Our Wood Stove; The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

Our wood stove has proven to be the best thing that we have ever purchased. Not only have we used under 5% of our LP tank this winter (we usually have been filled up once and are getting ready to be filled up again in March) We haven't even turned on our furnace, now that's something!

 The picture above is just after we finished doing the final sealing of the natural slate tile. Tom built the elevated platform that we laid the cement board on and then we laid the tile. I grouted the tile which was probably the easiest project I have ever had. Totally impressing Tom when he got home from a long day at work. I will say cutting the tile was a pain in the butt and it would have been a heck of a lot easier using a wet saw, not a normal stone cutting dremel tool. Lesson learned I guess.

 This was taken a few weeks ago, the dogs love laying on the warm tile watching the flames flicker. Its also a favorite spot to leave our shoes and boots. Its so nice sliding your feet into nice toasty boots before going out to the barn in the morning to do chores. 

 Elwood was getting a little annoyed with me in this picture, he likes to wake up and sit on the warm tile when he comes out into the living room. (usually he sits with one of the dogs on their dog bed by the wood stove but this day he was trying to watch cartoons. Not at all impressed by his mother standing in front of him with the camera.) 

I think that the wood stove has been a great addition to the family, not only does it provide enough heat for our little over 2000 square foot house but its has made our whole family closer. We spend more time together out in the living room playing games, watching movies, reading books and frankly enjoying the heat the wood stove pumps out. We also spend more time together outdoors cutting, chopping and stacking firewood during the  summer months. The exercise has been great! I'm not always happy about doing it at the time but when its over I sure feel good about myself. It also makes me feel good that Tom and I are providing our own source of heat for our family. Sure its not as easy as setting the thermostat to 70 and sitting back but man alive I don't think we will ever go back to that. I almost feel guilty even thinking about it. But it is nice to know its there. Even if we aren't using it.