"I'm proud of the house we've built,
It's stronger than sticks, stones and steel.
It's not a big place sittin' up high on some hill,
A lot of things will come and go but love never will.
I'm proud. I'm proud of the house we've built."
~Montgomery Gentry
Saturday when Ross announced we only have TWO more Saturday meetings, it hit me: We've done it.
12 households worth of people who'd never met before have built a neighborhood, friendships, a community.
Standing in my living room, vacuuming up the floors and washing windows, I have superman powers. I see through the drywall, insulation, and wiring. I see a group of people hoisting up that wall, I remember the smiles, the joking, the cursing. I remember the good weather, and the TRULY crappy weather. Over the course of nearly a year, we have built twelve houses. Twelve homes. And we have grown as individuals, and as a group. I have never been more proud. I still grin when I crest that hill in the morning, even at 7:50 a.m. It's amazing, and we've done it!
Three of the houses recieved carpet last week. They have little things that need to be done, but they are essentially done. Six or seven more get carpet this week, and Josh & Anna and Ahren & I get carpet on the first. My house is almost fully trimmed, the plumbing, sinks, hot water heater and faucets are all in and functional. Everyone else is done up to this point. We have two and a half rooms of trim to finish and some closets, and we're done.
Done.
D-O-N-E.
November 10 the USDA will come inspect our houses, and hand 12 grinning idiots the keys to their brand new homes.
Amazing. :)
I think that first mortgage payment may be my favorite bill EVER! :)
I could not have asked for a better build group, a more amazing group of individuals to share this journey with. You all will forever be a part of my home and my heart.
Nostalgic already, and we're still a few weeks out. I am so thankful. Blessed. Amazed.
We're almost there, Kingston Cedars 1, and WE ROCKED IT!
HB :)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
I said I wasn't going to blog again...
....but I feel like it's the only thing that's keeping me sane!
Saturday morning I grumbled all morning about having to go out, how I wanted to be done, and how I was over it. Then I got there, and our COUNTERTOPS were in!!!! Our underlayment was in for vinyl, and Ahren was measuring for a porch. It was many beautiful sights!
Then I vacuumed, dusted, swept, and cleaned the house that love built for SIX HOURS STRAIGHT, and the next morning I could hardly get out of bed.
The rest of the crew spread topsoil and worked on trim. It's coming along...I just wish it were coming quicker!
Ross told me probably early to mid-November. I'd love to rally my neighbors, bust it out, and move in sooner, but frankly, I don't think any of us have it in us! We'll see...you just never know!
A few pictures to share:
Then I vacuumed, dusted, swept, and cleaned the house that love built for SIX HOURS STRAIGHT, and the next morning I could hardly get out of bed.
The rest of the crew spread topsoil and worked on trim. It's coming along...I just wish it were coming quicker!
Ross told me probably early to mid-November. I'd love to rally my neighbors, bust it out, and move in sooner, but frankly, I don't think any of us have it in us! We'll see...you just never know!
A few pictures to share:
Ahren Painting!
Our Floors!
Exterior lights!
Garage Graffiti!
Hopefully next week I'll be gushing on and on about how beautiful my vinyl is! :) And then after that my driveway (if it ever stops raining), my trim, and my landscaping!
And to all you garden-minded people...I'd LOVE for you to come help us landscape on Saturday. (I'll be hiding in a house somewhere...I hate gardening!) :)
Thanks all for following the journey! We truly appreciate your love and support!
HB
Monday, September 19, 2011
Whoopsie...
Six weeks...sorry 'bout that.
The cold hard truth is I'm tired. I'm tired, I miss my family, and I want my weekends and family time back. I'm tired of begging for volunteer hours, babysitting, and worrying about how I'm going to piece it all again the next week. Those of you who know me know that I'm usually pretty "susie sunshine" about life, but I think I'm slipping a little! I know we're close to done, but I'm starting to hope I'm not in a padded room by the time we get there!!
