Treehouse Update (again)

 

Fun times working on the treehouse! Good progress... Gotta figure out how to cut the roof to fit around the tree... and time to build the ladder this week.

Oh and we plan to decorate it for Christmas. We'll work on some video of that.

Treehouse Update (it's been a while)

So the work on the treehouse has become a little bit of an obsession.  I do nothing for days and days and then I work furiously on it all at once...  Lot's of progress over this past weekend.  Take a look below...working in the dark and hoping things are level and plumb.  The kids and Julie even braved the ladder and came up for the first time today... easier coming up than going down, right guys?

Next step:  build a ladder.  You should've seen my Dad and me driving back from Home Depot with 2- 2X8s 16ft long hanging off the back of my truck by 6ft and shoved through the open back window all the way to the rear view mirror.  ...He was skeptical.  ...I said that's why there is car insurance.  We made it!

LADDER:  To prep for this, today I pulled rise and run calculations from the good ol' internet (trust but verify).  We're gonna do a ladder at 65 degrees, 8-inch rise, 3.5ish-inch run.  Never done this before.  Maybe we should consider more medical insurance?

I'm seeing lights and a Christmas tree sittin in this thing soon... with timed Trans-Siberian Orchestra music.  Look out chick fil a!

Treehouse - Day 3

Day 3...

Productive, but slow. Measuring and cutting/notching the diagonal 4X4 tree braces was slow going.  And, I went back to exchange the 8' 4X4s for 12' 4X4s.  I wanted to make sure the diagonals were more than 45 degrees for support.

Anyway, 1 more joist to hang monday morning.  Then, I don't really know what will be next.  Decking for the floor or framing out walls etc.  I think the hardest parts might be done?  Not a lot of experience here, so I don't really know.

No injuries today - or none that drew blood :)  That's a good thing with 3 worship services to lead tomorrow!

Day 3 pics below...

Extreme Makeover - Treehouse Edition (Day 2)

Day 2 of treehouse work went... well... o.k.  Found out today that what we thought were plumb and square supports against the tree actually aren't so plumb and square.  But, adjustments were made and I think we are back in business.  Floor is framed out.  Cut one diagonal tree brace that will support against the tree at a 45 degree angle to center of outside rim joist - install it tomorrow.

Day 3 tomorrow.  Agenda:

1. cut 2 more diagonal tree braces that will support from 2 bottom corners of outside rim joist.  Not fun cuts to make.  Gotta remember: measure twice...cut once.

2. cut 2 diagonal tree braces for the tree edge rim joist (1 on each side of tree)

3. put in 2 more floor joist hangers and joists

4. put in some floor decking if time allows

Day 2 pics below.  Fun times!

Extreme Makeover - Treehouse Edition (Day 1)

We are building a treehouse in our backyard.  In the one tree that is treehouse-worthy.  I've never built a treehouse before but I've built plenty of "forts" in the woods growing up like most boys do.  And, I have a few tools.  So how hard could it really be?

Caroline asked for it first with a picture entitled "My Dream Treehouse" which she gave to me on Saturday.  So, Jackson and I headed to Home Depot.  I love my kids and I love to crank up any kind of saw.

Today was Day 1.

Caroline:  "Thank you Daddy.  It's gonna be awesome!"
Turner:  "THAT'S gonna be a treehouse?"
Jackson:  "No way I'm going up there."

INJURY REPORT:
Jackson was my leverage guy on the ground helping me hoist up each 2X6 with a rope.  He says he has blisters.
Julie was a good fill-in leverage girl on the ground too (Jackson's patience eventually ran out).  She says she has rope burn.
Greg got a good finger puncture from a nail.  Nice and bloody.

Below are some Day 1 pics.  Stay tuned for Day 2 probably Thursday or Friday.

We climbed a volcano

On a trip to the island of Sumatra, Indonesia less than 2 years ago, Julie, myself, and several friends hiked up a volcano and took pictures sitting in the middle of its caldera.  We learned today that a volcano (Mt. Sinabung) erupted in northern Sumatra yesterday.  Not sure, but we think it might be the same one!  This volcano had been dormant for over 400 years.  We actually stayed at the Hotel Sinabung near the base of it in Berastagi.  Sort of surreal to think about...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38901477/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jx_ZQ9848g

'Twas the Night Before School Starts

'Twas the night before school starts
And all through the house
All the children were wailing
And so was the mouse.

"It's only 9 o'clock,"
Jackson, Turner and Caroline said.
"We barely got to play!"
"Really? It's time for bed??"

The shoes were all lined up
Along the kitchen floor.
The backpacks were all hanging
Beside the back door.

The children were nestled
So sad in their beds
With visions of grammar
And math in their heads.

A hug and a prayer
And a pat on each head
Soon helped them all know
They had nothing to dread.

So to summertime fun,
We say, "See ya later!
'Cause now we're a
Second, fourth and sixth grader!"

To blog or not to blog?

OK so our family decided to start blogging. Today. Well, one of us did. Maybe the other 4 will get interested! We are the Goforths... The Going-Forth 5... Get it? Some of you might actually decide to follow our blog. Most won't. But anyway, this is gonna be a place where we talk about what is important to us...God, family, ministry, school, trips, pets, ups, downs, twists, turns. Life. I guess about anything goes. Maybe we'll post a pic or a song or a video. Maybe we'll talk about something we've read. Bottom line: each member of our family is realizing we were created for a purpose. We are all growing and learning that God made us to declare His glory. Every day.

Today, maybe the attached song might be something encouraging. Jackson and I started writing this a while back. One of us was having, well...a tough day.  Listen to a rough unfinished cut at...

http://ggoforth.podbean.com/

ENOUGH GRACE

There is enough grace there is enough God

This day that you face won't have the last word

Be strong but be sure that even when you're not

There is enough grace there is enough God.

This fear that you have, these questions you've asked

So much time has passed since you felt sure

Be amazed when our God steps in

To show the way, to save the day