Getting ready for Christmas!

Just a few pics to show you what we’ve been up to.

Carson has VERY dry skin. ;-)

Jack’s Christmas show/party was today…so cute!

Jack did the introduction

Here’s the video {it’s long}:

And THEN we surprised Jack with a trip to the “Polar Express” in Calera. Julie and I took Jack and Owen and they had a blast:

Merry Christmas to all!

Jill

A backyard for the Boys

We’ve talked a lot about the backyard, so I thought it was time I brag on Paul’s hard work! We’ve been talking about a flat yard “one day” since we bought the house but as we all know, there are plenty of other things to spend our money on!

My gracious cousin Lisa offered us their wooden playset, all we needed to do was move it. Paul went over one Saturday and spent a few hours taking pictures of it and taking apart what he could do on his own. The next day we enlisted the help of our neighbor, Steve, and the guys managed to put the Box part of it on the back of one of Paul’s work trucks (not without some stress on my part as they heaved the wooden box up  & over their fence!).

Once we got the playset to the house, it was time to figure out where we had a spot flat enough to set it up…and that’s where Darrel comes into the story. 

Darrel was working on a yard around the corner (kind of behind our house). I drove by one afternoon and asked him if he would come take a look at our yard and give us a quote for bringing down his bobcat to make a little flat spot and we’d do our own small retaining wall around the playset. He hoped in his truck right then and followed me around the corner! The little flat spot turned into a much bigger project but was well worth it! Darrel was digging up the yard around the corner and agreed to bring the dirt down to our house…and that turned in to 8 or so truckloads of dirt. After a couple of times flattening it out, he suggested we take the fence down and let him level out the whole area, which we agreed to. Then he suggested we go ahead and take down a tree that was limiting how far out the flat spot could go…and we agreed again.

All in all it’s a great area for the kids to play and they ask to swing every day when we get home from school! We also added a lot of dirt to the right of our driveway and leveled it so that eventually we can make that an extra parking pad. As it stands right now, if anyone parks at the top of the drive, it can be hard to get our cars in and out of the garage.

So here are some before & after’s.

This was shortly after we bought the house. Dad Graham & Viv helped Paul clean up a lot of the yard after a storm blew down several trees.

We had more trees taken down last year, this is Paul & Jack when they camped, you can see how sloped the yard was.

First truckload of dirt…Jack in his pirate costume watching.

Playset in pieces to the right, pipes for french drains.

At this point we had only taken down the right side of the fence.

First run. Darrel flattened out everything but didn’t get up next to the fence (see tomato planter on left).

Then Darrel suggested we take the entire fence down, this is right before Paul removed it.

Big fun for the boys!

And today………………….

We’re hoping the pear tree will do better now that it will have more sun. Also…check out Paul Bunyan's wood pile. :0)

Next on the list:

-Add a roof to the playset. Jack requested that it be a pirate ship. Add a glider swing in place of the rings and fix the stairs (a rung is broken and it’s hard for little ones to climb)

-Retaining wall. We hope to put a retaining wall around the right side and add stairs to get to the yard. Right now the easiest way to get up there is to walk to the left side of the yard & then up. It’s a little steep for the kids.

We’re so happy with how far it’s come and to have a place for the boys.

~So blessed

Boo!!

We carved Pumpkins with the Carney’s this weekend…here’s a few pics. No one got too crazy with the designs this year!

Jack actually scraped the insides this year! Last year he wouldn’t touch them!

Owen & Jack posing with the pumpkins (which you can’t see very well)

Carson was already asleep…

Best picture I could get of Carson dressed as a pirate for the Parade at school today. Jack’s class parade is Friday.

Happy Halloween from Jack & Carson!

So blessed~

Jill

Whoa is me…

Wow…I’m REALLY behind and a LOT happens around here in 2 months! Let me start by posting  some videos and photos.

This first one is so sweet. We got home from church and while I was making lunch, Jack was telling me a very involved story and it hit me, he was telling me the story of the Good Samaritan! He loves Sunday School, and I’m so glad he loves stories as much as he does! I stopped him and got Paul’s phone:

Next:

I LOVE my boys:

This is how I found Jack one afternoon after he swore off a nap.

Carson LOVES Paci’s, or as he calls them “da da’s”

Carson went on his first Canoe trip:

I LOVE my Hubby!

A haircut from Grandma!

Jack & Daddy went camping in the backyard (note: this is also a “before” picture of the yard):

Did I mention he’s a dare devil?

I had a birthday:

Jack started Soccer (his jersey is bigger than he is):

  Dare Devil got a 2nd goose egg.

Just a normal dinner…in his pirate costume. Carson copies EVERYthing Jack does:

Beach with the Carney’s:

He loves to eat:

Carson got a NEW do:

Should we worry?

Last but not least…Carson has gone T T on the potty twice!!! We’ve got a long way to go, but at least he’s somewhat interested!

Last but not least…this video CRACKS me up SO much. This is us dancing one night…Jack’s robot moves are hysterical.

So blessed~

More to come…

Jill