Harper Joy in the news 2

Home is where your heart is!

Imani and I have moved into Harper Joy! The plan is to stay the summer and see how it works for us. After a week, so far so good! Everything has a place and there is a place for everything. Putting them there is key :)  We brought what we needed and our other stuff went to storage or an aunts house to use when we are visiting. Imani was a little scared of the (composting) toilet at first, but has now mastered it. 

Living in Harper Joy has been a dream of mine for nearly 5 years. It was June 2009 when I saw Elizabeth Turnbull's tiny home featured in a magazine and September 2009 when I decided to build my own. I am happy to finally be fulfilling this dream with my girl. It's important to me that she understand simple living and how community works. She loves her people more than stuff, and she only knows spending lots of time with family, but living in the tiny home will make it a reality. She currently thinks nothing of the tiny house, besides wanting to show people. It's got everything we need and we spend about the same amount of time here as we did at the 'big' house. 

                     Our first night!

We still need to build front stairs, come up with a better ladder system to the loft, and finish the floor. But we are living in our tiny house and we feel right at HOME!

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity that you have given Imani and I to live in Harper Joy.  I am so excited to share this experience with her; to teach her living simply by actually doing it and about community. I've said it before, I can't believe I'm the girl in this story. My beautiful daughter, my tiny home, and a family that loves us immeasurably. Thank you for your faithfulness, your provision, and your plans that are always better than mine! Please give us patience and grace to live in such a small space together. Help me to remember she's only 5 and still has so much to learn. Give me the knowledge and wisdom to teach her well and lead her to you. 

In Jesus Name,

Amen

The Little house that could

Harper Joy is on the front page of my hometown newspaper, (just a sneak peek, the article is inside)! Its just a little picture, but seeing as like things on small scales, its just my style! I am so happy with my journey researching, planning, building, and ultimately bonding with special people as Harper Joy came to be, and now I was able to share it with others! I was reminded of the amazing journey it was as Beth, (the reporter) interviewed me for the story. I have this tiny building, but it encompasses SO much more than just a small space to live!

Dear God,

Thank you for the reminder of the wonderful people and opportunities you have placed in my life. Thank you for orchestrating this journey just so, and showing me how You work in Your time. I know you have even more plans for me that are better than this girl could even imagine or dream of. I am open and trying to be still!

Love Me

Sittin' pretty at her summer home!
Note the lights in the windows! :)

Drew-4 Isaac-6 Liam-3 in my loft
Liam got up there and said "Aunt Tarsha, this is your bunk bed!"
I hadn't thought of it that way, but hes right! Love these little men! :)

View from said 'bunk bed!'

My wonderful friend Patrice made me pillow cases!
They add some sass to my sofa!Love them, thanks Girl!

Live with Less to Enjoy More

I got this in an email from a friend. I think my Harper Joy is a great start on this journey!

Whitney Hopler, Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Jill Savage and Mark Savage's book, Living with Less So Your Family Has More: Redefining Your Priorities to Put Your Family First, (Guideposts, 2010).

Our culture constantly says that you need more in your life: a bigger house, a newer car, better clothes, more activities. But none of that reflects what God says is most important: healthy relationships. Pursuing what truly matters requires living with less - not more - so you'll be free to grow closer to God and other people.

