John and Niki Shipley have a beautiful front yard, but with their energetic daughter Eva almost 2 years old now, the yard isn't as functional as they would like. Their plan is to enclose the space with a charming white picket fence and also to improve the look of their front porch. They hope to accomplish this in three days. The Shipleys' first step is to construct and paint the picket fence. They dig the postholes, pour in cement and insert metal brackets that will eventually hold the fence posts. The cement needs 24 hours to set, so the couple switches their attention to the porch.
By the middle of the first afternoon, they have created a square of brick pavers around the first half of their porch. They decide to fill the middle with concrete, and Niki creates a mosaic of seashells near the front step. They had hoped to get the entire porch done in one day but will have to finish the job tomorrow.
The Shipleys start off the day a little behind schedule but remain optimistic. They make some real progress on the porch, but when windy conditions worsen, they again focus on the fence. The goal to have the entire picket fence up by the end of the second day becomes a memory; Niki is not pleased when she realizes that the pickets are sticking up above the fence posts.
Day three: Thanks to an early start, the Shipleys' front porch has been paved and cemented. After they lower the fence brackets, the couple is happier with the appearance of their picket fence. They gather the courage to create a swinging gate, and it turns out perfectly. The finishing touch is fresh white paint, and their project is complete!
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