The houses are looking amazing. I'm so proud everytime I drive up there. I love my neighbors, I love my house, and I love the feat we have accomplished. There are a few houses pretty much just waiting on CARPET and landscaping. Seriously. Say it with me. D-O-N-E! Most are waiting for doors/trim (and I hate trim). Everyone (including us) have their floor done! (YAHOO!) Everyone except us has entirely installed cabinets. Everyone else has vinyl installed, some people have their two-button toilets and sinks and countertops and fixtures. We are all really just working on trim and landscaping. My educated guess is we're looking at the first-ish of November, although I'd love for it to be the mid of Octoberish. I'd love to say to you "We're moving in four weeks". Geesh...just typing it made me get teary! I want some contractor fairy to come and finish the trim, and ross to say to me at the next Saturday morning "Two weeks and you're in!" (I say that now, but then I'd have to MOVE this house full of crap and that's a whole different ball of wax!)
So how about the house that love built? It's freaking fantastic. Really. It's gorgeous. I get all teary and smiley and goofy everytime I see it. Friday afternoon I went up to see if I liked the island where Ahren put it in. It's gorgeous. It's painted and pretty, it's lovely. We have light switches that turn on lights that have light fixtures installed. We have outlets. Real outlets. We have HEATERS in the main rooms, bathroom fans that run, and frankly I couldn't be happier about it. It's gorgeous. We drove the kids out Sunday to see the floor and lights, and our exterior light was turned on. It gave me goosebumps. It looked like people LIVE there. Like a home. Like the home that it is, and has been since we lifted that first wall. It looks like a house that love built, and it FEELS like the house that love built. Everyday.
So I guess at the end of the day, I'm tired. I'm ready to be done. I miss my life, I want it back. I want to call my neighbors and say "Let's BBQ" or "Let's have pizza", visit, and go home. But it's been worth it. Every single second of it. I have met some people who will be a part of my life forever. Some people who are truly a part of my heart, who I love like my own family, and who have shared an amazing adventure with me. Nothing will take that away...not even another 6-8 weeks of construction.
But I'm ready to be done. Let's hurry it up already. :)
HB
(Pictures soon. I promise to take lots this weekend)
The cold hard truth is I'm tired. I'm tired, I miss my family, and I want my weekends and family time back. I'm tired of begging for volunteer hours, babysitting, and worrying about how I'm going to piece it all again the next week. Those of you who know me know that I'm usually pretty "susie sunshine" about life, but I think I'm slipping a little! I know we're close to done, but I'm starting to hope I'm not in a padded room by the time we get there!!
The houses are looking amazing. I'm so proud everytime I drive up there. I love my neighbors, I love my house, and I love the feat we have accomplished. There are a few houses pretty much just waiting on CARPET and landscaping. Seriously. Say it with me. D-O-N-E! Most are waiting for doors/trim (and I hate trim). Everyone (including us) have their floor done! (YAHOO!) Everyone except us has entirely installed cabinets. Everyone else has vinyl installed, some people have their two-button toilets and sinks and countertops and fixtures. We are all really just working on trim and landscaping. My educated guess is we're looking at the first-ish of November, although I'd love for it to be the mid of Octoberish. I'd love to say to you "We're moving in four weeks". Geesh...just typing it made me get teary! I want some contractor fairy to come and finish the trim, and ross to say to me at the next Saturday morning "Two weeks and you're in!" (I say that now, but then I'd have to MOVE this house full of crap and that's a whole different ball of wax!)
So how about the house that love built? It's freaking fantastic. Really. It's gorgeous. I get all teary and smiley and goofy everytime I see it. Friday afternoon I went up to see if I liked the island where Ahren put it in. It's gorgeous. It's painted and pretty, it's lovely. We have light switches that turn on lights that have light fixtures installed. We have outlets. Real outlets. We have HEATERS in the main rooms, bathroom fans that run, and frankly I couldn't be happier about it. It's gorgeous. We drove the kids out Sunday to see the floor and lights, and our exterior light was turned on. It gave me goosebumps. It looked like people LIVE there. Like a home. Like the home that it is, and has been since we lifted that first wall. It looks like a house that love built, and it FEELS like the house that love built. Everyday.
