Home Improvement Style

Every break-up, the side shed on our garage floods. Standing water, everything wet, pain to clean up, flood. (We don't store anything on the ground anymore that can't handle getting wet!!) So, over the last several months, Aaron worked on a plan to correct our drainage from the backyard. Basically, it involved a few engineers, a backhoe to dig a huge hole, a whole load of gravel, and countless wheelbarrow loads back and forth across the yard. All in all, it was a day full of lots of hard work but hopefully the french drain will work wonderful this coming spring! (And Aaron and Shawn definitely enjoyed the time to play in big machinery!)

I was errand girl, so I didn't get a picture of the giant hole with the barrel and rocks in it....it was filled before I got back. And, I've yet to get an "after" picture. Considering there are now leaves everywhere.....it probably won't happen any time soon!




Over Labor Day weekend, we headed north to our friends' property. They are beginning work on their cabin and we went up to give them some help. They rented a lot of heavy machinery for several days and were working in the foundation and the driveway. Aaron had a great time driving the excavator and back hoe and helping install the foundation tubes. Shawn and DJ had some family come help on Sunday and we all had a good time, even though it POURED almost all weekend!

Mattie's vantage point.

Delicious kabobs!

Making "smookies" in the pouring rain.

*Smookie: a combination between a s'more and a cookie! Toast a marshmallow, and warm two chocolate chip cookies, combine, eat the wonderful creation! Be prepared for a sticky mess though.