Handiwork

So something about me, I like to try my hand at handiwork. Considering I have no idea how to do really anything besides sanding and painting, my plans don't always work out well. I have tried a few things and although some have sort of worked out, my sweet hubby has mostly banned me from using any tools. This applies mostly when he is out of the home. Which is also when I usually have my best ideas.

When Sahara was younger, I had a wonderful idea to build a toy box. It seemed simple, easy enough. Buy six pieces of wood, nail them together, add some hinges on the top so that it could open and close. I went to Home Depot alone. That was mistake number 2. (One, being the idea of building a toy box.) There are tons of sizes and widths. I grabbed the wrong width, way way too thin. I then went to look at nails. How the heck can there be an entire isle of nails. All different sizes. Lengths. I grabbed a box. Apparently, the wrong ones because the ones I chose were for dry wall. Real thick nails which don't go into extremely thin wood pieces. Also, Ja later told me I needed a frame. Something that never once entered in my mind.

That 'toy box' cost us 75 dollars. Know what we used it for? Firewood. Complete disaster. Since then, I don't get to go to the hardware store alone.

Our closet has close to 12 giant holes in the wall from where I used the drill gun trying to hang shelves. There are no shelves, just holes now. Again, a project I did while Ja was at school.

So, with only a couple examples, you can see why Ja has banned me from using tools.

But, without his permission, I sometimes start a project. And, between you and me, I have found that if I start something, Ja will usually finish it. Cunning, huh?

And, just yesterday, I began a new project.

Our house was a fixer upper when we bought it. Still is. The outside, especially. The first year we bought it, I used the rest of the summer to fix the inside. Second summer, we lost Arrayah. I did some work outside and cleared most of the backyard out since it helped to do something, but other than that, I didn't do too much. Third summer, Isla was an infant who screamed all the time and never slept for more than 20 minutes. You can guess how much work I got done last year.

But this year, it's different. Isla is old enough to play outside with Sahara while I work. I close the gate and get the chalk and the girls play while I get something done.

I have been dying to get the yard done so that we have a place to play this summer. And, yesterday I decided to do something about it rather than just complain and think about how crummy it looks. So, I grabbed the shovel, and I dug up our front yard. It's not a huge front yard, at least until you start shoveling for a couple hours, then it feels like it's a huge yard. I got about 2/3rd of the way done. As soon as the sun comes out, I can get the rest of it done. We are going to lay pavers down so that the girls can ride bikes in the front and so we can have an extra parking space, as well.

Ja wasn't upset at all, just in case you were wondering. He actually got rather excited about it and can't wait to get the pavers. I guess my little scheme worked out well, this time. We have a lot to do this summer, but I feel like we can get it done.
(I will post before and after pics once there are 'after' pics)