Working as Landscapers

When we moved into our house almost a year ago the yard was a disaster. This past spring we worked on it to try and get it looking decent. By the time Fall came we had given up. Brian decided the yard was not salvageable and that we should just start over. Last weekend we had sprinklers put in. This weekend we removed all of the grass/weed combo that was our front yard. Brian rented a sod cutter and cut our yard into long strips. All our our neighbor men kept coming over to see how the machine worked and to see what we were doing. It was cracking me up how excited these men got about the sod cutter. was like they had just been given a new car.

Brian and I worked Friday afternoon and evening. We got the small strip between the sidewalk and the street cleared and sodded. The real circus began at 8:00am on Saturday when the whole crowd started working. The hole crew consisted of Brian & Me, our neighbor Terrance, our neighbor Jay, our neighbor Rob and his son Reid and the extra teen living at Rob's house Matt.

I stocked up on water and Gatorade. They drank 25 bottles of Gatorade and a case of water. We worked and cleared all of the old year away. Then we raked and leveled everything. Then we spread 5yards of top soil. Thanks goodness neighbors brought their own rakes and shovels. We to countless wheelbarrow loads, p the woods behind our house. (That is another project. We are trying to level our woods out). Then we got the dirt wet and started laying the sod. It was 8:00pm by the time we finished. It took 6 people 12 hours but our lawn looks great! We also saved $2,000 doing it our selves. WE are so luck to have such great friends/neighbors!

Brian and I got up this morning and finished laying the rest of the sod along the side of the house and leveling out the huge piles of dirt and weedy grass in our woods. Now we are officially exhausted and ready for a very long shower!

The sprinklers in progress

Brian working hard

Part of the sod

Part of the old yard that I rolled up

The boys clearing our old yard away!

The snake the teenage helpers were chasing me around our yard with

Ta'Da!

Waxhapalooza

Since moving into our house in Charlotte we have made lots of new friends. One of our new neighbors has a huge party each fall. I think the party is an excuse for Jamie (our neighbor) to have a gig for his band. They call this party Waxhapalooza and it is a BIG event our entire subdivision is invited. Three Bands play, they serve TONS of BBQ (its the south, every thing is a BBQ worthy event) and they collect money for the Waxhaw Volunteer Fire Department. We took our chairs over and had a great time visiting with friends/neighbors and listening to some good bands. We are looking forward to next years event.

Jeep Rocks & Road Tour

We went to the Charlotte home show, just to check it out. When we got there we noticed several MUDDY Jeeps. As we walked into the home show there were people in Jeep outfits telling us about the Jeep Rocks and Road tour. They said we could drive jeeps on the road or off-road course, this caught Brian's attention so we walked around the home show then headed to play with the jeeps. We had to register and swipe our drivers license. Brian said it would be fun to test drive the Rubicon so we did. We both drove the course over one BIG hill, bumps, rocks, and at an angle. A jeep person rides along with you to supervise, make sure you are being safe, and of course talk about Jeep. Brian drove the course first and did a great job. I figured it seemed pretty easy so I would give it a shot.

When it was my turn to drive I thought the point was to make the ride as bumpy as possible I thought I was doing great because I hit every bump hard and bounced us all over the place. The jeep representative even stopped talking about the Rubicon and was holding on. Apparently that is NOT the point of off-roading... who knew? Also, I might have gotten close to driving off the top of a 40 ft hill. Brian decided that if we ever own a off-road vehicle I will not be allowed to drive it. I think this just means I am ready for the Jeep Safari in Moab.

EARLY HALLOWEEN SURPRISE

Brian came in last week and "needed me" to help him on the front porch. So naturally I went out to help. I didn't know he needed a reaction not my help!!!! He got his reaction. This giant spider was on our front porch. Since moving to the south I have encountered some of the biggest and weirdest bugs ever... this was one of the scariest. I guess this giant spider could tell our house was in full Halloween Mode and it wanted in on the action.