Let me first express how happy I am to finally be having a house built.  I’ve been dreaming and drawing my house the way other little girls plan their weddings.  For. Years.

Albeit, it is not my low-country cottage with enclosed porches and a library like Belle had in Beauty and the Beast, but hey.  I’m getting my Ikea kitchen and that’s alright by me!  We thought they would start in July.  Then August.  September came the slab and now, as I type in late October, the walls are finally heaving skyward.

So what if it takes longer, costs more and drives everyone to drink.

From what I’ve heard from friends, strangers and relatives….that’s the norm.

So, here’s to beams, concrete and Johnny Astro porta-potties!  Thanks for making all this possible, even if not on my time-table.

Here are a few pictures of the progress, more to follow soon!

Our first big hurdle was dirt.  There simply wasn’t enough.

9 loads (and several thousand dollars later) there was.  Enough that is.  Dirt….is expensive.

The dirt truck, owned and driven by a family friend, was quite amazing. All those hydraulics and stuff…..I want one.

Of course, a little manual labor was needed to get all the dirt out of the truck on each load. Thanks Rob! (Not my husband, the other Rob who owns the truck. But my husband helped)

Addie….just wanted snacks and water.

The other Rob, the one I’m married to, spread the dirt and built the house pad. One pass at a time. Tedious work.
Meanwhile, Juan and his brother and children, managed to get the fence done. At least, as much as we could afford, ha! They will come back in a month or so to do the fence around the house. When they say you have to ‘build’ a place….they are right. Whoever ‘they’ are.

They do excellent work.

It’s so odd for me, to see the fence guys and the dirt guys and simply everyone here, helping us build our dream. No, it isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for and I want this to last forever. So, on we go!

With Addie making new friends each and every day!