Digging + Base + Sand + Pavers = SIDEWALK

As I sit here in the recliner completely exhausted writing this blog post, I wonder why Chip and I continue to be the do-it-yourself-ers.

First off, Chip became obsessed with watching DYI Network (Do-It-Yourself) [Ironically, the DYI Network has been either moved (and we can't find it) or removed from our Dish subscription. I praise the Lord or whatever idiot screwed up the programming and removed the channel because I am sick of watching it and Chip getting all these do-it-yourself projects.] He was totally into the Backyard Crashers and Turf Wars--of course, the most done project is creating a driveway or sidewalk with pavers. Little do you realize how much WORK it takes, since most of the hard, manual labor is done by worker-bees of the show and done off camera. Well, we decided to try out hand at a pretty small paver project. Small is an understatement considering all the work we did on it. (Really, as I write this blog, the project is not 100% complete. There are still the finishing touches to complete the project by adding lighting, river rocks as a border to finish the sidewalk.)

So, still, not until tomorrow will we see if the project looks decent and is complete.

I will go ahead and post photos of our DYI paver sidewalk from our workday today.

Before Back Yard Photos

Back Yard

So, we have finally gotten the pool liner installed. Between the snow, freezing temperatures, rain, and the wrong liner sent by the manufacturer the pool has been a swamp, literally, since last summer. Looking out in the back yard in our swamp and dug up yard--from the one-year-old chocolate lab--has been quite depressing for a long time.

It's now spring time, and it's time to plant flowers and other plants. Unfortunately, both Chip and I have not brown thumbs but instead black thumbs. We look at a flower or plant and it seems to die. We water the plants, we feed the plants, and yet they still wither and die. That's even more depressing because everyone else on the block has started planting beautiful, colorful flowers in celebration of spring, and our front and back yards are green, but not colorful with flowers. At least the front yard has a pink Azalea bush that is bursting with flowers, but as for the back yard there is not much I can say.

With the black thumb in mind, I am starting to research easy-maintenance or no-maintenance plants and flowers. I will say, one flower I didn't kill was a hedge rose. I planted a few when we lived in Tuscaloosa. The roses were beautiful and didn't die! I am hoping to find some hardy hedge roses to plant along the eye-sore-chain-link fence that encloses our back yard. Chip has talked about painting the fence black, hoping it would make it "blend in" to the yard better, but the chore sounds like a lot of work--especially when you have to spray the fence with Rustolum and then paint with black oil paint.

Refinishing the Hardwood Floors

Chip decided to refinish the hardwood floors in the front bedroom and the nursery. So far, Chip says the project has been okay--no problems with the sanding or staining. There is a problem with the front bedroom wood--it is really bad in places: wide gaps between boards, worn out spots--no clue as to how old the hardwoods in the front are. If that's the worst part, and we pray that is it, then we will be fine.

Here are some before/after photos of the job so far: (Finished product pictures soon to follow.)

Nursery after sanding.












After first coat of stain.

Nursery Decor

Chip and I have been searching far and wide for decor for the nursery. One thing we have both found we like is Owls. Weird, eh?

I think finding bedding will be a whole lot easier in 4 weeks when we HOPEFULLY find out the gender of our baby.

For now, this is an idea, and it's really cute!

Nursery

Soon, Chip and I will be preparing a nursery for baby Dillard which is set to debut in April.

It seems like we just finished the family room, but it will yet again be repainted and redecorated to make a nursery for our little bundle of joy. Updates on the room will follow.

Photos of the Master Bedroom