Best Backyard on the Block

This post has been a long time coming..... like last fall, long time coming.  I have wanted to wait until all of the major projects were finished before I posted about this, but tilling the garden will not likely happen until this weekend and today is the day I have dedicated to catching up on my blog.  So here it goes.

First, a few pictures for reference.

This is Jack, and Matt, and Aubrey, our next door neighbor digging out the old path, making way for our new deck to be built.  Notice the crappy swingset and wood fence in the background.

In October, we were so excited to finally have our new deck built.  This has been on the to-do list since we moved in.. the former steps were precarious at best, and downright treacherous during the winter.  A big thank you to my husband for his awesome design and to Travis Jenkins for making it happen.

Fast forward to December 1.... the massive windstorm that destroyed half the city.  Here are a few shots of what we were left with.

Needless to say, with a dog and a baby, we were going to need a new fence, and sooner, rather than later.  Although this was on the list, it was much further down.  Thanks to the insurance company (we're in good hands) and to Clifton Anderson for making a new fence possible so quickly.  We had our new fence up by the new year.

Well, after these two major improvements, it became clear that the backyard was now THE work in progress.  So, we kicked it up a notch and decided to scrap the old swingset in favor of a new, much more colorful model.

Since the swingset, we've planted a couple of new trees, some raspberries and strawberries, a shade garden and some lilac bushes.  Matt put lights on the pergola of the deck and the hammock has been hung.

The herb garden... not sure it will work out entirely, but it looked like a good idea on Pinterest.

Strawberry Pyramid.... another Pinterest idea, and one that I'm totally thrilled with.

Our new Norwegian Spruce.  Totally psyched that we were able
to get a big tree to replace our flowering pear that died.

Finally, the piece-de-resistance, our new water feature.  Have I ever mentioned how awesome my BIL Spencer is?  He rocks!  He is so generous with his time and talents and our lives would not be the same without him.

We have been talking about putting in a fountain or pond or something since we moved here and this year was the year.  It was a lot of hard work, designing, digging, moving rocks and trouble shooting, but I am THRILLED with the result.  It is so nice to lay outside in the hammock and listen to the water bubbling in the fountain.

Oh, and one more thing that I can totally not forget about the backyard is the painting I did a couple of weeks ago.  Yay for new purple doors and a green picnic table (not shown.)

Needless to say, we will be enjoying our backyard quite a bit this summer.  We'll be chillin' in the hammock and playing on the swingset; digging in the sandbox and the garden and just generally loving life.  Come over and pay us a visit.