Swing Kids

On Saturday we finally got our "new" swingset (new to us, at least)!!

We purchased it from our two neighbors, who together own a home they are renting out to a single woman. With the swingset being unused and needing a little "TLC", it was a win-win. We got a swingset for a smokin' deal and they got it out of the yard. It's a Rainbow set and it pretty great condition. It's just a little weathered. Needs some sanding, some staining, a new awning, and new swings. We've got the swings, so just a couple more to-do's to go and it will be like new! It fits nearly perfectly in our back yard corner (actually just barely...we are lucky it wasn't any bigger!). This morning I took Carson out to swing for the first time and he just giggled as he went back and forth! Halle and Wyatt have a blast using their imaginations up on the platform (or "CLUBHOUSE", as they proudly call it). They've been out there almost every minute, every afternoon that we've had it. In the next couple weeks we'll be laying some rubber bark down underneath it. I'm anxious to get the shed into the back yard, because then we can replace completely the fence and I'll feel like my kids are more secure, less-exposed as they play. Then I'll feel a little more free to let them go out whenever they want and not just when I am able to keep an eye on them through the kitchen window.

I also wanted to show off some picture of our concrete. It is finally complete and I can't tell you how good it feels to have a project behind you about which you feel absolutely no regrets. I mean, come on! When it comes to "home projects" how often does "NO REGRETS" happen??? Our concrete guy was just amazing. I can't recommend him enough. His name is Dave and he works for Bell Canyon Concrete. He was incredibly honest (I say incredibly because it's incredible to find someone with so much integrity) and he is serious when it comes to his reputation. He would only take on our job under the conditions that everything be done the right way and end up looking fabulous, in a way that would last for years to come. He and his guys did beautiful work, I think. They even did some extra stuff for us without charge that we hadn't even asked for, all for the sake of making their work and our yard look as good as possible. I took some pictures and I wish they showed the "red" color more, but at least you can get a good idea. I took some shots from our bedroom window upstairs, too, so you can see from a bird's-eye-view...pardon the reflection of the blinds in those shots. I don't think we'll be able to afford any plants in our back yard this year (plant-wise we're focusing on the front) but at least things are coming together. We can't wait to entertain back there--anyone up for a BBQ?

Below is the view from my bedroom window--this is the east side of the patio

And......here's the west side of the patio.

See? We've got a place to seatcha when you come over for

burgers this summer!