So I guess at the end of the day, I'm tired. I'm ready to be done. I miss my life, I want it back. I want to call my neighbors and say "Let's BBQ" or "Let's have pizza", visit, and go home. But it's been worth it. Every single second of it. I have met some people who will be a part of my life forever. Some people who are truly a part of my heart, who I love like my own family, and who have shared an amazing adventure with me. Nothing will take that away...not even another 6-8 weeks of construction.
But I'm ready to be done. Let's hurry it up already. :)
HB
(Pictures soon. I promise to take lots this weekend)
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Trust me...I've been doing YOU a favor!
A friend recently told me that she's been following my blog and always loved reading them. Then she mentioned maybe she hadn't read them in a while. I had to admit that I hadn't WRITTEN one in a while. BUT with very good reason.
YOU do not want to read over and over what we've been doing. Why? It can be summed up in one word.
Paint.
I mean, I could spiff it up a few ways.
Painterific.
Painterama.
Paintapalooza.
But it all boils down to paint.
Other things have been happening, but I've been so bogged down by, well...PAINT, that I forget to appreciate them! So here it goes.
ALL the houses are "done" with exterior paint. I say "done", because really if there's anything to be done, it's just a little teeny weensy touch up here or there, and most importantly, I need to believe we are D-O-N-E! Ahren and I spent 8 hours yesterday doing "touch ups" and such, as did most of our neighbors. Blek. Painting has been my least favorite part thus far, and I'm sure at the end, I'll say the same.
Tina, Zhan, Robin, Ashlee, Nathan, Robert and Garrett's houses are all done with paint...INSIDE AND OUT! The first 5 have cabinets, light switches, heaters, fixtures installed, and flooring sitting there waiting for the green light to get started (which Ahren can't wait for!) Robert's cabinets are partially installed, Garretts are probably in his garage (I didn't look), and Selina and Jerica's are in Ashlee's garage. Today Selina and Jerica's was taped off and Josh and Anna were just getting ready to spray primer down!
Anna & Josh and Pennoyers have drywall in, and Linda's was about half way done! I'm anticipating ALL drywall/sheetrock mud and tape will be completed by the middle of next week, if not sooner!
The house that love built passed electrical and framing inspection last week! The heating guy is running some interior pvc and hoses so we don't have them all over the exterior of our house (bless him), and then our insulation will be blown in on Tuesday!! Then sheetrock, paint, and cabinets! This part goes quick! (It's just the blasted painting that drags on forever!)
After that, we start laying the laminate for the floors. Laminate counter top, carpet and vinyl are installed by "professionals". We just bid on gutters, so that will be done soon. After laminate flooring and carpet are in, we just have trim work/doors and landscaping.
The excavator is coming to start final grade and driveways soon, too!
Ross keeps sticking to his November time frame, but I'm calling BOLOGNA! This group KICKS ARSE and we are SO going to be in before then!
Hopefully we are on to much more exciting things, and I will feel more motivated to share our progress without having to include the "P" word! :)
Thanks for following, and for your support, your help, your thoughts! Each and every one means the world to us!
HB
YOU do not want to read over and over what we've been doing. Why? It can be summed up in one word.
Paint.
I mean, I could spiff it up a few ways.
Painterific.
Painterama.
Paintapalooza.
But it all boils down to paint.
Other things have been happening, but I've been so bogged down by, well...PAINT, that I forget to appreciate them! So here it goes.
ALL the houses are "done" with exterior paint. I say "done", because really if there's anything to be done, it's just a little teeny weensy touch up here or there, and most importantly, I need to believe we are D-O-N-E! Ahren and I spent 8 hours yesterday doing "touch ups" and such, as did most of our neighbors. Blek. Painting has been my least favorite part thus far, and I'm sure at the end, I'll say the same.
