Backyard Makeover: Day 2 Progress

So today is day 2 of my backyard makeover. They have made ALOT of progress. My retaining wall is DONE, my patio is ALMOST DONE. They just have to do some smoothing out of the dirt. Fill in the cracks of the patio, and some other misc stuff. Here are some photos to show you the progress of day 2.

Our finished retaining wall.

Finished retaining wall.

End of wall.

Leveling off the soil. 

Leveling the soil off.

The patio blocks laid.

Enjoy!!!

Backyard Makeover!

I have been waiting a VERY LONG time to get a backyard makeover! Well, the start of my beautiful backyard to come came today! Our landscaper showed up to start the work!!! Here are some pics of them in action on the first day! Can you tell I am SO EXCITED!

Bobcat leveling things off.

Some of the dirt from the graded lawn.

Some of the pallets of our retaining wall bricks.

More dirt!

What the retaining wall looks like at the end of day 1.

End of day 1.

More dirt & end of day 1.

Here are 2 BIG boulders they found. I am actually surprised they only found two. We live a a side hill and there are rocks everywhere!

Retaining wall at the south end of the house...end of day 1.

I know that it doesn't look like much right now, but you have to get ugly & messy before it can get beautiful! It will be so nice to have a functional & nice backyard when it's all finished! More progress to come!

Enjoy!!!

Ice Cream Sundae Candy Bouquet Gift

Well, I try and be the organized Mom, but sometimes, time gets away from me & I am left scrambling at the end. My son had a birthday party he was invited to last week. I had something specific in mind (a game actually) that I wanted to buy for the gift, but do you think for the life of me I could find it anywhere in Winona. After stopping at Walmart, Fleet Farm & Target with no luck, I called Kmart & Shopko to see if they carried it. They didn't either. So here I am at 10am on Friday with nothing & the birthday party is at 4pm.

So I got my creative brain in action. I just picked up our Halloween candy at Target which got me thinking of an idea I had seen recently.

A Candy bouquet!!!!

I know, a kid's dream....a dentist's nightmare, but I just didn't want to buy another piece of plastic. So candy bouquet it is.

Here is the skinny on how to make it!

SUPPLIES:

(Most of these items can be bought at the Dollar Tree, although other than the candy, I had all on hand)

Ice Cream Bowl

Styrofoam Ball

Mini Candy Bars (approximate 65)

2 Drinking Straws

Some curling ribbon

I started out by putting some of the candy bars in the Ice Cream Bowl (about 11).

Then I taped the Styrofoam ball to the top of the bowl.

Then just start taping the candy bars in rows. Start at the bottom & work your way up.

Once you fill up the ball add 2 straws, some decorative ribbon &

WHOLA!!!!

Enjoy!

Halloween Countdown

I have seen several cute designs for a countdown to Halloween out here in blogland. This is such a GREAT way to display those cute Halloween photos you take every year for everyone to see. A good way to get them out of the albums and out each year for Halloween for you to reminisce and remember. My inspiration came from over at Eighteen 25. They had a guest blogger (Melissa from The Polka Dot Chair)who made this SUPER cute countdown calendar.  here for all the details & instructions on how to make it.

This "FAMILY" Photo easel I have had for years. It holds 40 photos so I was able to do a whole month's countdown.

Here is my version:

My oldest son's 1st Halloween/Fall.

Dressing up as a "puppy" family!

Oldest Son, still 1st Halloween.

T-man Puppy...1st Halloween.

His 2nd Halloween...the "Bee" family!

T-man...Bee...2nd Halloween.

My youngest C-man...1st Halloween (Frog)

T-man....Buzz Light year

My sister H...Pippi Longstocking & T-man...Buzz Light year.

My niece S...Princess & C-man....Pirate.

T-man...Pirate....nephew B...Pirate

All the Cousin's....Halloween's are much more FUN with cousins!

This one is ME, my first Halloween.

I was Raggedy Ann & they took the clothes right off my doll and put them on me for my costume.

My sister in laws, cousins & me. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle & scary Alien Co Worker.

T-man...Indiana Jones & C-man...Pirate again!

Cousin's...Ninja Turtle, Storm Trooper, Princess & Blue Power Ranger (blue cast to match).

T-man....Blue Power Ranger

Halloween shirts for school.

Vampire cousins!

Family

MN Vikings players...Adrian Peterson & Brett Favre (with a face painting twist!)

2 Generations of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Fun with wigs. This was taken Halloween night playing around with Granny Sharyl's wigs!

The MN Vikings at the Halloween party at school.

Photos from School Halloween Party.

T-man with wig

The last few countdown days (4,3,2) I am waiting on some photos from family, and number 1 will be this current years photo of the boys. I Will update as soon as I get them done.

I hope you have enjoyed this Halloween Countdown as much as I had making it!

Enjoy!

I am linking up to these FABULOUS Parties: