The Patio is Done!!!

Our contractor got the job done in TWO days! We wanted to start this project in February but had to submit paperwork to our community association to get the job approved and to get permission to cut down a couple of trees. The patio fell under an easy approval but the trees sent us to committee review which only takes place once a month.... I got the approval last Friday, talked to our tree removal company on Monday, had the trees cut down on Tuesday, the patio started on Wednesday and finished on Thursday! Once we got started the timing worked out perfectly... and we are very happy with our BEAUTIFUL paver patio.

So on Wednesday, our contractor Tim took down our back gate so he could get his excavator in our yard. He ground up all the tree roots and removed the massive stumps from the trees we had cut down... can you believe the size of these things? Tim said the big tree stump could have easily weighed over 1000 lbs! Chris said that explained why these trees barely moved during the last hurricane...

After clearing all the roots from our yard, the crew mixed in concrete with the dirt to get the foundation for our patio set. The next day they put down the polymer sand and more concrete. They spent quite a bit of time getting it level and then they were ready to start laying the brick pavers.

Here is our truck load of pavers. We got a discount for using pavers Tim already had in his stock yard. These were left over from a project he did laying a road. We were told they are quite a bit thicker and more expensive than your average patio paver. Worked out well for us! Tim said they hold up to 8000 psi... so we can use our patio as a driveway if we like. :-)

Here are the first pavers being installed. You can see little Lia's legs. The kids watched the whole process from the kitchen window. Emily even made some videos to document the event. "It's not every day we have a patio put in, Mommy..." The foundation was already flat, so they layed the pavers very easily. The edges were a little tricky because they have to cut the paver to fit the curved edge... this part took the longest. Then they filled the cracks with polymer sand, and put concrete along the edges to hold it all together. We have to stay off of it for a day so the concrete can set and then the patio is all ours!

Top view... The pavers are beautiful.

Finished product!

Look what's in our backyard!!!!

Our very own excavater... (for today)

Very Exciting!!!

Trees are down... and off to the Rodeo!

We got the thumb's up from our community association to remove two trees from our back yard and install a paver patio. The tree guys came today and it was so EXCITING for the kids to watch them work. What a show! The guys were way up high in the trees cutting all the branches first and then working their way down the trunks. There was a huge chipper too and the kids went crazy watching them grind all the wood. Now, we will try to wait patiently for the patio...

Chris got two tickets to the rodeo from a vendor he works with. If that wasn't cool enough, they even have a private room... I am quite jealous... David is too. He says he'll get to go next year. The kids thought their Daddy looked awesome in his hat. Emily asked, "Daddy... where did you get that hat? Is it real?" And his response, "You know, I did have a life before you." :-)

And Emily, who has to be persueded to brush her hair was all excited to have braids and bows... She wanted help with her creation and insisted on wearing the Longhorn bow because, "the rodeo is all about Texas." Her dress in more 4th of July but, "the Texas flag has the same colors as our country's flag, correct?" Ah yes, to be age six.

David is sick...

It has been rough on our little family with the winter colds... David had a difficult time getting out of bed this morning. He only ate half a bowl of cereal... he usually has 2 big bowls... and was laid up on the couch all day. He is running a fever of 100-101 but is being stubborn and says he won't take medicine. I wish he would because it would make him feel better! He didn't eat lunch and is now resting in his room. I hope he feels better soon! Say a little prayer for him!

Spring Gardening

Our front yard looks awesome! We trimmed our plants back to get rid of all the dead leaves, had mulch put in, and planted some spring annuals for color. We had fears that we had lost our big beautiful varigated gingers and even the elephant ears but we are already seeing new little green shoots coming out of the ground... new ones every day! We call them our little baby plants and coo over them. :-)

Here are some pictures we took today as we were admiring our yard. The Camelia is going crazy... It usually blooms in December or January but we had a really wierd cold winter. Emily and I cut a few blooms to put in the house. It doesn't last long but I love this plant!

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The Red Bud is also in bloom. It gets better blooms every spring.

And here is the nice color we added on our driveway. We got yellow marigolds and red impatients this year. Emily took these pictures. She is becoming quite the photographer!

Barn Yard Mooosical

Emily was in her 1st/2nd grade musical tonight. It was called the Barn Yard Mooosical... The first graders did the singing and the second graders had the dancing and speaking parts. It was cute. I just took a short video because we were sitting on the side and it isn't the best view. Emily is in a jean dress on the bottom row, to the right... There is a kid in a big chicken costume that makes it hard to see her... And she is wearing her dress backwards on purpose... because, "It looks more western that way."

"Mommy, It's a Mosaic"

Last night, I was working very diligently in the yard trying to trim away all the dead leaves on our plants and finish planting my spring flowers because we were getting mulch the next day and because I really just wanted it done. It was a beautiful night and our kids were running around with the neighbor's kids as kids are supposed to do... Anyway, Emily was in the house by herself for a good amount of time reading Book #2 of the Jewel Fairies series.... We got her the 7 book set at the book fair and I'm only letting her read one a day and only after homework is done.... Well she finished her book and then was inspired to do this:

I found her furiously tearing and glueing the last bits of paper on her masterpiece. "Mommy, I just had to make this mosaic...." Not bad. Good thing I have such a good craft supply cabinet.