A family preps for a camping trip and continues their homestead remodel, installing doors, skylights, and decking while coordinating logistics. Rebecca reflects on weaning the youngest child as they pack food and test out a new Husqvarna chainsaw for cutting logs.
Chapters
About to hook up the camping trailer. Jonah's coming to help, and apparently he stepped on the eggs. Why'd you put them right outside the door?
I didn't.
Well, that'll slow us down a little bit. Why did you put eggs right in front of the door?
Because I thought they would pick them up.
We can't put eggs out here anyway. Winnie gets them. Winnie gets the cracked ones that still have eggs in it. The yard gets the broken shells. Crisis averted. Little hack there: just pick a lot of the yolks up and then pour water on it. Boss man's here to see where we want these— she's He's marked them.
Do you want them to be on this one or do you want to be in this one?
You got— you're going to do 4 and they're going to be stacked on top or?
2 on each side of the roof.
Okay, so basically we're married to this. Now that the trusses are set, we can go in this cavity and this cavity.
So the one how we used to have it, yeah, it would like shine on the furniture. Yeah, I didn't really like that, right?
Yeah, I know. So I think I like it going straight down.
Straight down.
So look, then it's just gonna be on the All 4 of them are going to be right at the ridge. So basically all of your light's going to be right in this area. You understand what I'm saying?
Yeah, yeah, I get it.
What would you say the chicken burrito was? Because that was a very even line.
It just was open all around.
Got his laser straight up to where we wanted it. Lunch is ready. I was hoping to be done packing by then. Didn't happen. We got the doors and the windows figured out though. Homemade ice cream on the ready for little man during this transition time. How are you feeling weaning your last child?
I'm very sad.
You nursed all these.
It's bittersweet because I'm sad and I'm also very happy.
Yeah, it was kind of neat that you knew when this last nursing was. You didn't know that with all the other ones.
It makes my heart sad when he's like, when he asks.
What you saying? It might be too cold to be out here now. Good camping weather.
I came from 20 degrees colder. Hottter.
You came with a tan, dude.
I know.
You and Lily. What was the highlight of the trip? Probably riding a lot. Did your friend get to ride a horse and then you get to ride another? No. Did you have to take turns on the one? Okay. What was the highlight of the trip for you?
Getting to meet Miss Vivian and, um, just spending—
the baby. Yeah, the baby.
And spending time with my friend.
Look who crawled in the bed with Lily. You got your Lily back. We are all back together after 5 days away. That's a lot for us.
Definitely a lot for you, right?
We're gonna try to enjoy each other as a family today, but also we've got to get ready because I'm taking Josiah on his coming-of-age trip tomorrow. You have a baby? Oh my goodness. The doors are here for our homestead house remodel. I'll put that door now, right? But I don't know, maybe they— okay, I could get Rebecca over here and make sure Gotta get the beautiful one over here. They're raring, ready to go, but need some information on where all these doors go. Hey, you think you could steal a minute and direct these boys on these doors? She's coming. You want a banana? Well, I don't know why I said that because we have no bananas. Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. Our house remodel is going much slower than anticipated. Hope we've had many hang-ups. I don't want this to be one this morning. Let's get these guys what they need for the door info and keep them busy. There's a full crew here. Look at this real adult. You want tortilla? Okay. You ready to get back into the throes of things?
It doesn't matter if I'm ready, I'm doing it.
Look at these skylights, Beck. I know. Imagine how much more round or taller They're huge. These the living room ones? Living room, kitchen.
Kitchen.
I think of it the same thing.
One of them's going in the chicken brooder. One of these is going in the chicken brooder, and then the other 3 are going in the garden kitchen downstairs.
Tontubes.
One's going in the spa room that we have, and then one's going in Millie's bathroom.
Nice. And all these behind you going to the sunroom?
These are all going in the sunroom.
They all open. It's gonna be super bright in there.
They all open so that we can let heat escape.
