Also, while home.....

While Eric was busying working in the house, the kids and I worked outside to burn the YEARS of leaves left by all the trees we had taken down.  It was truly a big mess, and was no fun doing this yard work.

Eric came out and helped us burn the leaves, and it literally took a couple days of burning, raking and burning some more to finally get it done.

We smelled like smoke.  And it wasn't the "fall air leaves burning smell" that you enjoy.  It was burning old, damp leaves, sticks, and gunk.  I felt like I smelled like smoke for days.

The culprits, trees and more and more leaves each year!

Finally, a clear view, but still so much to clean up.

I wish I would of gotten a picture of the fire while burning these leaves. But, the end result is below. We ended up using **80** bags of mulch for this area and around the house.  The next step will be extending the grass down to the rock garden, and on the right side of the driveway, finally having soft grass.  The rest of the trees are going to be removed this year, and we are planting more evergreens, you know, that don't drop their massive leaves each year!

It was alot of work, but so worth it! Thanks to Natalie for taking this picture, as it was just one more thing I didn't get done while home!