It's been 5 years since we got the crazy idea we were going to spend our summers in MN. 😅 Each year, we've taken on huge projects to restore our lake property after 25+ years of water damage from high lake levels - all while working and living in an RV with no washer, dryer or dishwasher - and for the last 3 years, doing it either pregnant, with a baby or a toddler!
We've worked ourselves to the bone every year, but this year we finally crossed a huge milestone! We finished our shop with a guest loft, bathroom and nursery! And we now have a washer, dryer and dishwasher!! Six summers without them made me extra grateful for the *seemingly* small things.
We've brought in 900 yards of fill over 5 years. That's about 70 dump trucks. 🤯 Crazy, I know. Sometimes we feel crazy...but we know we're building for the future - making this a place our kids can grow up loving like I did as a young girl! 💗
Why am I sharing this?
I've been sharing bits and pieces of the journey each year, and I thought it would be fun to share the entire transformation! More importantly, other than it just being fun to document each milestone along the way, I think it’s important to share the literal blood, sweat and tears that have gone into building our dream, so that one day when you finally see us really enjoying it, you might remember it was far from easy. Worthwhile things rarely are. This has been the hardest, most worthwhile thing we've ever done! And one day, God-willing, we'll be glad we stuck with it! 💪
Here's the transformation timeline with lots of pictures too!
Year 1: 2021
We planned to renovate the cabin, but the basement was deemed unsalvageable from all the recurrent water damage. It didn’t make financial sense to keep the structure, so we decided to get rid of it. In the meantime, we searched for a new livable space, and decided on a 5th wheel trailer! We love it, because it allows us flexibility to travel in the off-season, and we can bring it inside for the cold Minnesota winters.
By that fall, we’d found a buyer for the cabin! Our plumber bought and moved the house to a new foundation on another property for his granddaughter to live in! He’d done so 2 other times for his sons. We were thrilled it could have another life!
- We also began restoring some of the beach.
- Restored an old dock that took 60+ hours
- Found a tractor for all the projects ahead
- And went boat shopping that season too!
Year 2: 2022
- We officially sold the cabin to our plumber who then moved it to another property!
- We moved into our new “RV”!
- My husband and our dads removed the entire basement and foundation of the house and restored the gaping hole where the house was. It took the three of them only a week!
- We continued restoring the beach.
- We finally got our new pontoon boat!!
Year 3: 2023
- We began turning our pole shed into a shop!
- We sold the big hanger door to a farmer in Idaho and replaced it with two industrial-sized overhead doors.
- Finished the floor, including: electric/water lines, insulation, floor heat, and polished concrete
- Framed out the livable spaces: a guest loft, nursery, and bathroom!
- Installed new windows and replaced some steel siding
- Applied insulating styrene to all the walls by hand - that was a big task!
- Installed a new septic system
- Finished totally restoring 550 feet of shoreline!
I was also pregnant with our first baby, our sweet little Liam! 💗
Year 4: 2024
- Made a permanent RV pad outside
- Removed lots of old concrete and planted grass instead
- Put up a new cabana down by the lake where the house used to be! This is where the hosting and fun happens when we’re not on the pontoon!
- Finished framing out the stairs in the shop with the help of a long-time family contractor
…And found another contractor to finish the rest!
Year 5: 2025
- Finished the shop with the help of a contractor!
- Finally got to decorate all the rooms and see our vision come to life!
- Washer, dryer, and dishwasher are indeed working!!
- Installed a DIY sprinkler system for the lawn, and the sprinkler is huge!
- Installed a storm shelter too!
Year 6: Next Summer!
Next summer will be year 6, and we hope to finish our last big project: making a new office space for us both to work from! The Lovelight Stories office 2.0 perhaps? 😉
It's been our intent from the very beginning to share the lake with family, friends, and even those struggling and in need of a little extra rest. 🫶 We finally have a space to do so!
We truly feel blessed beyond measure. 🙏
What a wonderful story! Look at ALL that’s been accomplished! You’ve made it your own with a determined vision, lots of hard work and lots of love! Stephanie you and Sam have brought life and fun on the lake full circle! Think of the years ahead sharing it all with your family and friends! It’s truly a little slice of heaven!
You have a lovely place on the best lot on a gorgeous lake! Restoration isn’t always easy, but you and Sam stayed dedicated to the project and the results are amazing! The years of enjoyment and memories you will have there will be so worth the effort. Congratulations on a job well done!