Backyard Remodel - Children's Playground with Rubber Mulch

The backyard remodel is *just* about done.  All the major work is done - now it's the finishing touches that are going in - like my succulent gardens, finding the right outdoor dinnerware, and such.  

My kids absolutely LOVE their new playground!  It's a joy to have a backyard that is completely safe for 3 little kids and also waterwise for our Southern California needs.  

I especially love the rubber mulch that we had put in under and around the entire playground.  We had a 2.5" depth put in so when the kids fall off the structure, they won't hurt themselves.  Make sure that the kids are wearing shoes when playing outside because it does get hot to the touch.  

It's heavy and won't wash away in the rain (not that we get any) and it looks great next to the decomposed granite border.  You definitely need a border to hold the rubber mulch in.  Also love the fact that it's economical (lasts around 10 years), eco-friendly and it doesn't harbor bugs.  We got ours at PlaySafer.  

The playground was from Costco and the bendable border  is on sale right now for 20% off.  

Design Guide: Backyard Design and Decor Ideas

I had the itch to do something with my front and backyards this year - instead of just doing the obligatory spring planting, I decided to have it completely overhauled to be not only drought tolerant but also totally kid friendly.  We are out of water in California so our lawns were dying and something needed to be done.  So - while my front yard is being finished this week, my backyard will be demo'd next week!  So exciting!  

In the meantime, to keep myself busy - I'm looking for elements to incorporate into the backyard.  I already have a huge playset for the children scoped out.  I plan on putting in a giant piece of plexiglass so that they could paint on it.  A small area with giant river rocks with water for sensory play.  A large patio with stamped concrete that will hold our outdoor sofa and a dining set as well as a built in bbq is also in the works.  

Now, to decide on a color scheme - I'm leaning towards neutrals with pops of color.  Take a look at some of the pretties that I've found for you to easily decorate your outdoor space:

Design Guide: Fresh Spring Bedding for Children's Rooms

Spring is a wonderful time to redo the children's bedrooms!  Put away the heavy flannels and chamois blankets and get some new madras quilts with some light fun prints for spring and summer.  

Did you know that Pottery Barn Kids offers free room design with no pressure to buy?  I loved having a designer come out to measure the rooms for the kids and design everything down to changing out the dresser knobs for pretty crystal ones.  

But - for a simple way to uplift the room - try some new bedding - it'll do wonders!

Here are some of our favorites:

Design Guide: Beautiful Photo Gift Ideas

Like so many people, I have so many photos - easily in the tens of thousands.  I'm always looking for new ways to display my favorites.  Here are some new ideas that I've found - the state one is neat - make a photo collage of the state that we've visited!  And I especially love the heart collage - I can make a few of those of my kiddos.  This way, the photos are displayed for every day enjoyment vs. sitting somewhere in a hard drive.  

Design Guide: Easter Brunch Decor

Easter is a special time of the year for us where we reflect on the resurrection of Christ.  We spend the morning at Church and then come home for a nice Easter brunch with the family.  I have collected so many pieces of Easter decor over the years - it'll be nice to pull everything out again this year to decorate.  Here are some pretty pieces that I'm considering adding to my collection.  

Places to find pretty Easter Brunch Decor

Williams Sonoma

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn Kids