Fix-it Crew

We love our house.  It suits us.  It feels like home.
And for the first time, the boys have their own space to play (the basement) and their toys are no longer scattering our living space (mostly).

There were, however, some things that needed a little attention.

 

Enter...my Dad and Mom!

 

They took a trip to Wisconsin in August for the sole purpose of helping us with a few of our trouble spots.

They. Are. Awesome.

My dad asked me to email him a list before coming out.  I did.  He went from one thing to the next, checking things off the list as he went.  We are so grateful for all my parents did!  My dad was so much of a workaholic that I began to feel guilty for all he was doing for us.  I regret that I wasn't thinking straight and didn't take more before and after pictures!

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Removing the bathroom faucet.

Before

 

I don't know how well you can see in this picture, but the holes in the granite are too big for the faucet...which means water leaks down into the cabinet below. 

Plus, I didn't particularly like this faucet. 



Before

 

 The new faucet covers all the holes.  My dad did two of these.

And he doesn't really care for plumbing work.  He must really love us!

After

 

 Our driveway has had some settling which resulted in some cracked and crumbling cement.  My dad patched those up.

Before

 

He always had an audience, of course. 

 

Now, we won't have more crumbling concrete (and even bigger holes) come winter. 

After

 

I despise our yard.  There is so much work to be done.  It is incredibly crowded and overgrown.  And there are so many plants that you can't see the plants. This year, our job is to pull most of it out.  Come Spring, we will plant again.  Hopefully, a little more tastefully!

 

These bushes/plants in the picture below were enormous (more that 6 ft. x 6 ft.).  This picture was taken at the beginning of the growing season and they only got bigger and bigger (they were overtaking the sidewalk and neighbors lawn)!  They are willows and dogwoods....two words my parents don't speak at their house since they had a landscaper put these hideous things in their yard (they are long gone, though!).  David and my dad mowed these bubbies down with a powerful trimmer.  We still have the stumps that need a truck and chain to pull them out.  Still need to hire someone for that! 

 

 What is this mess?

I really don't know.

At first, my mom thought our yard wasn't that bad.  Then she got to work pulling things out and really took a look at it.  It didn't take her long to say that she doesn't think there is much in this patch of wildness worth saving.  Most of this is still growing in all its craziness (except what my mom had time to take out), but will be removed before winter.  I hope!

 

 

The front yard is not so bad, except for two bushes in this picture...the one in the middle and the one on the left.
I didn't mind the middle plant, except that it was draping itself all over the front steps because it was planted to close.  The one on the left had the worst and longest thorns I had seen on a bush.  It couldn't be touched without physical harm and the thorns (from the clippings) popped the boys bicycle tires.  It was nasty and needed to be removed off the premises.

Before

 

After great effort by my dad (those rocks surrounding the plants are a pain to move) this horrid thing is gone. 

  

 Next year I may plant something here again.

Or maybe not.

After

 

 Again, this picture was taken just as the growing season began and all this stuff was soon overhanging the grass, making it difficult to mow.

Not to mention, I think it is ugly.

My dad pruned the tree (we no longer have to duck) and my mom took out the plants.

Before

 

Getting ready to seed this area.

(Except for a circle around the tree).

 

After

 

What is this you say? Again, I don't know.

I can try to explain.  It seems as if the first owners tore out their grass in this random spot (per the neighbors) and made this unsightly patch of overgrown plants and weeds.

 

My mom dug all these plants out.  And they were stubborn.  Man, she's a worker.  Due to certain circumstances in my life right now, I was unable to help.  I felt terrible watching my mom work so hard.

 

 

 This patch is going back to its original roots.

Grass.

 

 This emptiness of our laundry room was how it was when we moved in.

The fact that it had no cabinets really bugged me.

Before

 

 So my dad and David got to work putting up cabinets for all our laundry (and other storage) needs!

 

 Since David had to work during the day, my dad did most things by himself.

He is a rock star.  David too felt bad that he couldn't help more.

 

 

After

 

 I filled those cabinets up so fast.  I have to say that this is my favorite addition.  I love storage space.

 

After



 

My dad did a lot more than this, but I didn't follow him around with the camera as I should have done.

 

Thanks mom and dad for all your amazing help!!!