My Two Front Teeth!

Latham just recently got his first teeth!

Showing off his pearly whites - the two middle ones on the bottom. What a big boy he is getting to be!

Redneck Trampoline

My parents recently upgraded to a king size bed, so their queen size mattress and box spring were floating around our place for a few days before we donated them. Well, Ronan thought that the mattress made a great trampoline! Before I knew it he was jumping off the back of the sofa and landing on it. Collin thought he'd join in on the fun one day when he got home from work.

One...two...three...

JUMP!

I warned them both about getting hurt! Here Collin is attending to a boo-boo.

All better, let's keep jumping!

Cowabunga!

Landscaping - Day Four

Yesterday was the fourth and final day of landscaping the backyard. The major job of the day was to lay the turf.

Before

After

We are done! Now back to renovating the inside...

Landscaping - Day Three

Today was Day Three of the landscaping project and our goal was to erect the new fence along the sides of the property.

The auger Collin rented was a life safer - it saved us from hand-digging all the fence post holes!

Collin got DIRTY!

A close-up view of the new fence along the east end of the backyard.

The progress so far from the angle that shows the whole backyard...things are definately coming together! We are keeping the existing fence that borders the back - it's not as pretty as our new fence, but it's in good shape. By the way, Collin got the new fencing on Craig's List for a steal!

The fence on the west side of the property, alongside our driveway.

My role in this project is multi-faceted; I am the beverage/food person, gopher, rock picker-upper, photographer and observer. Not the best job I've ever had, but at least things are never boring!

Landscaping - Day Two

We were at it again today - working on our backyard. Day Two of landscaping means more progress...

...and more big boy toys!

My Dad came down to Bellingham to help, and it made a big difference. Today's goal was to get the retaining wall built along the back fence, and those stones were heavy! Sixty-six pounds each! If we didn't have my Dad helping, it would've taken Collin a lot longer to get it done. I couldn't even pick one up!

First came the gravel for the retaining wall base.

Then compacting it with yet another big boy toy.

At the end of a very long, hard, hot day in the sun, here is our retaining wall. It's not very high, but it's all we needed to level out the backyard.

Landscaping - Day One

This weekend's home improvement project is to level out the backyard and get rid of the "garden" (the fenced off area in the background where we put all our grass clippings and other gardening debris).

Before - notice how the lawn slopes towards the house; when playing soccer with Ronan the ball would always go off course.

Collin rented an excavator and was excited to use it...men and their toys!

After

And the project continues. We plan to build a low retaining wall along the back fence (notice the two test brincks on the left hand side of the picture) and then install a fence along the sides of the property. The new sod arrives on Monday!