Straw-Clay Infill Work Party #1!

It has finally started!  Yesterday, with the help of our wonderful friends, we worked our guts out and infilled a wall and a half!  We can no longer see through the wall in our one-day entry way!  It looks great and I can just imagine how toasty warm it will be in the winter time.

Bill has helped us on almost every stage of this process.  He was there the day we poured the footing and now he is here mixing clay slip.  Thank you, Bill!  You have been such a huge help all along and especially these last few days. 

Here is 55 gallons of clay slip Bill and I made the day before the work party.  Bill rocks!

Brendan in front mixing clay slip and Mariah in the back tossing the clay and the straw.  These folks worked their guts out all day long!  Thank you so much!

This little guy supervised our progress throughout the day.  When he wasn't pretending the big bathtub on the side of the house was his boat, he was helping with whatever he could or talking our ears off.  He entertained himself all day long.  What a cutie! 

Finally, the infill!  Bill, Sonja and I are tamping the very first layers of straw-clay into the walls.

Moving right along, it's time to slide the form up! 

Mariah and Bill posing with the new wall.  We can't see outside anymore!

Katrina, very serious with her fork and clay mustache.  Thank you for coming by and tamping straw-clay with me, Katrina!

The inside of the wall with the forms still up. 

The outside of the wall.

Chris making more straw clay.  He tossed that mixture all day long and kept the pile of ready-to use infill high!  Thank you so much!

Adorable.

The inside of the wall without the forms.

The one-day bathroom wall up to the window.  Will we get this one done today?  Keep your fingers crossed!

I cannot say thank you enough to everyone who was able to help yesterday.  Bill, Sonja, Finn, Mariah, Chris, Matt, Brendan, Katrina and Kate--we couldn't have done it without you.  The amount of energy we put forth was impressive. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A Boat Ride with My Folks

After forcing my parents to help us with the house for most of their vacation, we gave them a break and went for a boat ride last night.  It was a wonderful night!

The Bedroom Framing!

Finally, we have begun working on the house again! While my parents were here visiting these last 10 days, we put up the bedroom framing (yay!), my dad did the rough-in plumbing and my mom and I worked on raking rocks and evening out the ground around the house.  After all of that was done, my mom helped to clean up the first floor and my dad and I worked on putting up the chicken wire that will help to hold the straw-clay infill.  It looks awesome!  Good news:  the straw is arriving on Monday!  I can't wait to start working on the infill!

The house with the bedroom framing.  Now isn't that a sweet little house?