More Landscaping

Here is another of our feathered visitors--isn't he pretty?:

So, we've been landscaping the side and, boy oh boy, does it look nice! I wish I had before pictures to show how awful it was before. Just picture a broken fence, rotted out holes, asphalt and rock bits, uneven ground, and litter.

First the boys put in the planter edgers. Mark ordered a truckload of topsoil and another of dark mulch and we've been mulching all over our yard--it looks so nice!

Here they are prepping it all

Here we are getting ready to plant our selections

The kids are VERY helpful!

Check it out--so pretty!

Mark and Uncle Michael filling in around the new plants with mulch

We did this ourselves! Check out that pretty landscaping with the stones and curves. I'm so impressed with ourselves.

It may not look like much, but remember that all the plants are young and small and will soon grow out and up and around. We got all kinds of gorgeous ground cover. It's going to be BEAUTIFUL! We've also got purple wisteria (couldn't find white) growing up the arbor there. And white clematis on the arbor doorways. Click on any of these pictures to seem them bigger.

That flower is called a carpeting rose bush or something like that. It's easy maintenance and it grows and sort of flows/drapes down as it covers ground like a carpet of pink roses.

I am in awe

And I'll tell you why, but first . . .

Behold the grape arbor

Look closely--the guys are staining the swingset and I'm loving the summer stormy skies

Our weather has been unseasonably cool and comfortable for this time of year. Great for feeling good, not hot enough for the pool. Great spring time weather in July, not great for ripening tomatoes. Great for not having to use A/C and being able to keep our windows open with a lovely breeze. I'm actually chilly tonight. So, with the weather being SO gorgeous, get out and enjoy it, right?

I rode a bike trail with Thing 1 and Thing 2
(and could barely keep up)

While these two shot some hoops

Then those 2 took Thing 1 and Thing 2 on the long bike path again--this park is gorgeous!
Then Mark took Thing 2 yet again. And we did some "Mario Kart" races around the flagpole, too.

Then we all played E-A-G-L-E (like HORSE)
(Check out the hoop)

Go, Thing 2, go! Check out his toes!

Then we made chocolate-peanut butter-cream cheese brownies
YUM!

But I'm in awe, remember? Of what, you ask? Of the awesomeness that is my husband. Of the talent that is my husband. Of the hard working man that is my husband. I am a lucky, lucky girl.

Mark BUILT this pergola. BUILT it. Himself. This is not a kit. He BUILT this. It's HUGE!
And it's awesome. This week, we plant the white wisteria that will soon adorn the sides and top of this beautiful structure--shade for us! :) Have I mentioned Mark's awesomeness?
Awesome.

Hilarious Video

Thing 1's violin teacher sent us this. It's hysterical. Enjoy!

Since getting home . . .

We've celebrated the 4th of July with food.

We don't usually do the matchy-matchy thing (except with our heather gray business tees and khaki hats for fairs and such), but these T-shirts were like a buck a year ago, so we got them.

We've celebrated the 4th of July with fireworks.

Mark and Thing 2

Uncle Michael helps Thing 2

Wingardium Leviosa!

Expelliarmus!

Me running back when it lit quite quickly

Awwwww


We've played Twister.

I still say he knocked me over

Hanging out after the games


We've harvested garlic.

We've enjoyed an impromptu work party/pizza party.




We've played a lot of Ticket to Ride.
(Sorry, no pics yet)

We've visited an old fashioned ice cream shop, a wildlife preserve in the Amish country, we've bought homemade Amish bread at a roadside stand, we've played Harry Potter Clue, we've played Facebook Scrabble, we've eaten really good food.


We've played A LOT of video games.



We've visited Hershey's Chocolate World.



We've done a ton of yard work.

This was one of the more interesting feats--transporting fencing from Lowe's without a truck. It took 2 trips and very slow driving.

Putting up the fence (they'd dug the fence holes and cemented the posts earlier).



This is the back fence--low enough that we can see over it when the kids play back by the barn. We're growing ornamental roses over that fence, white wisteria over the arbors (we're building more), English ivy (maybe some Boston Ivy as well) over the fence walls, and all kinds of neat purple ground cover and such along the outside of the fence on the side.


Staining the fence
Staining the old fence

We've remodeled the antique wrought iron fence
(well, the guy who drove over it this morning did anyway).