Fun, Work and Play.

We've had a lot of birthday parties to go to including Flips for Kids Gymnastics for Madison, a great Thomas the Train party for Niko and Kung Fu Panda at the theaters for Harrison. We've also been able to have some friends over and socialize a little bit. We even went down to the market to watch a show. The Beards came all the way out to visit. Grandpa came to visit too, and we got the addition moved over to the carport and also got our fence started. I need to get some more pictures of the fence and also whatever I can of the carport being moved, but it was really neat that dad could do it. He put the beams underneath, dropped it and we moved it with a backhoe we hired and dad put the footings back on. We started the fence on the east side and are going to slowly work our way around now that we have a plan we can all agree on. The boys did a good job entertaining themselves and helping as well. Grandpa got the quad running and a new battery for it so we had fun riding that. Nolan can actually drive it by himself now. I am one over Britney Spears with letting them ride without a helmet! I'm working on the pond in the secret garden and tending the bees. We've had a real problem with a skunk getting into the chicken coop and also into the bees. He or she has found some good free meals and doesn't fall for my trap so I've had to fence the bees off at night. They're doing great though and there are tons of them! Everything is a mess again due to all of the yard work. There is bare dirt everywhere and that means lots of dust and mud. Less to mow though I guess. During the busiest week of the year for me with work we had our washing machine and microwave break as well as our hedge trimmer and weedwacker!

Work, Play and Memorial Day.

The boys have been enjoying the new pool and pirate ship. I bought some new sand for the sandbox as well and Caleb loves it. He played so hard one day he fell asleep in the chair when we came inside.



I had a wetland delineation to do up in Crescenct city so we made a weekend out of it. I got to go surfing and the boys played on their sponge board. Loren got to surf too, but was much more excited about flying the Spiderman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle kites we brought along. =) In reality it was really cold and nasty all weekend and we spent a lot of time in the hotel room watching Fairly Odd Parents and other fun cartoons we don't get to see most of the time. We also went and watch Speed Racer and it was awesome. I think Loren and I liked it more than the boys did! We also played in the pool. Caleb decided to let go of the side of the pool where he couldn't reach and gave his dad a scare. Nolan did a good job practicing stuff from swimming lessons including his superman glides

These pictures are a little strange, but I was really excited to get my 2,2 dipyrirdyl to determine whether the soils in the project area were hydric or not (wetland soils). They turn pink if there if they are due to the conversion of iron in the soils. I also found some small eggs on a leaf of a wild cucumber (Marah oregana). I was just grabbing it to press for the herbarium, but after I found the leaves I put it in a jar. Hopefully I can manage to keep them at a natural humidity and temperature and they'll hatch. I'm pretty sure they're butterfly (caterpillar) eggs, but I'd like to see which species.

Summer fun already! We bought another pool. The last one was chewed apart by Happy last summer after her and her friends (two black labs) had a doggy pool party in it. I drained it to clean it out and when I came back it was all chewed up. We've really enjoyed splashing around. Loren even took a break from lots of yard work to play on the pirate ship. The Parkers came over with hamburgers and beer and we had a great Sunday afternoon. The boys are finally old enough to play in the treehouse and in the playroom alone and we can chat and have fun without worrying too much. They did make a pretty big mess with the playdough, but they helped clean up too. The wisteria and irises are starting to bloom and I still have my rhodis and azaleas and some miscellaneous flowers. The apples, cherries and pears are taking form. The mound is done and the yard is a big mess again. I was looking forward to less dust and mud with finally having the construction done, but we're regraded again and there is dirt everywhere and the house is super dusty once again. Oh well. I'm busy right now so I'm not home enough to notice! Nolan is still playing tball, but the favorite part is playing on the equipment at the schools. Caleb finds entertaining things to do when left alone. I thought the safety hat on the quad was pretty cute.

More mound shots! Almost done. The boys loved climbing on the big pile of dirt.

Mounds and motorcycles

Just a couple of quick pics of the septic mound going in. Once it's done we can pass final. Also, Loren and James got the CT70 started and I got to ride it tonight. Loren's already taken it for trips to the market. Eric called last night for a beer delivery. Too bad it was Mother's Day. Maybe next time.