What a lucky birthday girl.

When I was a little girl I always wanted to build a dollhouse. You know one of those sets from Michael's complete with window kits and door trim. My mother worked at Michael's and during closing, when my dad and my other siblings came to pick her up, I would wander the aisles of Michael's always stopping and looking up in wonder at the dollhouses on display.

One year for Christmas my mother was able to buy me one from salvage at Michael's. Meaning she got it very cheap because the sets were very expensive, very. Only problem was I was ten and had no one to help me put it together. I begged both of my parents to help me but they were always too busy, too tired, working, and other normal stuff for parents. I eventually tried to do it on my own, oh how beautiful the pieces were to me. However, it turned out the set was in salvage because it was missing quite a few pieces. My dollhouse never saw it's own windows and doors installed and eventually winded up in a landfill while I turned to music and boys.

When we got back from Arizona a month ago my brother and his girlfriend showed us a small house made from a Dr. Pepper box and tape as well as these plans,

They were going to build a dollhouse for Tyler (my brother)'s girlfriend (Jordan)'s sister's 3rd birthday which was coming up in less than a month. The following weekend, with only three weeks to go, they began construction. Over the past three weeks we have had Tyler and Jordan working diligently day and night in our garage working on their masterpiece, with occassionally a little help from Todd.

Yesterday was the deadline and they still seemed to have a lot of work to get done. The house was still without a roof, there were no stairs, and no shingles to name just a few things that needed yet to be done. We helped were we could, Todd did a lot and I even cut shingles for them (That is the only thing I did, can you see how I am sticking it in here to get credit?). I finally went up for my nightly bath at 11 leaving them to complete the dollhouse and honestly not really thinking they would. However, this morning when I woke up and took a peek in the garage they were completely done. I crept around it in wonder feeling like that 10 year old girl who wanted oh so long ago her very own dollhouse.

Below are some pictures both from construction and the final product, I hope you enjoy them half as much as I do.

Yep, that's real tile. Only the best for their dollhouse.

Nice shot of the swivel stairs from the second floor balcony.

The brick and shingles. The brick was drawn freehand by Jordan. The shingles? Spray-painted 60 grit sandpaper cut into small pieces and stapled on diligently by the most handsome father I know.
Awesome, isn't it? I hope Jordan's sister knows how lucky she is. I think 480 hours of peoplepower went into this house.