Deck-tacular!

I must say - two of the most important men in my life (Jack doesn't count for this b/c he's my little boy - not a man) are pretty hardcore.  How many women out there can say that their husband and father built not one, but TWO decks for them?  And whereas this may not be important to some people, I LOVE being outside.  The deck is a sanctuary - a place to relax, watch the sun set, look at my flowers, read a book, watch Jack play, etc.  It is not a place to gingerly tiptoe across in fear of getting impaled by splinters.  (Last September I had to take Jack to the doctor to get some massive ones removed from his leg - thanks to our deck.  Not fun.)  So when we decided to buy this house last summer, the one major home improvement project we both wanted was to redo the deck.  This is typically a task that you accomplish by hiring someone.  The good ol' "throw a little money at it" solution.  But not Andy and Dad.  They were pros at deck building.  Check out a little retrospective of the first Team KA (Kim & Andy - not Kappa Alpha Dad, as much as you may want it to be! :)  project.  

Here's our home in Florida.  In the spring of 2009, we decided that the back of the house needed a facelift.  The previous owners had simply thrown together a deck one weekend and that was what we had been living with for 2 years.  So Andy and Dad decided to design a new deck - something we could enjoy since Florida is all about outdoor space (when the nuclear mosquitoes are not trying to devour you.)  Here is the old yucky deck (no there is no grass.  Sad I know.  A combo of sand and shade prevented us from having a lawn back there - whenever Bean came in from outside we usually had to dustbuster her).

Pitiful, I know.  

It took them 4 days, a lot of planning, and a lot of beer but they finally got it done.  Dad even came up with a plan to expand the deck and give us more entertainment space - how awesome!

Lizzi was there that weekend to give moral support.

Finished product - pretty impressive huh???

I believe the word you are searching for is "Wow."  Sad to say, we only got to enjoy this awesome deck for one year because in the Spring of 2010 we moved to Knoxville.  It was bittersweet leaving it - especially knowing the time, money, and care that was put into it.  But Andy and I both agree that this is the reason our house sold so quickly. Especially in a place where houses weren't selling...at all!

So that brings us to the present.  Here is our old deck.  Not a bad structure - just old, splintery wood, and I didn't like how there was a drop off all around it.  Once Jack had face planted in the lawn a couple times we knew we needed to fix that.  So we decided to replace the floor of the deck, redo the railing, and add a step all the way around.  Sounds easy enough right?

 Bless their hearts, it took them one day alone to rip up and replace the boards on the top platform.  Apparently the guys who laid the deck down in the first place used super human nails and had never heard of a right angle.  There was a lot of cutting and recutting to get everything to fit just right.

Mom and I decided to help out in the only way we knew how...

We went to Stanley's Greenhouse. :)  A nice new deck deserves some nice new flowers! Doesn't this make you want to cry?  It's that amazing.  Mom said she'd buy me a hanging basket and I spent 20 minutes fretting over which one.  I told her this was like Sophie's Choice.  While the boys redid the deck on Friday, Mom and I landscaped.    At the moment I've got the following (this may be boring to some but this is once again my scrap-blog and will help me keep track of what works and doesn't work in my yard...aka what I managed to not kill:)

 Coral bells and Astilbe.  I planted the hydrangeas last fall.

We put knock-roses where the magnolia tree used to be (we had to cut that down because it was too close to the house and was going to tear up the foundation.  As much as I hate to kill a living thing, it was for the best.)  Along the border, in front of the Indian Hawthorne I put in a few weeks ago, Mom and I alternated Black-Eyed Susans and Purple Coneflowers.  They should spread out over the years and will hopefully be a nice follow-up to the daffodils once they come to an end. At the very end, next to the Gardenia, is a Butterfly Bush.  And on the other side of the Japanese Maple (the only thing other than the monkey grass that survived my landscaping Armageddon) I put in some Phlox.

At the mailbox we have Carolina Jasmine, Lantana, and another Butterfly Bush.  I plan on filling this in with more stuff later.  I have plans, oh yes, many many plans.

After day one, I decided the best thing was to wake up the next morning and give these guys a hand.  So Mom graciously offered to wrangle Jackman the whole day while I got to exercise my skills with a crowbar and power drill.  Not sure how much help I was but it was fun and oddly satisfying - in a sunburned, aching body kind of way.

Day three - top of deck is complete.  Wrap around step is next.

Looking good Billy Ray!!!

Andy and Dad got most of the step done before Mom and Dad had to go home to Jackson.  Andy used the next two weekends to complete the end sections of the step.

Replacing the railing and ballisters was a chore but Andy did an awesome job.  :)  And thanks to Melissa & Brandon lending us their power washer, Andy was able to spray the posts down to make them look nice and new.

Thank you Andy and Dad for giving us not one, but two amazing decks!  This is the perfect outdoor space to sit and watch Jackman grow up :)  Love you guys!!!!