Solar powered. Hey, my man. Hey. You ready for our trip? Tomorrow? Go ahead and open it. There's one job we've got to do before we leave. It'll be particularly fun since we've got a new tool. My chainsaw. Took the opportunity to do an upgrade. Professional grade saw. Extra chain, the bar. Wow, what do you think, Henry? We got a Husqvarna 572 XP. XP is the professional grade. I've heard a lot of good things about them. Is it heavy? Yeah, it would be heavy to you. Feels heavy as maybe it should, but maybe that's part of the quality. Like a lot lighter than my dad's saw, but probably way more powerful. Why Husqvarna? I think with chainsaws you get what your dad got. It's a nostalgia thing, I'm pretty sure. You think you'll get Husqvarna when you grow up, Josiah? I already have one. We're on the right track. Look, how many loads is that? 5, 6 wood chips from the power company clearing the lines around here. Now we did have to wait years for that to happen. I think it's worth it even if you have to buy wood chips for the value that you get out of it. Mega. But it's, but it's also very sweet when you get them for free. But we definitely don't let that stop us, them not being available for free. Last locust to cut up. Cut it right there and then I'll cut it at the end when it becomes that little one. Andrew should be coming today to get all our logs. This is for our decking for our remodel. Henry's driving, he's operating it. 2.5, he's gonna be— you better watch out, he's gonna be taking y'all's job. Lift this up for us. Oh man, there is nothing like using a chainsaw for the very first time. So sharp, so powerful and efficient. It's like a sharp knife on warm butter. Alright, well, I got a little bit delayed uploading footage for you all. Becca's on it. She's making some granola for Josiah on this trip. Been working hard all day getting our stuff ready, thawing meats, making homemade marshmallows. It's quiet in here. Where is everybody? We don't even know.
They're outside. It's so nice. It feels so good after being in 90-degree weather for 5 days.
You like calling North Carolina home, don't you?
I know, I'm like, I like came home, I was like, it's cold here, but it feels good. And it's like that, it's just like perfect, like the wind's just barely blowing, it feels good.
It's good to be home.
It's good to be home.
20 minutes, I got a phone call, but right now I got another project for you guys. The boys are flagging me down. We blew the same fuse cutting the boards. Okay. It's not like this saw that lets you just— You might take everything off of it while you do it. It actually says shop. Okay, you turn it off and then back on, and that fixed it. Should— how many trees you covering? I don't know, I'm just cutting enough wood to hope for. You gonna be all right with Josiah and I? I'm actually measuring the sheep shaw, which is now also the meat shaw. So you can build the meat shaw, and, and all you got to do to make it a sheep shaw is add minerals. Chris, my co-author, engineer, carpenter on this. How tall this is. 31 right there. Here, we should probably measure right here at the wheel. 31 inches. That's good because he thought it was 27. These plans drop in the Homestead Builds backers by mid-October. Josiah, don't kill me, I didn't pack a single other thing than upload and vlog, and now I got a phone call, so it'll be after that. All right, you should be able to play with your peeps. Just got off a very productive coaching call with my business coach. Rebecca has been just nuts in here at this stuff.
You can tell by the front of my sweater.
Where's your apron, girl? I know, calling out some chicken. This is the highlight though, homemade Hamburger Helper. All Josiah and I have to do is heat it up.
Mac and cheese with meat, that's what it's called. Yeah, I feel like that's what they called it. Okay, skillet cheeseburger mac and cheese.
Okay, people are gonna want to know where that is.
Search on the internet, cheeseburger mac and cheese. It's Best Recipe Box.
It's a good camp food. It is a good camp.
It's like super like filling.
And it's a one-plate thing. Going on the mountain board? Yep. Hold on tight. No, no, Henry, just want to go all the way. Henry, are you glad to have Lily back?
Yep. Let's go!
Good job! Just that one poplar. Andrew is here to pick up our locust logs, turning that into beautiful, durable decking. Get him up there. Oh, you want— are you way down?
Dangerous!
Get down, you're worrying him. Is that better? Can I sit here? No? Okay, okay, okay. Fathers, don't exasperate your children. It's all right. Mark, he's cool as heck on that Harley. Supper. Bean's coming on. Monday night, always burger night. We don't have to think about it. Supper was good. Momma's now trying to put the baby to sleep. She is definitely gonna have a harder time than I did. He is much more whiny when she's around. I feel like we didn't get any packing done. Did we get any packing done? I packed. Momma cooked for us. You packed. We got so much more to make sure we packed. Did we bring all the food? Pack in the cooler. When are we gonna do it all? Because I'm pooped. Hopefully we can get it packed. Tomorrow. I mean, it's all that we got to do. Let's see, y'all come along, see if we can do it.
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