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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Inside Our House ·

Tuesday Talk: All of that yard stuff!


It’s TUESDAY TALK!

Once a month, I link up with Ashley and Erika (who host this fun little blog link up), and you blog about anything and everything…and for me, it’s always a little random.

Today, I thought we’d chat about…

‘Tis that time of year when I post every picture from outside in our backyard…

…it’s where we eat…

…where we gather…

…where we work and…

…where we live.

I know, so many yard pics.  #sorrysorrysorry

BUT with all the time outside and the excessive amount of pics, I get lots of random and great questions, so today, I’m answering a few about all of that yard stuff 🙂 .

Question #1: Where do you store your towels?

…we have a pool bath in the house right off the patio and inside, there is a closet where I store our towels.  You know how in magazines all of the towels are navy and white striped folded and matching near the beautiful pool?  Yeah, ours are not.  We have an eclectic assortment from over the years…the majority of which have some sort of Disney princess on them…folded and waiting 🙂 . #itsbasicallythesamethingright We keep the towels there along with a plastic bucket of sunscreen for adults and kids along with the giant floats we haven’t inflated just yet.  When we’re ready to swim, it’s easy to carry that stuff out  to the patio and/or grab it from inside.

Question #2: Where did you get your slushy machine?

We have a friend with a party business and bought one of his used machines from him.  My brother just bought one this last week and purchased his from a commercial party store, so I don’t have an exact answer from you, but I think a commercial restaurant store is the place to start.  I’ve had questions about what’s inside our cabinet too and the answer is…

…extra sunscreen and outdoor placemats.

Question #3: Where do you get your giant floats and do they blow away?

We almost always buy them from Amazon and yes, they blow away quite often.  Andrew really tries to keep them tied up to the basketball goal or else…

…they fly off 🙂 .

Question #4: Where do you store all of the goggles and pool toys?

In this bin…

…that we’ve had for years from Home Depot.  It stays out year around and weathers all sorts of rain/heat/cold.  At the end of a pool time, we just gather everything up and toss it inside.  Then, we close the lid, and it’s all put away.

Easy as that 🙂 .

Question #5: Is that a shower I keep seeing?

It is!  For quick showers after yucky days outside, the kids (and adults) can rinse off before going inside or going home (if they’re friends’ kids).  Obviously, it’s not for a private shower…but it works great after the kiddos and their friends have been playing hard in the yard and covered in dirt.

Question #6: Where did you get your red chairs?

We love our red chairs!!  I’ve mentioned them before in THIS home post, but it’s always a FAQ around here!  I believe you can buy them at both Home Depot and Lowe’s, they’re only $20 and come in many colors.  They last FOREVER and are so durable and comfy!

That’s it for today’s Tuesday Talk!  If you have any other questions, I’m happy to answer them in the comment section below 🙂 .

I hope you all have the BEST day!! xo

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Comments

  1. Lauren says

    I loved this post! Your backyard is beautiful. Has the fire pit always been there or is that something relatively new?

      • Kristin says

        Can you link the fire pit if possible? Looking to do the same set up off of our pool this summer ?

        • Mix and Match Mama says

          Now I could be wrong, because this is an Andrew question for sure, but I think he bought it at Home Depot…

  3. Ahna @ Hammers N Hugs says

    Love that outdoor copper shower against all the stone . . . so pretty!! And also practical of course, ha (priorities). Need to incorporate one of those somewhere in our outdoor design . . .

  4. Lindsay says

    I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your backyard and pool area. How have I never noticed the outdoor shower in pics?! Thanks for sharing!

  5. Erika Slaughter says

    Fun fact about The Slaughters-I move our beach towel location around all the time because we just don’t have a good spot. One day tho-I’m gonna find it!

  7. Laura says

    Your backyard is awesome….so many hours and hours of fun! Where is your bonfire pit located in the backyard and did Andrew do the concrete work or did someone else do it? ?

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      It’s back further in the yard and someone else came in to do the stonework!

  8. Shannon says

    You have a beautiful backyard, Shay — better than a resort! I also have to tell you that I can’t believe how big your kids are getting. Kensington looks so old already. Crazy! One quick question — what do you use on your hair before and/or after swimming to help protect it from the chlorine? I haven’t found a product I love. Thanks in advance!! 🙂

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Thank you so much, Shannon!! They’re getting SO BIG SO FAST!! Okay, I don’t use any particular product, but what I do is put either conditioner or coconut oil in my hair before I swim (on my dry hair). A blog reader gave me this time years and years ago when I was suffering from a bad case of green hair. I think this helps SO MUCH!!

  11. Sheaffer Sims says

    I love your little fire pit area and I’m BLOWN AWAY that those darling red chairs are ONLY $20! WOW!

