SOOOOOOOO PROUD!!!  

Posted by cokelady

And just as achy!!! Ha! It's been a VERY productive day today. We didn't get a LOT of projects done, but the ones we did were BIG!!! :-)

Things started off normal enough with breakfast, cleaning up and devotions. I sent the kids off to play, thinking we'd gather again at 11:00 for school. HA! Never saw a school book today. I knew James would be needing my help, but I didn't realize how much help he'd be needing!

It was time to set up the walls that he had built out in the garage. One wall really, but in two sections--a 6' section and a 10' section. No, wait. The first project was ridding ourselves of the garage door, piece by piece. Then we got the rail and everything else out of there. After that we spent, oh, quite some time (!) wrestling the two wall sections into place! Ha! James did a GREAT job though and the wall fits really good! He even built the window hole just right and we slid it right into place. And get this: everything is LEVEL!!! Not perfectly level, but the bubble stays between the lines on the level, so we're GOOD!!! :-) I sound almost as surprised as James did the other day when we tested the window in the hole in the wall for it (while it was still laying on the garage floor). It slid perfectly into place and with the most astonished voice James said, "It fits!!!" Almost like he was confused by the fact that he'd done it right! Ha!

This is what it looks like from the inside. This will be the boys' room eventually. Maybe by Christmas??? :-)


The boys love having their own tools to work with. They really don't have their OWN yet, but we let the borrow some to keep them occupied on days like today!

James and I didn't really have an expectations of getting much more done after getting the wall up and in place. But somehow we just jumped right into the next project, which was putting up the log siding to match the rest of the house.

This is a picture of the house when we first went to look at it. You can see the mountain man we bought it from there in the garage, along with all of his junk.

This is what the house looked like this afternoon once we got the wall up and the window installed.

And this is what it looked like a few hours later! Wa-Hoo!!!
We'll be staining the new logs to match the others--and then resealing the whole house. It REALLY needs it!

It was a long a grueling day, but sooooooo fulfilling! My back was so sore and achy, but I soaked in a nice, hot bath for a while tonight and feel great now. :-) I am just sooooo proud of us! I mean, this was BIG!!! I still think of us as teen-agers... wait. I still think of ME as a teenager (I always say that James was born 80 years old! Ha!) and I still feel that way most of the time, and it just seems like the coolest thing that my husband and I just BUILT A WALL! Ha! Silly to some folks, I'm sure, but it just feels so bizarre and amazing that we were able to DO something like that--and it looks pretty good, I think! :-)

We finished up just before dark and came in for a late dinner. Ravioli for the kids and scrambled egg and ham and cheese sandwhich for James. I didn't really eat, just munched. It's been a long and tiring day. But I'm so proud of us! Have I mentioned that?! ;-)

Ah, yes! I saw the picture on Emilee's blog of her gorgeous trees and thought I should post a picture of mine:

Ha! The baby aspen trees James ordered for me came yesterday, so I planted them today in the middle of our other projects. I've got my very own little aspen grove! Ha! Now given, they're not quite as impressive as Emilee's maple yet... Ha! I have great hope that these sad little twigs will someday be beautiful white aspen trees with brilliant golden leaves in the fall. :-) --Look this little guy even has a leaf already! Ha!

And here's one of the roses from out front. Pretty, hu?

Seems strange to me to have roses in October, but we're enjoying them!

And that's about it from here! Hope everybody has a really great weekend. :-)

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8 comments

I'm SO impressed that you built your very own wall! You're making great memories! And you're doing such a good job. You'll have that project whipped out in no time. HA! Really, you've made great progress already. We'll hopefully get the laundry room and second bathroom all finished up while I'm there and you can then enjoy the beauty of those rooms while you're working on the garage conversion.
--James' expression in the picture of you guys standing in front of the completed log siding is too funny! I know he's saying in his mind, "If you drop that camera, boy, you're in BIG trouble!" HA!
Love the aspen trees. And I think you've planted them in the perfect place. You're really making that place your very own. NEAT!

Wow! Cool...you guys built your own wall. I'm impressed! And the window fit even. That's doubly impressive. :-) Congratulations!!! And I have to agree with Mom...James's face is terrific in the picutre of the new siding! He looks less than thrilled.

Your rose is very pretty...what a neat color!

I hope your little aspens grow into big, beautiful, golden-leaved aspens...someday! :-)

Wow! That is impressive that you guys figured that out and everything fit and all. It looks like you did a great job. :D Go, you!!!!

The boys look so busy with ther pieces of wood and their tools. How cute!!

We could never build a wall! It is an accomplishment in my book.

Wow, that is neat that you guys built your own wall and that the window fit!!! Looks good. That is exciting to see. Good job you two!!! :)

That rose is beautiful, btw.

I've had those mom meltdowns before. They are not fun, but they do seem to help get the needed change in the house. (Dad's are great for helping out with that. Must be because they hate seeing their beautiful wives so frazzled.)

That is NO FAIR that you got snow before we did!!! Puzzle day. That is a neat idea. I love soups on cold days. Fun pictures of your family enjoying the snow! I like the one of James and Joe with his hat on backwards. :)

That's a GREAT pictures of Katie in her way too big sweater! lol! What a great face. :) Sam did a great job on that lego man. Too cute!

Wow! what a great job and quick too. Would you consider coming out here to finish my place. It seems you two work a lot quicker than my crew. I'm beginning to think I will never live in this house. What a cute aspen tree. Ya think I could make one grow out here? Probably not. Miss the aspens in the fall. Having terrible homesick pains for Colorado today,

I am totally impressed with what you and James have accomplished. It looks great and such a bonus to have the window just "slip in"! ~smile~

The rose is beautiful. I love the way Sam is standing while swinging that hammer. Which son was taking the picture of the three of you standing in front of your new wall? Whomever it was...he did good.

Mom--Thanks! We're pretty impressed, too! ;-) I'm sure James is banking on us getting AT LEAST the bathroom and utility room finished while you're here! Ha! And YES, that is exactly what James was thinking while Joe was taking our picture!

Emilee--I know, it's soooooo cool!!! Our very own wall. ~sigh~ Makes a girl feel truly accomplished. As for my little aspens, I think it will be neat to watch them grow and see how long it takes for them to pass the "twig" stage. ;-)

Amy--I love the picture of the boys and their tools, too. They LOVE to "work" like that.

Sister Tammy--Cool! Us "kids" can out-do you at something! :-)

Rebekah--It makes me feel so much better when I hear that all the other Moms out there have meltdowns just like me. And I CAN'T BELIEVE we got snow before you did! That is so bizarre!!! It's probably because I WANTED it more. ;-)

Sister Marcia--You'll never believe this, but the aspens that James ordered actually CAME from North Carolina!!! I was a little disturbed when he told me that part! Ha! Why not get some from COLORADO--their natural habitat?! But apparently they grow just fine in NC... at least into twigs! Ha!

Sister Tammi--I wish you guys could come see our house in person! Actually, house or no house I wish you could come see US in person! Ha! Maybe someday. Lots of comments on the rose, I see. It is very pretty. Joe was the one getting the death stare from his dad while taking the picture. ;-)