House Project 2010: Weeks 8, 9, 10, 11

This past month of construction started with the unsettling realization that our kitchen wall had to come down. A kitchen wall that has stood in place - undisturbed - for 155 years. A wall that was almost 2 feet thick and whose contents were not completely known.

But the workers soon solved that mystery.

Like many other pioneer homes, our house is sitting on logs (that's what those large round circles are). Our foundation is rock.

The workers thought - at first - that they would get the wall down in 3 hours. It ended up taking 7 guys a full day's work to get this bugger down. SOLID ROCK from floor to ceiling!

Really? They couldn't find a better place to chuck the rocks than in my flowerbeds? Really?!?!?

Our famous Farmington rock. Can't wait to find a good use for it.

There were also a few bricks thrown in. Just randomly placed amongst the rocks in the wall.

We also found some old layers of wallpaper on some plaster sections. Very cool.

Windows came and made a world of difference.

Essential, but not worthy of picture taking, was the rough plumbing, duct work, heating and A/C, electrical, and insulation. It was an interesting process to watch. We've all had fun watching the sequential process of building a home.

While in Montana, the exterior started to go up. This was a little nerve wracking because we had been concerned about getting just the right color (a grayish-brown combination) with the right depth (not too dark but not too light). We weren't here to see our color choice go up. Maybe that was a good thing? I won't go into all of the details, but it was a fluke that we ended up with the color Thatch. It turned out to be the perfect color for us. We LOVE it.

My lovely and dedicated friend, R.M., took pictures and texted them to me on a daily basis. Thanks to her, our minds were put to ease, we knew all was going to be beautiful on the home front, and the workers were more than slightly distracted (due to her cuteness). Thanks, Rand!

This past week, the dry wall went up. It was a noisy process. Since the temporary wall was put in place - to act as support when the kitchen wall was taken down - it has also acted as a fortress against dust. We have had minimal dust during this process. We are going to have them keep that wall up until all of the sanding is done. We should be able to go through the messiest portion of construction virtually unscathed. Woot woot! We are grateful for simple miracles! :)

A large beam had to be hung where the previous kitchen wall had been to support the weight. The gold colored rectangle on the floor is where our back door used to be. Once that temporary wall comes down, our kitchen eating area will be expanded and this area will serve as the breezeway between the old and the new.

Any suggestions of where the basketball hoop should go?

On the left: access door to basement

Above: loft area and access to our master bedroom area

Hallway behind the stairs: closets, half bath, and new laundry room

On the right: access to old house through breezeway

On the right where there is a door open: access to garage

Master bedroom views.

Hallway with closets, half bath, and laundry room.


Our basement is quickly being filled with stuff from the attic and is serving as a dumping ground for all odds and ends.

What a difference a month, some color, windows, some decorative trim, and a clean camera lens can make!

All. Day. Long.

A temporary wall in our kitchen.

Quick Recovery

The suitcases have been unpacked.

The laundry has been done.

The house was cleaned from top to bottom yesterday, and the painting has resumed.

Our vacation is over.

How quickly a 10 day trip scurries by when a pit of projects waits for you.

But, oh, what a great 10 days it was.

I love you, Montana.

xoxoxox

Post note: Jeff was literally in his happy place when he hit the big 4-0 this year. Everyone dressed in black for the occasion (except for the birthday boy who was kept in the dark), but anything is doable - even starting a new decade - when you're enjoying Echo Lake.

Taking a Breather

Echo Lake via Google images

Every year when we head up to Montana to enjoy The Cabin with Jeff's family, I have one goal in mind:

Water ski around the island at least once during the week so I can say that I'm still young and healthy and strong enough to do it.

If you hear a hoot and a holler from clear up north, that's just me.

Have a great week, friends!

Sudsy Love

I think my son's 1.5" Lego Indiana Jones has a crush on me.

He reappears in my washing machine every single week.

Coincidence?

Despite my best efforts to secure my title as Meanest Mom in the Hood by swearing that any more toys (or rocks, electronics, candy or small animals) that go through the wash will be headed straight for the garbage, I just can't seem to get rid of Indy.

Maybe it's the rugged facial stubble.

Or the fact that he carries a bullwhip and a bullwhip is such a manly thing to carry.

Or perhaps it's because his adventures have left him with only one hand.

{Curse you spin cycle!}

Whatever the reason, I just can't get rid of this guy. I spot him at the bottom of the washer at the conclusion of a load of darks - hat and whip scattered recklessly - and I just can't chuck him.

I put him back together, bid him farewell, and call to Brittan to put him away.

And know that our paths will soon cross again.

In the laundry room.

It's a Mormon Thing

Our annual trek to Montana is quickly approaching and our family has been reminiscing about the wonderment and absolute serenity of Big Sky Country.

