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The Modern Shaker
Celebrating Family & Home
Do you want a natural, energy-efficient, beautiful, and attainable home like ours?
Reach out to Mickey at mickey@modernshaker.com for info!
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Back Up and Running
Hi Friends! It's been a full 5 months since I've shared here! Quick personal overview: This summer, I was really sick and out of commission for 6 weeks (and doing better now), our 23-year-old was living in France, Italy, and Germany, our 21-year-old started her junior year of college in Santa Fe, the other 6 of us moved out of the new house and into our rental house 20 minutes away, and our 5- and 3-year-old started attending the local Waldorf school that our older kids atten

Elisa
3 min read


Our Building Process
Dear Friend, We have exciting news! Mickey and I have started a company that designs and sell house kits, similar to the one we built...

Elisa
5 min read


Why I Gave Up My Dream House
Hi Friend, Have you been looking forward to spring as much as I have? We've had a tough winter this year in New England (good snow for...

Elisa
7 min read


Ready or Not … We Moved In!
Hi Friend, I hope you had a very restful Christmas and New Year's! We did not! But it wasn't without warning ... We knew we'd be renting...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 30: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Hi Friend, A couple of days ago, my 4-year-old asked, "Mama, do you do your bwog posts anymore?" I guess it's been that long! Six weeks,...

Elisa
4 min read


Week 24: Primed Real Estate
Hi Friend, Well, we finally have enough progress for another update! Our painters covered up the bright green primer on the exterior and...

Elisa
2 min read


Week 21: Wires & Wood
Hi Friend, This week was more exciting than the last few, as we had a real life licensed electrician on site to run the wire from the...

Elisa
2 min read


Week 19: Photo Update
Hi Friend, I"m continuing my theme of "imperfect action" by just posting a photo update for this week ... Exterior trim in various stages...

Elisa
2 min read


Week 18: Imperfect Action
Hi Friend! Long time, no see! Six weeks actually. Has anything progressed? Yes. As fast as I would like? NO! So between frustration and...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 12: A Little Detour
Hi Friend, I finally have a bit of time, so I thought I'd check in. We are still in a state of flux - even more so because I've had to...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 11: Habits of the Household
Hi Friend, Wow, do things feel discombobulated here! Everyone's shifting schedules, lack of routines, irregular events ... it's hard to...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 11: When One Door Closes ...
Hi Friend, It's fitting that the close of this season - our summer building camp - is marked by the installation of exterior doors. The...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 10: Exciting Siding
Hi Friend, We're wrapping things up here with the guys. Tomorrow, two of them will go to the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island, which...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 10: Catching Up
Hi Friend, I can't believe it's the last week of our summer building camp experiment here! I'm actually a little teary over it. These...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 9: Down to the Wire
Hi Friend, We're picking up momentum now that the end of our summer building camp is drawing near - just 6 more work days left! First,...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 9: A Splash of Color
Hi Friend, We're coming down to the wire here, as the guys' last day of work is next Friday - aaahhhh!! We have an aggressive schedule,...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 8: A Smattering of Things
Hi Friend, We're hanging in there! The heat, the humidity, and the insulation were all trying to get us down, but we've pushed through,...

Elisa
3 min read


Week 8: Windows are a Breeze
Hi Friend, My girls are back after their week away, and we are picking up momentum again! Last week felt weirdly still - maybe the...

Elisa
3 min read


Housebuilding Week 7: A Few Visits
Hello dear friend, This week has been a bit wilder for me with two of my girls gone, so I'll keep it short. We had several visitors this...

Elisa
2 min read


Housebuilding Week 7: A Sea of Foam
Hi Friend, Not much has changed here since Thursday, with the holiday and storms and all. The guys are diligently putting up the 3" of...

Elisa
3 min read
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