Backyard Oasis

As the weather warms up in Concord I have been thinking a lot about summer vacation.  Since we moved to California in January we've been too busy for my taste.  Private school has brought a shocking increase in the amount of homework the kids get.  Also, as a mom, there is a different expectation placed on volunteer work and parent involvement.  I've always been pretty involved in my kids education, so it doesn't bother me, but I do think it's a bit more time consuming now.  On top of this, we are at track three nights a week and at dance and cheer after school one day a week and then we have meets on Saturday and we're supposed to go to church on Sunday but can never seem to get there because we are always totally exhausted.  I am dying for summer vacation!

In July, Bunny has to have her tonsils out, which will have her on bed rest for about two weeks.

It is my plan to spend a quiet, lazy summer at home and turn our backyard into an oasis.

We have this lovely little pergola/trellis with a patio set beneath it, but we don't have anything else.  Our house has two exits leading to the backyard.  We have sliding doors from our dining room and we have a door leading outside from the laundry room.

I made this little map of my backyard and what I'm hoping for!


Here is what I need:

A canopy to place in front of the fireplace


A small set of comfortable furniture to place under the canopy (think summer night time fires, pitcher of white sangria, good friends).


an inexpensive grill


a pool.  In front of my garage workshop there is a nice, large, level space where we could set up a medium sized pool for the kids.  It's not perfect, but I think that they'll love it.


A small play house.

This is where I'd like to put the pool.  Jay is pretty sure that a good sized pool will fit in that space.  I am spatially inept so it is tough for me to know if that's true.

This is what we were thinking.

Then we have that small patio in front of the fireplace to set up the canopy.  We were thinking about doing something like this.
 

This is the perfect spot for a grill.  Outside of the pergola and close to our patio furniture!

Something practical!  Nothing too fancy!

Then we have a really great space towards the back of our yard for a playhouse!

Something like this.  I saw one at Costco for a fantastic price!



This will still leave plenty of room for the kids to run around and play!

I love being outside when the weather is nice.  I can get up, go outside and eat breakfast lunch and dinner there, coming in for almost nothing.  Lazy summer days are the best.  Here's to not going anywhere or doing anything!