Construction

We've been undergoing serious construction on our house. When my fireman asked me to marry him, we had to figure out how to fit 6 people under one roof. He had always planned on redoing the basement and adding some bedrooms and a family room as two of his three boys were sharing a room. Once we decided to expand the family, the job had to get serious. Last summer/fall we stripped the basement to the blocks and built 3 nice sized bedrooms, a bathroom, a nice family room and a laundry room. It's all carpeted and painted, the trim isn't done and there's no door on the laundry room, but hey, it takes time. We even dug out window wells on the side on the house and cut into the walls to give each room a window. Color the boys happy creatures. The girl got one of the bedrooms upstairs and the extra room is now a study where the kiddos can get online for fun or homework. There's an extra computer downstairs for the kids as well. Kids fight over things like that!

ANYway, our newest job, (except for the trim which we are waiting until summer for)(don't remind the fireman!) :) is the living room. We busted down two walls to the living room! Yay! Fun times! There was an archway going from the living room to the dining room that we opened up entirely (phew, arm room!) and the connecting wall that went down the hallway? The LOAD BEARING one? Gone. Course, we had to put up a temporary wall, cause it kinda holds up the house. So... we got this loverly barn wood that fireman sanded down and I polyeurethaned until it shines, baby! Gorgeous! It's finally up now, but then we decided instead of regular wood colums holding up the beautiful beam, we are using the same barn wood there too. So, when it's done the livingroom will be a nice open great room and already we have soo much more room! It feels like a different house. I already love it. We have a plasterer on call so that when the job is done, he is going to come over and patch up the ceiling. Cause, you know, when you take a wall down, there are like HOLES in the ceiling. I can see my attic! Gasp!
Weird.

My hubby made the black strapping that attaches the beam to the columns (when they make it up there). Apparently, the beam has to go up BEFORE we can put the column up. So, once we have them ready, we'll cut to size and jack up the beam a 1/4 inch and slide the column in and drop it on them. Drill the holes, bolt them in, and viola! Done! Easy for me to say, my fireman is doing the scary stuff! BTW, forgive the messy living room.

This picture shows a little more of the wood; it's on the hallway side. The picture is not very good, but hey, I'm learning. Pardon the Finding Nemo towel covering the window in the bathroom. We replaced the window in there and haven't put up any curtains yet. Nemo keeps our modesty from the neighbors.