Carver and daughter landscaping, INC.

As our other major yard project this year, we put in a patio.

What was growing alongside our house was weeds and ant hills and we were tired of it. Plus, we needed a place to eat outside. (I mean, who doesn't?)

before pic:

We hired a landscaper to prep the area (dig it down, level it, lay gravel and pack it down) and we layed the stone.

All prepped:

We decided on natural flagstone which is massively heavy. I am certain a few of those big pieces weighed more than Sandi and I put together.

It's a good thing we had these...

The kids were all about the sand pile which needed to be spread for the stone to lie on.

But then the waiting started.  Ella was ridiculously excited about this patio.  I love how much she loves home improvement.  I think it is all about beautifying.  This chick has a real love of making things pretty.

Helpers:

The laying of the stone was actually quite a challenge and the heft of them became the easy part.  Matching jagged edges and uneven stone widths along unlevel sand was tough for me with my limited spatial skills.  I think my skills improved, though, and I am contemplated going back to retake the SATs just so I can redo the spatial part for a better score.

Some highlights of the patio project:

Our neighbor Chris came over to check on us and Sandi said , "It's like the biggest puzzle ever." 

Chris paused and said sagely, "No, life is the biggest puzzle ever."


I went to Home Depot and asked the guy,  "Do you have anything to tamp slabs of flagstone into place?"
He shrugged and said,  "Water."
"Water?" I repeated.
"How do you think the Grand Canyon was made?"

How much time did this guy think we had???
So about 6 weeks or so later, we are (mostly) done with the patio and love it.  We need something with more hold than stone dust to put in between the stones since the small ones are too moveable and the stone dust ends up all over, rather than packing down in the grooves. 

But until then, we did the only logical thing to do when you finish your patio. 

We had a patio party!

For dessert: strawberry shortcake, turtle ice cream pie and raspberry pie ( I seriously suck at pie making and tried a lattice crust only to have Sandi inform me that you are supposed to weave the pie crust into a lattice.  Who frigging knew?)

Our kids LOVED staying up till dark (something they rarely do because they wake like roosters in the morning regardless of the time they go to bed.)
I love this picture of Ella for so so many reasons.  It is her in every way.

I think Maya was just excited to have fire at her fingertips.

I think this is the summer of the campfire picture. We want to see just how many of these we can collect. Why not?