swimming holes

For most of the summer, we have been blessed with cooler weather.  However, lately those temperatures have been soaring and Susan Ada needed to cool off that belly of hers.  Thus, the commencement of the swimming hole hunt.  We were actually quite fortunate and found one within an hour of our house, and it was easy to find, and nobody was there.  Triple score!!  We went Sunday after church and packed a picnic lunch.  Caprese salad with fresh tomatoes and basil!!

Ruby, our little otter, wasted no time in taking a dip.

Curt wasn't so sure about the take-your-breath-away cold water, but Susan Ada is a seasoned veteran and encouraged him to get in past his ankles. (Editor's note: Curt got in up to his neck thank you very much) We enjoyed walking up the creek and stopping to swim in the pools along the way.  It was so beautiful and refreshing.  Susan Ada and Ruby swam and swam together, but we didn't have our camera to snap a pic.  We went back down the creek to get our camera, but Ruby decided she was done and planted herself in the car.  Silly puppy.

Susan Ada is having a brave moment here. . .19 weeks in a swimsuit!  

 Enjoying our refreshing time together:

construction zone

When we bought our house, it came with a very small master closet. . .approximately 2' x 4'.  Therefore, we moved into a different bedroom that had a larger closet with the hopes of eventually enlarging the master closet.  So, with the news of the upcoming baby, it became necessary for us to move into the master so that we could have a nursery and a guest room. . .and thus began the madness. As you know, unless you have the highest standards of cleanliness (which these Hamiltons certainly do not), an empty room in one's house will be filled with something.  In our case, it became the catch-all room. . .for the last year and a half.  Anything we didn't know what to do with got dropped in the master.  Therefore, it took us a solid week to get it all cleaned out.  That alone was pretty exhausting.  Then, Curt began tearing out the back wall of the existing closet. . .and just like that, our house became a construction zone.

Basically, Curt tore out the back of the existing closet and extended the right wall straight back to an exterior wall.  This new wall essentially cuts our mudroom in half, and is a much better usage of space.  The demolition begins: 

At this point, Susan Ada's parents came to help for a long weekend.  Here is the new space.  Note that it has 2 windows and measures approximately 7' x 10'. . .quite the upgrade :)

Next, Curt began framing out the new walls:

Once the framing was complete, it was time for Curt to hang his first sheetrock!

Curt actually made the door smaller so the furniture placement in the bedroom will work out better.

We interrupt this construction to bring you Susan Ada at 17 weeks :)

 After the sheetrock comes the subfloor:

And after the subfloor comes tar paper. . .apparently it keeps the wood floor from squeaking:

Ruby stopped by to inspect the first of the wood floor installation:

She decided her daddy was a little stressed from figuring it out and could use a good snuggle:

And here we are today.  Less than 2 ft remaining to finish the wood floor, but we are taking a break to go enjoy some mountain air for July 4th

Tune in next time to see how the construction continues. . .