Tina, Zhan, Robin, Ashlee, Nathan, Robert and Garrett's houses are all done with paint...INSIDE AND OUT! The first 5 have cabinets, light switches, heaters, fixtures installed, and flooring sitting there waiting for the green light to get started (which Ahren can't wait for!) Robert's cabinets are partially installed, Garretts are probably in his garage (I didn't look), and Selina and Jerica's are in Ashlee's garage. Today Selina and Jerica's was taped off and Josh and Anna were just getting ready to spray primer down!
Anna & Josh and Pennoyers have drywall in, and Linda's was about half way done! I'm anticipating ALL drywall/sheetrock mud and tape will be completed by the middle of next week, if not sooner!
The house that love built passed electrical and framing inspection last week! The heating guy is running some interior pvc and hoses so we don't have them all over the exterior of our house (bless him), and then our insulation will be blown in on Tuesday!! Then sheetrock, paint, and cabinets! This part goes quick! (It's just the blasted painting that drags on forever!)
After that, we start laying the laminate for the floors. Laminate counter top, carpet and vinyl are installed by "professionals". We just bid on gutters, so that will be done soon. After laminate flooring and carpet are in, we just have trim work/doors and landscaping.
The excavator is coming to start final grade and driveways soon, too!
Ross keeps sticking to his November time frame, but I'm calling BOLOGNA! This group KICKS ARSE and we are SO going to be in before then!
Hopefully we are on to much more exciting things, and I will feel more motivated to share our progress without having to include the "P" word! :)
HB
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Exciting new stuff!
Wow...I can't believe it's been almost a month since I blogged! CRAZY!
I guess I've felt like there's not much to tell you. We do a LOT of painting...I even learned how to paint interiors with primer on Tina's house! (I'm not a fan!) Almost all of the houses have their exterior paint on them, and people are working on trim. (Ross said by the end of July all the exteriors will be finished.) Tina, Zhan and Robin's cabinets were delivered last week (and they are HEAVY!). Tina has heaters and over head lighting installed, and Robin, Zhan and Tina's paint/texture is all done. Just a little trim painting on the exteriors and their houses will be finished on the exterior!
As I said, there's been a lot of painting, and waiting for the contractors to get through the houses. Linda posted a picture on facebook that made me laugh...it's a roofer, a sider, and two guys on the inside all working on her house at once! (I told her to stop being greedy and share the wealth!) :) We got windows installed last weekend, Tyvek, and our roof is half on (the shingles). The siders came and started yesterday, and we will be the last house to get siding! YAHOO! Hooray for "lasts!" From memory, Garrett & Amanda, Robert, Nathan, Ashlee, Selina & Jerica, Robin, Zhan and Tina's houses are all mainly painted. Linda, Pennoyers, Josh & Anna and ours are still waiting to be painted. The plumber was in our house this week, and I'm guessing as soon as all the windows are installed/roof is on, the electrician will come in, followed by the insulation guys, and then drywallers!
We are still a few months out, but Ahren and I have "chalked out" where our kitchen counters/island will be, and started figuring out where furniture will go. :)
I miss my neighbors. I don't know if it's because it's summer, or if it's because the work is a wee bit monotonous, but we are are rarely out there at the same time! I went out Sunday, and worked with Robin and her sister for a bit, Linda stopped by, Nathan and Zhan came right when I was about to leave, and Josh and Anna swung in to just say hi. I haven't seen all the others in nearly 2 weeks. With Ahren working days, he goes out a lot during the week and I stay home with the kidlets. This is another weekend I won't be out there..blek!
And it's worth noting that the second group has started in full force! I got to see them hoist their first wall up, and now I think they have four or five bottom floors framed, and were working on second story flooring on Sunday. I totally have framing envy! I loved framing! Now we paint. And paint. And paint. And paint. And paint. Did I mention paint? And then there's some more paint. Well, you get the point. :)
I was hoping we'd be in before November, but apparently Ross laughed when Ahren asked if this was a possibility. Drats. Oh well...it's nice to think we have just a little over three months left. That TOTALLY sounds do-able! :)
I'm going to put some pictures on the bottom here...I've been falling behind! :)
I PROMISE I will blog again next week! :) Until then!
