Aren't Computers Wonderful!

Well here are the pictures that were supposed to be shown after this following post: but now you will see them before you read...I love it when I have everything ready and then the computer does whatever it feels like!! URGH!!

All walls up!

basement - walkout door is to the west.

clean-up duty!

MAKING PROGRESS...

Busy, Busy, Busy!! Well lots of stuff has been accomplished since my last post, so I will be catchin up a bunch in this one! Delmar and crew finished getting the basement floor poured last week and boy does it look slick!! This past week our framing guys got alot accomplished! "Signature Construction" is who we have hired to do all of our framing. Framing is their expertise! John Troyer is whom owns this construction operation with the help of many hardworking Amish gentlemen. They were here early Monday morning, got the seal plate on, and by Friday, they had all our walls up; along with the garage and front porch that Delmar came back to pour! The walls being up now has really put the layout in more perspective for me! I just can't wait to move in now!! So this week, we should be ready to start setting the trusses!! I am so anxious to see the exterior of the house when it is completed. Jason says by the first of May the whole outside should be finished!! It's so hard for me to be patient in this process, but I'm trying really hard! Jason tells me - actually, he promised me - that we will be in our new home by my birthday(November 14)...although I am pushing move-in day for Labor Day weekend!! That weekend is when we had moved into our present home 6 years ago, so it only makes sense to me to move in that same weekend with this house...Right?!!
I know...I know, Jason, I should just be thankful that we were able to get started when we did, and be glad we are this far ahead this early...AND I AM!!! :)

Background Info.

Before we get too far ahead in our new house building process, I thought I would give some insight on our present living setup. While we were making final wedding plans in the spring of 2004, we were also beginning to build our first home together. Jason's parents (Eldon and Donna) had owned a 40 acre farm just east of LaPlata on Hwy. 156 since Eldon was in his early twenties. When Jason and I were discussing our plans of where we would settle and make a home together; we decided we would locate ourselves near LaPlata (where we can stay close for the deer-hunting of course). :) Eldon had generously given us 5 acres of his farm to someday build us a home there. Rather than throwing away our money on rent, we had decided we would construct ourselves a temporary home that we would live in for a few years until we were able to really build what we wanted. So we decided to build a small house out of metal, that we would later transform into a garage/shop for Jason. It was a very hard concept for me to visualize, but I finally agreed to it. I kept thinking, "I'm gonna be living in a metal shed!!"...what will the inside look like?...will it be cold concrete?...will I hear the pit-patter of the rain when it hits the metal roof and siding?" Low and behold, would I ever have thought in a million years that is one of the most tranquil noises I would strive for - a hard pouring thunderstorm - What a serenity!! So with the help of Eldon(whom built houses for 20+ years), my dad who finishes great interior work, and lots of faithful buddies; we were able to design and fabricate the 900 square foot home that we would live in. We started building it in March 2004 and moved in on Labor Day weekend that same year! We furnished the inside exactly like you would a new home, which was quite the fun part for myself! It is an open living room/kitchen area floor plan with our 1 main bedroom and 1 bathroom/laundry room. It has been quite ideal for the two of us for our first years of marriage; let alone a very wise financial decision we made as well. We have made many memories here, and will be very hard to transform this into a "shop" later!!

Here is our present homestead: as I like to call it: "Corrick Estate!" LOL

(Jason hates that)

Our present Home!!

Where the front window is; we have already framed in for a garage door when it becomes the shop.

Here is a picture of our yard and amazing Oak Trees to the West side. Our new house will set just in front of the big oak (south side).

WHAT A FIRST WEEK!!!

FINISHED CONCRETE WALLS!!

JASON AND I STANDING ON OUR SOON-TO-BE FRONT PORCH!

WALL FORMS OF BASEMENT COMPLETED!

WOW!! THE FOUNDATION CREW GOT THE ENTIRE WALLS POURED AND FINISHED WITH CONCRETE THIS PAST WEEK; NOW READY TO START THE CEMENT FLOOR IN THE BASEMENT! I JUST CANT BELIEVE HOW MUCH THEY GOT ACCOMPLISHED IN 1 WEEK. JASON KEEPS TELLING ME THAT THE BEGINNING OF THIS IS WHAT GOES THE FASTEST AND NOT TO THINK IT WILL ALL SHOW THIS MUCH PROGRESS THIS FAST AS WE GO ON. I DO REALIZE THAT, BUT WHEN I SEE HOW MUCH IS ALREADY DONE, I CANT HELP BUT WANNA START BUYING CURTAINS!! THIS PAST FRIDAY I HAD TAKEN OFF WORK FOR THE DAY (WAS HEADING TO KANSAS CITY TO KALEE'S FOR A GIRLS' TRIP FOR MY MOM'S UPCOMING 60TH BIRTHDAY!! THAT'S RIGHT, SHE IS DEFINATELY SENIOR CITIZEN MATERIAL NOW! HAHA!! WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME - MANY OF MY AUNTS AND COUSINS ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE WERE ABLE TO COME VISIT FOR A SHOPPING TRIP! IT WAS NICE TO ALL GET TOGETHER AND HELP CELEBRATE MOM'S 60TH!! WHILE BEING HOME FRIDAY MORNING, I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE MEN AT WORK AGAIN - IT IS VERY INTERESTING WORK TO SEE DONE - I WAS ABLE TO WATCH THEM REMOVE ALL THE FORMS AROUND THE CONCRETE WALLS.

Day One - Movin' Dirt!!

ON YOUR MARK...GET SET...DIG!!!

JASON OVERLOOKING OUR NEWLY DUG BASEMENT.

HERE IS ONE PICTURE I TOOK THIS PAST WEEKEND OF OUR HOUSE NOW (JASON'S FUTURE SHOP) BEFORE ANY WORK HAD BEEN STARTED. WHAT A NICE SETTING FOR OUR NEW HOME!

Today our foundation man, Delmar, and his brother-in-law(haven't got his name yet), and Menno(spelling?) all showed up early this a.m. We were expecting them at 7:30am; they arrived at 6:30am!!! ...they must have sensed I'm anxious to get moved in ASAP!! They got right to work: let me remind you we have just previously had 8+ inches of snow on the ground. Delmar and his crew started working right away - I've never seen one of those bob-cats move snow so quick!! It was amazing - he had the whole yard uncovered by 7:05am!! - YAH!!! They plan to scoop out all the dirt work and have the whole basement dug by the end of today!! We have definately got a head start!! Alot are probably wandering why we would even fathom the idea of digging a basement when there is this much snow on the ground - the fact is, digging while the ground is hard like it is, tends to be alot easier to move and less messy than it would if we were to wait til all the snow melts. So hopefully by the end of the week (depending on weather of course) we will be ready for pouring concrete. Let the journey begin!! I will soon try to post some pics I took this past Saturday of our house now and layout before the bull-dozing began, and afterwards!