Here's how you can live with less of what our culture says you should want so you can live with more of what God says is important:
Pray. Ask God to give both you and your spouse a unified vision for how God would like your family's lifestyle to be. Open your minds to new, countercultural ways of thinking.
Define "less." You can focus on intentionally downsizing three parts of your life: money (choosing to earn and spend less money to free up more of your time), stress (refusing to give into the pressure to achieve what our culture deems success while aiming simply to be faithful to God), and activities (creating healthy boundaries to prevent your schedule from becoming overloaded with too much to do).
Define "more." List the specific benefits your family can gain if you all choose to live with less. Those benefits can include: more availability, more peace, more patience, more kindness, more joy, better health, more organization, more energy and intentionality for parenting and also for focusing on marriage, more attentiveness, more time, and more margin to allow for spontaneously interacting with your family members.
Check your speed. Ask yourself some key questions to determine whether or not the pace of your life is too fast right now. How often does your family eat dinner together? How much time do you spend with God in prayer, actively playing with your children, going on dates with your spouse, exercising, investing in friendships, pursuing hobbies, and doing volunteer work? Slow down enough to enjoy what matters most in life - relationships.
Live by convictions rather than responding to pressures. Seek God's guidance every day about the decisions you face, and ask Him to empower you to make the right choices instead of giving into cultural pressures to choose something that doesn't reflect God's values. Read the Bible often, listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to you, participate in a church community where you and others can encourage each other to live in counterculture ways, and invite God to convict you of sin in your life so you can confess it, repent from it, and receive God's forgiveness and strength to grow.
Find contentment. Overcome envy, jealousy, or covetousness by confessing these sinful attitudes to God and asking Him to forgive you and help you be content in whatever circumstances you encounter. When you're tempted by a desire for something you don't have, ask God to remind you of what you already do have, and thank Him for that.
Make constructive sacrifices, but avoid destructive ones. Making certain types of sacrifices can benefit your family by freeing up more time for them. These include: comfort, sleep, hobbies, entertainment or recreational activities, and career pursuits. However, be sure not to ever sacrifice your relationship with God, your marriage, or your identity, because doing so would harm your family.
Pursue simplicity. Realize that living simply isn't about deprivation; instead, it's about determining what's truly important and discarding the rest from your life. Pursue inward simplicity by examining your heart often and keeping it fully focused on God. Pursue outward simplicity by expressing your values through your lifestyle decisions, such as: buying items for their usefulness rather than for their status, rejecting anything that's addictive to you, making a habit of giving things away, refusing to believe that you need the newest and the best, learning to enjoy things without owning them, developing a deeper appreciation for creation, resisting "buy now, pay later" schemes, speaking plainly and honestly, rejecting anything that oppresses others, and turning away from anything that distracts you from seeking God's kingdom first in life.
Live frugally. Ask God to help you appreciate all you currently have. Make time to research your potential purchases before buying. Organize discount coupons and other information that can help you save money on goods and services. Swap services with other people, exchanging something you can do for them for something they can do for you so that none of you has to spend money. Ask yourself whether or not you really need something you're considering buying, and whether or not there is any other option. Manage your existing stuff well so you know what you have and where it is. Evaluate what you consider necessities to see if some might really be luxuries. Generate new ideas for family fun rather than just accepting the culture's idea that you have to engage in expensive activities to have fun.
Trust God. Instead of worrying about being able to live within your financial means, pray about each of your specific concerns and trust God to help you. Expect God to provide everything you need, sometimes in surprising ways.
Find support in community. Find other like-minded families at church, in your neighborhood, online, or elsewhere and encourage each other to live with less.
Set a budget and stick to it. Create a family spending plan, discuss money issues with your spouse weekly, and help each other establish and maintain wise spending habits. Work together to find strategies to keep your family's spending under control for groceries, clothing, housing, transportation, holidays (like Christmas gifts), vacations, and your kids' college educations. Reevaluate your budget at least once a year so it can change as your life changes.
Save and invest. Save money for large purchases (such as replacing a car), irregular expenses (such as home repairs), and emergencies (such as medical bills from an accidental injury). Make sure your family has health insurance, property insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance. Invest in places such as mutual funds and money-market funds.
Make money doing what you love. Don't waste your time doing jobs that aren't right for you. Instead of settling for work you don't enjoy or do well, ask God to help you find the right kind of work - and to do it in ways that won't pull you away from your family too much. Consider starting a home business to give yourself a flexible work schedule.

Another BIG weekend for this tiny house :)

Trina's Rob put up my blinds! Thanks Rob!

New piece of storage/furniture from Daddy's house (note the matching knob)

UPDATED Summer 2010 with clock

Storage door enclosed

Bookshelf/armour

Switched fridges for a smaller one

IKEA Field Trip

My wonderful, most expensive and long awaited purchase!

