Finishing old projects

Yesterday was really nice outside, so we decided to work on our backyard.  It still has more to be done, but I am excited about what we did accomplish and what we are planning to do this summer.

 Maya and I getting ready to get to work.

 Maya didn't last too long, she decided she would much rather take a nap than do yard work!

 Before, space between our little shed and the grass.

This is the area we worked on last year.  It is almost always shaded so I have been debating how I am going to plant a garden. 

Putting in the plants.

After! 

 I put the full sun plants in the pots since that area had sun almost all day.  Since I have no idea how to tend a garden, I am starting small.

After! 

 It still needs a little more bark. In the back is where I planted my spinach and lemon balm.  The lemon balm came back from last year, so I left it in the place that it seems to be thriving in.  I hope the spinach grows, but we will see. 

After Ryan was finished cutting some branches and mowing the lawn, he started working on our table for me.  I have wanted a new table since we got married, so 5 1/2 years now, but we just can't afford one.  Ryan's parents gave us their old table a few years ago.  Ryan thinks it is about 17 or 18 years old.  It had a big crack in the leg, and these pegs in between the legs that reminded me of a crib.  It also had worn off the varnish in some places.  Last year I decided we should sand and stain it and swore it would be my summer project.  Of course, I never got around to it.  Ryan surprised me when I came home from work last weekend with a newly sanded table!  However, he forgot to take a before picture.  

So this is the color it was, the crack which he fixed, and one of the peg things.

All sanded, no more pegs. :)

Top View.

Ryan putting on the pre-stain wood conditioner.

Starting to stain it!  We debated between ebony and mahogany, and decided on mahogany.

First coat done!  He added another coat today and then we are going to put on the varnish and wax it.  I feel like I got a brand new table.  Now, I have to figure out what to do with the chairs for cheap.  Any ideas?