One thing I keep telling Andy we need to look at are new Mailboxes. Our mailbox is very cheap looking and plastic and I want something that will better match with the house. I think its kind awesome how much work we have put into this house on the outside to make it how we want it. The best thing is that people can really see how much work we put into it. I have before and after picutures!
We again are still landscaping the yard. To me, it seems like it will never be done because we never did a Landscape Design. I had told Andy to do one because I am a more visual person than conceptual. It would be nice to see a 2-d or 3-d design images. Landscaping can help up the value of your house and ,like for us, put your mark on your house. For us, this is the real first thing we have changed to the house since we bought it a year ago. The other problem we have is that we didn’t sit down and talk budget. Working with landscaping company like SLDA can help alleviate the stress of working on the house with your significant other. They will also get the job done on time, use your creative imput, and will be there to work with you. They want to make the yard you want to make you love your yard.
Yes I attacked another bush last week. This is the before picture. The only problem was once I trimmed it, we didnt have anything to do with the trimmings (i say trimmings but it the whole bush off). Thats our goal this weekend. We are borrowing my dad’s trailer and getting rid of all the yard waste and Andy’s going to weed the garden. I am going to sit on the deck and blog! Here is the pic of after I pruned:
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I have only been married for a little less than a year, but I know when to disappear when Husband is outside working on the patio and its not working. It is actually kind of amusing listening to three guys try to figure out how to fix the problem. We are re-laying our patio bricks down again, this time on top of weed barrier. But its nice that I go out there once the men calm down and I figure out how to fix the problem of the downhill bricks that makes so much more sense than what the men were going to do. That’s why they say behind ever man, there’s a smart woman.
Before:
And After
I never really was a flower person, but since this area was already here when we bought the place, it looks too bare if we don’t put anything there.
Well we didn’t get too much done today so far. Andrew just ran to Home Depot. He was short 2 nails. I thought it was funny. Here is a picture of our progress. 
And this is what Andy and our friend Jack finished today. I would have helped, but I was feeling sick all day.  Now we just need to start planting stuff. We bought corn, onions and something else. That’s tomorrow. I think we are going to buy some tomato plants also.  The coolest thing is that for this little renovation project it cost us 23.77. Thank you Virgin Health Miles. Once I get my new pedometer, wow, I am going to work it.Â
 The stumps ar enow gone. Its empty. This was our first task of the weekend. Weekend started at 2 for us today. Andy’s friend is currently on the way over to lend us a tiller for the garden. With this area, Andy wants to tear out all the grass and make it rocks. I think the corner with flowers looks fine. He just doesnt like mowing the lawn right there.  We are probably going to border it because I’ve become border obsessive. We also learned something, the sidewalk to the backyard, has a curve! Kind of cool.Â
No I’m not talking about the president. Although.. . . anyways. We decided that we would get rid of the bushes by our garage because they were very poorly placed. Every time we wanted to get into the garage, we would be attacked by branches. Here is the before picture:
Here is the after: 
I learned one thing. I like the pruning shears. Maybe a little too much. Yes, we knew ahead of time that we were taking both down. But if not I attacked it in the first few minutes to seal its fate.
Now we don’t know what to put there. Something since there is no grass, I’m open to any suggestions. But its so nice to actually be putting something of ourselves into the house other than decorating. Its finally feeling like its our house. In one month it will be a year here.
Today we are going to attempt to landscape the backyard. Andy is feeling better today, but I’m not 100% today now. But he’s the one that will do most of the work anyway. I just tell him what to do! He he. We are going to Home Depot to look at the stones. I think we have to measure first. I had told Andy to draw it out for me how he wants it to look. All I know, is I want to add some Garden Gnomes. I had said back when we bought the house, I did not want any gnomes. We got a Gnome for a wedding present, his name is Rupert and I kind of like him.