  12. Meg says

    This has me so excited for summer! Do you have a good way/routine for getting towels dried after swimming each day? This is our first year with a backyard pool and I’m hoping to have a routine in place for my kids to avoid piles of wet towels and swimsuits everywhere!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      We just lay them over the chairs to air dry…so not fancy at all!

  13. Jaime says

    Do your kids still use your backyard playground? Do you see your self getting rid of it once they stop playing with it?

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Yes!! They really still do use it all the time. One day, I think we’ll officially get rid of it, but honestly, I still swing, so I think we’ll keep it a while!

  14. Ralinn says

    Shay you have a beautiful backyard! The red chairs are such a great pop of color. We are redoing our backyard decK, patio and landscape. Will you share where you got your fire pit?

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I need Andrew to come in here so that I’m not telling you all wrong, but I really think Home Depot!

  15. Kristi says

    Do you put any coverings on your pool lounge chairs to protect them from the sun (and the bugs) when you’re not using the chairs? We live in Arizona and our pool lounge chairs get warped by the sun pretty quickly. I love the idea of having the sunscreen outside. Where did you get the table/drawers where you store the sunscreen and the slushy machine? And do you keep the slushy machine outside year round? We have a little slushy machine, but we keep it indoors due to the bugs – but I love the idea of having it outside. I also love that you have an outdoor shower. It would be nicer to have once my son gets older and his friends come over to swim. Sorry for all the questions 🙂

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      In the fall/winter, we pull the exposed cushions in the garage and store them (along with the pillows). This time of year, they’re out 24/7 and the actually frames of the chairs stay out year around and weather all the storms. That little table is from Pottery Barn (last year) and yes, the machine stays out all year too! All great questions!!

  16. Joanne says

    Our beach towels are the same way- a huge assortments of colors, themes, and sizes accumulated through the year. Since we live on the lake my boys and I often get towels as gifts along with floats, goggles, etc.

  17. Shelby says

    Hi Shay!! Random question but can you tell me what kind of mulch you use under your play area? I feel like you’ve mentioned it before but can’t find the answer! I just love your backyard!

  19. Jodi says

    I’d love a post on your kids’ outdoor toys/activities they do in the yard besides swim. My son is Smith’s age and my dauhter is Ashby’s age. Looking for more outdoor games, toys, etc. to do since we’ll be home more this summer.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      They roller-skate, rollerblade, ride bikes, scooters, sidewalk chalk is huge over here, we have a gazillion balls they play with, now we have a slingshot (yikes!) and other random things like that!

  20. Andrea Ferrata says

    Beautiful backyard! Do you have a towel rack/system for wet towels? My kids have been swimming up to two times a day and would love something for wet towels to sun in between.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Oh geez, no! we just lay them out over the patio chairs to dry…it’s not fancy. Ha!

  21. josie says

    Love your backyard. 2 questions- how big is your yard? And can we learn more about the batting cage? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in someone’s backyard.

  22. Marcela says

    Love everything about this post! So much fun! Also your backyard looks amazing, can I come over to play? ? ☀️

  23. Karen says

    Hi Shay! This is such a fun post! It really looks like you never need to leave your back yard! The other day on tour IG story, you had a photo of the pathway to your fire pit. You could see the fire, the lights, the chairs, the trees… I’ve been dreaming of recreating something like that ever since. Thank you for the inspiration!

  24. Jane says

    Where is your pool basketball goal from? I’ve debated getting one, but I know For my boys it needs to be sturdy. Your yard is beautiful and your family.

  26. Beth Wilson says

    EEK!!!! I’ve been looking for those chairs but didn’t think about Home Depot. Everywhere I looked they cost around $100 and that wasn’t happening! LOL. Checked Home Depot and they are $15!!!! Getting 4 this weekend! Thanks for sharing.

  27. Angela says

    I love your backyard!!! Can you show in your instastory a little tour of the covered porch/sitting area? And I love how you designed the steps and flower beds going down to the pool, too!! What kind of stone or pavers did you use for the steps? Your backyard and outdoor living space is so perfect!!!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Awwww! We love it too! We have travertine on the patio and then those steps are made of Granbury stone (which is from around this part of Texas).

  28. Heather Hurley says

    Hi there! I look forward to your posts on the daily! Thank you for taking the time to share life with us. Your backyard and all the things that go with it are made for memories! Love it!

    Can you flip up to your front porch/sidewalk and tell me a little more about that black tile? Are you happy that you put tile down in the front or would you re-do that differently?

    Thank you again!
    Heather

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I love a flip! That’s actually stamped concrete that was colored black for the front! And yes, I really like it!!

  29. Liz says

    What are the dimensions of your pool? We are wanting to add one to our yard and I’ve been showing my husband all of your pool pics because I love everything about it. We have 5 kids and yours seems to be able to have a bunch of kids swim with plenty of room for everyone!

