WEEDS, The Leak... and stuff!

My good friend Natalie just reminded me that its been a while since I've posted. It seems to me that for some reason, now that it's summertime, I am acutely aware of how much STUFF there is to be done around here! And that being said, I haven't been as faithful to posting to the blog. Mind you, I check the blogs I follow everyday...but I need to keep up my end too.

So, last weekend we tried to really tackle the flower bed out front. We actually have two out front...a bed and a retaining wall/bed. There is so much that needs to be done with these, it's really kind of baffling, and its hard to get around to it all because usually we are entertaining 2 wonderful 14 month olds. We do what we can when they nap...or in the evening they sit out in their stroller and watch us work. Anyways, the order of last weekend was WEEDS. Oh my gosh...it was so out of control. I mean, we had pretty well neglected the landscaping ever since the kids were born, and it was pretty pitiful. We did nothing but weed for two hours on Saturday during afternoon nap. Aaron also wants to re-grade the bed and retarp (weed tarp cover thingy). And we need to remulch, add a bit more topsoil and the white rock stuff that edges the garden. Not to mention the new plantings. Oy!

The other retaining wall bed needs to be built up with some new soil as well, and we are trying to decide on a few more bushes and a tree to put in. Maybe by this time next year it will all get done.

And then there's The Leak. The Leak was discovered in the front corners of our formal dining room about 3 months after we moved into this house. While the builder was still around and the house still under warranty, we had the flashing on the roof redone about 7 times. Several times we've thought that The Leak was gone, only to get around to winter and a real good snow, and find that The Leak has returned. Now, its under the window...and still in one corner. We've had several people look everything over...and evidentally The Leak is a pro, because everyone is scratching their heads.

I am at the point that I just want someone to rip the wall down and completely rebuild it, rebrick it, and reinstall the window...but that's pretty expensive. So, the plan right now is for us to cut out a chunk of drywall from 4ft and down, and pull insulation, and to see what we can see on the inside. If we can't see anything, someone has to stand outside with a waterhose spraying the house down in quadrants while someone inside looks for The Leak. Totally stoked about having a big gaping hole in our dining room, but then again, I'm the one who just wants to rip the whole wall down.

We have been contending with The Leak for 6 years. I want to win this battle. I think when The Leak is finally gone, we'll have a big party to celebrate on a nice new floor.

In other news, I decided this afternoon to try to wash our totally spit-up and snot stained couch cushion covers. They're cotton, and I figured it would be fine. After throwing one in the machine on a cold hand wash cycle, I discovered the care label on the other side of the couch that stresses that this is the kind of thing that should NOT be done. Awesome! So, I got on the internet and google "can I wash my couch cushion covers?" and find that I can, but I have to put the cover back on the cushion right out of the wash so that it doesn't shrink. Thank God for the internet!

So, now that I've told you about all of these silly shenanigans...I know that everyone has a to-do list that they're working on. Really and truly, our life is peaches. I realize that in the grand scheme of life that weeds, and leaks, and shrinking couch cushion covers are not of great import. I have a TON to be grateful for, regardless of what we get around to...today, tomorrow, or next year. :-)