Exterior Overhaul: Demolition Weekend 3

Our Big Summer Project was a list that basically broke down the steps we needed to take to tear up our backyard and a big patch of the front yard. We had foundation work done to lift up the only remaining side that didn't already have piers put in, which tore up lots of our landscaping. We really did complete most of it! This is the last weekend of the deck tear out. We bought this house knowing it was a project, but sometimes I'm still amazed at just HOW much WORK there is to do! It definitely makes it worse knowing this is 'the' house because we don't want to skimp on things that are important, whereas at the old house we just made everything 'good enough'.

The other two work weekends were tearing out the pergola, and two sections of deck that are already gone in these pictures. Bean did the cutting, I helped load up the truck one weekend, and the other times I was taking care of Abby and bringing Bean water.

This last weekend we got a cold snap and it made working outside much more pleasant for Bean!

Most of the backyard is covered in mud, but we did create a little snack area.

On the other tree, I found this cool spiderweb and tried to capture it.

Here, I tried to capture the sawdust floating in the air around my strong husband.

While we are both frustrated at the snail's pace of this project (me because I'm not helping as much as I want to, and he because it just plain sucks), it does feel really awesome to know that we didn't have to pay someone to do the demo on this when we easily and slowly did it ourselves.

The full scope of the project includes a new fence, a new lawn, new landscaping (front and back), painting the exterior, a new patio area (front and back), and then we have to do something with our side yard- rip out that deck and weird fences and the vines that grow like crazy around here.

Sometimes I think it's silly to spend so much time and effort on the exterior when the weather is so seldom delicious enough to spend time outside, and other times I imagine us relaxing outside when the weather is perfect with a glass of wine, our friends and kids running around, and I know it will all be worth it.