Papa's Project: A Stone Patio

When Matt first mentioned building a stone patio off the edge of the porch, I think I audibly sighed.

Sure, that area is a muddy mess in spring.

Sure, it's a pain in the neck to move the grill every time he mows.

Sure, it might look nice.

But-WHEN are the projects going to stop?  And how much will it cost?  And what about the other five projects you've been promising to do?  

And, by golly, isn't the porch BIG ENOUGH?!?!

But after a bit more thought, I became as excited about the idea as he was.  I was thinking of it more as a possible permanent place for herbs right outside the kitchen door than a patio, I admit.  

I don't know WHY we keep getting broken arms around here...

Matt pulled up the sod and his dad dumped a load of sand and the children would have been happy for the rest of their days with a sandbox right outside the door.

I, not so much.

(Sand was EVERYWHERE in the house.)

Judah wouldn't let a little thing like a broken arm prevent him from helping spread the sand evenly.

Matt got the stones from our own woods with his tractor, and some of them were massive! 

Some people needed to counterweight some of them from leaning too far forward and spoiling everything.

When I realized how gross the siding looked on that side of the house, I put children to work.  The baby was the most dedicated of the bunch.

It helped that it was a HOOOOTTTT day and the water was cooollllld.

Gotta say the girl has style even when she is working.

I have herbs right out the kitchen door.  No more mud being traipsed it from the wettest corner of the house.  A grill that can stay put.  A place just begging for sidewalk chalk art (something my children have never had).

And the finished project cost almost nothing to do!!!

  (Says the girl who didn't do any of the sweating.)

Boy, that Mattie sure has some good ideas.  

And some pretty fine man hands to get things done.