first "real" home improvement

We've been in our new home since March this year.  We both loved it at first sight and said there was nothing that really needed to be done to move in.  Of course, not even out of the rental one day and I found a screw driver to remove the styrofoam insulation the previous owners used to cover the beautiful plantation shutters between the living room and master.

This was done while James went with the movers for one last trip of boxes.  My mom and I debated on if he'd notice.  He did, one of the million of reasons I love him.

I guess he had it out for one of the evergreens in the front yard.  So he took it out one day in May while I was working on a Saturday.  Moments after he finished the neighbor informed us of the history of this little plant.  Way back in the day, his (now ex) wife forgot to put the parking brake on and the minivan rolled down their driveway and would have plowed right through our house if not for this little evergreen.  It stopped that minivan right in it's tracks.  Hmmm... since she no longer lives there I guess we are in the clear?

See the large green thing to the right of the walkway?  That's now gone.

The next phase was supposed to be some new low growing plants to replace the large bush.  This was to provide more visibility while backing out.

James had other ideas.  I'm not against these, just wasn't really ready for it.  He started pulling out the railroad ties that created the flower bed.  Then the pavers, but only 1/3 of them.  And then a jackhammer was rented!  Oh no.  He removed the walkway from the street to the pavers/front porch.  There was no going back now.  The rest of the pavers were removed as well as all of the supporting brick/concrete.  The two young neighbor boys were paid to shovel out the gravel/sand from where the pavers once stood so we could replace it all with a beautiful wood deck.

Daddy's helper, she's all into the demolition.  

So now we have a large pit in front of our house.  I'm thrilled.  Or not.  I know it'll look amazing when it's done.  I just don't like having a half done project out front for the whole world to see.

Hopefully our Contractor (aka my brother) can get the framing done pretty soon.  I know it's still summer in most of the country but in Oregon you never know if the rain is going to start early or late in the fall.