The front of the house had a wheelchair ramp, my Step-mother is not able to come home from the nursing home any longer so we made the decision it was time to tear it down.  If we were ever able to bring Karen home again we could bring her in through the back doors because the ramps in the back are cement and we won't be ripping them out anytime soon. 

We forgot to take a picture before the demolition began but I found a picture from just this past Christmas.  No, we do not still have our Christmas decorations up. 

After the deck was gone we discovered that the sidewalk that was under the ramp was partially removed by the builders who had built the ramp.  Oh boy, this means we have to do cement...ugh. 

Mark began the long job of digging .  We kept telling him was digging to China!!!  He only had to dig about 8 inches but he kept digging and digging and digging!  By the time he was done he had gone down 18 inches!!! 

Tiff even decided to join in the fun!!   

2 weeks after the destruction, digging and clean-up it was time for the cement.  The weather was not cooperating for a few days and finally Monday we had a good forecast for at least 2 straight days.  We made the call to Dad from work Monday afternoon, he got the sand and rented the cement mixer.     Mark had never done cement and I chose to forget my pre-teen years of doing cement with my Dad and uncle, of course I was just playing then but that wouldn't be happening this time!

Mark shoveled the sand, slag and cement mix into the mixer, Dad wheeled in the cement and I got to smooth it out....yeehaw!  For anyone out there that may get the lovely task of floating the cement - just one suggestion.....DON'T WEAR CROCKS for your shoes!! 

It only took us a few hours to get all the cement done but by this time it was close to 9:00pm.  The kids' were wanting to put their hand print in the cement however,  it was too wet when it was time for them to go to bed.   The sidewalk that we were matching up to had a paver stone design in it so we waited around for an hour and Mark started designing in the new cement.  Shortly before 11pm Mark told me to get the kids' for their prints, Tiff was the only one I was able to wake up to come outside.  Mark wouldn't let her because he said it wasn't fair that she would get to put her print but not the boys'!  Man was she ticked off at that and went storming back into the house. 

And the final outcome is.........