Our Outdoor Retreat -Currently Under Construction!

After over a year in our new home, we're finally ready to do something with our dirt mound of a backyard.  In order for us to avoid compromising our design, Colby's taken on the daunting task of landscaping on his own.  Here's a rough, not-to-scale drawing of the design we came up with:

While it may prove to be unrealistic, our goal is to be close enough to completing our project by Olive's 2nd birthday (11/25) that we can recognize the day by planting her memorial olive tree with family & friends.  The tree is designed to be the focal point of the yard, with a contemporary-style stone waterfall as a backdrop.  One of our favorite things about our house is the wide-open layout, which is perfect for entertaining and we definitely look forward to bringing future parties into the open air with the outdoor kitchen-style barbeque, bar area, fire pit... not to mention the hot tub!  The design also includes a veggie garden along the side, which I'm so excited about incorporating into the boys' homeschooling.  

Reid was thrilled that we had our "own" tractor during the excavation phase a few months ago. 

Since then, we've gotten the gas, water, and electric run...

And after overcoming some hurdles, including realizing halfway through laying the first stones of the retaining wall  that his level wasn't... well, level, Colby was able to make some progress on the retaining wall this last weekend.

With the retaining wall mostly complete, it's been pretty cool looking down from our bedroom window, seeing our design actually coming into fruition.

Darndest Things

(Takes place as Colby is tucking Reid into bed)

Reid: Dad, when I grow up I want to go to work like you.

Colby:  Really??  Why is that?

Reid:  Because that's what dads do.

Colby:  Oh, yeah?  And what do moms do?

Reid:  Cook.

Colby:  Cook, huh?  What else?

Reid:  Fix my cars.

Underoos, Oldies but Goodies & Breakfast in Bed

 

 

As fulfilling as it was to have Reid rush ecstatically through the door into his Lightning McQueen party after spending the night at Big Ma's, I must say the actual day of his birthday was pretty exceptional too.  It was just us, but I wanted to make it special, especially since it was the first birthday of which he was actually aware of it.  I brought him breakfast in bed: homemade waffles, dripping with butter and syrup, topped with a McQueen candle and some milk in his new McQueen drinking bottle.  I wanted to surprise him with it, but he woke up earlier than I'd expected, so I sent him back upstairs with the c.d. he'd been wanting that I finally got around to burning for him for this occasion: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.  As I finished up his surprise breakfast, I cracked up, watching him in his underoos on our video monitor seriously getting down to "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," Walk Like a Man," and other songs from his new c.d.  He got a total kick from the breakfast in bed thing, as you can see:

The day was filled with phone calls, wishing Reid a happy birthday, not to mention a surprise visit from Big Ma, bearing cupcakes with frosting so blue it had an encore, if you know what I mean.

 

 

That evening we checked him into a detox clinic to ensure a safe withdrawal from all of the sugar.

Time Warp

This weekend we celebrated the 3rd birthday of the first of our spawn, Reid.  Oh, where the time has gone... (Sigh)...

Actual Birth Day

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

And now his 3rd:

Amazing Lightning McQueen Cake by our very own cake master, Colby

Photos by "Miss Corinne"

My Extreme Makeovers: Then & Now

then.

 

now.

It is my firm belief that every girl should get to have Bettie Page bangs at one point in her life.  And now it's my turn!

Free at Last!

Ronin's cast removal was like watching him be reborn, except this time he was being dramatically cracked out of an eggshell... a festering, putrid eggshell.  Did I mention it smelled awful?  The completely cumbersome diapering method I was instructed to use with him while in his cast proved ineffective from day one.  All the Priuses in the world couldn't make up for the toxicity of the cloud that was released into the atmosphere when they cracked that thing open... I mean, you could almost see it!  Still, nothing a good scrubbing couldn't fix.  Ronin now smells like butter again, as every baby should.

Nevertheless, he is free!  The little guy was so cute during the drive from the hospital.  He kept staring down curiously at his new and improved leg, kicking it and occasionally petting it.  Very sweet.

Just Call Me Rosie!

Today is Ronin's last (full) day in his ten-ton cast (pray he doesn't need a new one tomorrow!).  While I'm reaping the benefits from carrying around his extra weight over the last two and a half weeks, I imagine picking him up without it will be similar to the sensation of grabbing the nearly empty carton of milk from the fridge when you expect it to be full and it goes flying.  Hopefully we won't be back at the hospital for another cast as a result of me accidentally throwing him through the ceiling.