Weekend One

We spent the weekend working to prepare for the house.  Okay, okay...Dustin and Johnnie spent the weekend working.  I really had more of a support role, so I guess you could call me the supervisor.

Dustin left super early Saturday morning and I reminded him to take a picture before they started working so we could remember what it looked like "before".  I'm thankful he remembered to take it so you can see how dense the trees were.

As you can see, there was A LOT of clearing to be done and the boys got right to work.  Jaden and I showed up with breakfast and could tell they had already been super busy.  Bummer...I guess we missed some of the physical work there, sorry guys!

Once they got the trees and brush cleared, Dustin and Johnnie started measuring. and measuring, and measuring.  Followed by marking, and marking, and marking.

At this point, Jaden and Johnnie's son, Andrew, decided it was time to go meet our new neighbors and they needed a chaperone, so I volunteered for the job.  If I'm being completely honest, I didn't really plan well for helping with the "dirty work" since I wore my expensive jeans and newer Sperry's. Mental note: wear something more appropriate tomorrow.

So, here's something interesting...our new neighbors are tigers, and lions, and bears (not really), oh my!  The National Tiger Sanctuary is less than a mile from our soon-to-be house.  It certainly is worth a visit if you have the time.  We watched the animals get fed and learned a lot about each of them.  It's so funny how they each have their own personality.  I believe the kiddos had a great time, even though I'm pretty sure if the fences hadn't been there they would have been eaten.  The boys may or may not have each walked away with a souvenir, but I'm not at liberty to say.

After our little field trip, the boys and I went to pick up lunch and returned to see what progress had been made.  I have to say I was pretty surprised and impressed with how far they had gotten.  The basement is beginning to take shape!  They continued to work until almost dark and then called it a day.  Dustin was pretty tired, especially since he's working on this project on the weekends after working 12-16 hour days during the week.  The man has a work ethic, I'll give him that!

Day Two

Day two of the first weekend brought more clean up and pushing dirt.  The guys arrived early, and the boys decided to stay home this time. When I arrived later in the morning, Dustin was busy with his chainsaw and Johnnie was in the track loader.

Eeek!  It really looks like a basement, or at least a really, really big hole.  It sure is nice to know people who do this kind of thing for a living (or to be one of the people who do!).

 The guys worked for a few hours today, but also left themselves some of their evening to relax before they head back to work tomorrow bright and early.  The project is really beginning to take shape and after all the kicking and screaming I did to NOT build a house, it's starting to get a little exciting.  (But don't tell Dustin!)