Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Backyard Makeover Post #2

I can't believe that this part of our backyard project is almost done! This is part of what our patio will look like. Cort dug out all the grass and then leveled it so it was ready for the concrete guys to come and pour. The big metal thing will be our fire pit once they dig it in the ground!


This is this morning as they were laying the forms for the concrete

This just shows a little more of the shape as it goes around the house. They boys loved to watch the motorized wheelbarrow. They brought all the concrete from behind the fence to the patio with it.

Here is what it looked like right before they started to pour.

I couldn't believe how fast they got the conrete in there and level. My battery died so I had to let it charge and they had the whole thing done by the time I could get more pictures. Cort has been at work and he is dying for pictures so most of this is for him.

I did have to get a picture of the concrete truck. I thought my boys were going to die the whole time it was here. They kept running from the couch to the back door so they could watch them pour it out


Just getting it smoothed out and the border cut. It looks so good! I can't wait until we can be out there using it!!!


Here is what it looks like now. It is all smooth we are just waiting for it to dry a little and then they will stamp it.


By the end of today we will have a new patio!!! Hurray we are so excited to be able to use it when the weather if it ever gets nice here!!! Almost time for bbq season. We are hosting easter dinner this sunday so hopefully we will be able to use it! (I say hopefully because it will probably rain!!!)


We have to thank our good friend TJ and his dad and brother for laying the concrete for us. They did an awesome job and it looks GREAT!!!!!


Monday, April 4, 2011

Backyard Makeover

When we moved in last summer we new there was a lot we wanted to do to the backyard. The previous owners hadn't done a whole lot with it and what they did do we weren't to excited to keep (lets just say a TON of rocks and sand! YUCK!!!!). So our big goal was to take this summer and do what we could to make it what we wanted. So instead of having the worlds largest blog post at the end of the summer I have decided to give you piece by piece throughout the summer. Hope you enjoy watching our amateur landscaping skills. And get a good laugh cause I am sure it will be comical!

After 2 days of jackhammering (sorry I forgot to take pictures, much to Corts dismay) the old patio was taken out piece by piece, LITERALLY!!! Cort did all of the lifting and putting in the truck with a little help from the boys. Hallalejiah it is all out now!!! In Cort's words "I think that will be the hardest part of the whole backyard!"
Here is the truck with its 2nd load to the gravel pit. It was so heavy I thought the truck was going to tip backward. Besides the gravel pit we had to take a bunch of crap they had behind the fence to the dump. It finally doesn't look like the dump behind our fence!!
This is the only part that hasn't been torn out yet. We are giving the neighbors a break from the jackhammer! And there is our tree! Cort has been eyeing this tree at Home Dapot for awhile and so it was purchased for our landscaping. Here is its home until we are ready to put it in the ground.
This will be full of plants in the not so distant future. We were pretty proud that it turned out so nice. Cort took a lot of time making sure that every stone was level. Now we just need more soil in it and then we can plant!
This entire spot where there is no grass was a giant kitty litter/sandbox!! We (Cort and I) hated this the most. Just imagine how much sand was in my carpet, rugs, couches, boy's shoes and pants pockets. Way more than I ever wanted!! So that was the first thing to go. We used a mini excavater and after a lot of laughs and some help from my dad and brothers it was gone. Now we just need to get our plants in so we can put down grass seed! I love grass!! Can I say that again I LOVE GRASS!!!!

Here is what it looks like with the concrete gone. Our little raker is trying to get all the small pieces in a pile. Such a good helper!!

I just have to say that I am really grateful for a wonderful husband that didn't complain about my inability to help with the heavy stuff, because I am prego, and all the other helpers we have had so far. I am sure we will have a lot more help as the project continues through the summer!


P.S. If you didn't catch that in the last paragraph, just thought we would let all those who didn't know that we are expecting baby #4 in sept/oct!!! Should be a fun summer project with a giant belly!