If you've never ventured to the Big Fork area (specifically Echo Lake), you're missing out on a spectacular part of the world. Glacier National Park should be on everyone's must-see-before-I'm-6-feet-under list.

Breathtaking. Peaceful. Earthy. Centering. Rejuvenating.

As we've been talking about past trips and memories formed at The Cabin, the topic has turned to whether or not the boat is going to be running in tiptop shape this year. Kennedy is eager to learn to slalom, Taiden wants to wakeboard, and Britt is ready for his maiden voyage on H2O stix. The boat occasionally pleads for mercy and reminds us of its age by refusing to start or sputtering gas and oil into the water.

Or maybe the boat just doesn't like to start easily for Jeff and his older brother Darin, because it remembers them in their youth. Perhaps it remembers Jeff's invisible ink jokingly being sprayed on Darin's new shirt and the teenage brother ruckus that followed - while afloat. The hubbub that took focus off of driving the boat and the commotion that ended them up across the bay and onto the shore. (And by, the shore, I mean, dry land.) The tomfoolery that tore a hole into the side of the boat, broke the windshield with Jeff's head, and landed him in the hospital awaiting stitches.

Do you think a boat can hold a grudge?

Last summer, we were out on the lake with our kids and a nephew when the boat decided it was done. It was kaput. Try as he might, Jeff could not get the engine to fire up. We floated and drifted into shore - on the other side of the lake. We waited for our rescue crew - back on the dock - to come save us, but they were having too much fun to notice that we had been gone for a very long time. With the sun beating on us and no hopes of getting out of the situation anytime soon, a suggestion was made that we say a prayer.

So, we prayed.

Shortly after the prayer, our nephew (who is not a member of our LDS faith) became emotional. We asked him what was wrong. We soon realized that our action of saying a prayer made him feel that we were doomed and were surrendering to our dire situation. He felt a mortal white flag was being waved and he was not comfortable with that notion.

Jeff quickly reassured him.

"Hey, it's OK. We're Mormons. We pray about everything!"

My husband speaks the truth.

The boat eventually gave up its grievance, the engine started, and we made it safely back to our side of the lake. My kids learned about the power of prayer and our nephew learned that we Mormons bow our heads on a regular basis.

Now if the boat can just learn a lesson on forgiveness...

Greedy Gobble Gannet

In celebration of Independence Day from the Red Coats, I'd like to share some snappy British humor.

Catherine Tate has been our YouTube favorite all weekend long. Check her out.

In the Good Old Summertime

I've mentioned before that I blog for several reasons.

First, I like to write. My blog is my chance to do this. Sometimes my writing feels spot on and natural and sometimes feels awkward and forced. Blogging helps me through weekly writing exercises.

Second, I like to feel like I'm talking to somebody other than myself on this blog. I know there are a handful of you who are regulars. Most of you I know in person, but I'm aware that I have several blogging friends out there whom I haven't had the privilege to meet. Friends who live in various parts of the good old U.S. of A. and a few that live overseas. That part of blogging is very mysterious and intriguing to me. (Especially You - You evasive United Kingdom enigma. Can't you at least leave one comment?)

Third, I want my blog - which will eventually be printed out and bound in a family book - to prove to my kids that they did have some fun in their childhood. That their early lives were not just a long, drawn out snore-fest full of boredom and lethargy. I want them to see that we worked hard and played hard. And we did it as a family. I especially want them to see that the Summer of 2010 was not a complete waste. That - although it is the summer of endless house projects - we did manage to have at least one fun outing every single week. And that the weekly campfires in the backyard, evening popsicle pow wows under our trees, and strolls along Lagoon trail counted for something. They may not have registered high on the summer fun radar, but they allowed for quiet family time during the busiest time of our family history.

This week's family field trip started with lunch at the Lone Star Taqueria. We'd never been there before, but when Guy Fieri - from Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives - told us we needed to try it out, we did just as he said.

So glad we did. The boys and I got Carne Asada burritos which were delicious. The tomatillo salsa is out of this world. But the star of the meal was Kennedy's marinated pork salad with jalapeno mayo dressing. Unbelievable! They have the best guacamole I've ever eaten.

The place was packed, so we had to park at the city library which was a block away.

The kids loved the car and funky atmosphere.

Our next stop was Wheeler Farm.

I bought the kids flavored honey sticks.

Any place that provides lots of trees to climb has an A+ rating from my boys.

There's a part of me that would have loved to have been raised on a farm. Because with a farm comes a beautiful farm house. We loved this one and the detailed wood work on the porch.

Pigs, cows, donkeys, rabbits, goats, chickens, turkeys, and ducks.

We took a fun wagon ride.

It was a good day.