Currently on the outside...

My dad is still hard at work on the exterior stone. He has been working from early morning before the sun...to dinner time...and sometimes after each day.

Night working...

Saturday he had a helper.

Adam and him worked all day Saturday....

Adam helps by cutting the stone for him and mixing mortar and bringing it up the scaffolding to him. 

and all day Sunday.

He is doing a great job and we love the way it looks already. He likes to do the work, but he said he is sick of seeing stone right now! I can understand working 13-14 hours a day on it!

Luckily we have had super nice weather all week. It has been unseasonably warm here in southern Illinois. It was in the upper 60's today and will be warm all week again.

His plan is to finish the upper portions now and head back north home for a little bit. Then when he comes back he can hang heavy tarps under the porch and finish if Winter weather actually kicks in.

Are you having unseasonably warm weather where you are too? 
What do you think of the progress on the exterior?

More interior photos coming this week!

Short work week!

Our Labor Day weekend was filled with family time, working on the house, and just plain relaxing in our jammies. We did a little laundry and closet cleaning out too..we are starting to think about purging so that packing won't be so bad!

Scout chilling on the dog catwalk.

Things are starting to get a little crazy around here. When we sat down and looked at our calendar, and looked at the list of things going on with the house, upcoming weddings, two out of state family events...not to mention packing and moving! We are going to be pretty busy, and probably pretty stressed and excited at the same time.

Is your September & October booked up too? 
Did you get yesterday off to enjoy in your PJ's?

Let's hear it for the boys...and back patio!

This weekend many of our wonderful friends worked their asses off.
In the heat.
From 7 a.m. til the afternoon.
On a Saturday.
When they all were supposed to be off work, relaxing, sleeping off hangovers in.
For free cheap beer and pizza.
All for us. And our new beautiful pack patio.

They started to work on it a few evenings last week.

WARNING::: Blogger fail:
I couldn't be there for the actual pour because I had other "house building stuff" to do (like garage doors and front porch columns to pick out). Also I slept in that day. Just a little...

My job was just to bring the food. So, unfortunately I did not whip the camera out until most of the guys left...Because of me being late to the party you are missing out on photos of about 5 more sexy sweaty hardworking dudes. Sorry girls.

After it cured they cut it.

Why do they have to cut the nice smooth concrete?  Because otherwise it will crack when it expands.

I was kind of sad because it looked so nice as one giant slab...but it makes sense.

boys finishing up.

Sexy sweaty dudes.

Tommy instructed me to post this so Faith could see his muscles... Lol boys.

After it's all cut.

And all finished!

Scout was the foreman as usual.

Thank you boys. We appreciate your help more than you know. We can't wait to throw some parties on our sweet new back patio. Soon!

Now to figure out where those steps will go.

Stairs, Catwalks, and Amish holidays

Monday & Tuesday framing.

Always double checking.

Start of the catwalk.

Notice anything different here?

Coat closet in foyer and 1/2 hallway bath.

Master bedroom.

Master closets.

1/2 hallway bathroom, shares a wall with the toilet room which shares a wall with the  walk in shower on the end. 

Garage.

Standing in great room looking into the kitchen/dining.

Switched basement steps.

Standing in the kitchen looking into great room.

Back of garage.

Side view of the back.

Side view of the  back.

Laundry room off the kitchen.
That indent will make the fridge flush with the pantry cabinets.

Start of upstairs steps.

 This will connect the two upstairs bedrooms and bathroom.
I climbed the scaffolding and walked on it.

Basement walls.

Behind this wall in the basement will be storage.

And that is all the work they will complete until after Memorial Day weekend...
Our trusses are Amish made. It turns out the Amish do not work on Ascension Thursday which was May 17. So our Trusses are a few days behind schedule. Boo.

Framing 4 & 5

I know it's sort of hard to imagine what a room is what with just framing, but I'll do my best to point rooms out.


 When we drove down the lane Friday evening we saw this...

OMG a house!

Garage framed

Entry!

We have steps

Large window in dining/kitchen

another dining/kitchen angle

Laundry room.
That little indent is so the fridge will be flush with the pantry cabinets.

Taken from standing in living room, looking into entry.

Cheesin' it with a cold one in my walk in coset. Oh yes.

partial of living room and kitchen/dining area

Adam looking out the Master bedroom windows

Don't judge, it was the weekend.

Living room.

Garage

My closet. The door looks so large because they will be pocket doors.

Adam's closet. Or maybe this can be for my shoes. 

French doors and windows in the living room.

Always measuring now that boy.

Back view. 

Basement with steps, so now we don't have to run around the house.
Although, Scout prefers that route.

And that my friends, was just week one of framing. I think I was so excited I forgot to take photos of the master bathroom. Next time.

We've had lots of visitors stop by and it's so fun to give the tour now that it's not just some dirt and flags. We will have some special visitors Memorial day weekend too!

Plenty of updates coming soon. Things are getting fun now. Who wants to come over for Coronas in one of my walk in closets? You bring the lime!