Viola! We Have a Garden!

The last few months we have been working hard on turning a weed patch in the corner of our yard into a garden.  Here is what we had to work with!  

I spent a few weeks spraying and trying to kill all the weeds and grass.  It was hard when the weather was still cool to get everything to die.  After that we evened out all the ground and got it ready for the weed blocker tarps.   

Here's a view with the weed blocker down.  We decided to just do half the area for the garden and the other half has a small fire pit and we are still making plans for the other section.

Our awesome neighbor let us borrow his truck to get mulch.  I was shocked how much we needed.  

Here's my awesome husband shoveling it all out by hand.  

We were lucky enough to have some rock donated to us from some neighbors that were re-landscaping a section of their yard and didn't need it any more.  It saved us a good chunk of money and looked great  around the edge of the mulch.  Our awesome neighbors came to help shovel it out.  

Looking good!!!

Now it was time to build our grow boxes.  Liam even wanted to help daddy!  We used Cedar Wood from home depot and I love it.  In case you ever build grow boxes make sure you get the right wood.  We almost got treated wood thinking that it would be best because it wont deteriorate but I guess it can leak poison into the ground and your crops!  scary!  So we paid more and got the Cedar wood and hopefully poison free!

One of the finished products.  Jas made two 4x4's and one 4x8.  Then we used railroad ties for the edges.  It was great because Home depot pre cut all the wood for us for free.  All we had to do was assemble them.  

We filled them with top soil, and mulch then it was time for planting!  I was so excited!

This is just a few of the things we planted.  All together we had a few types of zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes, radishes, spinach, lettuce, beans, and onion.  

Planted and ready to Grow!

 A couple weeks later we have beautiful sprouting vegetables!  

Coming Home to Avert Disaster!

On our arrival home from Thanksgiving I walked into the house and yelled back at Jason, "somethings wrong!"  As soon as I walked in it felt like I opened an oven door and all the hot hair overwhelms you!  Typically in Logan when people head out of town they are afraid their pipes will freeze and break, then flood your home.  We had the exact opposite.  Our furnace wigged out and the heater ran on full blast non-stop for I don't know how long.  The thermostat couldn't even read the temperature in the house because it was too hot, but I am estimating somewhere over 110 degrees.  It was really a weird experience because literally everything was hot!  The tile on the floor felt like walking on hot sand, the counter tops and walls felt heated, the carpet felt like it was just pulled out of the dryer, but I do have to say I enjoy a heated toilet seat!  At first I got a huge pit in my stomach thinking about the massive gas bill heading our way, but putting things in perspective we are so blessed our home didn't burn down! It took two days to completely cool off the house and as of now the furnace has been working fine. Just to be safe we are having the heating specialist come look at everything and hopefully explain to us how this happened.  Here are some pics of the evidence.

Our bathroom was the hottest room in the house, so our little bamboo plant that we have had since we got married sadly died!   

 The heat changed the pressure too so all the bottles and such in our bathroom were swollen and some looked like this bottle of hand soap.  

Most the water in the toilet evaporated.  

 My candles were all completely melted.

 My waxing pot was melted and ready to go.  

This large candle was also melted.

I just found this yesterday while looking through decorations.  These are not even real candles, they are the ones with the battery operated lights.  I couldn't believe they melted because they are a combo of wax and plastic, and I am pretty sure the whole point of them is so they wont melt.  The funny part is that it still turns on!  ha crazy.

Well I am grateful we still have a home and hope this never happens again.  If your reading this I am interested if you have ever heard of this happening before?  If so do you know why?  

Thanks!

My Cabinet Make-Over

I bought this cabinet (is that the right term?) at a yard sale this summer and wanted to re-do it for my kitchen.  I started with the bottom sanded it down, primed it, and painted it black with Rust-Oleum semi-gloss paint from Home Depot!  For the handles and pegs I used Rust-Oleum paint and primer in one, silver.  I love the texture it gave to the handles!

Before 

 

 After

I haven't finished the top yet but Jason really wants it as a TV stand.  I don't know how I feel about this yet but for now we are keeping it that way until I can finish the top.  

Making our House a Home

The last few weeks have been full of cleaning, painting, organizing, and a whole lot of work!  We are so grateful for all the help of our friends and family.  We are truly blessed and especially being 7-8 months pregnant I can't express how thankful I am.  

Kitchen Before

 After

 Living room before

 In the process of being painted,  the boys hard at work!

Jason resting while trying to paint the tuff spots!

Living room after, we still have some stuff to hang up but definitely an improvement!

After

downstairs family room before

 After

 Bedroom before

 After, with some work left to do.

 My favorite room in the house!  Liams!

 downstairs guest room

We still have a lot of work to do but it is coming along!  Jason has worked the hardest trying to get it ready and balancing work with house work!  He is so amazing and I am grateful for all he has accomplished these past few weeks.