busy....

I recently mentioned the projects we have been doing around the house.  This is the first phase of the outdoor living project that we have been working on.  There is still somethings to finish such as putting rock on the front part of the cement blocks and blocking in the fireplace. And of course the area is still messy because we're still working on it.  That didn't stop us from making some smores though.  The next phase will start this fall. In the second phase the block wall will continue around the fireplace and to the left of the fireplace the seating will continue and a place for the firewood will be built.  On top where the firewood will be held we are adding a pizza oven.  The second phase will also include some shrubbery and flowers.  The third phase will include two columns that frame a walk through, a place for the BBQ, additional seating and a fire pit.  Again, more shrubbery and flowers.  Hopefully, it will be finished by the end of next spring.

Believe it or not, we are hatching a few more renovation plans.  We want to cover and screen in the back deck.  Of course this won't begin until we have finished the 2 projects we currently have going on.  Rather than my Sweetie and son doing this job we plan to hire it out.  At least the framing and roofing part of it.  Our plans include a reverse A roof and the thought of my guys getting up there and doing that job, well, it ain't going to happen!

Why are we doing all this work?  Well, I don't know if I mentioned  it here before but we are making this house a generational home.  Our son and his family who live with us will continue to live here and make this their home as well.  When we first built this house we had intended to finish it and sell it to make a profit.  We had bought 2 properties and preferred to build our home on the other property. We had a buyer for this house but a couple of weeks before going to closing, they backed out.  We decided to move into the house and sell after a couple of years.  We had no intentions of staying in the house because it was to big for us but we were tired of the building process and needed a rest. In the mean time the housing market went bust and we received a call from our son with news they wanted to move out here to be closer to family....that was an answer to prayer!  So, we have this house that is bigger than we want, the housing market has tanked and now our son and his family want to move in with us...temporarily.  I don't believe in coincidences, I believe that God has a plan for us and He prepares and works things out the way they should happen.  If we had sold this house we would have built a smaller house that would be to small to shelter 2 families.

I believe we are making the most of what we have been given. 2 families living under one roof and sharing with one another has been a blessing.  Oh believe me, we have our disagreements and frustrations but we work things out together.  My Mr and I enjoy watching the grandbabies play in the yard, we enjoy dinner together 4 nights a week, we enjoy playing with them on the zipline and having hotdog and marshmellow roasts, we enjoy walks together and so much more.  All the things that we are working together on as a family are to enjoy together as a family.

Till next time

~willa~