Landscaping!!

After many, many years with a very blank canvas or very bad landscaping, we finally have something planted that makes it appear that we care about our house.  Here is a photo from the street of "Before" - no landscaping and a bunch of debris.

Here's a closer view of the lack of landscaping and junk.

We first had to prep the ground for planting - some shoveling and a good pass with the tiller.

We laid out the landscaping fabric (because I hate to weed) and placed the plants before planting everything.  

We finished up the behind-the-sidewalk area on Sunday.  Of course we went through the same process - remove the junk and prep the soil...

...lay out the plants...

...and plant everything.

We still have an area in the front of the house to finish after we install the retaining wall.  And this week will be busy spreading all the mulch we just got delivered this morning.  I'll be sure to post more pictures when we finally finish the landscaping (and get the porch railing installed!).

Samantha and I had a rather low key week - some play dates but not anything too special.  We did have some fun at the nature center - she threw a lot of rocks in the river with her friend, Alex.  I think we'll be repeating that every time we go there.

She still tries to wear the bucket on her head even though her head is outgrowing it.

And last but not least, Chris bought Samantha some bubble bath this week.  Now every time she goes in to take a bath she repeats "bubbles, bubbles, bubbles" until they appear.  We think we'll have to buy bubble bath in bulk now...

Next week we'll hopefully post some post-mulched photos of the landscaping!