Raise the Roof!

Friday was a beautiful day. Our roofers must have thought so too. They got on our house and really got busy. The shingles were delivered on Thursday, and by Friday night nearly all the roof was done. Only half of the front was left to do, and that was finished Saturday. They sure did hit their window of opportunity because we woke up to snow.

It is really moving along

The back corner...I also installed the patio door on Friday night.

After putting in the patio door on Friday night, we headed up to Island Park. Saturday morning we slid down the hill, played in the powder with the kids and Star, and rode snow-machines. I went with Chris, Jake & Dave on the Lion Head Loop, and to Hebgen Lake. I took along the camera and got some cool images along the way. Hebgen Lake looked really cool, mostly because not too many people had been out that way, you could see one set of tracks out on the frozen lake...I don't think I would push my luck doing the same.

Campsite #21 Picnic Table, Hebgen Lake.

Cement and Windows

The house is coming along great! This week framing continued, rough-in of the plumbing started on the first floor, the basement floor was poured Friday, and Dad and I installed the windows on Saturday. We are really excited! We need to get our roofers and heating contractor started soon, then once the plumbing and electrical are done we can insulate it. I will have the doors hung in a week or two...as soon as we get them.

Looks great with windows doesn't it?

The back of the house. The funny little windows are in our closet and bathroom.

Our basement...with a floor, not just mud!

One month along

Jan 12, 2008--One month after the hole was dug.

Construction on the house has been going for one month now. It has really come a long way. December 12 the hole was dug and the foundation was poured. This last week a lot of framing has gone up. The outside of the house has really taken shape, as well as the interior walls (aside from the basement).

The muddy basement--each step makes your feet heavier.

I spent much of the week working on melting the ground of the basement and getting the water and sewer lines buried. Tonight Jessica's dad and brother helped me get the rest of the trenches filled in and mostly level. We hope to pour on Thursday or Friday. Our windows will be coming on Friday, so I will be installing them on Saturday morning.

Jess and the kids in our back yard--the kids want to keep the dirt mound there.

The plumber came back today and started roughing in the plumbing and even delivered the jetted tub and kids' shower/tub. In the next few weeks should see the plumbing and electrical get very far. Then the insulation and exterior...it sure is exciting!

House Progress

Backfilling the foundation

With everything else that is going on, our house is also progressing. We started about three or four weeks ago, and it is really progressing. The framers we got are great. They started on Christmas Eve...well, they intended to but the lumber wasn't delivered, so they started the day after Christmas. We had to get them a generator, and thankfully dad had a friend that loaned us his and my boss let us use a truck to haul the generator back and forth. They even worked New Years Eve and New Years Day.

Our new house...so far.

With the set backs we were still able to make some progress. As you can see, the walls are up. We should get the trusses done this week, and the roof sheeted. We have the basement windows installed (temporary, so that we can pour the floor through them.) I will be working on thawing out the basement so that we can pour the floor. I've also got the windows ordered and we should have them soon...needless to say, we are very excited.

Shriners

TJ can really get around now...he sometimes even asks to have his foot put on.

TJ is just about grown out of his first prosthetic. He got it back in August, and you know how kids grow. So Wednesday night we drove down and stayed at the Crystal Inn so the kids could swim in the pool. It was a lot of fun. We were letting them stay up a bit later to swim and get worn out with the hope that they would sleep in a bit...nope! TJ was up a lot of the night, then up at 5am, and Topher was up at 6! I was not a happy camper Thursday morning.

TJ loves this car at Shriners...even if it is just pushing his sister around.

We got to Shriner's early so that the kids could play in the cool big playroom before TJ's fitting. Then I took him in for his appointment. We thought he would be fine...but again our notions were wrong. He wanted his mom! So Jess and the kids came down to join us. He was much happier.

TJ thought it was funny to have his leg wrapped in plastic.

I've tot to say that the people who work at Shriners are really great with kids!

The prosthetic tech (I don't think this is his official title) wrapped his stump in plastic wrap then in fiberglass and he has to hold it while it sets up. Then he uses that to make a plastic sleeve to test the fit before he makes the actual prosthetic foot.

Eric making a fiberglass mold

Bla Bla Bla....anyway that was our trip...We will go back in a week or so to get the new one.

New Year Day Photos

On Tuesday, I went photographing with Andy Duncan, a friend from college. He showed me a great place southeast of Rexburg. We took my father-in-law's Saburban (and just about got stuck in the snow...FUN!) It was great to get out and make some images. I haven't seen Andy in a long time and it was great to catch up too. Check out his blog for his images from this trip...I think his are a bit better than mine. I feel that he is a more successful landscape photographer--Go, Andy, Go.

This is the shot we made from the roof of the Saburban

I think that maybe part of the reason I have gotten away from photographing is my lack of spending time with other photographers. I do get with Theo now and again, but I think that one may need several others in which they can work with to share ideas and thoughts with...to feed off each other. These last two little photo trips have been great...I need to go more often.

I thought it would be fun to take our dog, Star, out with us too. She had a blast! She ran and dug in the snow. I was quite suprised in how good she was too. I didn't have to chase her much, and when it was time to go she would get right into the car...we really lucked out with this dog.

The house we are building is really coming along. The walls are all framed and just about ready for the trusses. We should be pouring the basement floor next week (yea a little backward).

We also went down to Shriner's today to get TJ fitted for a new prosthetic. I'll get photos of that and the house posted soon. Things are just a bit crazy.