Outside Paradise

Yes, yes, I know I promised the kitchen would be the last project before our wedding. And for me, that is true. My dad, however, had something else in mind. He started making a really awesome patio right off of our dining room last fall before it got super cold. Right after he started working on it, he got very sick and had some major heart problems so he couldn't work on it for awhile (obviously). Then it got COLD. But right when the weather started getting nicer, leave it to my die hard dad to jump right back into his project. This is his baby :) He has this "vision" of what our backyard landscaping is going to look like and won't let anything stop him. Well except that is the budget I gave him :) But leave it to him, he's made it work!!

I just wanted to share his amazing progress!





Haha, just kidding. I think that if he had an unlimited budget, that's what he would want it to look like. But let's get real....we are not millionaires :) Here is what he has really done!!



His patio completed :) The dogs still apparently think it's ok to poop all over it though, so we are working on that. When it was 1/2 done, the sand under the unfinished part was their favorite to drop #2's on. My poor dad probably spent more time shoveling their little poops out of the sand then laying the bricks down!


He has now moved onto putting down the mulch and the little orange cones are where the lights will go. That will be awesome so I can see the dogs at night and in the morning. Sometimes I get worried they are going to get lost in the backyard. There is Willy checking out the new mulch. Not sure how he feels about it, but he'll live.



The precision and planning that my dad has put into this just reaffirms two things for me:
1) Why I love him so much
2) I am truly his daughter, as I plan things out, try them out, etc over and over again until I know I'm satisfied



This is the "little tree that could". We had to cut half of it down right when we moved in because it literally smacked you in the head when you walked down to the lower patio. We for sure thought it would die. Nope, still there. Hoping it keeps trucking! I like it :) Now I just need to decide what flowers to plant there!!


This is the mulch he insisted we put in right by our garage. I didn't care either way, but I am now very happy that he said it was necessary. Much less muddy!!

It's hysterical because for a week or so he was literally coming over to our house every day after school to lay out things, plan things out, bring electrical stuff over, etc. Last Saturday he installed a new electrical outlet in the basement with a timer for the lights, so I think all that's left is the lights themselves! This what he wants to finish before our wedding and I think he's right on track :) While Jimmy and I have done a lot of house work ourselves, we would literally be lost without my dad. He's wonderful, such a handy man and has a crazy work ethic!! As long as we feed him and give him water, he keeps working. Haha.

Anyways, that truly is the LAST project done before the wedding. I didn't want to mislead you. But I'm sure this is true this time, as there are only 2 weekends left before the big day!!