September 15th...the garage and sides go up

Today the garage walls went up and the sides for the first floor of the house started. Tomorrow, pending all goes well and the weather cooperates, the trusses will go up. Keep checking every day, as I will try to add each day...so much is changing...this weekend Larry (Amanda's dad), Daniel (Amanda's brother), Connie (Amanda's sister) and Daniel's friends will be up to help shingle the roof. With all that help, we should get most done in one weekend, so that Matt can return later to finish the rest of the house.

**Sorry the pictures are somewhat blurry...I took these later in the evening and used the night vision setting. If you aren't really still with the camera, the pictures blur pretty bad. These are the best of the ones I got.

September 13th-14th

PJ and Phil were hard at work this weekend, making sure that the geo-thermal system got finished buried, so to not risk damage with the collapsing trenches. The rain was really taking it's tole on the trenches. The coils were floating and the sides were caving in. They did finally get it all buried and all went fine.

Pictures from Sept. 12th

These pictures are from September 12th. The walls are up on the top floor. The more of the geo-thermal system has been worked on. It's nice to see the structure of the top floor come to shape. We will have our door and a bow window facing towards the North, toward Sutherland Road. The bow window is in our living room and the front door also leads into our living room. To the east of the living room, towards Bill Anderson Road, is our master bathroom, and behind that is our master bedroom. On the west side of our master bedroom is the stairway to the downstairs. Next to the stairs will be our dining room, equiped with a patio door leading to our deck. Next to the dining room will be the kitchen, and finally the pantry. North of the pantry will be the laundry room and then further north Ben's bedroom. In between Ben's bedroom and the living room will be a mud room and entrance from the garage.

More pictures from Sept. 9th-10th

These pictures are from the now framed-in basement and the beginning of the framing for the top floor. The floor for the top is down and the stairway is in. One corner of the top floor walls is up and the other walls lie 'in waiting'. It's neat to come home each day and see how much has been done. The trusses should go up on Tuesday, instead of Monday, because they were set back by the rain we had this week. We are at the mercy of Mother Nature. We've been blessed with many nice days, though, thankfully.

September 9th-10th pictures

These pictures show the geo-thermal heating system. These pictures were taken before the rainstorm we had on Thursday. One coil is unrolled and ready to be covered, the other coils are waiting for their trenches to be dug. PJ went through each coil to ziptie the coils in the appropriate spots so that they stay in the slinky pattern they are in when unrolled. Phil has been digging the 9-foot trenches for the coils and tubing. The coils were connected to the main tube this week.

We had a pretty nice rain storm on Thursday. I had an inservice at school that night and didn't get home until really late. I came home to a very clean, but very empty house, to my surprise. After a bit of running around I discovered the reason for my families disappearance. The storm had caused the trenches of the geo-thermal system to collapse and some of the tubes had started to get kinks in them. So, PJ and Phil were out in knee-deep mud and water digging them out and making sure they were all okay...all in the middle of the night! Ben was with Kerri, fast asleep and unfortunately with a bit of a fever and a runny nose. He had a hard time sleeping throughout the next couple of nights...but was feeling much better throughout the next days.

The geothermal system is doing fine, all was saved, thanks to PJ and Phil's hard work. They now have to bury the rest of the coils, which will happen soon.

September 8th ...house pictures

Above are pictures of the house. The floor has been placed for the top section, enclosing most of the basement. The opening in the floor is for the stairway. Getting closer and closer to putting the top part up. In a couple of weekends my dad, brother Daniel and friends, and sister Connie will be up to help shingle the top while Matt takes a break. After we're done shingling Matt will be back to finish what needs to be finished and then PJ and Phil (and whomever else would like to help) will be making final touches and finishing the inside...putting in carpet, tile, cabinents, ect.

September 8th pictures

Above are pictures from the beginnings of our geothermal system. Phil has been busy digging the nine foot trenches starting from the house all the way down to the driveway and the three trenches that will hold the coils. PJ has been helping him by getting the coils tied and ready to be placed in the ground. Sorry the pictures are dark, I took these after a late night at school, the sun went down on me quickly.

September 4th...the flooring starts

Today Matt and crew worked on the basement inside walls and the beginnings of the top floor. I love coming home from work to see how far they've gotten each day. PJ and Phil went to Duluth today to go shopping at Menards...purchased and picked up doors and geothermal tubing. The windows have been ordered and are at A-Plus, waiting to be delivered. The trusses have arrived and await their turn to go up. I can't wait to see the top walls go up to actually see a full scale of the house, even if it's a rough scale.

September 3rd...the framing starts

Today is September 3rd and Matt and Dave have started to put up the frame. It's so exciting to see the house take shape!

Final Cement pictures...

More Cement pictures...