Happy Halloween 2010!

In moving to the country, one of my concerns was how were my boys going to be able to go trick or treating? That was always so much fun when I was growing up and I wanted to make sure they had memories of it too. Well, after this Halloween season (yes, season) my concerns have been laid to rest!

The boys have gone out trick or treating 3 times this past week and were invited to a fourth by a lovely, elderly, 'neighbor' couple who knew we had young boys and wanted to invite them to go trick or treating at their church down the road.

Last week began with us trick or treating at Brian's Aunts' retirement community center. It was wonderful! All of the residents were in the community center sitting on folding chairs passing out all the treats. The kids could go up one side and down the other. There was also 2 clowns making balloons, games and snacks. The boys thought it was so much fun and it was great to see Aunt Frances.

Thursday evening we were invited to a neighborhood in Wilmington by some friends we've made. They have 2 girls Barek's and Drake's ages and a 1 1/2 year old boy that Trent has befriended. The kids all went out with the Dads and the Moms stayed back and passed out candy - I did bring our own candy so we didn't show up empty handed and crash in on a neighborhood! :) The kids were done with the mile loop of the neighborhood in less than an hour - we even made it home to watch "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown". It was a fun evening and the boys so enjoyed themselves. This is how I remember trick or treating!

Then last night, we went to my Mom and Dad's house for a Halloween dinner. Pap and Beam made witches stew, mummy hot dogs, spider sandwiches and all kinds of ghoulish foods - eye balls were even in the boys' chocolate milk. The boys went out to a few houses for more trick or treating, and then spent the second half helping to pass out treats.

So needless to say, we all have had a wonderful Halloween 'season' and thank you to everyone who thought of my boys to include them in your festivities!

Second Floor is Complete!

We have been under construction for less than 2 months and the framing is almost complete. The first and second floors are done, the roof is framed and the shingles are being delivered on Thursday. Brian and I walked the house yesterday with Mr. Garrett and decided where all the electical was going. The kitchen layout is finalized, the wiring in the basement is complete and we have to decide on plumbing stuff - we've picked it all out, just waiting on how far off on budget we are.

Before the stairs were in we let Barek and Drake go up on the ladder - they thought they were such big boys! The stairs are in now so all the boys are able to go up and see their rooms - that is so much fun for them. They have all kinds of great ideas too: Barek wants red carpet, orange walls and a gray ceiling, Drake wants dark gray carpet, blue walls and a Star Wars themed room and Trent wants tractors or trains! We'll see what we end up with.

These pictures are of Drake climbing the ladder to the second floor, Barek looking out his big window and Trent standing on the deck and looking into the family room.

First floor and garage are taking shape!

In one week, the first floor has been framed. The weather has been wonderful so far and really quite cooperative so no days have been missed. It has been so amazing to see the creation of the rooms and to think where we'll be eating, cooking and playing!

We are only having them reframe one thing so far - a window in the family room. They framed it according to our plans, but we didn't catch that it was a lot smaller than other windows in relation to it.

Today the second floor joists were laid out, so when I get back on Friday, I may have a second floor to see!

First Floor Walls

Yesterday, I came home from work to find 3 walls up on the first floor! I couldn't believe how quickly they went up. Brian said they built them laying on the floor and then used a ratchet system to lift them. He's always said "You have to have the right tools for the job." I can only imagine how many new tools we would have had to purchase if we had decided to build this place ourselves. Looking at the progress and the work involved I can't believe we ever seriously considered it!

The Name......

I've had a few people ask about where the name "Sugarbush Spring" came from so here's the story....

At the back of the property sits what the Ames Family calls the 'Sugar Camp'. This is where Maple Trees are tapped every spring for the makings of fresh maple syrup. The actual sugar camp building was still standing until a couple of years ago. Brian remembers his Grandpa boiling the sap into syrup when he was little. We hope to one day rebuild it - the foundation looks good - not sure if we'll ever make our own syrup onsite, but maybe one day!

A few years ago, Brian's mom bought our boys a book entitled Sugarbush Spring. It is about 3 generations of a family working together to make maple syrup. It is a wonderful story by Marsha Wilson Chall with beautiful illustrations by Jim Daly.

When we first started talking about purshasing this family land, we referred to it with the boys as "Sugarbush Spring - just like your book." The name stuck with the boys and now a game is played everytime we are driving home - who can see the house first through the trees. They yell from the back of the truck "I see Sugarbush Spring." Trent has even started playing this fall. Drake says he gets it easy though because Trent only needs to say "Sugarbush Spring".

The trees are still being tapped, we were living here when it happened this past spring. It is now done by a friend of the family who taps the trees and then the cooking process is done by someone else. We hope that next year we can take the boys to see the cooking of the syrup and like I said, maybe someday we'll do it ourselves - again on this land!

Framing!

I returned from Geneva at the end of last week to find a completed concrete basement and wood starting to go up! Two days later Saturday, October 2 the walls in the basement were done. All of this was framed by just 3 guys. It is amazing to me what human hands can create! We can actually begin to see the rooms in the basement taking shape. The back of the house will have some windows - the boys are demonstrating how they are going to be looking out into their backyard.

Yesterday, the first floor joists were being put in. Brian said it was pretty cool watching the framers walk across the walls, laying out all the joists and then nailing them in. Unofficially, framing should take about 4 weeks - depending on weather.

Brian is going out 3-4 times a day and watching them build - he is so excited! On Saturday, I finally asked our builder, Mike Garrett from Waynesville, if he's getting sick of him yet? Mr. Garrett is such a nice guy he just said they appreciate a homeowner taking interest. I thought that was a great way of stating it.