Isn't it lovely? Practical too!
It opens into a double bed and has storage underneath! Harper Joy is ready for guests!
Thank you Larkins for such a great gift!

I got this fold out table for a bargain in the As Is section of IKEA! I am going to alter the legs a bit to fit over the wheel wells, but it should fit fantastically!

I met Tracy and Daddy for his first IKEA adventure. He bought me these lanterns for my porch! I can't wait to see them lit up! He enjoyed looking at all the cool stuff and all the things I could have used in my tiny house. This man and I think A LOT alike :) We loaded the goodies into his truck for him to bring to Maine. Daddy got some trinkets and he might just be back if he decides my idea to build him a tiny house of his own is a good one!

BIG weekend for a tiny house

Last day at Norm and Lulu's

Norm and Rob working on a last minute project - wheel wells

Then Harper Joy made the move to her summer home ~ The Farm

Enter armour and book shelf

Daddy painted the wheel wells and we put up my ikea storage

Rob and I did my kitchen ceiling
Daddy painted the inside walls and...

The porch too!

Running Water!

Norm sent me these pictures yesterday and I was so excited! I have gathered a towel, some Longaberger baskets, a shower curtain, blind, and lofa to take home with me so I can take a quick hot shower in my tiny house this weekend!

Harper Joy in (RED)

The view from my loft at 7:30am ~ MUST paint before it rains! LOVE this man!

Ladies night in the loft

Boys night in the loft

Jason and Norm building my bathroom walls

with paint and kitchen installed

We painted the town house RED! Daddy and I (read: mostly Daddy) painted the tiny house on wheels this week and she is looking very sassy! Plumbing has also been started, shower installed, and kitchen moved in. Thank you Jason, Aaron, Bekah, Joy and Randall for coming up for this project! Jason worked on plumbing with Norm while the rest organized Norm's garage. I have the best friends a girl could ask for!

We had some slumber parties in the tiny house too. My sister Tanya and I divided and conquered (or told ourselves that is what we were doing). She took the girls and I took the boys one night and then we switched off. My loft sleeps 4, when 3 are little people anyway :) My loft has been christened, cereal is smashed into the carpet, Capri Sun spilt, and one fall from the ladder. (Hannah is okay, no battle scars from the incident!) I'm sure there will be many more memories made!

I am in awe! As this tiny house on wheels starts to look more and more like its tiny version counterpart, I still can't believe that this journey I decided to embark upon in September 2009 has turned into my little home by April 2010! I look at it each time I am there and can't believe its mine. I can't seem to comprehend that all these wonderful people love me enough to share their time, talents, and treasures. So many people have put their mark on my house, in so many ways. The memories that I have made during the last 6 months will be with me forever. Each time I walk into my Harper Joy, whether she becomes my full time residence, summer house, guest house, or Maine house, I will be enveloped in love and memories of the time I spent planning and building her with faith, family and friends. Thank you doesn't seem like enough, but I sure am grateful and appreciative of all who have given this special gift to me.

You see, my Harper Joy is so much more than just a little house on wheels. It represents success, self worth, love, community, faith, and hope. The verse from Psalm 23:5 "my cup runneth over" is pretty much how I can describe it. I just think about all I have been given in this life, and I am blessed. While so many people don't have some of the simple things I have, I recognize I have been blessed with so many complexities! I have wonderful and sustainable relationships with extraordinary people and multiple resources at my fingertips. I could not have build this house without them.

Dear God,

You know how I always tell you that your plan is better than mine? Here I am again Lord, and its still true. You have amazed me again with your intricate plans for my life and the people in it. Thank you for putting me in this place, with these people, and in Your timing. Thank you for my tiny house, the hands that built it, and the seeds that have been planted. Please help me to foster these relationships and be to them what they are to me. Please keep me centered on Your plan and in Your timing. Help me to see the opportunities past the obstacles and focus on You.

I hope you have big plans for my Harper Joy, and I will be happy even if they don't include me.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Houston WE HAVE POWER~ Solar power that is!

