it's been forever

What a day! What a week! What a month!

It all started about a month ago when we decided to have a garage sale the same week that I was preparing for finals and was busy writing term papers. I expected to have a better turn out for the garage sale (apparently sticking up signs on the corner the old fashioned way doesn't get 'em like it used to) but we did relatively well for the effort we put into it.

Here's what the garage looked like before...



And here's what it looks like now.... (You can see the floor!!)



We now have space in the garage to construct some shelving and all the stuff that's left can either go on the shelves, go in our upper storage space or back out to the shed. We may even have room for an air hockey table.(!) After having the garage sale, we decided to use the extra cash to landscape the yard. I'm throwing around the word "landscape" pretty loosely because really we just decided to plant some much needed foliage.

In the works...











After...






(Before, again...)



Ta-da! (Oh yeah! We got a new roof too! Yey!)



I kept crashing the lawnmower into the lattice work so we planted some lilacs in the back yard next to our porch. My parents had lilacs next to their deck and I always loved them in the spring/summer. Too bad they don't bloom as long here in Dayton. =( Oh well.



The landscaping has really been my project. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like much now but in a couple of years hopefully (if I don't kill them) the plants will fill out, get taller, and be a real garden. Jared has been way helpful through it all. He tore out all the bushes and roots (lots of roots, omg!), hauled soil and mulch, and dug holes... okay who am I kidding, he did all the hard work. But I designed it, picked out and bought all the plants, planted, spread the mulch and have been watering like crazy.

While I've been busy in the front, he's been a busy little bee too. He washed, sanded and painted the front porch. The guys before us didn't add grit to the paint and last winter we even had some stranger fall off our porch and injure himself. Thankfully we didn't get sued. Jared did an excellent job and I have faith that this paint job will last much longer this time around.





He whitewashed the shed (which took him almost two days!) and he's done a great job at keeping the lawn thick and healthy.



He even found the time (and will!) to sand and stain all the fences and the back deck. It took him a week but it's gorgeous now! Time for some parties!






He's pretty much ready to take on the Cobra Kai now.

We have a ton more projects lined up for this summer. We're putting in a privacy fence on the north side of our house. Because, let's face it, we're gonna get a puppy SOMETIME. I'd like to tear out all of the weeds behind the garage and shed but it may have to wait until fall. My mom is coming to visit after the 4th of July so we'll have some fun summer adventures then. I'm going to clean up the garage so we can finally play some darts again and maybe build ourselves a set of corn hole boards. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the summer, can you tell?!

obx

About two weeks ago we left Dayton for our McFamily Beach Vacation in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. (OBX, baby!) We decided to drive because we wanted to bring Champ to the beach. 13 adults, 7 children, and 1 dog all in the same house?! Madness! On top of that, I took a few hard hits in the head with a few waves and ended up getting a sinus infection and whiplash! My doctor said I may even have a slight concussion!! Craziness!

On with the vacation...

Here we are in West Virginia. If it weren't for all the inbreeding and buck teeth, I'd probably want to move there...



We arrived in Elizabeth City, North Carolina where Jared's aunts and uncles live. We stayed at one of their houses while they were spending the summer at their beach cottage (jerks!)...
      (Aunt Geri brought over a FEAST! and after a day on the water, it was much needed and delicious!)



      (Jenn and the girls at the river)




After days and days of driving and waiting to go to the beach, we finally made it! We went to Jockey's Ridge to fly kites...

      (Dan flying my engineering feat)


      (Toby, Oliver, Eric and Kosette)


      (Me, Aunt Mary Ella, Jackson, Shauna)


      (Shayne, Kasia and Lexi)


      (Me making Toby cry)


      (Shayne and Toby, Heg, Dan, Jared, Shauna, Keesha, Kalista, Eric and Kosette)






We drove down to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse...


      (Jared, me and Dan after 248 steps)






Had some delicious seafood...
      (Uncle Frank showing Eric, Geri, Shayne and Jackson how to eat crab)



Took some pictures....
      (OMG aren't they adorable?!!!)


      (This is supposed to be our "sexy" face picture...I don't know what's happened on the left side of this picture ;) )






And spent a day at the beach...
      (Lamont, Kaylee, Lexi and Kosette)


      (Everyone in the water.. Jared, Keesha, Kasia, Eric, Shauna, Nancy, Jenn and Oliver)


      (Kaylee and Kierica)


      (Heg and Kosette)


      (Kosette, Kasia, Lexi and Nancy build a sand sculpture of Champ!)







We also had a lot more fun that I didn't capture on camera. We went mini golfing THREE times at a couple of really fun (and easy!) courses. We had a talent variety show where I showed everyone I can juggle (bet you didn't know that, huh?!) and Jared showed off his madd math skillz. We took Champ to the beach and he was terrified. He almost choked himself once just trying to get away from the surf. And last but not least, Champ got flees.

Hurray for North Carolina! Can't wait to see you again in two years! =)

Lately I've been finding it hard to update. I don't really have a lot of extra time to blog these days and I've also been lacking in the inspiration department. So I'm going to pose a question for my reader(s).... it would be great if you all could respond but if you would rather it be a private response, you can just e-mail me.


What in life is beautiful to you? And where do you find inspiration?