Framing the Upstairs

The past 2 weeks the boys have been working on framing the upstairs. (Where the kids bedrooms, bathrooms, and schoolroom will be.)

Here’s a diagram I drew of the upstairs. The black walls are walls that were on the house when we got it. The red walls are walls that the boys have framed. (Please note that the drawing is not to scale. Also, the proportions are a little off.)

The 2 bedrooms are on either side of the upper story. The boys’ is on the far left and the girls’ is on the far right. The schoolroom is in the front of the middle space and the two bathrooms are in the back of that same space. (The red wall in the back of each bedroom is the front wall of the closet. Also, the red box in the boys’ room is the 2 foot box around the chimney pipe of our wood stove. Oh, and the red wall just to the left of the girls’ bedroom wall is the wall beside the stairs.)

Abigail investigating the blueprint. (Laid out in the floor of the girls’ room.)

Josh, Daniel, and I checking the girls’ closet wall for level.

Josh and Daniel nailing in the last studs for the girls’ room wall

Josh hammering on the girls’ wall a little to make it level while I held a board up to prevent the sledgehammer from marring the studs.

Daniel cutting a notch out of a rafter to help the bedroom wall fit better,

Samuel stacking up scraps.

Daniel measuring studs for the end wall of the boys’ closet

Josh and Daniel assembling the last of the boys’ room wall.

Josh and Daniel raising the boys’ bedroom wall.

Josh, Daniel, and I measuring the boys’ room wall to estimate drywall and installation.

~ Amy

House Set Part 2

Setting the second module.

Raising the roof on the second module. (In case you’re wondering, some of the shingles were put on in the factory. The big hole is for a shed dormer.)

See?

God’s beautiful sunset!

Here’s that same sunset reflected on the back of our house. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I can’t wait to do dishes in this house. (The kitchen sink is under the two windows that are right next to each other.)

The crew working in the dark.

The next day. . . (Note, that most of the shingles are on and all the walls are up. The garage will come off of the mudroom extension in the left of the picture and the porch will wrap from the front corner in the right of the picture, around the corner, and to the door off the mudroom

The hole for the steps down into the basement. (It’s currently covered over with plastic.)

By the way, here is a picture of our second module almost in the creek.

~ Amy

Our First Farm Animals

We recently went to the local Amish community to purchase some piglets to use for rooting out an area for our garden in the spring.. We got 2 piglets for ourselves and 6 for various friends, (a total of 8 piglets). They weighed between 27 – 40 lbs each and were determined to get away!! Add mud, barbed-wire, small spaces, and angry mama pigs to that mix and you’ll get a very interesting evening!

They were not the most helpful little fellows!

I know this isn’t a great picture but it shows the action of the evening. (smile)

The beautiful sunset as we finally caught the last of the piglets!

~ Amy

House Delivery Part 2 & House Set Part 1

We officially have a house! Yay!!

The third truck came about 1415. By the time they unloaded the second module, 5 out the 12 wheels on the trailer had gone flat or blown out, 2 on the way up from the factory, 2 getting into the driveway, and 1 coming up the driveway. On top of that, when the truck crossed our creek it slid slightly off the driveway, putting a big whopping dent in one of our 2 culverts. They eventually did get across the creek but it took them upwards of 45 minutes.

The third truck coming up the road!

Getting ready to cross the creek.

While waiting for the second module to arrive, the work crew was far from idle!

They unwrapped the dormers, put moisture barrier paper on them and put the windows in.

Lowering the first module into place.

Making sure it was exactly square with the basement.

Raising the roof and putting the side walls in.

The first dormer is set!

Lowering in the second dormer.

The men and I watching as they secured the dormer. (left to right: Daniel, Josh, Me, and Daddy)

Putting on the next segment of roof.

Past the point of no return! Pulling the trailer out from under the second module.

Setting the second module.

I’ll post more pictures later!

~ Amy