And let there be grass…

And there was.  There is always some good in the bad…and one of the good things that came with this recession was CHEAP sod!  Our yard—which has been rocks and dirt and more rocks for the last 3 years—has been an overwhelming task for us.  When we first built the house, there was no way we could have afforded sod, but now, 3 years later, sod is 1/2 the price and we knew there was no other way.

(the before—but with the rocks already removed, if you can believe that)

(the back patio before.  lovely, I know)

We live in farm country where the weeds are a constant battle.  I knew it would never happen any other way.  So, thanks to my amazingly hard working family (Dad, Mom, Nate, Curt, Becky, Shae & Ben) I now have 19,000 sf of beautiful green grass.  Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for them, I wasn’t even home to participate.  I did the estimating and searching and ordering for just the right sod.  That was my contribution.  I even found a sod farm that provided 100’ rolls that roll out with a machine.  Your welcome, Ben.

(the front yard)

(the back yard)

I was in Portland, Oregon in a certification class for some new construction software I am to start supporting.  I was on my way home when they started and called to see how things were going.  My mom said, “You have a big yard.  It’s a good thing Nate & Becky came…and Ben is frustrated with the large rolls, the machine they gave him must have been a loaner.”  I could hear the frustration in her voice and I felt HORRIBLE!  Little did I know that my husband put her up to that.  They were completely done by that afternoon…and when I drove up, it was a completely different house.

(the completely new house)

 

(where my daughter can actually run to me without tripping over a rock and falling face first in the dirt)

And no, that isn’t a moustache on Anna…it is chocolate frosting from one of my favorite childhood treats – frozen graham cracker frosting cookies that she likes to open up and lick the frosting off

 

My family doesn’t stop there, though.  They decided we needed the fire pit NOW, so off to work they went again…and look at the result!  I love it!

 

We don’t want to leave, now.  We didn’t even take the boat out this FIRST free weekend.  We stayed at home and played in the yard…and cleaned the boat out from winter.  I know, it is July 31st.  If we didn’t have Lake Powell coming up, we probably wouldn’t have even done it this year. :) 

We have used our back patio more in the last week than we have in 3 years.  We absolutely LOVE being out here.  The most perfect thing, to, is that its location puts it in the shade from 10 am on.  Now, I just need it bigger…but that will be next year. 

Family?  Are you up for more?

Thanks again for all your help!  We couldn’t have done it without you.