Step 1: Mount solar panels on roof

Step 2: Connect Panels to battery box

Step 3: Battery power sent into house

Step 4: Connect charge controller, circuit breakers, inverter and batteries

Step 5: Get really excited when your panels are charging your batteries with 13.7 volts!

Step 6: Marvel at your work :)

Harper Joy is all hooked up to solar power! The 4 solar panels are on the roof, the battery box and its 6 batteries are attached to the front, the inverter and circuit breaker are attached to wall and endless amount of wires were cut, stripped are connected together! I was pretty proud of myself for my part in it all, which was very minimal, but exciting none the less!

Norm did a wonderful job of organizing all the supplies I would need, checking and double checking the connections and planning/executing the whole entire process! I tease him that he is Harper Joy's godfather, and with all the time and wisdom hes shared with me to build my tiny house, hes piratically half owner!

Harper Joy is now at Norms house again after another moving day. Next up is to put in the direct vent furnace and plumbing, T1-11 on the walls, painting, painting, and painting some more! I am excited to get the wails up and see just how cozy 144sq ft is! I ordered 4 stabilizing jacks so when Harper Joy and I find some place permanent (as permanent as you can get me anyway) the tiny house will be still and stable.

Dear God,

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity that is making my dreams come true! Only you could orchestrate the pieces and plans that have gone into building my Harper Joy. She is really not just mine, but yours and all the people who have built her from the trailer up. I am in awe of the experiences I have had in the last 5 months and the people who have been a part of it. Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined I would actually have a place of my own with solar power, which was literally built with faith, family, and friends. I have always thought it was a grand idea, but I feel so blessed to see it unfolding before me. When I look at my life objectively, I am excited and overjoyed that I get to be 'that girl'! Thank you for this, for the blessings and smiles that I get to be a part of. Thank you for Norm and Daddy, my 2 biggest fans. When they call or text me with news and questions about my house, I have a smile on my face that spreads ear to ear. Daddy's giggles when he talks about fielding questions from the towns people and his friends, is music to my ears. Norm's eagerness and willingness to get each task accomplished the best he can for me and Harper Joy makes me feel spoiled rotten!

Please help me to be grateful and show my appreciation Lord. Please don't let me be content with all this time and attention given to my house, but let me also give my time and energy to others who need it. Let this experience be just what you intended it to be, not just my dreams and goal becoming a reality, but also a journey of faith and patience. Help me to 'be still and know you are God' after this time in my life of experiencing it daily.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

P.S. I will just laugh if when I finish my tiny house built for one, the man you are preparing for me is ready! But I will also understand if you want me to live in it as a single woman for a time. Either way, I'm happy!Just wanted you to know! :)

Progress, passion, and porches

Before

After

My wonderful father hired his wonderful friend to come finish my porch and eaves. I was sad I couldn't be there. But since my Daddy is so wonderful, he called me 4 times and filled me in on what was happening. He also took pictures. Norm stopped by to check out the progress and sent this from his phone. My dad said he'd love to be able to send me the pictures he took "over the computer", but we both know that won't happen!

Tiny House Quotes

Dear House,

Your really very small,

just enough for love,

that's all!

Have nothing in your home that you don't know to be useful,

or believe to be beautiful! ~William Morris

And especially for my Harper Joy, true both literally and figuratively:

This home was built with faith, family, and friends!

If you have a tiny house on wheels...

You can start building her at your Uncle Norm's Then...

You can have your Uncle Norm drive her to your Daddy's house.

And if she is at your Daddy's house

Chances are shes probably going to be well taken care of!And by well taken care of,

I mean she's probabaly going to get cleaned up...

and organized.

And insulated.

And if your cleaned up and organized tiny house on wheels

is insulated,

that means shes ready for

plumbing...

heating...

and solar power hook-up!

So if you have a tiny house on wheels,

I suggest starting at Uncle Norm's

Then...

have your Uncle Norm

drive her to your Daddy's house.

Becasue if your Daddy is like my Daddy,

he will take good care of her...

just like he does with all his girls!

And if you have an Uncle Norm like I do,

You might just go into business together,

building a said tiny house on wheels! :)