One of the hardest decisions Greg and I had to make was whether to build a handcrafted log home or a manufactured log cabin kit. 

If we waited another 3-4 years, we would have the money to build the custom log home -- which is generally more expensive.  But ultimately, our need to have our log home dream now and the discovery of the affordability and flexibility of the log cabin kit sealed our fate.

Perhaps the first 'official' sign that construction is about to take place on our new log home site: the posting of the Building Permit!

Unfortunately, this day in Williamson County, Tennessee was filled with just as many highs as lows -- emotionally speaking.

You see, last night we had some very destructive storms (including an EF2 Tornado) pass through the Leipers Fork area -- near where we are building our log home.

Our property had already been surveyed (several times) by the previous owners.

This is a fairly tricky lot to build on -- what with all the creeks and hills and rocks and required septic fields and such.

Turns out... of the 5 acres we own, there is only one tiny little spot where the home can actually go. The rest will be hilly trails and a forest of thick trees lining the creeks.

So, to ease our mind, and clarify for all involved (including the bank, the County, and ourselves), we asked the surveyor to come back out and re-survey it again for us.

Another trip down memory lane here...

Wanna see what our culvert looked like -- right after they finished putting it in?

(I thought you would.)

Can you see it now???

What a difference a couple of days makes!
(...and a bush hogging machine or two)

When we purchased this lot in Williamson County Tennessee, it had already been surveyed and perked. So we didn't have to do that part.

Our first official step toward building this log home was to clear the land (...in a manner other than Jim & I routinely walking the lot with a pair of loppers and a machete in hand and chopping down whatever annoying bushes & prickly branches stood in our way).

We finally decided to hire a professional team to take out most of the trees & brush that we knew would be in the way of the home. They had all the right equipment for heavy duty bush hogging, and they were even set up to deal with all of the rock they encountered on the property.

As it turned out, they were able to complete the job in about a day and a half.

The next house we visited on the Honest Abe Tour of Log Homes was actually not on the tour... it was simply one that Tonya had mentioned to us, in case we wanted to swing by and have a look.

We are SO glad we did!...

The first home we visited on the Honest Abe Fall Tour of Homes was Matt and April's log home.

Their timber frame home is currently under construction, and is set among the beautiful fields and rolling hills of Middle Tennessee.

Matt and April were a lot of fun to chat with. See highlights below...