The flagpole was installed!

The most exciting part of the house was installed last week....our 27 foot tall steel I-beam. 
The beam will ultimately hold up a horizontal cross beam that cuts through our living room/ kitchen.  The third floor has no columns or walls-thus the steel beams that will hold up the roof and ceiling (so we are told).

In addition, walls have been installed on the lower level.
We are now starting to get a feel for the actual space we are making.

The house should go up pretty fast.  Joe is managing the vertical installments and has a great sense of humor.  The house is made of SIP panels (structurally insulated panel:). 

Again- this is a Green point and where we are spending more money up front.  Ideally, this house will be so air tight and insulated that we won't need to heat it.  SIP panels are made off site in Tacoma and then brought to Seattle where they are installed with a crane.  The lowest level of the house is a mixture of concrete, SIP and old fashioned stick framing.  Once the lower level is completed, they will assemble the rest of the walls like a large gingerbread house. 
It should go up pretty quickly.