Backyard: Slugs and Shenanigans

Tony took a few days off from work 

so we could tear up the backyard:

Here's yesterday:

What a lucky chance this is for me to 'a-member' 

(as Alivia would say) 

my childhood. 

I'm relearning that dirt is good. 

Dirt is fun. 

Dirt literately rocks.

And, also, dirt clings to you like a slug on a wet slab of crag:

 

 We were all covered head to toe in crud by the end of the day. 

We dug up and replanting sod, hauled and laid rock dust and 

agonized over the right stone pattern.

 Except for MeKenize, who went to the school dance:

Yes, those are flip-flops:

Regrettably, we didn't cover up the rock dust and it rained last night, so tomorrow we'll be pulling up this stonework and laying more down.

Bummer:

Today:

 Before:

 After:

We started a path:

There is still so much to do:

 We were filthy by the end of today too, but we accomplished much and even had some laughs:

But only if I'm wearing pink gardening gloves:

Come on over if you'd like to play in some mud:

MeKenzie: Middle School Fini

MeKenzie is shaking the dirt of middle school off her shoes:
 

Hallelujah:

Getting ready for Semi-Formal:

She is going to love high school:

 I am so excited:

Josh: Happy Stump Day

Tony will be so happy when he comes home from work.

He told Josh that he would pay him $100 to rid our backyard of

The Stump:

No, not the striped mini person.

The Stump...

on the left:

I'm not really sure if Tony actually thought Josh would do it, 

but I'm pretty sure he thought it would take him all summer to accomplish the job:

 

Josh has been chipping away at The Stump for a few days. 

Yesterday I noticed Josh look down at his hands, 

kind of give a shrug and call it a day:

 

The blisters must have given him a plan because today, 

the day after Josh finished school, 

the day that his official summer began, 

he left at 10 this morning to pick up a friend:

Those boys hacked away at The Stump for about an hour and BAM! They were done!

They got The Stump out!

 Who does that their first day of summer?

Boys who are motivated by cash, that's who!

Well done, boys.

I guess Josh thought that paying his friend half 

was still a pretty good deal.

Seaton and Josh celebrating with pizza:

I have no idea what Tony will do with the great big hole,

but I do know that he's $100 poorer:

Happy Stump Day:

Kids: Summer is Coming

IDK, am I hot or am I cold:

It's seriously summer...

The kids are just about done with school, 

the heat index is high and 

the smell of Hawaiian Sunscreen is in the air.

Here are a few pictures of the kids kicking off the summer right:

Eryn and Andrew:

Josh went to prom:

MeKenzie started working:

 Alivia discovered the joys of the library:

Other random pictures:

Silly Kenzie:

Silly Josh:

Silly Livi:

A twirling skirt from Grandma:

Whoops! That twirl got away from her:

Bubbles with friends:

Ahhh, the first summer sunburn:

 

I predict a lot of car washing:

Lots of swimming:

 

And a few sleepovers:

Summer:

We are ready:

DIY: Send Help!

You know how when you start one project,

you can't seem to stop yourself from moving to another one before the first one is complete? 

Well, welcome to my house for the past 3 weeks:

I don't know if you heard but,

we will be having a wedding soon.

Eryn would like to have a simple affair at our home:

But even if it's 'simple', it's still  big!

And upcoming events like this make you take stock...

Things that you've been wanting to do in the house all of the sudden become imperative.

And you realize

GAH! 

There is just not enough time:

You have to understand that I am terrible at making color/decorating decisions.

Terrible.

I once bought a hideous floral couch that was so awful that Tony made me keep it for 15 years just so that I would never buy furniture by viewing a fabric swatch only.

I have gotten better over the years, but 

that sort of experience keeps you insecure and apprehensive about any decorative decision:

Having said that, 

I wanted to get started on my living room.

It hasn't been painted since it was built.

There was still builders paint on the walls and it's made me crazy since we moved in:

We had some paint that was neutral and that we liked in another room so, away I went.

Tony was a little (okay, a lot) surprised when he came home on that Saturday afternoon to find our living room torn apart and a paint brush in my hand, but he went with it:

While we were waiting for the first coat to dry I asked him

'what are we going to do with the gallon of red paint that we picked up on a whim at Lowe's'?

(yes, sometimes we do go wild and buy a gallon of $5 red paint on a whim)
Tony already had a brush out so he attacked our main floor bathroom with it:

Ummm,

I don't think we thought this one through the whole way,

but okay...

Pedestal sink out - check

New counter and mirror - check

(in a flash of brilliance, we used a cabinet and mirror that I got from a yard sale)

New lights, light switches and towel rod - to be installed

Faucet and sink - MIA

Did I mention that the $5 gallon of red paint is semi-gloss?

Ummm,

not good...

While we were waiting for the 2 and 3 coats to dry in the bathroom,

and for the sink and faucet to arrive via mail

I thought I would fill in some nail holes in the entry and stairway:

Ummm,

Hello? Did I not have enough going on?

 I have:

  A living room torn apart.

There are no curtains or pictures hanging.

In fact, all the rods, pictures, nails, screws, curtains, etc...are in my dining room table and floor,

which means that that room is a mess too.

A bathroom that looks like a massacre happened in there,

which is actually causing my daughter and dog to have accidents because they are so nervous.

And now I need to touch up the entry and staircase paint, 

which is, of course, not faint maple or red.

It's yellow:

 

I still have no idea what I'm doing.

Tony left town

(I'm sure to get away from all this chaos)

and I'm left with a complete mess on my main floor.

He made me promise not to touch anything until he gets back...

ARG:

There is still so much to do and I've created such a huge mess.

I know we have some time, not much, until the semi-royal wedding but,

we haven't even finished the kitchen (which was started about a year ago).

Nor have we even started The Major's Backyard DIY:

Which is where the actual reception will be:

But at least the bathroom is mostly finished: 

I have to totally give props to my husband,

The Major.

He really pulled this bathroom out of the toilet!

And, yes, that is a rooster:

In my bathroom:

 

Josh: Aaannnndd Action!

 

Always be fully prepared when you attack...

If you're not, you may get stuck between the couch and the victim:

Be the Beast:

Josh: Cinema and Commotion

Josh was putting off doing his homework:

It is my gift to humanity: