Transformation

When Chad and I got married we talked about not staying in our house for too many years with the desire to move perhaps to an acreage. Almost 8 years later and we are still in the same house. For quite some time I was looking at other houses and longing to move and just didn't feel settled. Emma coming helped that very much but I still looked because now I want to get her out of the city to grow up in the country. I am not sure what happened but sometime in the last little while my heart has changed. We have talked about it alot and how it makes more sense to stay where we are for a while longer to pay down the mortgage and then hopefully be able to move to a house and area that we love and could be in for a long time and raise our family. So this spring we finally did some landscaping and I feel more settled and more like our home is finally becoming our home. We also plan on finishing the basement this year which would be wonderful and give Emma and I more room and options during our long cold winters.

The landscaping was alot of work but so worth it! Our backyard feels like a backyard now instead of just a grassy area and we enjoy being out in it. We still have more that we would like to do but will save it for next year perhaps and see what happens.

I took during and after photos of it all. Of course Chad did most of the grunt work (he worked so hard!) with me helping where I could and once the gardens were ready to plant it was time for me to do the grunt work. Emma loved helping and it was fun watching her get involved.

Building the raised garden beds...

 Best little surpervisor ever!

 Chad never ceases to suprise and impress me with what he knows and what he can do!

 We ripped up all the sod in the area where we wanted the gardens...

 and then Chad spent a long time salvaging as much of the dirt as he could.

 Looking good!

 Emma has her own little garden box.

 Watering the rocks. :)

 Helping mix the dirt

 Our beautiful little apple tree

 Emma's garden

 I also did a little fairy garden for Emma

 Look! Everything is actually growing! It has been fun to eat from the garden and I am looking forward to harvest time!

 So pretty now

 Look at all those apples! There are so many this year that some of the branches are hanging quite low. Apple pies! Applesauce! Apple butter! Yum!