When we made the decision to build, we were considering the schools close by and the freedom of having 8 acres for the kids to grow up on. Tyler's parents offered to allow us to build on their property when they first bought it a few years ago. I have always, always wanted to live on some land out in the country. However, I also love the close proximity we have to stores and restaurants these last 6 years or more while living "in town". That was one of my biggest hurdles to jump when deciding if we wanted to build. Being that it isn't completely our property and the amount of time and energy it takes to build a home, I didn't want us to light heartedly decide to build. Ultimately, the country life won. Every time we go to the property; we don't want to leave. As well, the school there is a great atmosphere for our kids to start and graduate from. I say that because we were considering great options for elementary schools closer to town but wouldn't know where the kids would go to middle and high school. All that being said, our time spent making this decision was worth it and is finally over!! Thank goodness!
We had other hurdles to jump through, unfortunately, with the loan process. I would have liked to have started building back in May or June or even July but we couldn't. This was another frustrating part of all this since we had a new baby on the way AND Garyn was to start school this fall. But God evidently needed us to wait a couple months longer.
So August 1st was the day we finally got to see work being done towards building our new home! We have been working with some builders since May to decide what we wanted and pick out all the interior finishes. Yes, we have chosen all the details of our home and just saying that takes a load off my shoulder! With football, kindergarten and a new baby, I wouldn't have had time to do that! During the summer, we continually met with the building company and got all that squared away.
I took this picture before anything had been done to the property. I thought it would be cool to weekly document the progress through blog and pictures especially this one of all of us with the house going up behind us! I can't wait to see the finished project.
Our last pic as a family of four! This was taken the day before we went to the hospital to have Layne!
I guess I should say the property is in Sale Creek or actually Bakewell which is up past Soddy Daisy. We choose to have the house built on the front two acres as we say. There is a semi-flat open field where the kids can play and be easily seen by me in the house. The stakes behind us mark the corners of the house.
Week 1: August 1st they started by taking out the trees and making the area all clear for the house. They also put gravel on the driveway that week and dug the footers.
(Looks so open now!)
This was at the end of week one and Layne was right at a week old.
Week 2 went a little slower since it rained and the bulldozing men had gotten so much done already that there wasn't work being done everyday. But they did pour the footers, put in the water line, and the septic tank. And brought the block that would be done the next week.
Septic lines are under all these mounds of dirt
(FYI: that cute little shed in background was built from scratch by my husband and his dad this summer!)
So end of week 2 picture isn't much different:
Week 3:
This past week was week 3. The block foundation was laid this week. It's the first look at the shape of the house.....
As you can see, we will only have a crawl space rather than a basement. This was one thing we had to let go of when trying to stay in budget. 4 bedrooms were more important! :) We will be able to walk into it though (rather than crawl), the picture below shows the large doorway opening.
This picture above also shows the bay window that will be in our eating area off the kitchen :)
The kids playing on the block (including Tyler).
They also got the temporary power put in this week. And decorated our yard with multiple signs!
End of week 3!
I need to mark a spot I think to make the pictures a little more uniform. One for where we stand and one for where the camera should be!
I also want to say how fun it has been to watch the kids excitement. The first day on our way there, both kids kept talking about the house. Ansley was saying, "We build our house, Momma?" Garyn wanted to know when we would be moving. Now, everyday after I pick Garyn up from school, we drive by to check on the progress. Ansley now says. "We goin' to 'poperty' to see what they did?!" How she understands all this I'll never know, but she seems to completely get it! She knows its our house being built for us to move to. Garyn also loves going and has gone several times this summer with Tyler playing for hours while Tyler mowed or built the shed. He has a blank canvas to pretend in every direction!
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