I am a “real woman can dig their own sidewalk!” kindof girl…..

Really…seriously.
I am digging my own sidewalk.
Now before you say to yourself “Self, why is that girl not hiring someone to just bring in a lovely tractor and dig the girl a sidewalk trail for her flowerbeds?”
The answer?
Cause this girl is brokedy broke.
Hello…I am a homeschooling mama, in college and in the middle of trying so feed a whole bunch of people and creatures that live in this house.  Money for a sidewalk?  Ya probably not going to be much left in the budget for that.

For years I have been whining about my crappy back yard.
Waiting for the day when a golden pot of money drops in my lap for me to be able to landscape this yard.
I have posted before about it but I am not kidding.  I am seriously going to make this backyard beautiful on a cheap dime if it is the last thing I do.
I am pretty good at “thrifty”…anyone who knew my mother will know I learned from the master.
Pretty sure she would totally approve of my adventures in thrift.

So here is the deal…
I added the trees…
No it is time to start on the paths and patio (of sorts) going through the backyard.  The flower and garden beds will be all around the paths.  I have the map in my head of what it will look like…
Perhaps I should draw that out and show you guys one of these days.

At first I thought I would use gravel… preferably a brown crush gravel paths.
Then I decided after seeing a book plan with pavers on the side and gravel in the middle that I wanted that method.
So I had an extra $30 bucks this week and opted to get started…I picked up my shovel and started digging…
Digging as far as thirty bucks would take me this week

I dig and realize just how muddy it is…

So I get this far and say to myself “Self…you can’t afford gravel…really you can’t.”
So I go for the poor man’s version of gravel…
Mulch.

My plan?
Well…for now I buy the cheap mulch from Home Depot and buy 3 bags ($9 bucks worth) for each $30 section of sidewalk.
So far it is looking great!  Will it last?
No…the mulch will not last but maybe by next year we will be able to afford the gravel.
Maybe?  If not it won’t be the end of the world.

I will keep you guys posted on my “great path to somewhere” adventure over the next few months.
Yes…months.
Budget budget budget.