It's official. I have a love/hate relationship with Saturdays. I love Saturdays knowing we are working on our house and that it's putting us one step closer to the final project. However, I hate the mess it makes! I seriously think I clean my house more than anyone in the world right now! And I am grateful that I have a house to clean so much. Saturday morning Kory wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to do so I had the kids jump in and help me. We cleaned the bathrooms, dusted (I don't know why I waste my time) and swept the house. It didn't us too long all working together. When we were done Kory had learned we can get cement on Tuesday. * A guy in our ward has his own cement company. When he's done with a job he fills an old tub in the back of his truck with the left over cement that would normally be washed out into a field. He brings it to us and Kory literally fills our holes with it. Awesome guy!* And so knowing we had access to cement Kory decided that we needed to saw cut again knowing we could get cement again. I think this is the worse thing ever! I get water all over and then mud! I seriously do not like the mess this makes!!!!
And so where that wall was that we took down last Saturday I now have a trench. This is where a wall at some point will be placed. It will separate the master bedroom from the master bath. But more importantly this spot will need to support the exterior wall of the future upstairs. Knowing there will be a lot of weight on this spot Kory wanted to make sure the foundation will hold it. Knowing the current foundation is 2 cement blocks on top of each other surrounded by dirt we needed to fix it!
While Kory was cutting Brayden was shoveling the dirt pile I have had in my room since October away from the trench. I sure love this little man!
Kylie was excited she had her own job. She took the vacuum and sucked up the water that the saw was spitting out.
When the trench was cut Hunter took the sledge hammer to the cement. Its always amazing how quickly the cement breaks away. After Hunter broke the cement these 3, Emily, Brayden and Kylie picked up the broken cement and rocks.
I'm glad they can smile while we work together.
What a dirty, muddy job.
It didn't take too long before all the water, loose dirt and rocks were sucked up. This process really isn't hard its just messy! It only took us about 4 hours to do this 16 ft long trench.
I learned last time it's much easier to do the final clean up when the water/mud has dried. It sweeps so much easier.
We removed the first layer of brick and left the bottom. On Tuesday that cement will fill the brick and the holes around it making us a nice stem wall/foundation for our upstairs.
So while waiting for it to dry Kory decided we might as well continue that wall support on the other side of the house. It is only about 7 ft long so half of what we had already done. He figured since we had the saw out and the mess in the bathroom we might as well finish. However this wall was in the way! So before we could saw cut we had to knock down another wall.
Good bye!
The brick walls are full of little black lava rock. They go everywhere!!
Once again we opened a window and had the kids throw the brick out into the wheel barrel. When it was full we'd call for Hunter who would go and dump it for us.
When the brick was gone and the black rocks swept up we removed the sheet rock that had been glued to the brick. Kory and I were able to take the 2 sheets down all at once. Super easy!
The cement saw came out and Kory cut our trench. Hunter and Kory took turns with the sledge hammer and eventually we got it all out. This side was much more difficult to get the cement to break. We have no idea why but it took longer on this 7 foot trench then it did on the 16 foot earlier that day. But we go it. We vacuumed and swept again and got it all cleaned up. Pushed the dressers and clothes back in place and then quickly got ready to attend our adult stake conference. It was a long day!
Everything back in it's place.
The wall is just no longer there separating the rooms from each other.
I'm so tired of tearing things down and making messes. I can hardly wait until we can start building and putting our house back together. One of the many lessons I am learning through this process is patience. I have always taken pride of having a clean and clutter free home. For several months now I can still say my home is clean but clutter free is not even possible. And I'm sure when people come over they wonder about the cleanliness just due to the way everything looks. My kids are living on top of each other. We have regular house hold items in uncoventional places. We have Madelyn's dresser sitting next to my refrigerater in my kitchen. The younger girls dresser by my dishwasher again in my kitchen and clothes hanging above my island.
Every Saturday I tell myself and remind a child here and there that we can do hard things! I remind myself and my family that we are one day closer to finishing this major project we took on!
