Exterior Progress: Part 2

We have been working on finishing up some of the loose ends on the front landscaping.  So this weekend we tackled the lawn and front post.  

We bought some all-in-one lawn seed, mulch, and fertilizer, and put it down in the front yard.  For the post, I used exterior wood filler to fill the holes, and cover screws and nails.  Then, I used some paintable, exterior caulk.  I hate caulk.  

 I initially used the my finger to smooth it out, but I decided that I liked the sharp, angular look better, so I used the putty knife to make nice sharp edges.  This week I plan on painting the post white.

Packer/Razorback House

Nick and I both love football.  Our first vacation together was a road trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, four months after we started dating. 

We had engagement photos taken with us in our NFL teams hats.

Nick prefers college football, and I prefer the NFL.  As you've seen throughout the past couple months, we have filled our house with Razorback and Packer items.  Nick's office has been updated as you've seen here, here, here, here, and here.  

The Packers are my team (literally), and you've seen that evidence here, here, and here.

Our obsession has spilled over into the living room.

Any Packer/Razorback fans out there?

Our family is expanding!

Welcome:

 

We have adopted 2 adult cats.  They are brothers, originally named Goose and Maverick, but we are going to name them Dino and Frank.  They are hiding from us now, but hopefully soon, they will warm up to us.  I really want them to like us.  I don't want to have to find another home for them. 

 

Exterior Progress

My parents and I have been busy working on the front landscaping this weekend.  It really has come along nicely.  Much more color and better designed. 

If you look closely we have made several changes.  The light fixtures on the outside have been changed.  I was against a flood light on the right side of the house, so we found this exterior light that washes light down the wall towards the new Hibiscus tree.  My dad also fixed the siding flap that was wonky, replaced the light on the porch, and replaced the post that had water damage at the base. 

 My mom, Nick and I planted a Gardenia, a Bird of Paradise, boxwoods, Bougainvilleas, Trailing Lantanas, grasses, Dianthuses, and a Plum Fringe-Flower, along the front.  They are very colorful, and should flower for a couple months, or year-round depending on the plant.  I have some openings available to plant some other seasonal plants later in the year. 

We are about 85% done with the front, I believe.  We have remove the old walkway, plant grass throughout the lawn, paint the new post, caulk the post, paint the front porch and steps, and potentially add pot gardens and a bench to the porch.

It is a vast improvement to the front, which used to look sad, poorly planned, and poorly completed.  The cost of the whole project, including plants, top soil, mulch, light fixtures, and lumber for the new post was about $500, and about 3 easy weekends, and 1 busy weekend.


I will take pictures in a couple months so you can see how the plants and yard are doing.

Office and Landscape Updates

We have been very busy finishing up tasks and preparing for my parents visit next weekend.  Nothing gives you a deadline like a visit from your parents.

Nick's office has been getting some additions.  

We got a pillow for the pillowcase by sister made Nick for Xmas, and we got the custom mat for the SI cover.  We have another mat on order for another SI cover.  I made Nick the "Woo Pig Sooie" wood banner.  So the office is evolving nicely.  

While we were working on these things inside, we were working on the landscaping in front of the house.  When last you saw, we had a trench around the flower bed brick wall.  That has been removed, and the bricks below the stucco were painted to match the exterior color.  We have also installed an edging. 

So we are now ready for my parents to come visit.  I am planning on working on the front landscaping with them.  So the next pictures should have plants.  Yeah!

Demo Day 2: Exterior Edition

This weekend (and some of the week) Nick and I worked on the front landscaping again.  We dug the dirt around the old flower bed brick wall, and sledgehammered the wall out.  

We cleaned up the exposed brick below the stucco, to prep it for painting.  

We will be finishing up the landscaping, and cleaning up the house in preparation for my parents' visit. 

Demo Day: Exterior Edition

My parents are coming to visit the beginning of March, and I planned on working on landscaping while they are here.  There is some prep that needed to be done, so we started it this weekend. 

Here's what it looked like before:

 

We took out all of the plants, weeds and all.  There must have been a ton of bark chips in the area, which we removed as well. Next came the fencing.  As you know, we removed the front fencing as soon as we moved in, but waited until spring time to get rid of this little section.  

 

After we took out the fence and stepped back, Nick immediately said that it looked so much bigger without the fence.  I told him the front yard will look twice its size once we finish.  

If you look closely at the bottom picture, you can see a brick wall.  It goes a couple more feet down.   I think it might have been the original flower bed from the 50s.  Wonderful surprises when working on a house. 

Xmas Gifts

As you know, we were in Wisconsin for Xmas last week, and we took home quite a haul.  

We got all this, and we got cash (we're buying power tools) and gift cards to Target and Best Buy.  I can't wait to go on my Target shopping spree.

This is what we gave for Xmas.

I took all of  my family's recipes and made them, photographed them, and put them in a cookbook.  It took a couple years, but it's great.  We are thinking about doing one with recipes from Nick's family. 

While we were in Wisconsin, we went shopping and Nick found a cool metal sign for his office.

We had so much fun in Wisconsin, and can't wait to see my family again.

Castle Rock Carpentry

This weekend was Xmas with my family in Wisconsin.  Since I live so far away I only get to see my family a couple times a year.  But my parents have a big house, so I get to stay with them and see them the entire time I visit.

My father is a carpenter, and owns his own company, Castle Rock Carpentry.  He is very talented, and I am always impressed with what he can do.  My parents house is a perfect case in point.  I can only describe it as a log-less log cabin.  It has some custom woodwork in the den, up the stairway, and around the fireplace.  


My parents worked on the interior designing together, using earth tones, and medium and dark woods throughout the home.  It is filled with vintage and antique items, as well as items from nature.  Perfect for a north central Wisconsin home. 

Since most of the work was done by my dad, it's truly a showcase of his talents.  So if you're in the Wausau, WI area, and are looking to do a remodel or build, don't hesitate to call Castle Rock Carpentry at (715) 803-5313.

Easy Weekend

It seems as though we are always working on projects around the house.  This weekend was not really one of them.  We spent most of the weekend doing normal things, laundry, washing cars, and doing some window shopping at Home Depot.  Here are some things we found at Home Depot we are interested in.

This bar height outdoor table  

And a matching set of chairs for table

 This miter saw

This circular saw

 

This air compressor and nailer set

Now we need to win the lotto, so we can get all of these items.  Until we hit the jackpot, we will purchase as sales happen, and needs require it.