work, and school

Hi, I got a labtop, so now I can get on the blog at work, so i can actually write and read and think.
School is off to a good start for Ruben, he loves is teacher Ms. Schultz, shes the blue room teacher, he calls her ms soldiers. ha ha. He has met two really good friends, one from the Chex Republic, and a noy with a spiky mohawk, i dont know there names yet, that how he desribes them.
Gwen spends most of her day colorig, my chidren are obssessed with coloring books, they go through like three of four new ones a week. Gwen doesnot draw outside the lines, its very wrong if she does. She tells my Im not careful enough.
Addi is doing well, her skin is finally starting to clear up, it was a rough summer for eczema. She is going to be a dancer, she dances and prances all over the house and only dresses like a princess.
Jensen is going to be a great babysitter, she helps my mother in law take care of three babies everyday, she rocks them and feeds them and tells them to stop crying, 'too loud'. she is also potty training herself she is very independednt and does not need any help.
Big Ruben is working as ususl but know he has time to play on three differnt soccer leagues sohe play all days sunday and Friday and Tuesday nights, whish I had that much energy.
Im loving school, im taking 15 hours and I will start my praticum in the spring. Im enjoying this college thing much more know that I am older and more focused. The kids are adjusting slowly to me being gone more, but I get to have lunch with them everyday, and sometimes they come to work with me so then we get to hang out.
Work is really relaxing most of them time, I get to do homework, watch tv and do laundry of course, but its a good job for know. Well we love you all.
Brandi

Were in

The door is finally on and we moved beds in last night. We spent our first night in the yurt. Everyone was busy til bedtime putting thing away in their rooms. We slept ok, we just need to get used to all the loud nature sounds. The kids decided they wanted to get up at 830 and go for a run in the morning. We let them sleep til 9 and they all went for a run even though none of them had any shoes with them. They ran in their bare feet and , cooled down in the stream when they got back, we had pancakes for breakfast and everyone did their own dishes and made their beds before we took off to do laundry for a while. a few things are left in the house that we still need to move , then we just have to get it clean before we can be done with it. Yuck, what a job,
Have a good day love Sandi

Moving in

We are moving into the yurt this week, its not totally done but, good enough to move into. The tile is on the kitchen floor and the door is going up today , a couple bedroom walls are up and the bathroom wall will be going up soon. I have pictures hopefully ill be able to get them on soon. the actual moving part or moving stinks. Weve been getting rid of bags and car loads and truck loads of stuff for over 3 months now, and theres still so much stuff! Getting used to the lighting will be one of the harder challenges at the yurt , i think. Solar lights , oil lamps and battey lights dont give off nearly as much light as the lights we are used to. We are heating water for showers with solar and propane, and buying our drinking and cooking water. We need to buy a portable dvd player still so that we can watch movies once in a while.i suspect well spend more time playing board games, reading, playing outside, and listening to music, than we have been. The next project is to get the rest of the roof finished , a layer of radient barrier., layer of insulation bubble wrap, another layer of radient barrier, and then the final tarp , it will probably take 2 more week to get all the stuff. Were paying for supplies week by week so we have no debt but things have to be done a little at a time. we should be totally done with everything by the 3rd week in october so well probably be having a fall house warming, Falls my favorite season!
love ya  Sandi

The yurt is coming along slowly but surely. kitchen wall is in and the sub floor on the tile is waiting in boxes, "till the time is right"?... Anyways we picked up "new" furniture along the road and at yard sales, were pretty well set for furniture, except we need some foam padding for our pocket beds. Living in the yurt means no electric, no internet, no cable and no running water, so were getting used to that now . so what do we do for entertainment? , believe me,  with 4  kids and friends always around theres always plenty of "entertainment". We have games , books , music, phones, portable dvd players...Well my computers dying , i'll post more pictures soon

Sunrise

Daaron and I got up at 5:15 this morning to head out to the nature center to catch the sunrise.  He wanted to do that for his birthday so we headed out and got to the center at about 6:00.  Here are two of his sunrise pictures, but he didn't have enough memory on his card for the other shots he would have liked.  There were flocks of Great Blue Heron flying out of the sunset and mist as well as many cranes, both on the ground and in flight.  Very, very cool.  He also saw a Kingfisher doing a little fishing on a small lake as the mist rose off the surface.  I'm sure we'll be back there soon as he is getting a new memory card and a tripod for his b-day today. 

