Our family owns a construction company, Custom Woodcraft Builders. I think I might have mentioned that. We specialize in timber frame homes and log homes but we do stick build and remodel, but mostly timber frame homes.

I want to share with you an awesome project that we (he, really…I do the office side of the company) built in Nashville, Indiana which is located in Brown County. Brown County is beautiful with its rolling hills and dense forest. It is the perfect setting for a timber frame home or a log home.

David Watters was the architect for the home. David also owns The Beamery, where we have our timber frames made. My husband David and David Watters worked with the couple to come up with the plans for their timber frame home.

After every permit was filed, the hand crafting of the beams began. The home’s timber frame is made from Cypress and is 100% mortise and tenon joinery

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After the beams were made, they have to be test fitted.

In the mean time, the footers were finished. The footings and subfloor utilized washed and compacted #11 stone overlayed with a dense 4″ thick foam.

The basement walls were pre-built/insulated/pre-studed using Superior Walls. The walls were set and ready for drywall the same day!

Then, the basement floor was poured.

Then it was time for that awesome occasion that is rarely seen anymore. The raising of the timber frame.

You must watch the videos of the timber frame raising. It is very cool to see how it looks going up.

First timber frame bend goes up video.

Timber framer raising video.

And that night, the owner, Michele, got this glorious photo.

Most of the photos and both videos were taken by the owner, Michel Wedel. She is an awesome photographer who did Simone’s Senior photos. You can see more of her photos on her website.

My next post will continue with the building of this beautiful home and what makes it a passive home.

Winter. Synonymous with hell in my vocabulary. After Christmas, I feel like Alice in Wonderland going down the rabbit’s hole.

In Indiana, the sky is gray. The sun checks out. Everything is dead and brown and muddy. If there is snow that covers the “dead” then you’re in a winter wonderland hell where you have to dig out of snow and your kids have 15 straight snow days where they follow you around screaming “I’m bored!”

At the end of January or first of February is my breaking point. This is the time my head spins around and all I can say is “Redrum!” That’s when Dave decides it’s time to head south for some sun, otherwise he will end up having to explain to the kids why Mama has a new white jacket and padded cell.

Winter depression sucks. Period. Having to stay cooped up in your home because it’s soooo cold outside can turn you batty. Since there are SO many women I know who are affected by this yet are ashamed/embarrassed to be open about it, let me say, you’re not alone. Not even close to being alone.

I started to write tips to combat winter blues when I thought, “You don’t know crap, Nicole!” Everyone is different. So, try different things. Getting out of Dodge is what works best for me and I am blessed to be able to do it.

Whatever you do, realize that this too will pass. Before you know it, the sun will shine and the flowers will bloom and there will be some a#%hole complaining about it being too hot.

Cheers! You’re in good company!

Remember my eating area before photos?

The awesome tile and the ridiculous desk? Not to mention the chair rail, indestructible wallpaper and 1980’s light pendant? One thing you cannot see because the sliding glass door was very small which made the room dark; the view out that door is the deck and water…aka money maker.

That wallpaper, chair railing and tongue and grove was so dang hard to get off.  We tried and tried and finally had to call in the pros to remove it. Dave wanted to actually move in someday and not end up having to sell the house because his wife needed bail/lawyer/physiological counseling/heavy duty meds money.

So once the wallpaper was finally exorcised…er, taken off, the dry wallers came in to patch all the holes in the wall that I made. Then, the floor was taken up. Let me tell you, we had two of our workers who we put on the task of tearing up all the flooring and they hate us to this day. Not because we didn’t pay them well, because we did, but because the floors were a nightmare to take out. There is a reason that nothing had ever changed in this house since it was built in the 1980s. This house was like Steven King’s Christine.

Okay, so, we purchased another sliding glass door, which was the largest Pella made. We took out the fugly light fixture and put in canned lights because the ceiling was so low. I didn’t want any hanging lighting. And, finally, the hardwood flooring came in and was installed!

Next was the the stair case.  We had one of our subs tear out the existing stairs and railing and replace it with new treads, raisers and a new banister that we had ordered. Yes, he was kind of sloppy with his stain but I had given him the okay to be sloppy because he was REALLY good and he said he would clean it up.

Next was the desk area. The kitchen didn’t have a utility closet so there was no where to put mops, buckets or brooms so we decided to turn the desk area into a utility closet.

Next, I love, love, love chalk boards. Maybe it’s the smell of chalk that reminds me of all the times I got in trouble in grade school so I had to clean the chalkboards and erasers or maybe it’s the…no, I’m pretty sure it’s the grade school thing.

We taped off an area and let Lucy go wild (I cleaned up after her).

I got a great deal on a large frame from Hobby Lobby because it was cracked. I fixed it and painted it and then we (Dave) hung it around the chalk board and hung up my Grand Hotel photos and we were done!!!

Tomorrow…the Grand Reveal of our kitchen and eating area!

   I love lake living!

Okay. I just have to share this. One of my friends growing up, Kelly, said to me last night, “I have noticed that you do a LOT of stuff….like, a LOT. Do you ever relax?” Shout out to Kelly who is a mother of three, a phenomenal dermatologist, full time BA Harley rider, wife and my non-paid therapist among many of her titles.  She does more than I could ever do! I could ask her the same question!

Here’s to all the Mamas who taxi kids to sports/music/dance/any type of lesson, have to be sexy, smart, nurturing, practical, frugal, principled, scholarly, kind, patient and all those things that make us want to scream. Here’s to all the Mamas who aren’t sure if it was today or yesterday or, not even sure, when they showered because their lives are so hectic. Here’s to all the Mamas who are not sure the clothes they are wearing are newly washed or dirty because, honestly, the two piles met and married on the floor after you pushed the clean ones off the bed onto the floor with the dirty ones, not caring because you were totally overwhelmed by the day/week/month/life, and just needed sleep.

Here’s to all the Mamas who stay up into the wee hours of the night to do things needed for their families and here’s to the Mamas who can say ” I just CAN’T do this tonight”.

Here’s to all the Mamas who think, “Everyone else seems so put together. What’s wrong with me?”

There is nothing wrong with you. No one is perfect and everyone struggles. You just don’t see it. YOU are amazing. Thank you for doing all that you do.

We all have days when we have to (or need to) wave the white flag and hope we make it to bed time. Which sometimes is 6pm for my kids.

After the day I had today, I just wanted to post this.