OUR NEW PATIO!!!!

We have finally gotten our new patio in the back! It was a long time coming. First, deciding to actually doing it, finding the right company (LOVE Pine Creek Construction! Marc's a fellow parent at Suwanee Elementary), and then waiting for the rain to STOP! I feel terrible that it was a problem when Mama and Daddy are in the drought. But the day finally came...

They put up temporary supports on the deck, dug out the yard, leveled the area, and put the forms up...

and the concrete is poured...

We tried to do handprints, but by the time the kids got home from school, it was too late. But they got to write their names in it.

The guys used large pieces of plastic to lay on top of the poured concreted (after drying a bit). They used it as a sort of stamp to make the texture on it. The concrete had one color mixed in it and while they were putting this texture on, they threw another color in the form of a powder on it. So this new powder gave a top coat of color (which in the creases is a bit darker than on the flat areas) as well as acted as a sort of "flour" to make the rubber not stick to the surface. And it is now finished...

Tonight, instead of the driveway, we spent the evening in the backyard. I cleaned up all my chairs & table and got it set up a little. I'm still in the process of getting everything back on my deck. But we are so happy with the result! Now on to Phase B... the new deck!