Let The Destruction (Beautification...) Begin!

Well, this wasn't exactly the "plan", but who really "plans" around here anyway?!  Oh, I knew that May and June would be busy months what with a Ryan's birthday, Mother's Day, a bridal shower for Allison, a baby shower for Beckett, Ryan and Allison's wedding and Father's Day (Whew!!!)  However, I did not really "plan" on any new home (or yard...) improvement projects.  BUT...whenever Robby decides to embark on a new project that in the end will be WONDERFUL (If you just close your eyes and imagine it...), you learn to just "GO WITH IT"!

Here's how it all happened.  I came home one day and there were a few boards missing off of the fence in our back yard.  I noticed that Robby had been working on one of the lights by the fish pond that had been damaged in one of the last storms we had experienced.  I asked when he planned on putting those boards back up and that's when he said he had this "little idea" for the back yard.  Hmmm..."little" idea??

His "little idea" was to clear out all the wooded area behind our house, tear down the entire old fence and put up a new fence.  Then, put an iron fence around the pool.  OH...and tear out some of the exsisting landscaping and pour more concrete around the pool, re-landscape AND build a pool house!  OK...so, you see what I mean about this not really being a "little" project?!

First things came this week with the tearing down of the old fence.  Justin, who helped tear that fence down, took the old fence to complete the back of his own.  Then, the real mess-making started...

 Here you can see where the first few boards were removed and then before I knew it...a tractor was back there!

              They continued to tear down the fence that had created my cozy, little courtyard.

 Robby first went and bought some more rocks, to build up the back of the fish pond.  There will eventually be more landscaping around it and new lighting there and throughout the backyard.

 You can see where trees have been taken down and the hill behind our house cut away.  I must admit that I like the way this is looking.

 Unfortunately, my front and side yard needed some work to fix some drainage problems; this is what it looks like now...

                                   But, WOW!  Look how GREAT our new fence looks!

OK...So Phase 1 of our outdoor improvement project is done!  Well, all except for the side closures of the fence.  Now, tomorrow, the dirt work and framing for the new concrete area around the pool begins.  Yep...just in time for Beckett's baby shower, which will be here on Saturday afternoon.  Oh well, if I just close my eyes, I can see it...all the lovely new concreted area with chaise lounges on it for basking in the sun... the beautiful, lush new landscaping...and the great new pool house, where family and friends are sure to spend many hours enjoying each other's company and having fun.  That's "If I close my eyes..."  Because when I open them, right now, I see a big ole mud hole.  But, I have learned that big ole messy mud holes can become beautiful...eventually.

P.S.  I can't wait to show you Phase 2!