HB
I guess I've felt like there's not much to tell you. We do a LOT of painting...I even learned how to paint interiors with primer on Tina's house! (I'm not a fan!) Almost all of the houses have their exterior paint on them, and people are working on trim. (Ross said by the end of July all the exteriors will be finished.) Tina, Zhan and Robin's cabinets were delivered last week (and they are HEAVY!). Tina has heaters and over head lighting installed, and Robin, Zhan and Tina's paint/texture is all done. Just a little trim painting on the exteriors and their houses will be finished on the exterior!
As I said, there's been a lot of painting, and waiting for the contractors to get through the houses. Linda posted a picture on facebook that made me laugh...it's a roofer, a sider, and two guys on the inside all working on her house at once! (I told her to stop being greedy and share the wealth!) :) We got windows installed last weekend, Tyvek, and our roof is half on (the shingles). The siders came and started yesterday, and we will be the last house to get siding! YAHOO! Hooray for "lasts!" From memory, Garrett & Amanda, Robert, Nathan, Ashlee, Selina & Jerica, Robin, Zhan and Tina's houses are all mainly painted. Linda, Pennoyers, Josh & Anna and ours are still waiting to be painted. The plumber was in our house this week, and I'm guessing as soon as all the windows are installed/roof is on, the electrician will come in, followed by the insulation guys, and then drywallers!
We are still a few months out, but Ahren and I have "chalked out" where our kitchen counters/island will be, and started figuring out where furniture will go. :)
I miss my neighbors. I don't know if it's because it's summer, or if it's because the work is a wee bit monotonous, but we are are rarely out there at the same time! I went out Sunday, and worked with Robin and her sister for a bit, Linda stopped by, Nathan and Zhan came right when I was about to leave, and Josh and Anna swung in to just say hi. I haven't seen all the others in nearly 2 weeks. With Ahren working days, he goes out a lot during the week and I stay home with the kidlets. This is another weekend I won't be out there..blek!
And it's worth noting that the second group has started in full force! I got to see them hoist their first wall up, and now I think they have four or five bottom floors framed, and were working on second story flooring on Sunday. I totally have framing envy! I loved framing! Now we paint. And paint. And paint. And paint. And paint. Did I mention paint? And then there's some more paint. Well, you get the point. :)
I was hoping we'd be in before November, but apparently Ross laughed when Ahren asked if this was a possibility. Drats. Oh well...it's nice to think we have just a little over three months left. That TOTALLY sounds do-able! :)
I'm going to put some pictures on the bottom here...I've been falling behind! :)
 |
| Tina and Zhans (our house will be the same as Zhans) |
 |
| Robin, Anna & Josh and Pennoyers |
 |
Garrett & Amanda's, Roberts (AKA Bobage)      |
HB
Sunday, June 19, 2011
ROOF!!!
Friday morning at work, my lovely neighbor Ashlee sent me a picture of my ROOF going on! :) I think every person at district office saw that picture inside 10 minutes...SO EXCITING!
I was telling Anna earlier this week how I get so overwhelmed with pride and a sense of accomplishment every time I crest the hill to see our little neighborhood taking shape. Call me a sap, call me a dweeb, call me overly-sentimental, but it's true. I am so proud of my family, of my neighbors, my friends. Everytime I see a new house painted, I think "Right on, Sam! Good work!" (Sam is currently our resident paint expert!) Everytime I see a neighbor with new windows, siding, or sheet rock, it's exciting! Even the things we don't do ourselves are another step on the journey. It's incredible. So if I haven't said it lately, thank you to all my Kingston Cedars I neighbors. I truly care about all of you, and am honored to share in this adventure with you! :)
PICTURES! I think I promised 2 weeks ago, but here are some updates:
 |
| Tinas: Painted, sheetrocked, taped and mudded! :) |
 |
Zhans: Accent color went on AFTER I took this pic, sheetrocked, taped and mudded!         |
Until next week! :)
HB
Thursday, June 16, 2011
12 Houses
Yup...12 houses. That's what we have. Saturday we rolled out all of our trusses, while two other groups worked on Tyvek/Windows and painting. We have 12 houses COMPLETELY FRAMED. ##andthecrowdgoeswild## :)
Super Sam has been doing the exterior painting, and it looks great! Tina's house has both the accent and main color on, and looks great! Zhan's house has all the base color down (which is the same red that ours will be and I LOVE IT), and I wouldn't be suprised if there will be more painting this weekend!