    • Liz says

      Hi Shay! I’m worried that you didn’t reply to my question because you thought I was asking for the full pool plans… lol. I’m just wondering how wide and long it is? 🙂 Thanks!

      • Mix and Match Mama says

        I asked Andrew to come through here and answer questions I don’t know the answers to…if he didn’t get to yours, he might have answered it on someone else’s comment or he might have quit. Ha! I’ll nudge him back!

  30. L Basinger says

    I saw someone on Instagram commented on you calling it a basketball goal. Ummm I’ve never in all my life heard it called a basketball hoop…unless they were talking about the specific part of the entire goal. Must be a regional thing?

    I’m in N.C. though. And we do know A thing or two about basketball! Go Heels!

  31. Lauren says

    Thanks for sharing! I love your outdoor space! It looks like you like COOLA sunscreen! I have used it for my face (the tinted version) and like it but I have not used the spray and creams for swimming. We are on our boat all summer….I may have to try out more Coola options.

  32. Kim says

    Hello Shay!
    I remember Andrew mentioned that he is particular about keeping your trees trimmed up…keeping the canopy high. We need to raise ours quite a bit and I am nervous because we need someone who knows what they are doing. Does Andrew have someone that he would recommend? We live in Frisco. Thanks!

  33. Sara says

    Fun post! Can Andrew or you tell me more specific info on your storage bin? Like the size, brand, etc. I need one that can take all the Kansas weather. I’ve been trying to pick one out online but it’s so hard to tell without seeing/touching them. Thank you for any help you can give me!

  34. sandi kellman says

    Would you think of at some point doing a video of your back yard its so beautiful and would love to see all you have done.. Enjoy the summer blog friend!!!!

  36. Stephanie Jennings says

    I am patiently waiting for a batting cage tour. We bought one and have yet to put it up. Sigh. Do you have turf in it, etc? Also, where did you get that fire pit? I love the “cover” on it. Otherwise they make me nervous. Lol. Have a great day?

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      We got the fire pit at Home Depot, the surround thingy on Etsy and yes! There’s turf! I’m really going to have to get that Andrew Shull his own blog 😉 .

      • Andrew Shull says

        When I first put the cage up it was 50′. Now that Smith is getting older I had to expand it to accommodate further pitching distances. Now it is 85′. The original turf was the old turf from SMU’s football stadium. The new turf I ordered here https://turffactorydirect.com. The portable fire pit is from the Home Depot/Lowes. I have a stainless steel fire pit ring I ordered on Etsy that will be here soon so that the pit will sit down in the ground and be a somewhat permenant addition.

  37. Nicole Miller says

    Shay & Andrew, your backyard looks like a resort! Love it! Thanks so much for sharing : ) Wish I could visit – ha ha

  38. Haley W says

    So fun!!! GORGEOUS!! What is your favorite sunscreen to apply to kiddos faces AFTER they have been swimming? We LOVE that Neutrogena stick and sun bum but they say it makes their faces feel like they are on FIRE after their faces have been wet!!! Help! 🙂

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Really? My kids have never said that before?! Hmmm…I don’t know?

  39. Nicole Neblett says

    Love this post!
    Unrelated, but will you do a summer reading list or share some books you want to read? I am desperate for more summer beach reads.

  40. Amla says

    This is such a late comment but I was wondering the dimensions of your pool. We are going to put one in this summer. Thanks!

  41. Gina says

    Hi Shay
    Fun backyard and pool! How long did it take for your kiddos to learn how to swim? Thanks

  42. Brenna johnson says

    How does the grass do on the backside of the pool? Curious how well it holds up during high use months! We are considering a pool soon and love keeping some grass around.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I was worried about that too, but Andrew Shull kept telling me it would be fine…and it was! #whyishealwaysright

  45. Michelle says

    I have been following your blog for so long that I feel like I should know what your house looks like, but when I read posts like this and I think “Oh I didn’t know that bathroom was there!” or “I haven’t seen that shower before!” I realize that we aren’t real life friends!! hahaha. Your backyard is beautiful and I just love everything about it. Being a former softball player, I’m really jealous of that batting cage!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Awwwww! I love that you feel like we’re friends, Michelle! WE ARE!! XO

  48. Meredith says

    Does any of the sunscreen you use stain swim suits? I use coppertone kids spray and it stains our swimsuits, so I’m on the hunt for a new one! Can you tell me your favorite for you and the kids? Face and body? Thank you!!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Hmmmm…I’ve never noticed that before? I will start paying attention!

  49. Alexandra says

    Love your style and how warm and inviting every aspect is!

    In the photo with Andrew, what type of glassware is he drinking from? Those look like the perfect margarita size glasses!

  50. Lauren says

    What kind of border do you use to keep your playground mulch in? I have been researching different types and haven’t found anything I love. I’m over it!

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