It’s beginning to look a lot like….. a house!!!

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I am so excited!! For the first time, the picture accompanying my blog is actually starting to look like a house and not just random 2×4’s and 2×6’s. It is almost like there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel! This has been the adventure of a lifetime and I am loving every minute of it.

Saturday’s progress consisted of putting insulation on the back and side of the house. Once the insulation was put in place, boards were nailed over it. These boards are not the most visually appealing, but it really does not matter as we will next put some sort of Tyvek wrap on the house before putting the Hardie Plank siding.

My Dad taped the seams of the insulation for a before putting on the boards. We boarded the house with 10 inch boards different lengths. We would measure and cut each board as we did not want all the seams to be on the same stud. Some of the boards were 10 feet long while others were closer to 12 feet.

We cut out the window on the back, but did not want to take time to cut the windows out on the side as we were trying to get as many boards up as we could because we are expecting rain. Getting dark early is really starting to take a toll on progress. One thing that I thought was pretty interesting was my Dad stuck a nail through the insulation at each corner of the window so that we would know it was. I would have never thought to mark it that way.

We did not get the side finished, but did nail a few boards so hopefully the wind won’t hurt it. Speaking of wind, remember my horror stories of digging around the foundation to put in additional insulation? Well, the wind blew three pieces out of position so I had to dig again and replace them this afternoon. I then made sure to put enough dirt to secure them so they won’t move again.

I am so excited with the progress that we continue to make! On a side note, between our Instant Admissions Day and work on the house, I put a whole 10 miles on my Fitbit on Saturday!

Laura Reed

About Laura Reed

After 15 years in college athletics, the last seven as an assistant athletics director, I was burned out with 70-hour work weeks and extensive travel. I resigned my position and accepted a position in marketing at a small, vibrant college in my hometown of Unity, Maine. In the process I wanted to go back to my childhood where we raised polled Herefords, had a Christmas Tree Farm and spent many hours outside. I decided I wanted to build my own home on beautiful farmland that my family owns. With help from my Dad, the most talented person I’ve ever met, we are building my home together. I have decided to blog my experience – the ups and downs, the joys and frustrations. What was once an open field will one day be my home! The dream in my head is becoming reality. I can just see the lambs frolicking in the field, chickens in the barnyard and going running with my Alaskan Malamute!