Oh how I would love Trex.

I have two decks, one on either side of the new addition. One is small and mostly just a step out.
But, the other is the old deck that used to be at our back door before we added the family room on. We took it apart and put in back together, it saved alot of money. They are both redwood and need to be stained every other year, if not, every year.
Anyway, for now I am happy I have a deck. That is the way to be grateful. Isn't there always something we want. I use Behr brand stain from Home Depot.
It sure makes things look better.
I use the same stuff on my cedar fence. It is a good job for the kids. Ha.
This is what the "old deck" in a new spot looked like...
And now...

My dear hubby put this pipe in the ground next to the deck so we can put our umbrella in it. It works better there for us than in the table.
As you can see it is morning and the umbrella isn't really shading the deck, but it sure works in the afternoon and evening.
I also found a great way to stain a big deck. I used a roller on a long broom handle. It sure saved the back and went pretty fast.
We do enjoy the decks and patio. And, I am very grateful!
Have a beautiful summer day.

It's the pits!

Ya, I know, catchy title hu? Well it was the pits! I had a fire pit in my back yard. I didn't take a before we started pic but you can tell from this that something needed to be done. See the big pipe, culvert, thingy sticking out of the ground?
Well that is what we have had for more than a year. Dangerous and ugly in one. It actually used to have bricks around it but they all broke up and looked bad so we were trying to figure out a surround that was not expensive. I would have loved to use those beautiful faux stone, stacked, you know, with a stone top and all. But have you priced those things? Well we decided on cement.
My husband thought it would be more interesting if it was in a octagon shape. We are not very good at math but soon figured it out and made the frame for the cement.
A little gravel in the bottom makes the cement go farther and makes a better base.
(this is what my husband says)
Smooth out with a trowel. I left this to the expert.

When it was all smooth I decided I wanted to try something. I kinda ruffed it up with a small trowel and made it look kinda like stone, you know, not smooth.
Then I took some stain and a old paint brush and a rag or an old shirt.
I just dabbed and wiped and dabbed and wiped with the stain. I kinda like the look. It looks a little like stone and better that just plain old cement.

I will put a stone sealer on it and I think we might even use this old pit.

Long awaited rest!

Hey, thanks to all of you who wondered where in the heck I had ran off to. I had to take a break and figure out what I was doing. I stepped back and realized I was spending money I didn't need to so I could put something on my blog. I have to just share the things I do and not worry about how many posts I do in a week. But, I will be checking in on you to see all of your great ideas. Hope you can hang in there with me, and if not, I enjoyed your company while it lasted. I have to do what is best for me and my family and hope you do the same.
I went on a trip with my family to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We had a great time and I wanted to share some of the photos my daughter took.
This is where we camped, we pulled out trailer and stayed at Gros Ventre Camp Ground it was nice and quiet.

Aren't the Teton Mountains beautiful! I think they are so majestic!

This little guy followed us around hoping we would drop some food, we did.


The scenery is so beautiful. I love old barns, weird, I know.


We went on alot of hikes around the many lakes up there. This one was called string lake and I thought this tree was neat. It's roots are out of the ground and all funky.


This lake is one of my favorite's. It is called Jenny Lake. It is so beautiful. You can ride a boat across this lake if you don't want to hike the whole way and hike up the mountain a little ways and see some beautiful water falls and gorgeous scenery. Oh my!


Here are my kido's at Jenny Lake.


We also went to a musical, Annie Get You Gun, at the Jackson Hole Playhouse. It was cute. And we went to the Bar J Wranglers, a really fun western show. We had a fun time and a much needed get away.
I have been doing some projects outside I want to share. So maybe next week I can get moving again. Thanks for hanging in.
Have a great day,
Brooke

Front porch help

I think we might be over the freezing sub zero weather that has been plaguing us this spring. I finally went and bought some flowers for my pots yesterday. Now we are expecting rain again today. I need some help with my boring front porch. This is it in all of its sadness...

I planted flowers in the pots. They are still very small but hopefully will grow. I got out my old pillows from last year and even they don't seem very fun and bright for summer...


I want to paint my front door, but I don't know what color. I thought about black but it might be to dark for my house????
I want to put something on the house next to the door that will last through the summer. Like a flower wreath, but I think I want to put something patriotic instead. Will that last through June, July and August?
Please help me brighten up my front porch. I really don't know what to do. Any advise would be appreciated.