It’s been about three weeks since I started the house restoration project. So far it’s made significant progress. We pulled off the siding, replaced the trim and molding on the house, cleaned up the mess, and are putting together a plan to complete the job.

The toughest thing about this kind of a project or any project for that fact is to have an action plan. Getting started is the hardest part but finishing can be anguishing if you don’t have a schedule together to complete the job.

So in that light we’ve built a plan to complete the job. Necessary items have been purchased and the site is almost ready to begin weekly progress on it. Here are steps to finalize the plan.

Step 1. Identify
Identify what needs to be done and how long it will take to complete the job. Don’t anticipate it will go worry free so when going around looking at what you’ve got to do double the time you think it will take so you are prepared. That way if it takes less, you’re ahead.

Step 2. Schedule
Create a schedule for the tasks. During the week be modest, take on small tasks that aren’t going to be ruined by weather and other factors, like kids or work. Everything should be included in the schedule; i.e. purchasing supplies, setting up equipment, clean up, and of course the activities.

Step 3. Sign-Off
Get sign off by all involved parties. In a home project this means the wife and family. If you need help and have people coming down to help get them to buy in on the timings as well.

Step 4. Publish
Publish the plan in a place that everyone can see and that they can be reminded automatically by. Google calendars is a great place for something like this and it’s free.

Step 5. Execute
Work the plan. Once you have everything good to go, start the work. Make sure you keep track of what you’ve done so you’ll stay motivated. This will obviously be the plan, but it can also be a project journal or a blog site.

Good luck and check back soon to see where we’re at.

Ever started something and said to yourself - do I really have any idea what I’m doing? I have that feeling all the time but I almost refuse to give into it. This time I wish I would have.

About a month ago, I started taking the siding off of my house. Today I should have finished it but there were of course mixups. The mixups started with the boom lift not being what we expected, so I took it back and found a place that had one that would work the way I needed it too.

Today was up and down latters all day, pulling things off the side of the house, scraping, gluing, calking, hammering, etc. I’m totally exhausted and to the common eye it looks like I haven’t done anything.

The good news is that my master carpenter, bubba, will be here tomorrow instead of Wednesday. And Phil The Paint Guy told me it would be paintable as soon as we were ready to paint. Yahoo.

Barring any unforeseen delays tomorrow we should have all of the siding off, and begun the arduous work on the trim and boards that need to be repaired.

I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. Oh wait that would be when I bought the house and had to recalk all of the windows. I hate physical labor and this just confirms it.

I liked the old look, but I’ve been wanting something with a little flexibility. Something that would take me out of the role of the developer and into just worrying about content.

I’ve tried other “premium” templates and themes for Wordpress, but I think I have it nailed. This is awesome. From a back end flexibility it’s fantastic. Almost enough to want to put bobbysque.com back onto wordpress….

To see the behind the scenes on this check out .

Keep checking in and soon you should see some more changes.

In the post yesterday I talked extensively about the lesson’s I learned from my Mother. What I did not talk about was my wife as the Mother of our children.

My wife and I grew up in different homes with different dynamics and expectations set on us. But our values about teaching our children are very similar, or have become similar as time goes on.

She is a loving mother, fiercely protective, and patient beyond anything I can hope to be. She teaches them the values of family and of supporting each other, including their siblings which is usually more difficult than we expect it be. She talks to them and takes excitement at everything they do.

She saves all of their papers and homeworks and anything they produce. It is amazing to watch her with them and how she can motivate them far better than any attempt I make by my yelling and screaming or threats and eventual swats on the behind.

She values all of her time with them and I think that teaches them just how important they are to her. She educates them constantly with regards to watching out, being careful, and mindful of the dangers food can be for themselves and their siblings.

While our house may not be pristine (you have 3 boys under the age of 6 and one almost 40 and see how you do?) she does a great job of keeping up and trying to stay on top of the perpetual cycle that is picking up, folding, washing, putting away, lunches, daily clothes, and just making sure everything is in great shape.

I don’t say it often, but I do appreciate and love her for the Mother she is to my boys. She is the glue that holds everything together and keeps insanity from setting in. Thank you Honey.