Windows, Cedar Posts, and HardiPlank

We now have windows, cedar front porch posts, and hardiplank siding. They are also working inside. I didn't have a chance to go in last night after the workers left, so I will go in tonight and see it. These pictures are from the front, the south side, and one of the north side, so you can see how close it is to the old house. If you want to see the actual finished floor plan, it is at http://www.familyhomeplans.com/ and it is floor plan #65919.

Construction is Moving Along Fast

The last few days have been exciting. It is nice to see the house shaping up. It looks bigger in person than in the photos. Also, Sadie is away on her mission trip. It will look a lot different to her when she gets back.

Another interesting update: We have always had a few bats in our belfries around here, but we also officially have actual bats in the backyard. Keith spotted them tonight, and we watched a pair of bats fly around our backyard for a while. It was right at dusk, and it is very interesting to watch them.

That Funny Little Magpie and her Mudpie...

Even though she says this is mud soup, I would call it pie since it is being prepared in a good 'ol cast iron skillet. This kid is driving me crazy right now wanting to make Christmas cut-out cookies. We whipped up a batch of drop cookies last night, and then I let her cut out the baked cookies with a small star cutter. That wasn't quite the same, however. We even looked for the roll-out type sugar cookie dough today in the dairy section at the store, but they were sold out, mercifully.
Get your orders in now, folks. Never too early for Christmas cookies, and Maggie will be baking up a storm this weekend, if she has her way.

More Construction...or is it Destruction?

Lots of changes here today...plumbing is going in. In order to tie on to the sewer, the front sidewalk had to come up, partially. On the plus side, this has cut way down on my mowing up front!

Also, we had a great, if hot, day at the zoo on Wednesday. Nothing like Texas in July to get the sweat glands going!

What a Difference a Day Makes....

Today is Monday, June 29, 2009. We had an unexpected torrential downpour of rain this morning, just before the demolition work was to begin. However, the demolition work was done before noon, and the site prep can now begin!

Due to the rain, the work commenced after I left to go to work today, and I missed it all. But, the girls got to watch from the window and it was a neat thing for them to see. I was shocked at how Very Different it looked when I pulled up after work. You can see all the way through to the park from the driveway. I think I will like the location of the house. They marked the corners off and I will absolutely love it.

Maybe I can be home on the day that they tear down the current house. On a sad note, I will be attending family visitation at the funeral home tonight one of my absolutely dearest friends who died of cancer. She would have been so thrilled to see what happened here today.

more photos

We have also been enjoying this small pool as the weather allows. Triple digit heat is too much even for swimming.

This week has been so busy. We have a huge dumpster and a backhoe in the driveway today ready for demolition of the old garage tomorrow. I took a photo of the dumpster, because it is the first real sign that something big is about to take place here!

I took some "before" photos of the "old homestead". I want to document the progress of this huge project here on this blog; lots of changes are coming up. Also, the princess and the preteen found a tiny little frog. It was drawn to some water standing around a transplanted tree in the yard.