Time is TICKING away! OH MY!

My summer has just been PACKED!!! 

I surely haven't accomplished much in the "CHRISTMAS" department.... and yet - for some reason I don't feel that I've accomplished much at all.... how is that possible?  I feel that I never have a "spare" moment... and yet... nothing accomplished.... (sigh) ... at least not in the way of making CHRISTMAS COUNT!  

(I know... I know... I've got to get on the right wagon.. I mean SLEIGH! and SOON!) 

In addition to a few family matters that were not "scheduled" in my "non-spontaneous" life-style... we had a few other interruptions.... 

Like this....

(sorry it is long story... and hopefully will be wrapped up nice and neatly with a fair tale ending)

Once upon a time....

There was a very excited family! 

For the first time in several years, 10 to be exact!

This family of 7 was FINALLY going to see "GREEN" 

in their yard and not the yucky, mucky, brown muddy stuff any longer!

It was so super exciting! 

After many years of bringing in dirt...

Leveling dirt....

Hauling away dirt....

Moving dirt...

This family started to see a YARD take shape!

They were beaming from ear to ear! 

FINALLY!  A yard! 

and grass!!! 

NO MORE MUD! DIRT! YUCK!

And then a couple years later.... 

Things started looking a little "slanted".... 

The rains came down....

And the dirt started washing away....

And before you knew it,

The walls started falling in...

And eventually....

The walls came tumbling down.... 

and this is where my "non-spontaneous life style" became "SPONTANEOUS!" 

What comes down... must go up... and that was including my spirits!

(I was really down in the dumps when we discovered there was no other choice but to start all over again!  We have lived here for 14 years now... and we're starting over... agh!) 

After working so hard on getting our yard in and then to find that what we paid good money for to be done by "professionals" was not not RIGHT at all!  In fact... the walls that my son and I put up - are still standing... yes - they took a LOT of time and a LOT of blisters and LOTS of achey-breaky backs and sweat... but they are still standing.... and this wall that we let the "PROS:" do... tumbled... to the ground.... 

Yes, I did confront the contractor... His reply "Not my problem, you should have done it right.  I'll be happy to come back and fix it - but it will cost you some money - It is NOT my problem..."   Well, as you can imagine - he got a good ole' swift kick in the BOOTAY on his way out the door..... and PLEASE DO NOT COME BACK MISTER!

And so the fun began.... 

Building a wall..... all over again....

 

This is the back wall that came "tumbling forward"... 

We decided to push it back and add a radius curve to it - this way - if IF it ever starts to shift - the rocks will push into each other and "LOCK"...

NO MORE tumbling down!!!! 

 Even though this wall was NOT falling down... we took a portion down and added the curve...

I'm REALLY liking it! 

 And this wall was not coming down either 

(Funny how the walls that Josch & I built were still standing ... but the wall we hired out came tumbling down.... now that is FRUSTRATING!!! We paid good money for that wall to fall....)
Guess it just goes to say...
You want something done right...
DO IT YOURSELF!
(WhATeVEr!)

But we decided to make it curve as well ~ so it would match the other wall that we rounded out.... '

Yep! It is a project - but it will look OH SO NICE when it is done... and done the RIGHT way .... 

I'm so excited!!!! 

and FOUR days later.... this is what you get....

 You can see where the "patio" ends, we have added about 3-4 feet - we may put the fire pit down here... or we may not... it just gives us so many FUN options!!!!

 STAIRS!!!! We will soon have STAIRS!!!!! 

No more MUD SLIDES for us!!!!

 

 I just LOVE all the "CURVES" now...

Well... I am kinda partial to "CURVES"

I'm full of them... just wish they looked as good on me as they do on this wall!!! 

The old "FIRE-PIT" rock spot ...

is now BIGGER and will be cement!

 at least a portion of it will be... 

the far west side of the new "BREAKFAST patio"

(don't you LOVE it - I will have a BREAKFAST patio!!!) 

will be a flower/tree bed - this way, we can add some SHADE to the deck... 

in the future of course!

  

OH SO EXCITED!!!!  

Just can't wait to be able to "WALK" out the back door... instead of FALL out the back door! and... even have a BBQ party or two.... or three... or TEN!!!

EVERYDAY will be a party!!! It's officially stated! hee hee hee!!!! 

AND THEN..... 

Who knew! 

Just 6 days later....

 we would be doing this....

or this..... 

 and this.....

Can you believe it??? I can't....

 OR...

We would see these..

STAIRS!!!!

