Show Us Where You Live Fridays~Backyards

Welcome back to Kelly's Tour of homes. This week she is featuring backyards (YES!) and garages (err...NO!) When she put out the schedule about 6 weeks ago (Spring) I thought I would be so excited to show our backyard, the flowering bushes, pots with plants, etc... Well, that was before this Texas heatwave and everything looks like it is about to kill over. Hello Summer in Texas!!

The pool looks refreshing doesn't it?? Well, its NOT...the water is 90 degrees. UGH!! This is just the first of July. Come August and September (our hottest time in North Texas) it will be a shrimp boil for my little shrimpies. Cue Margaritaville, oh yea, I already did that:-)

I was out taking these pictures this morning and the temperature was already 97 degrees. I thought I better get them taken because we are expecting friends over to swim in a bit and the toys and floaties would be everywhere. We built the pool the end of 2007 and as Big Daddy says "we have gotten our monies worth." The boys swim for a bit, then they ride their bikes, then back to the pool, then some baseball or basketball, back in the pool..... you get the drift.

Big Daddy and I each had our non-negotiables, his was the rock waterfall on the hot tub...

....and the palm tree. He loves them, me not so much. Only at the beach.

Mine was the fireplace and sitting area. S'mores galore and plus it is a fun place to decorate.

I got this Smith and Hawken lantern last year at Target, but my sister has turned me onto these outdoor candles from Target. They are battery operated AND have a timer!! They are in the outdoor section at Target. I love walking by the windows and seeing the lanterns on out by the pool.

Looking back towards the house from the sitting area.

This is under the patio and we love hanging out under here too. Big Daddy installed the TV out on the patio and I love to sit out here on the couch and watch Food Network and not be out in the sun so much.

We get to enjoy the back patio in cooler months with this patio heater. I love having the chance to sit outside when it is chillier, but we are all still toasty. This would be on my list of My Favorite Things if I were Oprah. Excuse the cruddy beach chairs, but we like to sit on them in the water on the tanning ledge. (once a country girl, always a country girl). My city girl friends all have them now too.

What would pool side be without "grab yourself a coozie for your beverage" from the basket 0'coozies?

Shoes, um I mean Crocs the boys footwear of choice during summer by the back door. Funny to see how each one wears the straps. Front or back??

Big Daddy and his Dad built our arbor. Big Daddy was like, I know why those are so expensive to have built. He doesn't want to have to do that again anytime soon.
This is a close up to the finish on the decking. It has what they call a Tuscan finish. They do all the scoring for the tile look by hand and there is sand placed on top before it is dry to make it not as slick. It can be hot to walk on, but good golly, it is 101 this afternoon anything would be hot.

That's it...that is probably more than you wanted to see, but one last picture. This is what is going on while I do this post. Wiffle ball, swimming pool style. Stay cool everyone!!! See ya next week.