Before and After

The neighbors wanted to know... What WAS going on around here for 2 1/2 weeks?!?!  Our first big home improvement project.  We've only been here for 15 years, it's about time!

Before.

After!



Love you, Coffee Creek Brussels pavers with Copthorne border by Unilock.  LOVE YOU!

The firepit wall is so pretty at night!

Before.

After! 

(Grass will grow in to the left of the steps; flowers to the right!)

We also got a new front porch and walkway.  Plus we re-landscaped the front of the house. Before. Oh my. I thought I had a picture of the front of our house but this is all I can find. 1st day of school picture from a few years ago.  But hey - check out those overgrown shrubs!

Good grief, you think if I was doing a before and after project I'd take before pictures. Oh wait, here is a before-the-after shot.  This is after we ripped out the big shrubs.  And by we, I mean Joe.  That big hunky muscle man of a husband I have ripped them out with his bare hands.  Well, kind of.  He ripped out a few, threw his shoulder out and then the neighbor offered to help pull them out with his 4WD truck.  But I did a good job telling them what to do. ha ha ha. Thanks, neighbor!  And thanks, big strong husband!  Did I mention how big those roots were?  Oh. My. Goodness.

And the after. 

Hello garbage can on the corner that can't hide behind big bushes anymore!

We picked out the new landscaping by going to the nursery and just picking what we like. And setting it by another shrub we liked. And adding another one. And then taking a step back and saying, "Looks good together." We asked the owner-lady if the shrubs would stay small. Then she piled them all in the back of our van. A little DIY digging when we got home.  Now I just have to figure out what to do with that biggie in the middle. I wanted to keep it, but.... well.... it's a little big in the middle, even though I gave it one heck of a haircut. We also picked up all the river rock and put down mulch.

A close up since the new landscaping is so little!  It looks much better close-up... I'm noticing from the above picture that it looks like NOTHING from the street.  Sorry cars, but it looks good to me when I'm using the front door!

And I don't have a before of the concrete front porch and walkway, either.  Nope, just a Halloween picture.  From a few years ago.  With the neighbor kids.  But hey - look at that concrete front porch and sidewalk.  If you squint, you can also see it in the above picture.  (We did part of the landscaping before the new sidewalk was put it.)

After!

It all makes SO happy!!!!!  Our house is quite small so the back patio really increases our living space.  I think I am lusting after my patio. I could just roll around on it all day.  ha ha ha. Sometimes I turn the lights on.  And off.  And on.  Just to ooooo and aaaahhhhh at the prettiness of it all.  Can't wait till spring when (hopefully) the baby landscaping in the front will fill in just a bit and look a little more estabished.  Not as established as it was though!

Now, if I can finish the landscaping....  unfortunately the contractors did not bring more mulch or re-plant my flowers out back.  And they even have 'landscaping' on their truck.  But they only do hardscaping. The nerve of them!  ha. 

Are you SURE??

Something has been a little stinky around here.  Any guess who??

Here are a few clues:

• He's almost 10.
• It seems like he should still be 6.
• He's not quite a man yet.

Oh my goodness, I had the conversation I never imagined:  "Luke, you stink.  I think it is time for deodorant."

"But mom, are you SURE???  I mean, I'm not quite a man yet!"

Oh baby, I know.  But....  well, yes.  You stink.

He couldn't stand the smelly kinds so we bought an unscented one.  Ironically, he picked SURE.  Too funny.

Getting big!

Wow, do puppies grow fast!  It's been a month since we got Crosby.  He's doing really well learning commands and becoming a part of our family!  He and Baxter are now BFF's after a bit of a rocky start.  The kids adore him.  I do too :)

 First few days home, he was so cute and small!

He didn't stay little for long! 

Something big going on around here!

The neighbors are wondering what we are up to!  Lots of noise around here.  Lots of activity around here.  Our quiet little neighborhood isn't used to all this excitement.  I haven't seen so many of my neighbors in 15 years - and they all came out in just a few days!

Glimpse of the teenage years

On the phone with her Baba!  She seems so much older than 6.  ha.