Under Construction

Last Wednesday the crew descended on our house and began work finishing our basement!! When we first looked at this house we dismissed it because it seemed to be lacking space. Then we began envisioning what it would be like with a finished basement. After having a couple contractors give us quotes and assure us that  it was doable, we bought the house. Here we are three months later with an almost finished basement!!

The contractor and crew have been great. Elden has been able to peak downstairs and learn a little bit as they go. The biggest project was cutting the egress window that would enable us to have a proper fourth bedroom downstairs. This involved bringing in a mini excavator, skid steer, and back hoe. Obviously this was a GREAT hardship for Matthias to endure... watching all those diggers right outside his own window! Nope, he didn't enjoy that at all :)

So I thought I'd give a little sneak peak of the progress so far. They have studded it, moved the cooling unit to allow for a bigger bedroom; the electrician has done his initial work and today they almost finished the dry wall! It is so nice to be able to see it coming together. The only thing they haven't really touched yet is the bathroom.

Here are some before and after photos as best as I could get :)

The bedroom space before construction began. I don't have a picture yet, but the furnace was moved and a huge window was cut where the existing window was. A perfect space for guests... hint hint :)

The same view with the wall up :)

Looking from the bedroom space to what will be the carpeted portion of the family room.

Our contractor put in some built-in bookshelves to help frame the fireplace! We took out the post that was blocking the stairs and framed in the remaining two.

Looking from the fireplace area to the other half of the family room which will be linoleum so the kids (and I) and can do crafts and stuff without messing up the carpet. Also the space along the back has been turned into a closet.

Looking into the bathroom. They framed in the portion under the stairs for a little linen closet or storage area... we haven't decided what it will be yet.

And in other news... the kids!
Matthias got a cookie monster cupcake at the Fork N Cork event a couple weeks ago (the town festival).

And we have been given a lot (!!!) of tomatoes! Matthias helped me pull the peels off so we could make some sauce. He had fun... mom had a big mess to clean up afterwards :)

Nora is growing so fast! She loves to climb up on Matthias chair... and he is usually ok with that. She pulls up on everything and occasionally lets go and still stand on her own for a couple seconds. I think we'll have a walker before she turns one...

Watching the skid steer... it kind of freaked Nora out. Matthias loved it.

Watching the mini excavator right outside the window!!! A couple days later there was a backhoe. Life is good for this little man!

I did a presentation about Taiwan for the ladies at church. We had a lot of dumplings left. The kids certainly don't mind helping those disappear. Nora got her first taste and loves them!

Most of the time Matthias and Nora love playing together. Matthias just has to remember that when Nora attacks him he can't fight back at full strength :) I'm glad they get along so well, though!