike stopped dead in his tracks to what looked like legs. Sure enough, some point between late Friday and today a deer fell in the service line ditch, upside-down. They lifted her out by her legs, she was kicking but extremely tired. Scott called the house and Gabby, mom and I ran up with buckets and coolers full of water. We got her to drink and cleaned all the mud off of her. We covered her with cold towels and she is now resting.... I will update on her condition after dinner!

Sorry for the Delay!

I know, I know... It has been well over a week since I have made an update (thanks for giving me heck Aunt Amy!!!) In all fairness though... this was the week of the great Clearfield County Fair! I spent every evening down there so this week was pretty busy! I barely got to see Mike! But from what I can tell Chuck and crew have been busy themselves! This week they got the floor trusses on, the sub floor put down and the first set of stairs to the basement completed! Thursday morning I stopped by to check things out and to get Chuck to sign some papers and locked my keys in the car... progress was halted for about 30 minutes while Chuck ran me to get another car! I am just glad it was him on site that day and not someone I didn’t know!
This week’s agenda looks like we are going to start to see an actual house. I am told that the second set of basement steps should be completed and our exterior walls are being delivered on Thursday. Mike, Scott and my Dad are digging the ditches for the water line, electric service and phone and cable lines. By the end of this week, I believe we will have electric service to the house!

The floor trusses being installed!
The first level of the house with sub floor.
The basement!

The first set of basement stairs coming from the house/garage entrance.

My brother dreaming BIG!

These Weeks Are Going By Fast!

Ok, Ok, I have been catching heck because it has been over a week since I last updated, BUT I have good excuses!!! Last Tuesday was my birthday, so I spent time with my family, last Wednesday I was busy finding people to go white water rafting, Thursday I went to the house and took pictures, Friday Mike’s Uncle Howard, Aunt Barb and crew were at Pop and Nan’s so we went there for a picnic, Saturday, we went for dinner and rafting supplies and Sunday we went rafting.... So we have been incredibly busy! Yesterday I spent most of the day recuperating from the white water rafting and mom and I got a good jump on sanding trim (Mike Barr made all of out oak trim for our house, it is absolutely gorgeous!). Last week the basement was poured at the house, this week Uncle Chuck has been on site, they put up the basement walls yesterday and today, tomorrow they are pouring the concrete into the exterior walls and I half expect to see a sub-floor by weeks end! Exciting stuff!!!

Poured Basement Floor... It is wet because they just sprayed it down

with water to keep it from drying to quickly.

Here is Uncle Chuck working on the Basement Walls!

All the Basement Walls Are Up!

Garage, Tar, Check, Check!!!

Uncle Chuck was on site last week to help dig out the foundation for the garage; my dad did the digging (that was quite the site). The masons came back out on Friday and laid the blocks for the garage and sealed all of the walls, I took them up cookies on Friday morning, what a miserably hot week to be laying cement blocks, they did a wonderful job though. This week Mike and his dad are tarring the walls, I give them a ton of credit, I would not want to be down in that hole with the tar for nothing! Also this week, Uncle Chuck will be back on site pouring cement in the walls and pouring the basement floor! We had our final inspection on Saturday for our septic system, everything passed and we got the go ahead to cover it up, so I am sure that is to come this week as well! Busy, Busy, Busy!

Chuck, Mike & Dad Digging For the Garage

The Garage after the blocks were laid.

Mike & Dave, slapping on the Tar!

Check off the Basement

The basement is done! According to the foreman (my grandpa) there were 5 block layers and 3 laborers and they were able to get the entire basement up in 3 days. Tomorrow they will be sealing the outside walls with concrete which will leave Mike and me to tarring this weekend. Mike, my dad and Uncle Chuck will be meeting on site tomorrow to dig out the basement. Keep your fingers crossed that it goes well, haha. We are ready for our septic inspection as well. I believe Mike will be calling tomorrow to get that set up. It is becoming so exciting because I actually have something to present to people and it is also quite humorous that our basement/foundation has become the town meeting place during the evening! Stop by and see us!

This picture was taken last Thursday (7-3-08).

This is the finished basement, complete with windows!

My brother came home to see how things were going, we got really exciting news this week that him and Gabby are moving home! YEAH! I am super excited!

Mike is carrying me over the threshold!