Backyard Oasis- Part 2

Our backyard renovation has officially begun! Can  you hear our squeals of delight!?:)

The first thing that needed to be taken care of were the stick pine trees on the side of our home. They needed to come down so the contractors could access the backyard. We had absolutely no problem with that because as you can see they were leaning over our home! Ekkk. We had been wanting to get rid of them since the day we moved in. The skinniest one actually has already had its top break off. Thankfully it did not fall on the house. We wish we could have had it taken down as well but it is in the neighbors yard and I do not think they would have taken kindly to that!;)

It did not take them long at all to get the trees down though I was sweating it the entire time. One bad move and oh my what could have been the end result. 

The stumps were ground up and this is how our yard looks now. It is one huge mess to say the least but we know it is a means to an end. Trust me though when I say it is driving me insane.

The same day the trees came down we said good bye to the swing set we built for the boys 4 years ago. It took us an entire month to complete the build so it was kinda hard to watch it fall for us all. We tried to figure out how to save it but in the end it just needed too much repair.

In the meantime The Hubster and I had a few choices we had to make for the main attraction to our backyard oasis. This place had tile galore! It took us almost three hours but we finally did make a decision.

I had fallen instantly in love with this tile. You can not tell it but it actually has a pearly sheen to it and is just beautiful.

These are a few of the other tile choices we made that day as well. Can you figure out what we are up to yet!?;)

If not this pic should give it away for sure. Here they are digging a great big hole in our back yard!

Yep, we decided to put a pool in. These here are the two most excited little boys ever! A pool has been something we have weighed on for more than several years now. We even talked about doing it at our last home in Baton Rouge if we were to have staid there. We always felt that the boys were just too little. They both are great swimmers now so it eases our minds to an extent though we know the GPs on both sides will continue to worry. It is their job!:)

We are a tad further along in the process now and I can not wait to share with y'all the next step! I told ya this is the biggest project for us yet and now ya see why we are not doing it ourselves!;)

There are so many decisions that go into a pool from the shape of the pool to what type of filtration system to ascetics. It certainly is enough to make your head hurt at times because they are all decisions that you will be stuck with for the life of your pool or the next 15 years which is how long the pool finish should last.

Stay tuned......

Treasure Hunt Thursday #108

Welcome to THT #108! Sorry I missed the party last week everybody. Not one but both kiddos were sick which did not make for a fun week. I hope that y'all saved your treasures up though for this weeks party!? 

Because ya can't have a post without pictures I thought I would share a glimpse at what we have been up to concerning our backyard oasis project. Be sure to come back Friday to find out just what we are up to and how far along we are. Can you guess what we have up our sleeve?

Now on to the party!

Common Courtesies

1. Please only link up new links that you have not shared before. 

 

2. Please link up only 3 times. If you have more you would like to share save the share till the next THT so it will be just as awesome.

 

3. Please do not link up items you are trying to sell or other linky parties.

 

4. Please be sure to link back to THT. Hint hint I will only feature those who have the link back. 

5. Disable Word Verification to encourage more comments from your visitors!:)

I would love to have you follow along with me if you do not already!

Can't wait to see what you have to share this week.

How I Found My Style Sundays- Beyond The Screen Door

Hi, everyone! I'm Sonya from Beyond the Screen Door.  I'm so very honored to be a part of Pamela's "How I Found My Style" series. Thank you, Pamela! 

I began writing Beyond the Screen Door as an extension of my Interior Design business, Sonya Hamilton Designs.  I have a degree in Interior Design and enjoy all aspects of design. Over the years the majority of my work has been with fabric. Beyond the Screen Door has become a way to share the window treatments, pillows, bedding, artwork, etc that I've created for my local clients as well as online clients. I love sharing these with the hope of inspiring you with ideas for your own home.Be sure to visit The Gallery which is full of photos of many of these window treatments & pillows and The Shop at Beyond the Screen Door.  

If I have to narrow it down I'd say my style is Eclectic...mixed with Country, a touch of Cottage, a hint of Traditional, a spattering of Vintage, a good dose of Family History thrown in for good measure and a desire for a bit of Industrial that hasn't happened yet.

I want our home to say something about who we are as a family. I love using things that we have had a hand in making, painting or creating.

How Did I Find My Style? 

 My style is constantly evolving. You've all heard the saying "Life is a Journey, not a Destination"...that's my philosophy with decorating. It's a journey. It's not meant to be a quick trip! I honestly don't think I will ever reach a decorating destination. I'm not sure I want to! I've joked that if I finished decorating every room in my house I'd be ready to re-decorate the first room I started with!

 Most Treasured Find  I'm not a collector (unless you count fabric but that's closer to borderline hoarding). The most treasured pieces in my home are those things that have sentimental value. Things that have been hand made or passed down from family. Treasures like photos, the ladder back chair my grandfather made, the frames an uncle made or...

...my grandmother's antique dresser that sits beside my bed but doubled as the altar during my oldest daughter's wedding. Priceless in sentimental value. The majority of the things I treasure most in our home have very little monetary value.

Tips for Decorating a Beautiful Home?

• Take Your Time - The most beautiful as well as comfortable homes are those that have evolved over time.
• A Dose of Contentment - When the budget turns "taking your time" into a necessity, waiting can feel like a burden. A small dose of contentment comes in very handy.
• Waiting often equals better choices - Rushing the decorating process can lead to expensive mistakes. We've all made purchases that ended up in the garage sale pile way too soon.
• Being Content doesn't have to mean Stale - I have a strong, continuous desire for change. It's amazing what small changes involving paint, upcycling or rearranging can do for ones state of mind.
• Don't be afraid to let your Home Reflect You! Don't be afraid to say NO to a decorating trend you don't really like or can't relate to. It's your home!

I'd love to have you follow along with me on this journey! You can find me at Beyond the Screen Door where you can follow through email or your rss feed, Bloglovin', Facebook, or Instagram @beyondthescreendoor Thank you!

I am so happy that Sonya stopped by to share her style with! Sonya has been on my blog roll since the very beginning and I am always in awe of her creations. She is one talented lady! Thank you Sonya for stopping by today and sharing your decoration words of wisdom.