What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. ~ Martin Luther

Thursday, August 09, 2018

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.


12 comments:

Unknown said...

Good job! Looking good your patio and enough help by the kids

Rosemary said...

It is wonderful and looks like it was always there!

terricheney said...

That looks so awesome! Hooray Matt! The littlest is not looking so terribly little. I love when they are little and so want to help and do a good job of it.

Terri said...

I love it! Good job!

Marlene Bibby said...

It looks so great. Very inviting. and a nice place to sit also while Mat cooks the dinner!!

Anonymous said...

It looks really, really good!! Enjoy!

Amanda said...

gorgeous Rebecca!!!

Abigail said...

Oh, gorgeousness! I chuckle thinking of you holding back for practical reasons on this beautiful space. Every time we move the picnic table and patio tables to mow, John suggests paving our entire backyard, and I gracefully decline. Now I'll just wait for him to suggest a stone slab patio...right. ;)

Well done, Matt and helper elves! It couldn't look any lovelier.

Abigail said...

p.s. I think you just need to give those sunglasses to Ineke. Just do it.

Leah said...

Wow! The patio is amazing! So nice to have herbs right outside the kitchen door. And those rocks! I love all of it. :)

Lilyofthevalley - Tanya said...

Beautiful!! We have an area that my husband would like to put patio stones down in and I just groan at the thought, but after seeing this, I shouldn't groan, he has good ideas in mind. :)

marthahelen said...

Amazing!!! Looks so good. Now I want a stone patio.... :)