Momplex

Man is our list ever getting short! We've just got a few things left to do before winter hits hard in Alaska. When we went on book tour, it really put a huge amount of stress on us to get as much done as possible while we can work and still feel our fingers at the same time. Numb fingers are no fun. Working at 50 degrees is a totally different story than working at -50 degrees. There was a lot of this going on as we worked late - even on school nights - trying to get as much done

So where were we ....

We got kitchen cabinets built, 

then we DIYed a laminate countertop, 

Now it's time to install them!!!

Most countertops are just glued down, but remember us? And our overbuilding, do-it-right-the-first-time issues?  

Yeah, glue just not going to be enough for us.  I know it would work just fine .... but why not add some screws too?  Help us.

I thought we were moving along on DIYing the most massive of projects - the Momplex, a duplex for our to very deserving mothers - just fine last week when we built the window bucks Followed by the door bucksAnd then we did the same . . . times 10  . . . for the garage doors.The garage doors are supported in the centers, in preparation for the concrete pour,  You'll see the same get done for windows and doors before the mud arrives.We thought we were moving right along.But then this

Thank you for sticking with us as we stuck out this winter. 

And boy, what a winter it was for us up in Alaska.  This winter, more than once, I asked myself why we live here.  It was a tough one.

And I was most thankful to not be battling snow, wind, and deathly cold temperatures trying to work on the Momplex.  Or say we had got the roof on - thank for cheering us on! - it would have been dreadful to pay for temporary heat just to get the Moms moved in a few months ea

Well, it's that time again. Time to start cutting holes in the Momplex, and blocking off wasted square footage behind walls. At least this time, we've got a pretty good reason. We are creating a secret escape passage. That once a year can be used by a strange man in the middle of the night to climb down into your house while you are sleeping. Yep, it's chimney time! That smoke's gotta escape somehow!

What a frightening sight. Winter on It's WayI was already shivering, but the migrating geese flying over the Momplex was extra chilling.  Even the birds know.  That's why they are packing up and leaving.  Winter is right around the corner.Approaching SnowlineAnd our Momplex project is in danger of getting snowed on . . . without a roof overhead.  And a snow line creeping closer by the day.One Week AgoDon't get me wrong, we've been working very hard and making lots of progr

Last fall, it was tough to walk away from this pile of trusses.

Thank you all for the wonderful inspiring comments keeping us encouraged up at the Momplex! My sweet husband, he works all day up there, and then comes home and reads your comments, and every once in a while, I catch him grinning to himself. You are making a huge difference to us! This isn't the first time we've built a home, but I tell you what, this is the first time we've built this BIG, the first time we've built entirely with ICF ARXX blocks, and this is the first time we've built putt

FACEBOOK PAGE UPDATE: On March 14, 2014, our Facebook Page was hacked, I was deleted as the admin, and the page name was changed.  The hackers then started using the page to promote their own business.  Finally, the page name has been changed (to Ana White) and the permalink has been restored back to www.facebook.com/knockoffwood.  Unfortunately, the hackers also deleted all content on the site, and this cannot be restored. I am very sad to see so many of your photos and questions

Within moments of stacking the last row of blocks for the first floor pour of the Momplex, the blocks just started disappearing. Hey, we might still need those!Playing HouseWhen these girls play house, they mean business.  All BusinessI'm all business this morning too.  The concrete is ordered and due at 1:00.  The pump truck is on it's way.  And we've got this checklist to check off on before walls can get poured in the Momplex.  The installation manual came with the

Have you ever noticed the large hill dead center in the Momplex's view?That's Donnelly Dome, sometimes claimed to be North America's largest hill.  It's a popular climbing site, awarding hikers with tremendous views of the Alaska Range.  photo by ApplecrossWell, there's an old saying in our community that when you see snow on the top of Donnelly Dome, winter will be here in two weeks.

I am going to apologize in advance for this long, long post.

But it was quite a long, long day for us working up at the Momplex.

After we got the first truss up at the Momplex, we wanted to have the next 22 trusses set by the end of the day. Certainly you can set a good chunk of trusses, hope the wind doesn't blow, and come back in the morning and finish up.  

But with a boom truck on site, we were hoping to keep cost down and just finish up in one very lo

You do not know how bad I wish I could say that today we start siding. After getting the doors trimmed out, time to start siding, right? Uh, wrong. This huge pile of siding is going to stay a huge pile of siding for a while longer. We still have to trim out each and ever single door and window with metal C Channel and flashing that does 2 things: 1. Hide ends of siding 2. Protect the Momplex from water drainage And what a long, tedious job this turned out to be!

Ever wonder what the Interior of Alaska looks like in November?