Too hot !

It's been too hot to get much work done, but the windows are cut out the trench that the skirting will sit in to keep the critters out is dug, and the skirting, a recycled free pool, has been cut and is ready to be installed. I've been making tile for the bathroom out of paint sample cards from walmart , and polyurethane. And the gardens are the only ones liking this heat.

deciding on siding

Our choices were, Molson Canadian,  or  Dodge Ram, I think the Molson goes quite well with the Jack Daniels roof. The siding has to be stapled up better, and the windows and doors cut out. The the roof over hang will be trimmed up. We may eventually put "real" siding up, or try out some vinyl paint. The only lettering that will be seen after windows are cut out , is this one big B. I wonder what that can stand for?

The Warrior Cabana Motel is now taking reservations ....

We feature a private cabana with a large airy dining and living area ,a romantic bedroom ,with a star gazing tower, outdoor kitchen, dining,and living areas as well as a fire pit. Kids will enjoys playing on the trampoline or, splashing through the cool stream. Relax in a hammock , watch the dragon flies play and listen to the many bird songs while strolling through the gardens. Take an early morning hike and pick raspberries for breakfast , and enjoy roasted marshmallows around the fire while the fireflies dance through the night air and the stars twinkle above. Family and close friends stay free.

We have a roof

Kids are off to Seattle. They left at 3am this morning. Be back next Sunday. Just Tim, Wes and myself home.

Put the roof on yesterday, that's the first layer there are three more to go on, a foil radiant barrier , a bubble wrap, then another canvas, but they don't need to be on until winter. Next we'll frame in the windows and put the side canvas on , then we can start working on the interior.

Too hot to work!

We put off  work yesterday and went to the lake, it was just too hot!
Today is finally the last day of school!!!

Half Way

The roof is half way done, 20 beams up. 20 more to go.

Progress

Skylight is standing by itself,

and roof is going up

Skylight is in the air

 Not permanent yet, it has to be braced up , then the roof joists can start going on, and the gardens are growing like crazy

The loft

The framing for Ian and Lyle's loft bedroom is done. The loft is 10'x10'x7'high. We're putting on a small rock wall and a rope ladder for them to get up there. After the floor is on, the braces for the skylight will go up then the roof beams can get attached to the skylight and the wall studs.

Camping

We got to go on our first camping trip this year. WE really enjoyed it. The kids are all really big enough to take fishing and hiking. The weather was perfect. It was just cool enough at night to wear your blanket, but not freezing cold. WE al so go to take the kids to the beach for the first time. They loved it, and cant wait to go back.
We have been passing the past few weeks with three girls who come over on Tuesday and Thursdays to have some kindergarten prep. So far we have had a "ant in my pants day" "bubble bash" " Clocks go tick tock" and "Dinosaurs Rompus" The girls are 3 for and five, so one for each of my kids age. It has helped me keep myself busy while planning activited for the days, and the kids think it is a great play date.
Ruben has been home for most of our summer also, so its nice to have him hear. The kids have really enjoyed his company. He normally works all summer long and they dont see much of him so its a great change of pace. Have a great week.

Rain, and Heat!

 scaffolding to hold the skylight at 13 ft

 yard sale finds, water jugs, fishing net, and stainless steel bowl which were making a sink out of

                            skylight , 40 joist hangers attach to the blocks around the outside

Friday we put up scaffolding. Saturday it rained so we went garage saleing Sunday was in the 90's, we put the skylight together. Today its supposed to be in the 90's so well probably go to the beach, Tomorrows rain, and we have to go pick up some beams from the Amish. Wednesday we should get some work done. I'm getting a little worried that the skylight is too heavy, so we changed our plans and and are putting the loft up first, then beams from the loft will support the skylight.