The transition

While we build our dream home, we will be living simply, in a small mobile home.  In less than 700 square feet we have 2 adults, and 4 kids under the age of 10, the dog, 2 cats, and 2 hermit crabs.  So far we've managed just fine, not too much stepping on toes.  Winter will be the real test.  The 3 oldest kids are sharing a room.  The girls, Phoenix and Finnlee, on the top bunk, and Zander on the bottom.  Zander had his own room in the old house, and this shared room is half the size, so it has been hardest for him to adjust.  The baby shares the small master bedroom with Chris and I.

We have a bathroom, a dining room/living room, a kitchen and laundry facilities in the hallway.  When we bought the home, it was missing a wall in the dining room, last fall Chris framed it and put in a window with the help of Zander and my Dad. 

When Chris started working on the plumbing, it was a mess!  He spent many weeks patching and testing it again only to have other leaks and splits pop open.  He finally ripped it all out and started from scratch.

Chris and a couple of friends built the mud room/storage space off the side of the home.  Using reclaimed bits and pieces, its not perfect, but it does the trick.  The roof leaks and needs more work, but it gives us a good buffer from the North and a space to keep wet coats, boots and dirty shoes.  It will also keep critters out of the garbage and recycling.  Once the house is built, we can disassemble the mudroom, re-purpose the parts and sell the mobile home.

The North side of the mobile home.  The mudroom has a small overhang and porch.  The pile of pallets are steps up to the clothesline.  The kids have claimed this edge of the driveway as a sandbox

The East side, the view standing on the driveway.  The huge maples on the right will be taped to make syrup.  The very middle of this photo, beyond the mudroom is the hill where the new house will be built

Looking back to the road from the mobile home

The West side, the kitchen windows.  The pallet box beneath the cat is our compost bin.  We're so redneck, we just throw our scraps out the window!  The tarps to the left are covering reclaimed materials we will use on various projects

The garden on the South side of the mobile home.  You can see the grey water runoff pipe at the bottom.  The blue tarp is protecting lumber

The South side.  The center wall that doesn't have paneling on it yet, is the wall that Chris built.  Most of the windows have the screens taped on like the one on the left

The garden.  I love the huge maples behind!