Introducing Tanner William Tietjen

Last night Tanner William Tietjen came into our world. He is a healthy 9.1lb, 21.5" bouncing baby boy.
We are all doing well and adjusting fast. These next few days should be interesting. Wish us luck !!!

Footing Forms

The excavators have finished digging and boy, I thought there was a lot of sand in the yard. I was mistaken. NOW there is a lot of sand in our yard.



My poor hydrangeas!

But the new addition has been dug with plenty of room for the concrete guys to do their thing.





The concrete guys have taken over. Yesterday they made sure the footings were in the proper locations and depth. Today they built the forms.




Tomorrow they pour the footings...

Can You Dig It ?!

It takes some big machines to dig a basement.



When they say "Your house is a money pit" we may have taken them a little too literally. Everything is going well, only one floor joist to be replaced and not a single crack in the walls, floors, or ceiling! We are at depth, they just have to continue excavating under where the addition is going.







We did however find a few interesting items that had been buried under the house, including a jack for a Model T Ford.



The next step is to build the foundation for our little family. Here's to the American dream!

Up, up, but not away!

The lift happened today!!! We never thought it would go so fast. The giant beams are supporting the house and giant jenga pieces are supporting the beams.





They chopped our fireplace into 2 pieces!




You can see all the way under the house to the other side.







There was/ is a lot of sand under our house and now in the yard.







The inspectors approve!

Preparations

In order to jack up the house, the house movers need unimpeded access to the outside of the house. So Greg and our friend Chuck got busy and moved everything out of the way, bushes, fences, hot tubs, and all.







These are the beams that go under our house to support it during the lift...




The 2 beams go into holes on the sides of the house.




Supposedly the lift is happening Tuesday, we will keep yall "posted" :)

Let the Renovations Begin!

Variances have been obtained, building permits acquired, and construction loans approved and signed... we have officially begun the renovation process. Here's a little trip down memory lane... a shout out to the old and making way for the new! We haven't stopped changing things since we moved in, here's a little recap of what our little house once was...




to what it is today...




Getting ready for these big changes is no easy task (especially 9 months pregnant!) But there's nothing like waiting until the last minute :) We had to basically empty the house of furniture and all the baby gifts and take it to the storage facility... Got to love that old duck lease trailer!



Then tear down our awesome hot tub enclosure and empty the hot tub...





And then dig up the VERY old bushes around the house.



But somebody really likes the holes left behind!



Next week, provided we don't get slapped by Hurricane Earl, we should be jacking up the house and starting the lower level (aka the basement). Wish us luck!