I never thought I'd live to see this day! 

EVER!

OH MY GOODNESS!!!

Do you know just how LONG we have been waiting for ... 

longing for ....

hoping for ....

wishing for .....

and DREAMING ABOUT these

BEAUTIFUL SLABS of CEMENT!?!?!?! 

A very VERY VERY long time!!! 

9 1/2 years to be exact!!!! 

Someone pinch me....

I just can't believe it is true!!!! .

I just can't wait to see what day 7 holds! 

I'm feeling rather giddy right about now!!!!

HOLY COW!!!
I think I'm walking on..... 

a BEAUTIFUL REDWOOD DECK!!!! 

OH MY!!!! Isn't gorgeous?!?!

I just can't believe it... 

It seems so ..... 

S... t....r....a....n...g.....e.....

I was washing dishes today to be startled by a HEAD bobbing in my kitchen window! 

SO FREAKY!!! 

 

This is what it looked like just first thing this morning ... 

  

 and then tonight.... 

WOW!!!!!  AMAZING!

Don't you just LOVE the "western" angles added to the bottom?

It is so "cozy" in the bottom patio... 

and COOL too! 

I know where you will be finding me!!!! :)

There are even stairs!!!! 

And they are absolutely divine!

I surely hope I can get use to this! 

We haven't walked out this back door in YEARS!!! 

I MEAN YEARS!!!! 

I hope I can sleep tonight! 

I just can't wait to see what the railing looks like!!!

Let alone... the COMPLETED project! 

oh!! AND look!!!  Stairs from our HOLE!!!! 

No more MUD SLIDES!

I feel like I have a whole extension to the house now!!!! 

I just can't wait to decorate it!!!! 

Bry can't either... she's already designing her "dance" studio! :) 

Isn't this just so exciting??? 

Ok... maybe not for you... but for me!!! 

OH MY GOSH!!!!  I just hope this doesn't mean we are moving....

That is how it ALWAYS happens..... 

I finally get to where the house is just what I envisioned before we moved in...

and then.... we move!

Please let me enjoy it for at least a SEASON!
at least....

PLEASE!!!!!!

OH I FEEL SO VERY BLESSED!!!! 

And...MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!!!!

Can't wait for day 8..... 

and then... I can add my "junk to treasure" findings.... 

OH SO EXCITED!!!!! 

BUT I PROMISE!!
Christmas will be on my brain... 

for the remainder of the time... 

starting August 22!  I PROMISE!!!! 

(I just may move my sewing room out to the deck!!! :)) 

Someone's junk....

Became MY treasure! 

Last year.... ok nearly 16 months ago... I ventured out on my first ever GARAGE "TREASURE" HOPPING! sale.  A dear friend of mine ... (Miss TAMMYof PINK OWL DESIGNS) helped guide me along, barter and SCORE some great deals!  BUT.... as life would have it - I just didn't ever get the opportunity to "dive" into someone's junk to make my treasure.... until today..... 

I puchased 2 of the these BEAUTIES for $5.00!!! 

SCORE!!!!

 

Before..... 

After....

Sure it cost about $7.50 to paint and $6 for the cushion.... 

BUT they are cast iron

Heavy and they will work PERFECT on our patio! 

The next project 

(I almost forgot to get a BEFORE picture!) 

This was actually a DUMPSTER save! 

It's been sitting in my back yard for about 3 or 4 years.... 

 NOW!! She has earned a seat on the front porch.... don't you just love it!?!?! 

It's not quite done... I want to either turn it into a "planter box" 

(by cutting 2 large circles in the seat and putting potted flowers in.... 

Or.... just a couple pillow.... maybe a garland of some sort ...

I've got time to "ponder' on it...don't I???? 

Now this was not "junk to treasure" treasure...

it was a purchase! 

I have been admiring this for MONTHS I tell you! 

And today.... I found it on clearance and decided 

"HECK YEAH!!! I'm worth a "treat!"

For now it has earned a spot on the front court-yard patio....

but HOPEFULLY in the next month or so 

It will be in the back sitting on the cute little 

:BREAKFAST table....

(Have I mentioned just how excited I am to have access to our backyard!?!?!)

If I haven't....

I am

SUPER-DUPER 

EXCITED!

Then.... 

I found me some matching rockers! for just $5 bucks!!!

That from the looks of them, they have seen better days...

Sure... we have a little work to do... but you get the idea..

SO.... stay tuned for the ROCKER Unveiling! 

 I was just TOO pooped today to finish!