Our Backyard and Pool Area

Our backyard has evolved over the years tremendously, with the biggest changes being when we added our carport/garage, and then the addition of our pool three summers ago. One thing led to another to get us to this point. I thought I'd share it with you today.



We started building our home in fall of 1989 and moved in late Winter of 1990. (We had lived in a mobile home from 1984 here in the same spot until then). We started making changes in the late 1990's pouring the slab for our carport. Our carport/garage didn't come along until 2000. Being the do-it-yourselvers that we are, Jason was trying to shingle the roof himself, and fell off and broke his ankle! We had to call in folks then to do alot of the work!



The room above the carport/garage is not finished out either! One day we look forward to that being a pool house/apartment. Colt would love to have it now! What 19 year old wouldn't? We would also love to have a place for my mom and dad to come back and stay with us for weeks at a time and have their "own place". This is dreaming of course, because our ship hasn't come in yet! :)





We did the landscaping ourselves...Jason building the wood edging and both of us placing and planting the shrubs and monkey grass. I don't do flowers out here except the occasional potted ones because I really don't have a green thumb and it's just too much watering for me (lazy on my part, I know, but there's too many other things I'd rather be doing!).






Although an in ground ground pool would have been nice, we're enjoying our above-ground one so much! It is 33" round and 4 1/2 feet deep. A friend built the pool deck for us. We had a plan in mind, but he made changes and made it even better so that we have more sitting areas! He did a great job!






Jason, Colt, Joy and I all stained the pool deck, well mostly Colt and me. As you can see, it is past due for a new coat as is the shed behind the pool! As hot as it is, it will be waiting until fall!




We don't leave our pool furniture out here all the time...it's so windy that we don't want anything blowing into the pool and tearing the liner! So...we put it all up behind the staircase when we finish out there!



This is the only wall I have to decorate. I haven't gotten around to doing anything out here yet. I hope to run across some thrifty finds and do it very inexpensively! Actually, that's the only way it will get done! I am open to suggestions! Jason is not crazy about me doing much to this spot because he keeps the net slid in here. He doesn't want to be banging his head on anything I put up here! So...ideas?



If you look in this picture right below, you'll see I used the barrel-made-table that I bought at the yard sale out here too. (At least for now). It's working well as a place to sit our drinks and the white works well with the pool!



I also have the area on the shed (behind the pool) to decorate too. I have had hanging pots here but as I said before, I'm not good at keeping that much stuff alive! I either need a bigger clock here or a barn star. If I do the star here, then we do need a clock somehow on the other little wall. We really do need a clock out there. By the way, I'm looking for a big outdoor clock. Anyone know where I can find one at a great price? The one up there is 12" and that's as big as I've seen at home improvement stores.



I'm sure it will change much more over the years. It seems like we get one thing done, then it's time to do something else. I guess that's how it is with homes and their upkeep, isn't it? We also need to paint the steps going up to the room above the garage. (By the way, you see the bench...that's the one from my yard sales..I just put it out there as is and it's coming in very handy for sitting on to put on sunscreen and hold our stuff!) It would also look great decorated with something, I guess! What do you think...what would you do?



So that's it. That's where we're spending our days of summer. This year it's nice because we do have the addition of (an air conditioned) sunporch looking out onto the pool and backyard...especially mom enjoys it! :)

Gosh! After posting this I realize how much it really has changed over the years. We never could have done this all at once. I'm very grateful for what we've accomplished and I feel blessed to have done so.



I hope you enjoyed your tour!