{allanmia.com}

Hi all! OK, we're hiring someone to put in sprinklers and sod in our backyard but I'm a little sad (Allan won't let me be more than that) because we can't do a complete landscape design a la HGTV. Right now it's either we get grass and no patio cover or get the patio cover and trample on dirt until next spring. Which would you choose? We'll have some money left over which we plan on buying some trees with and I have an idea as to what kind of trees I like, but where to place them is another matter. I have learned nothing from subscribing to five years of Martha Stewart Living. A couple palms, a few crepe myrtles, a smattering of bouganvillea, lavender and iceberg roses...i don't know if they go together but that's what i like.

As for the rest of the house, we've still got some stuff to do like clearing the garage of the rest of our boxes, replacing the chandelier with a less-obtrusive light source, installing the ceiling fan in our bedroom (and hopefully we can get a ceiling fan for our family room too), give the house some curb appeal with a few more plants in the front (yes, I watch too much HGTV!), do some artwork for all the blank white walls. I'm sure I'll think of more things to do as time goes on. It's fun having your own house!!