Walls!

Walls! Adam has gotten some of the walls framed! (Photos to come as soon as I can figure out how to upload them from my phone, since we have not set up our computer yet).I cannot express how excited this makes us! To finally see OUR house take shape... to step "in" and feel the space. Oh, what a dream! I immediately envision the white washed salvaged wood walls, crisp white lines of the cabinets, the creamy light hue of the gorgeous counter tops (again, all salvaged), the gorgeous darkly stained hard wood floors, and the window... all the lovely Windows to make the space feel bigger than it really is! Clean, crisp, minimalistic, fresh... It gives me goosebumps. It will be the tiniest but the nicest house I have ever lived in since being married. And the first house (since I've been married) to have insulated floors! Yay! Lol

I am still trying so hard to simplify certain areas of our life. Clothing is proving to be difficult. I just want a lovely streamlined wardrobe that works hard but looks attractive. I have made a few dresses (with large pockets, which are a must when one has children) that I have been wearing over and over. It is getting easier to let stuff go so long as I can have a quality alternative to replace those items with.   I am finding that for everyday life I like very minimalistic clothes that I can work in but still look good in in the event I need to run out for a bit. I am slowly seeing a new personal style emerge from this whole "simplifying" experience. The other area I struggle to simplify is the pantry. I really do like to cook, and I like to cook many different types of food. I am primarily gluten free and like to make my own flour blends. But this does lend to having a lot of different items on hand. I also like to soak my own beans and seeds, make ethnic foods (Indian, Asian, Latin, Italian, Scandinavian, etc) and I LOVE to cook vegetarian foods (except I usually have to find a way to include some sort of meat for my meat loving hubby and son). Nevertheless, I have a ton of ingredients on hand. And don't even get me started on my herbs and spices and teas. Nope... Not even going there! Hahaha

Overall, we are finding a profound freedom in living tiny. Living in this "vintage" camper is really helping us figure out what is really important and what we really need. Oddly enough the most valuable "things" are one another and just spending time together. What a joy!

Taking the plunge

Well, here we are again: packing to move. You would think that it would get easier with every move... but it hasn't. It makes me weary and long for the day that I can move my belongings into a house of our own. Yet, we have continued to simplify our life and that feels good. The kids toys are becoming used in much more creative ways now that they have less. My wardrobe is becoming more likeable and simpler (even though I still like a very wide variety of styles... those styles seem to be meshing a lot more now). The kitchen is becoming a more organized and even a bit more streamlined. Slowly, slowly the clutter is fading into purposeful organization. Slowly. And hopefully by the time the tiny house is done it will have been almost perfected.

The Tiny House
We have sub-floor down, plumbing in, and now the underneath side of the trailer insulated with closed cell spray foam. Adam pick it up from the shop yesterday and we are so thrilled that we can NOW begin framing. We have all the windows that we need (I think) and a French door that we need to figure out how to convert to an out swing door. We are both praying that the Lord will enable us to be able to move into the tiny house before fall... and maybe even before August.

Working on the sub-floor

The Land
I have panted a garden. So far I have fava beans, peas, carrot, spinach, lettuce, radishes, and kale growing. And now that April is here I need to get the rest of the garden planted. I am so eager to be out at the property (which I like to call Hickory Hill) full time so that I can really devote more time to the garden. Adam made me the sweetest garden shed out of old door (per my request). I need to paint the trim and finish it... but it serves it's purpose well as is. I have been slowly tidying the little areas of flowers that were already somewhat developed before we bought the land. It is really starting to look like someone finally cares.

My adorable shed... thanks to Adam and my dear Dad.

The Vintage Camper

I add the word "vintage" to make it sound way more romantic than it really is. Plus it helps me get into a more positive mindset about it. Adam has re-paneled the bedroom and laid down "new" (read salvaged) flooring. So it now looks 1,000 times nicer that it did before. I have gotten most of the cabinets painted and my mom helped me paint the rest of the walls. It really brightens the place up. And adding lace curtains helps is look kinda shabby chic. We have been staying in it more and more and plan to move into it full time next week. After spending some time cooking in the camper I am convinced that my tiny house kitchen will be absolute luxury!

Granted it looks messier when we are all actively in there... but it cleans up super fast!

Despite of the craziness of our life, and the cluttered yard, we are all much more content out at Hickory Hill. We can be outside all we want. And we all practically live outside. I will even have an outside clothes washing area complete with an amazing 1968 Hoover spin-dry Automatic Washing Machine, similar to one that my mom used when she was first married! It is an adventure. I feel kinda like a pioneer. At times I am terrified, but most of the time I know that the Lord is in total control and I am excited to see what He has planned next for us.