Fixing the Yard

Our poor yard has really taken a beating over this last year.  With all the tractors and trucks that had driven on it, we were left with some really large ruts and very compacted soil.  We wanted to wait till they were completely done before we fixed it, so we spent all summer with a horrible looking yard.  But, they are finally done with our construction, so we tackled fixing our yard - finally.  We rented a giant rototiller, and plowed up all of the ruts and spots that were hard pan.  It was a lot of work, and I got some giant blisters from trying to control the machine, but we got it all tilled up.  Then we spent the rest of the day picking out clumps of grass and raking the soil smooth (in preparation for sod).  It was a lot of work, and the kids really didn't like being forced to work. 

While the older kids grumbled about having to work, Kate was more than happy to hop in and do her share.

This little girl was in heaven, playing in the dirt all day.  She's an outside girl at heart.  (The pictures conceal the layer of dirt that covered her body.)

We spent the entire day working to get the yard prepped for sod.  After we got finished, we loaded up and went out to our friend Randy's house to pick peaches.  The kids enjoyed picking peaches much more than they enjoyed picking clumps of grass.

And this is how Owen ended his day.  He got out of the tub, and was too tired to even put clothes on.  Call me crazy, but I love these types of days.  I love the feeling of having done hard physical work.  I spent 6 summers hoeing weeds all day in potato fields, and loved feeling at the end of the day that I had put in a hard day's work.  I want to teach my kids to cherish that feeling, but so far I haven't been very successful.