Otherwise it's all the punch lists (you know how I love those), and little things that need to be done here or there. A good chunk of the houses have sheetrock, and I believe Ross said they were going to start on tape and mud. Linda's house had the roof and punch list completed yesterday. We will get roof sheeting sometime in the not so distant future, and then we will be tyvek and window'd. :)
I can't wait to start on the next big project (whatever that will be). I really liked framing. Really. Very instant-gratification, and I understood it! Now we are going to have painting, flooring, kitchens, landscaping...yup. you guessed it...I know nothing. All this wandering around with a list written in construction gibberish gives me a slight headache. I hope we have a super productive summer, and blow any other group out of the water as far as production time! LET'S GO CEDARS ONE! :)
Oh...and all our new neighbors started last week. 14 houses. I met our next door neighbor, and she seems really nice. :) Also, I was at the mall this week buying nail polish, handed the girl my debit card, and she looks up and said "Oh, you're Heather Ben-Judah." Uhhh...yeah? "We are going to be neighbors. I'm 23." To which I so poetically responded "Oh..you're the hole!" :) (There's a blank lot between Jerica and Linda..the hole.) It was so refreshing to look down from my second story window while the boys were rolling out our trusses and see that group laying down their first mudsil. I hated that. :) I muttered about how advanced we were now...to which Ross muttered back something and snorted. I think I'm glad I didn't hear him. :)
It's coming along. :) I fear the next phase is going to be a lot of little here-and-there stuff, and it's going to take a lot to keep us focused and motivated. BUT WE CAN DO IT! We're building a freaking community. That takes a whole lotta awesome...and we've GOT IT! :)
Happy Father's Day to all you dad's out there! :) Hope it's a relaxing day for you all! :)
HB
Super Sam has been doing the exterior painting, and it looks great! Tina's house has both the accent and main color on, and looks great! Zhan's house has all the base color down (which is the same red that ours will be and I LOVE IT), and I wouldn't be suprised if there will be more painting this weekend!
Otherwise it's all the punch lists (you know how I love those), and little things that need to be done here or there. A good chunk of the houses have sheetrock, and I believe Ross said they were going to start on tape and mud. Linda's house had the roof and punch list completed yesterday. We will get roof sheeting sometime in the not so distant future, and then we will be tyvek and window'd. :)
I can't wait to start on the next big project (whatever that will be). I really liked framing. Really. Very instant-gratification, and I understood it! Now we are going to have painting, flooring, kitchens, landscaping...yup. you guessed it...I know nothing. All this wandering around with a list written in construction gibberish gives me a slight headache. I hope we have a super productive summer, and blow any other group out of the water as far as production time! LET'S GO CEDARS ONE! :)
Oh...and all our new neighbors started last week. 14 houses. I met our next door neighbor, and she seems really nice. :) Also, I was at the mall this week buying nail polish, handed the girl my debit card, and she looks up and said "Oh, you're Heather Ben-Judah." Uhhh...yeah? "We are going to be neighbors. I'm 23." To which I so poetically responded "Oh..you're the hole!" :) (There's a blank lot between Jerica and Linda..the hole.) It was so refreshing to look down from my second story window while the boys were rolling out our trusses and see that group laying down their first mudsil. I hated that. :) I muttered about how advanced we were now...to which Ross muttered back something and snorted. I think I'm glad I didn't hear him. :)
It's coming along. :) I fear the next phase is going to be a lot of little here-and-there stuff, and it's going to take a lot to keep us focused and motivated. BUT WE CAN DO IT! We're building a freaking community. That takes a whole lotta awesome...and we've GOT IT! :)
Happy Father's Day to all you dad's out there! :) Hope it's a relaxing day for you all! :)
HB
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