Climbing Walls

There is not much to say about this situation.  Uncle Brad taught my boys to climb the rock wall that goes around our backyard.  This is great for going to retrieve the balls that are hit and thrown over, but it also means that they can now escape.  Their proud, guilty faces say it all.  We will see what this brings.

Work

We are still working in the backyard to finish the new pathway before the grass comes in this week.  Ryland and Reed love helping out and playing on the truck.  Who needs toys?

Pool

The pool remodel is getting so close to being complete.  I love how it looks so far, and I can't wait to enjoy it!

Happy Shipment Day

Happy!  Happy!  All of my new patio cushions, pillows, and outdoor drapes have arrived.  I can't wait to put the finishing touches on our beautiful backyard project.  

Poor shark

Ryland and Reed were thrilled to open the inflatable shark.  They couldn't quite figure out how to ride it in the pool, so they made it a yard toy.  One of the boys would drag the shark while the other one would attempt to jump on or grab the shark.  We couldn't help but feel sorry for the shark, but it was hilarious and entertaining.

 

New backyard

The backyard landscaping is complete.  We are really pleased with the final product.  The new trees were a lot smaller than I had imagined, but it will be just a matter of time before they are over the stone wall.  My favorite part is the new St. Augustine sod.  I absolutely love it.  Now if we could only do the front yard.

After

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Potty break

We have been working on the backyard with two adorable helpers.  While John Chris adjusted the sprinklers, the boys ran around in the water.  They only stood still for a brief moment to go potty.  Reed watched Ryland and copied what he did, except for actually peeing.

Time for plants

Who needs an actual truck?  The boys and I loaded up tons of plants for the backyard.  We followed John Chris in a flat bed truck full of sod and trees. I can't wait to see the finished landscaping.  Now we better get to digging.

Backyard renovation begins

Here goes nothing.  We have killed the grass in the backyard and started tilling it up for the new landscaping.  We can't wait to see how it looks and start enjoying it, but for now we have lots of work to do.  Before and after pictures coming soon.

Pergola wrap up

We finished up the last little part of the pergola, and we are so happy with the finished product.  We went ahead and added cedar to the covered porch and replaced the lighting.  It makes the space feel bigger and brighter.

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Backyard lesson

 

John Chris mowed the backyard and was edging around the pool when he noticed something.  He stopped and called the boys over to check it out.  It was a very small snake, but it gave us a great opportunity to talk to the boys about what to do if they ever see another one.

 

 

 

After finding the snake, Ryland was a little hesitant to play in the grass.  He leaned up against the pergola post to do a little deep thought thinking.  It was obvious that he was taking it all in. 

Ryland's birthday

Strike a pose! Ryland turns 2 today, and we can't believe the past couple years has flown by. Every day is an adventure. He is learning and growing so quickly, and he cracks us up with what he says and does. Ryland LOVES stickers. Notice the size sticker on his chest. I pulled it off the shorts and attempted to toss it in the trash. Think again, mom. Ryland wanted to wear the sticker, so he did. This is a rare still moment of the wild boys that keep me on my toes daily.

Reed is growing fast as well. He is looking more and more like Ryland.

Ryland wanted a lawn mower like Daddy's. We took him to Toys R Us this evening and found one that makes noises and blows lawn clippings around. We also saw a cool weed eater and thought it would make a great addition to his tool/equipment collection. He was so excited to come home and help Daddy with the yard.

Daddy and Ryland checking out the new lawn equipment.

Mommy helping Ryland with the weed eating.

Edging around the play set. It is cute and crazy how receptive he is. Apparently, he has been watching Daddy.

The last thing to do is clean the pool and hot tub. Cooper has to be right in the middle of things. He isn't much help, but he is a great supervisor. Silly dog!

More snow

A few shots of the backyard early this morning. We are predicted to receive another 4-6 inches today. It is very cold out, and I feel so bad for Cooper when he has to go outside. The hot tub has a layer of ice across the top, and it is our new challenge. We are trying to keep the water moving, but it has become nearly impossible.