Deck Day 2 - We almost have stairs. Almost

Well... after we power washed the deck... and got the patio going. Our main concern was getting the stairs to go from our deck to our patio, which was a much more expensive project than I thought. Luckily, between my dad and my step dad... they have some handy friends that are usually willing to do some extra side work for cash... otherwise I do not have a clue what I would do. Because the materials of redoing the stairs alone was almost 1000 bucks. Seriously! Crazy! Maybe I am in my own world.. but I was blown away that this was so expensive. But we needed to do it.. so I had to suck it up.. and get over it. So if anyone has to do a project like this, do not live in fairytale land like I did. I was thinking 300 bucks... that should be enough. WRONG! And then not to mention the overwhelming fear that I am spending all of this money on getting an outdoor space for us to use as a family... just for the gosh darn rain to never end.

Okay rant over... continue

So now that we will have stairs... and a few boards on our deck we had to replace. and you are suppose to wait a year before staining exterior wood for the first time. I do not think we will stain the deck this year. I am wondering if I can put Thompson water seal on all of it though? Anyone know? Feel free to tell me please!

So Here is what our deck was looking like while the patio was being worked on (you can see it on the left in this photo)



see that big boarded off section up there :) well that's where our stairs use to be. and they went straight down. and that wasn't working. because well where they ended and the patio began.. it looked silly. So we decided we wanted the stairs to come off the back of the deck.. come down to a landing and then switch directions so that they landed on the patio.

So after day 1... Brian and Jerry did a lot. Here we are after one day


Side note * Please don't mind the chaos that is my yard right now. My neighbors have to hate us... but its not our fault. I hate mother nature. Because our patio cannot get finished until we have about 72 hours of no rain. And that is never happening. Tonight will mark 72 hours since our last rain.. and Surprise Surprise... they are calling for rain tonight and tomorrow morning. so the waiting game will begin all over again.  These poor people.... actually poor us. I mean, if my neighbors have guests over this week... I am pretty sure we will be talked about... we have a trailer with pavers laying in our yard, unfinished deck stairs, kid stuff pressed against the side of our house (so that it is not in the way of the guys putting in the patio) I mean... its chaotic.
Come on Mother Nature. Cut me a break. I am begging you.

So not bad after one day of them working. These outdoor projects are fun for me. I go to work, come home and magically stuff just keeps getting done. It's fabulous.

Is the rain putting a damper on anyone else's plans? Can you all cross my fingers for 4 whole days of no rain so we can put in a patio... and maybe bring out patio furniture out of storage at some point this summer? That would be nice.