Most middle schoolers probably have other things on their minds besides building houses.
But Luke Thill, a 13-year-old from Dubuque, Iowa, is unlike any other middle schooler you’ve seen before.
This talented and proactive boy has crafted his very own little house — in his parent’s backyard.
The project cost him roughly $1,500 USD — and now Luke is living his dream in his little cottage.
Come on in and have a look at what it looks like inside.
I think it’s safe to say that Luke is not like many of his 13-year-old peers. In a time of iPads, smartphones, gadgets, and X-Boxes, this young man decided to keep himself busy in a different and more ‘old-fashioned’ way. As he explains on his YouTube channel, his desire to build a small house grew out of feeling bored last summer.
After some thorough research, Luke had a pretty good idea of how he was going to put his plan into action.
The Process
It took him about a year to get the money and materials he needed to build the house. Luke mowed lawns, started a fund-raiser online, and ran errands for anyone who needed help in the neighborhood to make money.
An electrician Luke was friends with helped him install the electricity in exchange for Luke cleaning his garage out, for instance.
Luke used about 75 percent recycled material, many of which were things left over from his grandma’s house. The front door of the house was a gift from an uncle’s friend.
The 89-square-foot house is 10 feet long and 5 1/2 feet wide, with electricity but no plumbing, so no water or bathroom… yet.
“I liked the minimalism,” he told The Des Moines Register. “And I wanted to have a house without a huge mortgage.”
Luke has made several video clips and posted them online, where he talks about his project as many have grown curious about the little house.
As you can imagine, Luke also received some help from his parents, both financially and with the building itself.
But dad Greg made sure that it would be Luke himself who would pay for most of his project and also build most of it himself.
“It was a chance for a kid to do something more than play video games or sports,” Greg told The Des Moines Register. “It teaches life lessons.”
Teenager’s Dream
The house is in many ways a teenager’s dream, an oasis where you can chill and hang out in. It has a microwave, a TV, and a loft with a bed.
There’s even a barbecue and flowers at the back.
Luke usually does his homework after school at his new house and some nights during the week he gets to sleep there.
Luke already has aspirations to build another house — one that’s a little bigger for when he starts college. He also hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams:
“I want to show kids it’s possible to build at this age,” he says in one of his videos.
You can really see how proud he is about his project below.
Luke’s story is a great example of what a child can achieve with a clear goal, a strong worth ethic, and support from home.
The twins’ cute interaction goes viral on the internet..and then the unexpected happened
Since birth, Mia and Lily, identical twins, have shared an unbreakable bond that has kept them together. They enthrall everyone around them with their infectious laughter and cute antics, but especially their parents, who are frequently left in awe of the twins’ remarkable bond.
Playing in their backyard on a sunny afternoon, Mia and Lily discover a secret treasure trove beneath a pile of leaves that has fallen. They open the chest with excitement to find a variety of vibrant balloons within. They decide to blow up the balloons and throw their own small party, giggling with glee.
Mia and Lily playfully engage in a range of amusing behaviors, such as whispering secrets to one another and imitating ridiculous dancing moves. Their chuckles reverberate throughout the community, capturing onlookers’ and neighbors’ attention.
The twins have no idea that their sweet interactions are being recorded on camera by a neighbor who is in the neighborhood taking pictures of a family gathering. The neighbor posts the video on social media, where it soon starts to acquire steam, after being moved by the twins’ sincere friendship.
The endearing exchange between Mia and Lily is captured on camera, and within hours the video goes viral and takes the internet by storm. The twins’ real devotion and connection inspire viewers from all over the world, inspiring them to leave touching comments and share the video with their friends and family.
As the video gains popularity, strangers who are moved by their girls’ endearing relationship flood Mia and Lily’s parents with messages of love and support. The twins are too preoccupied with spending time together and making new experiences to be cognizant of their sudden celebrity.
Ultimately, Mia and Lily’s endearing exchange cheers everyone who watches the movie and serves as a reminder of the strength of love and connection, demonstrating that sometimes the most basic things may have the greatest influence on our emotions.
Leave a Reply