This week marked my 40th week of pregnancy, and I had prepared by deciding to take the week off work and start my maternity leave. Of course that has meant that nothing has actually happened, but I'm sure my coworkers were all relieved to not have me waddling in to work and making their worst fears come true: my water breaking in the office There was a glorious moment a few months ago when a coworker offered me one of the office's back-up first aid kits to keep in my car "just in case." I'm not sure what a band-aid and some aspirin would do for me if I went into labor, but it's the thought that counts.

Rewind your mindset to 2011.  The housing market is around rock bottom -- even here in Raleigh. Homes were routinely sitting on the market for over a year as the economy continued to stutter and falter.  My husband was a few years into his job, living from dorm to apartment to apartment with his college roommates, and he was at the time in his life to start thinking about buying a house.  We were so fortunate to find a home that we could grow with -- space for a family that we may eventually get around to starting. But ever since those days of new home ownership, when we were still using college dorm couches and had a mattress on the floor of our bedroom to sleep on, there was one glaring project that needed attention as soon as the funds existed for it:


The "patio" was in all sorts of states of pathetic, from the warping wood slats to the strange addition of a cement paver side bar where weeds loved nothing more than to worm their way between. It had to go, but it was a project that, let's be honest, was way beyond the do it yourself gusto that got me through painting, hedge trimming, and wasp nest spraying (you know, normal home owner problems).

Since we were well out of our league, we got a referral from a friend who had a lust-worthy patio.  If you live in the Raleigh area, I can't recommend Mike Fogt at Ryan's Landscaping enough!





When you decide to invest in a patio, you're faced with a few decisions.  Stamped concrete? Pavers? I would say if your budget can allow, flagstone is worth every penny.



Flagstone ages amazingly well, and every rain storm we get seems to bring out more dimension and color.  Now we're ready to add furniture and a grill and get out there and enjoy all the work we put into the yard!

Here's a Saturday morning roundup for your AM coffee--doesn't it taste sooo good on your mornings off when you have nothing pressing but a stack of catalogs to flip through from this week's mail and catching up on your favorite blogs?  Taxes can wait until post-coffee; better brew a large cup.