Before & After

Our duplex has a HUGE problem with weeds. The lovely neighbor has called the cops and filed nuisance reports in the past. Instead of waiting to get a warning saying we would get a $500 fine and if we didn't comply could spend a few days in jail (FOR WEEDS!!!!!- RIDICULOUS!) I decided we just needed to do something about it.  So last week I ordered 30 tons of rock, and scheduled a bobcat guy to come clear the weeds and spread the rock. Then I decided if I had to be there supervising that I should paint. I hired my  brothers and we thought for sure we could have the entire project done in one day.

Of course that didn't happen. We had problems from the get go. The rock got there an hour late. The bobcat guy didn't call to get the property marked so he could bury the weeds, then told me he could come back with his brother who had a dump truck BUT it would cost me $300 and I would still have to pay him is minimum rate for the day. I cried a lot from the stress and the heat. Luckily my brother was there and doesn't put up with stuff like that and told the guy to finish clearing the weeds and spreading the rock and that we would take care of the weeds ourselves.

Josh's generous friends let us use their truck and trailer to haul 2 TONS of debris off to the dump where he and his sweet wife shoveled it all out of the truck. I cried more....because they loved me enough to do that. We still have soooo much junk to haul off because it took them two hours to unload it and by that time the dump had closed. Eric mowed the 3 ft lawn, painted a ton, and gave me hugs. He was so sad to leave me all alone, but had to go teach at the college. I have hard times with my bros, but man were they amazing to me on Friday, I appreciated them so much. We got the whole front of the house painted the first day and about half of one side. Josh painted the doors after cleaning them really well and the renters LOVED them.  They were giddy. I was so upset that we would have to come back, because Tyler works nonstop and is getting his MBA, so he has so little time, and I was just being stubborn, and should have waited until he wasn't so busy. He laughed at me crying about him having to work and got the rest of the house painted in a few hours the next day (he cheated and used the sprayer though). 

It looks SO MUCH better. The neighbors just stood there watching in awe. One jerk of a neighbor came by to tell me that he didn't like the new door color and that I should have used red. What a punk. I don't care what he thinks, his house is peachy/orange... 

BEFORE:

DURING:

 AFTER:

Oh and I got so fried. I put on SPF 50, but I was just so white that this is what happened:

I didn't know I could get that tan!!! haha I have been trying to lay out a little to blend it but I don't know if it will work!

Anyway thank you so much to my brothers and sister in law for all your help, and to my mom & Tyler's parents for watching the kids those two days! We love you so much!