Backyard Makeover

When we bought our current house a little over a year ago, this is what part of the backyard looked like. There aren't many pictures of that section of the yard because, quite frankly, it was unattractive and little used. We'd intended to take down that ratty metal swing set, but somehow, it just didn't happen. You probably know how that goes!

However, over the last week or so, we've been finally working on that section of the backyard, and it's becoming quite the hang out spot for the family, especially with beautiful weather we've been having!

First, we raked up all the leaves, and pulled a lot of the random weeds, and generally cleaned up the 'tree trash' under the huge old pecan tree (remnants of a pecan plantation)and out of the 'sand pit.' When we did that, we realized how nice and pleasant it was under the shade of that huge tree. That got us thinking about putting in a paver patio or some other nice and fancy 'outdoor room.' I actually got the booklets from Lowes and Home Depot and was looking into it. We were talking designs and plans and whether to do-it-ourselves or hire someone to do it for us. And then we realized that we didn't want to sink that kind of money into a house we may not stay at forever. And I began to enjoy just sitting in an old lawn chair out there under the tree with good old dirt for the 'floor.' So, we dropped the patio idea and 'got real.'

What's the right Jam-and-Habeeb way maximize enjoyment of that backyard spot? A good old fashioned wooden picnic table, for starters, as opposed to the fancy porch furniture I'd been scouting all season (and hadn't found a thing I liked yet). Plus it's got a couple added bonuses: It's cheap, and it's a great 'project' for Habeeb and Sly to do together (a trial run of 'shop night'). So, here they are, putting together mom's picnic table in the dark in the light rain. Do they love me or what? :)

Next, the boys power washed an old Little Tikes playset the previous owners left here and which was full of spiders and tree trash from sitting under that old pecan tree. It'll be great for SB3 in the very near future. Sly did most of the power washing, and being the bad mom that I am, I only have pictures of Jman when he took a turn at it. They also both worked on power washing a bunch of old Tonka trucks that were yucky from sitting out in the sand pit for the last year+.

After we took a step back, Habeeb and I had the same thought at the same time: We need to hang the hammock between those two trees! Jman wasted no time giving it a test drive.

Of course, being outside in the evening probably means bugs, plus it gets hard to see once it's good and dark. Habeeb jumped all over those two problems by finding the pair of old tiki torches we 'inherited' with a house we bought a few years ago. He stuck them in the ground and Sly got to work 'playing with fire.' What is it about fire that is so much fun?

Now, that big old pecan tree has a big old branch growing out from it that was just begging for a swing. We already have everything we need to build a playset (except the wood). What we needed for a big tree swing, though, was a good rope. $20 later and some creative rigging by Habeeb, and presto--we have a way cool make-shift swing! He rigged this up for me in the dark (what a guy!). If we leave it as is, we'll have to move that one tiki torch, or someone's gonna catch themselves on fire when they're swinging!

And so, about $120 later, we have have a remade backyard!

And here are some kiddies (and kitties) having fun in the new backyard!