Our Two Layered House - Month 2

We are loving our new home! There is so much hard work happening all the time, but we have certainly found time to sit down and relax, too. One thing is for sure, home-ownership is not for the weary...especially owning a house built in 1936.

Month 2 started out with a bang... You remember me mentioning about giving Brandon a garbage disposal? Well, he began installing it on Dec. 29, and it turned into a 3 day project. I've learned so much about plumbing! It was hard work, but I am so pleased to that Brandon was able to get the job done. He's the man! We're both seriously loving having a basement with such easy access to all the plumbing. I'm not sure how many trips we took to various hardware stores around here. Although, the girls may have kept count.
;-)

Another major thing Brandon was able to do was install an exterior door in the "breakfast" nook. (Maybe we'll be able to eat in there one day.) The door opening presented several challenges...let me count thy ways.   But, hey, it's in. That's what counts, right?

Other than that, we've been busy trying to organize the house better, chip mortar from the salvaged bricks, clean up and clear out the overgrown yard, demo a bathroom, paint a wall, paint bookshelves and headboards, fix a leaky roof spot, do life, etc. I really do love it. I love how all the work makes us more connected to our community as we meet new people at the hardware stores, shop at the smaller stores around us, meet new neighbors, borrow tools from friends, talk "home talk" with others at church, etc. Oh, I also am thrilled to live closer to church! It's such a central part of our lives, and it makes things easier than I EVER thought. I might should also mention that I am learning how to better trust my very capable husband. You'd think I had that down after nearly 12 years of marriage. :-) If he says he can fix it, he can... he will. He has the patience of Job when it comes to hard, meticulous work.

About new neighbors... we live next door Mr. Mack. He has got to be one of the best neighbors! Often, I will find he and Brandon chatting over the fence. I think he is like our Wilson from the old TV show 'Home Improvement'. He has given us marriage advice, shared food with us, lent us tools... he even came over and cut down a dead tree for us. He rocks! We praise God for him.

Here are a few pics in no particular order. I'm so glad to have snapped some. It makes me realize several things that I had forgotten we've done this past month. On to month 3! :-)

Brandon made some attic access to work add a new vent pipe for the plumbing.

Enjoying (I think) a ride at Home Depot.

Pretending to blow things up while waiting on mom and dad at Home Depot.

A new faucet and new reverse osmosis system!

Libby helping paint old bookshelves. Clara helped a lot, too.

Clara's version of protective eye wear and head gear! LOL!

Scraping weird texture off a bathroom wall.

Out with the old!

(in)courage

Have you ever had a friend grab your hand and drag you along on a new adventure? Well, that's exactly what Wendy has done to me! She has shown me the world of (in)courage. :-) It's so great! It's kinda a word I've seen around the www for awhile, but I didn't really know what it was. So, go ahead and click on over to (in)courage to see what it's all about. Trust me... good stuff there!

Today's post over at (in)courage happens to be about (in)courager groups. This is one of the things that has me so excited about the whole thing! Wendy and I will be leading an (in)courager group session that begins on Feb. 12. There are lots of groups forming, and it's sure to be a neat way to be encouraged and supported by your fellow sisters in Christ. I hope you'll stay tuned and find a group that's the perfect fit for you. Just click on those linky words... Can't wait!

If You Give Brandon a Garbage Disposal...

Replacing the garbage disposal is taking us on a lonnngg plumbing journey! Today begins day #3. Stay tuned for a more detailed post...gotta love plumbing the Two Layered House way!

Our Two Layered House - Month 1

Tomorrow will mark the one month date of owning our new home. What a month it has been! I've been wanting to update everyone on the house, but there just hasn't been the time, or the internet connection, or the computer out of the box, or the perfect pictures to go with... Anyway, I am forcing myself to sit down and update as best as I can. I think that blogging about the house will help me realize how much has been down already instead of focusing on everything that is still undone. Undone... That's a place we'll be awhile. ;-)

After signing the 100s of papers that made this sweet little place ours, we did want any new homeowner would do. We drove right over and ran excitedly through the house thinking of all the things to be done and dreaming of what would make it lovely in our eyes. We quickly got back to the reality of work, school, packing, moving, construction work...all with Christmas gaining closer and closer on our heels. Brandon was in charge of 3 performances of a major Christmas production at church, and the girls and I were right by his side as much as we could be. As if that wasn't enough, we were also helping the construction team (more in a minute) at the new house. Did I mention all the packing, cleaning, and moving going on somewhere in the midst? 

Christmas didn't slow down, and we did get moved in. Finally! :-) Everything went great at church, and somehow, we all survived this month. We have been over and abundantly blessed by the prayers, love, cards, Christmas gifts, meals, etc. that have come our way. We are also incredibly grateful to be part of a fellowship of believers who served our community during the Christmas season. Truly, it was an amazing month, and I consider it pretty near miraculous! :-) 

Now, what has been done this month to the house?

1. Two Chimneys and fireplaces gone! 

2. Foundation repair done! 

3. Some damaged plaster removed

4. Two toilets removed 

5. Two new toilets installed

6. Water softener now working 

7. Master bedroom walls and ceiling painted 

Main Chimney halfway down

Brandon hauling bricks

The girls standing by Chimney #2

Libby kneeling the hole Brandon and friends dug

Clara helping dig a hole

We hired a construction company to remove the chimneys and fireplaces which were in severe disrepair. They also did the foundation work. Brandon worked right alongside them hauling brick (which we saved in hopes of making a patio), digging additional holes, pouring cement, and refilling said holes. We praise God for the men who came alongside him to help with this project because it was hard work and we were racing the clock. Libby, Clara, and I all helped, too. I know this requires a bit of explanation...in a nutshell, the construction company showed Brandon how to get some additional foundation support for very little out of pocket cost to us... This required the additional and immediate work on our part.

We are very excited about our Two Layered House! (By the way, that's what Clara named this house.) Please do forgive me for any randomness and errors in this post...I think Santa's sleigh ran me over. ;-)