new house tour {our porch and yards}

here is the last post in my little tour of our new house.

{backyard}

pros:
- fenced in
- good shade
- the yard is really big with lots of space to play and explore
- quiet and secluded
- perfect spot for a fire pit (maybe this winter if jobot is old enough?)
- fun little cherry tomato plant that we got on clearance shortly after we moved here. love fell in love with it at the store and we brought it home. it has died and come back to life a few times, but is still producing a small harvest. love enjoys picking the tomatoes and sometimes enjoys eating them.
- plenty of little critters to find (bugs, snails, slugs, frogs, worms...)
- the kids have lots of fun with the sandbox, little swimming pool, hose, and sprinkler.

cons:
- no direct access from house (have to go out the backdoor and around the house to get in the gate)
- mosquitoes!!!
- creepy storage sheds (i tried to make them less creepy by hanging a colorful banner up, but they are still scary!)

we spend a lot of time in this backyard and we really enjoy it. i am really looking forward to later this fall and winter when the weather is more pleasant (not so hot and humid!) and we won't be fighting with mosquitoes whenever we are outside. but, we have already used this backyard a lot and are very thankful to have it.

{front yard}

pros:
- front porch always has shade
- carport is a great place for riding bikes (the kids have been doing that more lately)
- a great place to be to see neighbors
- feels relaxing

cons:
- we have to watch jobot every second to make sure he doesn't go in the street

we've actually been spending more time in the front yard than the back the past few weeks. there are less mosquitoes and we like seeing neighbors, especially on a long day at home. we've been going for walks in the mornings and then playing in the front yard for a bit before it gets too hot. the kids have been enjoying their bikes (trying to ride them). the porch is a great place to sit (although it has been too hot lately). we have enjoyed sitting there together after the kids are in bed and look forward to doing lots more of that when the weather cools down a bit.

see the white wicker rocking chair on the porch? we got it off the curb! it is a bit worn, but still works. a while back we picked up a cushion for it on clearance, and we have already gotten quite a bit of use out of it. i have always wanted a wicker porch chair.

also, i have two basil plants on the front porch. we got them on clearance shortly after we moved here and planted them in wine boxes we found on the curb (those and the wicker chairs are the only things we have found on the curb, but all were good finds!). the plants have been thriving, and we've been using them a lot (caprese salads, pizza...i love basil). some bug has been eating them though, so i've got to figure that out. i love that these plants are decorative, but also edible! that's the way to go.