I haven't written the actual post where I go in depth of all the products, process, information, etc. about the backyard but I feel like I've let y'all down with any sort of update to begin with. It's finally done (with the exception of a few minor details) so here's a sneak peak! I promise a more in-depth DIY post will follow soon! Just need to get more pictures.

A DIY/how-to build these outdoor couches is coming soon! Stay tuned. For now, here's quick and short source list to give you an idea of where I spent all my money. 

Source list 

-Couch frame: Lowes (blue print and how-to from Ana White) 

-Cushions: IKEA (Shipping was INSANE)

-Pillows: Target/Lowes

-Globe Lights: Target

-Coffee Table: Craigslist (stained in Java Gel)

-Solar Lights Accessories: Target

-Wood Bowl: Target

-Corner Candle Holder: Craigslist

Basically all accessories are from Target...I love that place. My whole bank account goes there. I have a problem. 

I should've gotten my degree in interior design (not that I'm even remotely good at it) but I seriously have a passion for it and just absolutely love designing and renovation. I need to pitch to HGTV for a new show. Any title ideas? (Totally...partially kidding y'all).

Summer Baseball Awaits

UPDATE: I just realized I never posted this. Better late than never! It'll probably make a lot more sense now reading the blog with me always referencing this post and it never be there..Ooops! 


Hi guys! We found out where we were going for baseball this summer and if you don't follow me on Instagram or Facebook, then you are out of the loop! Just kidding.

Its NEW JERSEY baby. All the way across the US of A y'all. We actually new just about a month ago, but knowing how baseball is (very very unpredictable) I decided to wait to be sure. As sure as you can with these things. We are super excited to be living on the east coast. For me, it'll be the first time in the east so it should be very interesting. 

We loved Canada last season. We made friendships that are going to last forever, experienced an entire new culture, and Ryan loved playing for that team (they treated their players so good).

But if you know something about baseball, trades are pretty much unavoidable, along with releases unfortunately, and Ryan signed with the Sussex County Minors in New Jersey for the upcoming season. Check out their website for stats, games, live feeds, etc. Goooooooooo minors! And go hottie #3!

Goodbye

If you don't follow me on Facebook, Insta, or Snapchat (minsuepin), then you won't know that I only post snaps of my dogs. I have a problem...but if you like seeing super cute dogs and an occational picture of me, go follow! Lol anyways I have been sleeping alone with my pups for the past week. They are huge bed and blanket hogs and Homer likes to wake up in the middle of the night to walk around to then only plop down on a body part to go back to sleep. That dog is weird. Really weird. But I love having someone sleeping next to me, preferably my husband ;) but the dogs make a good substitute.

Ryan has drove cross-country to New Jersey (if you haven't read in a while, we are playing there for the season!). 36 hours y'all. Thankfully his dad went with him because let's be honest, there was NO way I could be a copilot on that trip. I fall asleep in the car to California only 4 hours away so just imagine us going across the U.S.! Within 30 minutes of driving, I would be passed out. Smart choice, honey.

Man, I have one good looking family. Baxter is so black you can never take a proper picture of him. 

Ryan's first exhibition game was today, (still going now, c'mon Minors!) and I still have no idea when I'm going out there to be with my hubby. We bought my plane ticket for a week and a half from now, but realized that I could go up there earlier so we are figuring out our living situation and then I should be headed out. Let me tell you trying to get ready to leave for almost 4 months is HARD. I have to think long term (in this case - summer long term) in clothes, shoes, beauty products, children, house, family, and pretty much everything else. It's been a little chaotic. 

It's a difficult process but so worth it to be so fortunate enough to travel all summer on pretty much a baseball watching vacation. 

God is good y'all! 

Backyard Happenings - Progress

Hi y'all. I wanted to give you an update on our backyard reno progress. When we bought our house, we transformed the backyard from a dirt lot to a semi decent turf/brick/rock combination. I could not for the life of me find a "before" picture of when we first moved in, but just imagine a long dirt/rock/trash-ish backyard and you have ours. Standard in Vegas now-a-days. After it was all said and done, I knew it wasn't my "perfect backyard" and that I would eventually take on renovating it at some point in time. Here's what it looked like after our makeshift turf and brick border, yikes. Decent, but so far off.

I think it was raining that day so Homer was too chicken to go out there. Why are dogs so afraid of the rain? Or is it just my dogs? Anyway, the whole yard was covered in sports turf and there was a 2ft brick border with rocks filling it to the walls. BORING. We originally created the yard for the dogs so it wasn't a big deal, but I soon realized that I love sitting outside on nice days (and Vegas has a lot of them & I'm also probably the only one who'll say that) so adding a patio area/grill area/game area was on my list of to-do's for the house. Ryan will say that to-do list is never-ending, and he may be right.

The time has come and we finished all the major work, with the exception of furniture (which I'm building and will have a post up soon!) and a fire pit. We bought grade A turf this time and I must say it makes a world of difference. It looks like real grass and the pups love it. Its so much more plush and nicer to walk on. Proof: picture below.

We also didn't have any sort of patio area so I bricked an entire 10x11ft patio myself. It was A LOT of work but well worth it. We removed all the old turf so that's why everything is all black from the sand/rubber. Also, the first picture is of it wet from filling the cracks with sand and watering it. Because everyone knows you have to water your brick so it grows...

We had a grill area against our house next to the sliding doors until it literally turned the side of our house black from the smoke so we built it's own little area next to the patio.

Now there's turf on one side and a patio on the other, and the walkway you ask? Well, we struggled a solution for that because no one had rocks we liked, either that or the super nice ones were going to be crazy expensive. That will come in another post because this one is already so long. But just giving you an idea of what we were juggling, I pulled a few inspiration pics from none other than Pinterest. Duh.

I really love the river rock look but the decomposed granite style was what we ended up going with. I don't have a picture just yet because we just finished that portion (takes days with tamping and watering and more tamping and more watering) but I'll get that up tomorrow. So far, the backyard looks AMAZING with designated areas. And.........

Here's a sneak peak into my current project of building my own outdoor furniture. 

Yes, I built that! On my own! And no, it will not break when you sit on it. I'll go into detail once it's done, but basically made of 2x4s, stain (which I only did the outsides because cushions are going on top), and a few handy tools you can get at your local hardware store. It took me only a day to build (few hours) and 2 coats of gel stain baby! Stay tuned, DIY how-to coming soon.