We are finally in our cabin!
Although there are a few things to finalize, for the most part we are finished (or at least quitting.) Building our cabin has been such a learning experience on so many different levels.
I learned how to run wires to outlets and lights and then learned how to put those wires into the panel. It was so exciting to have the electrician come hook up the power coming into the cabin and be able to turn on lights and they worked! Light switches that work may not seem like a big deal but since I did it myself it was a HUGE deal.
I had made one mistake that the kids thought was hilarious: when I ran the wires to the light switch in their room I failed to label the three wires coming into the switch box. So when I installed the light switch I really wasn’t sure why there were three wires and I had no idea which one went to what. So I guessed on which ones should be attached to the light switch. Well I guessed WRONG!
The three wires were the power coming into the box, the power going to the kids bedroom light and the power going to our bedroom light. I managed to hook the kids bedroom light directly to the power coming in which meant their light was constantly on. Our light was hooked to the light switch in their bedroom, which meant their light switch controlled the light in our bedroom. They thought it was so funny that they could turn off our bedroom light from their room. Not to worry, I was highly motivated to take down a piece of the ceiling and climb into the tiny attic area to figure out which wires went to where so I could correct that problem. Now had it been that we could turn off their light from our room…that would have been fun!
Scott did the plumbing except the drains under the kitchen sink. I managed to figure those out one day while he was at work. They say necessity is the mother of invention, that certainly rings true around here. I really wanted to start unpacking boxes and washing dishes so they could be put away. In order to do that, I needed wanted my kitchen sink to have drains. (Yes, I could have used a bucket under the sink but why do that when surely I could figure out the drains, right?!) With enough YouTube videos I figured out how to put that bag of plumbing parts (that Scott had purchased) together.
The kids and I, along with the help of my mom, laid the floors in the bedrooms and living/dining room. They now have experience laying snap-together laminate flooring, and they do a really nice job with it. Then Mom and I laid the Congoleum hard linoleum squares in the kitchen and I (along with Scott’s help to get the linoleum under the water system) laid the bathroom flooring.
Quinton, Rebekah and Adisyn helping put some of the many nails in the underlayment that we put down before the snap together flooring. (Not the best picture, I didn’t stop often enough to take pictures.)
Close up of the living room flooring that the kids help install.
The kids also helped hang paneling, put the used corrugated tin on the ceiling, install the upper kitchen cabinets among other things. Brock learned how to put the pig-tails on the outlets so they could be installed. He also watched how to put the wires into the main panel.
Building the cabin was a wonderful learning experience for our family! I’m not ready to tackle another big building project anytime soon but I’m glad we’ve had this opportunity.
Blessings,
Jennifer
Oh, i have to share this wonderful homeschooling family working together story! so glad you are nearly done! Red Wolf is growing like a good weed and taking commands better. Still gets distracted with fascinating smells or teasing the other dog when it is chained. Red loads into the floor of the Gator now on command – of course getting out is easy, but he has to wait for the command. He surely doesn’t like to be left alone in the Gator – even for a second! Getting used to the cattle, sheep, and guard dogs. Fearless!
Thank you, Tauna!
So glad Red is learning! The boys will be pleased to hear of his progress.