Ditto!

Well, I didn't blog Saturday night, which means half of what happened that day has probably already left my mind! :) But I wanted to put something down quick with an update!

Tina's house has almost all the siding on it, and had it's electrical put in! It's really cool to walk through there...you can see where every outlet, smoke detector, light switch and door bell is going to be. There are little blue boxes everywhere! Zahn's and Robin's houses have all their Tyvek and windows in. Ashlee's house is roofed, and I think Nathan's is too. (See...it's a blur!) We were mostly in three groups this weekend: The Tyvek/Windows group, and two groups that were building the second stories of Garrett and Amanda's house and Selina and Jerica's house. Anna and Josh's house had all of the bottom floor interiors built (but not put in), and they will be getting joists for the second floor this week. I'm guessing Robin's house will get electric this week (I'm not sure if Robin and Zahn have plumbing yet, since I didn't walk through there.) Ashlee's started to get Tyvek'd and windowed at the end of Saturday. (Ahren and Daniel taught me how to Tyvek...SO FUN! You get to whack this big staple hammer into the side of the wall...very theraputic!) Ahren then taught me how to put a window in...hmmm...very precise hammering is involved and I don't think I like it! I'm guessing Nathan's is next on the house wrap, then Robert's (who still needs some sheeting put in), and by then Jerica/Selina and Garrett/Amanda's should be not far behind!

We have six houses entirely framed. 2 houses that I'm guessing will get trusses next weekend (which means as far as the building goes, they are entirely framed), and Josh and Anna's will most likely be finished up with the framing next weekend. That leaves three to start: Pennoyers, Linda's and ours.

I think optimistically we could be done framing by May, and then we have to wait til the contractors catch up! :) My educated guess is after plumbing and electric comes drywall, then paint then floors! Tina's house is there!

The best news of all was after working a ten hour day on Saturday, I wasn't sore at all on Sunday! (And I did lots of heavy lifting!) I do have a gnarly swollen bruise/scrape on my leg from hitting a bunch of 2x6 when I was walking by, and a splinter of sheeting in my hand that I still can't get out, but it's much better than being in pain! :)

We are so thankful for all the people who help us! It's truly a fiasco trying to figure out how to get in all our hours, work out childcare, and stay sane! So far it's all come together, and there are definately people who are giving up a lot of their spare time to help us, and we will never be able to thank them enough! You know who you are! Last weekend, we had to leave earlier on Saturday so I could go to my nephews birthday party. The next day, I was going to have to put in a 9 hour day by myself, since Ahren was staying home with the kids. Josh and Anna came out and worked half of my day with me, so I could leave at noon and spend some time with my family. That's LOVE! :) They had already worked their own 30 hours and still came out to help. THAT is building a community!

I still love it, and I honestly doubt there will be a time I don't. It's busy and stressful and exhausting. There are weeks I don't know how we will make it work, but while I'm out there hoisting up walls and learning, it makes me smile!

It won't be too long before you see pictures of our house being put together...it's right around the corner. A few weeks ago, it seemed like forever, but it's here!

(No pics this week...it was raining!)

Until next week!
HB