Front Porch Update

As a follow-up to my nesting post, I thought I'd show you some of the progress we made over the weekend!  Although I didn't get everything on my weekend "to do" list accomplished, I got all except the organizing of the closet done.  If I'm honest, I knew I wouldn't get to that one...I hate doing clean-outs, especially closet ones, and I normally procrastinate until I can't handle it anymore and then go on a massive throwing away binge. 

So, if you remember, we finally were able to agree on some front porch furniture, and it didn't end up in a knock-down-drag-out with each of us wanting to commit homicide on the other for liking hideous things and I couldn't be more happy with the way it turned out!  I documented the process to share.  Dan was mildly annoyed.  Probably more than mildly annoyed, really, but I wasn't going to let him bring me and my picture-taking down!  Pretty sure he's over my blogging already.  Anyway, here goes.

The "before."  The salesman assured us that everything was SO easy to assemble.  He lied, especially about the swing.  He also did not tell us that they wrapped everything tighter than I wrapped my china when we moved.  SERIOUS pain to get all of the parts out of the boxes.  Also, I'm sure you can tell by the murderous expression on his face, but Dan is really excited to be putting together said rockers and swing in the 100-degree heat, rain, and HUMIDITY on Sunday afternoon:

Layla was really excited to help...

Until she got bored.

An action shot: 

I feel like I should brag on my husband a little bit here, because that swing ended up being a HUGE pain to hang.  Dan bought the hooks that the salesman told us to buy at Lowes, and they didn't work.  He went back to Lowes three different times and returned cursing me for demanding a swing with things that didn't work.  FINALLY, he hung the swing and came inside to get me.  The conversation that ensued went as follows:

Dan:  Your stupid swing is up.

Sarah: OH MY GOSH IT LOOKS SO GREAT!  Thank you so much, I am so excited. 

Dan: (Shrugs his shoulders, like, whatevs it was no biggie)

Sarah: But, um, is it crooked?

In hindsight, not the best moment to bring up the crookedness, but really I'm pretty sure no one will ever notice.  The swing is perfect, and the chairs look great, too.

Here's the finished product:

I couldn't get close enough or at a good enough angle where you could actually see what they look like.  Don't worry, for your viewing pleasure, I give you more photos:

Left side of the porch (if you're facing the house)

Right side of the porch (if you're facing the house)

When Dan was done, we both tested out the swing and then the rockers for a few minutes (as long as we could stand it in the heat), and Layla came and laid at our feet when we were rocking.  Were it not 100 degrees outside, it would have been perfect...exactly how I envisioned it.

It all looks awesome, right?!  Kudos to Prince Danny for all of his hard work.  Now all I need are some outdoor pillows and some plants!  For pillows, I had something like this in mind.  That one's sold out, and was too expensive anyway, but I want something really colorful that will bring in the red from the door.  I'll keep searching - I haven't looked much thus far because I wans't sure we'd really ever get the rockers/swing.  As for plants...I have no idea.  I kill everything I touch!  I am thinking of hanging ferns, but I want to put a plant or two by the door as well.  Any ideas of things that survive in the shade?  HELP ME!

Sarah