Ok, this really happened yesterday...
Stephen took the day off work and we rented a jet ski and spent half a day at the beach on Shooting Lake. Ok, it is not really called shooting lake but two weekends ago there was a huge shooting at the state park on the south end of the lake and two people were murdered and six others injured. No arrests. Nice...
Anyway, we went to a private beach to launch and spend the day because the boat launch is much less busy and since it was the first time ever we had towed a trailer and launced anything, we wanted to be able to take our time. Lots of people were very helpful too and that was nice.
The kids had a blast going out on the jet ski with Stephen. Of course he let them drive (doh!). I went out with Jax and then freaked out when I let him drive so after three minutes we were back at the beach so Stephen could take over.
Anyway, it was tons'o'fun. Cars kept saying over and over again that we MUST buy a jet ski. They are so pricy though. I think if we rented one once or twice a year we'd have loads of fun without breaking the bank.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Summer o'Fun 2010 Day 31
We tried our hand at Geocaching again today but the GPS on my iPhone is not great. It would tell us we were 30 feet from the cache and I would take a couple of steps then we'd be 75 feet away. Anyway, of the four that we tried to locate, we were only successful once. The kids are super excited about Geocaching so I may invest in a handheld GPS that is much more accurate.
Summer o'Fun Day 30
Stephen took the day off and we went for a walk along the lake trail. It used to be a railroad track and they turned it into a trail many years ago but I had never walked along it. Anyway, we walked and gawked at all of the multi-million dollar homes along the lake. Right where we decided to turn around for the return walk, we suddenly heard a loud noise then realized it was a helicopter. We turned and watched a helicopter land at a house about 100 feet from us. It landed on a special pad that was on wheels. The owner got out and then used a 4-wheel ATV to tow the helicopter into his garage. We had no idea what goes on just a couple of miles from our house.
Summer o'Fun Day 29
I got a call from one of my friends from back home. We had not been in touch for many years but her mom and my mom have been best friends for 52 years. Anyway, she was in town as her husband has been working here for 2.5 years (she chose to stay behind) but she's here for a month. We decided to meet at the locks. It was great seeing her and meeting her three children. I hope to see her again before she goes back to Canada. And hopefully she will be moving here in the next few months so we'd be able to see more of each other.
Summer o'Fun Day 28
Sad but I have no idea what we did this day... but I do know that at 5pm I met with Dex's psychologist who has diagnosed him with anxiety and depression. I feel so sad and guilty and so many more emotions. We had a good discussion and it seems that part of his sadness and depression might be grief from the change in his relationship with Jax. Jax is growing up and is less inclined to want to play with Dex. As well, this past year the kids have spent so much more time apart with Jax's hockey, Cars' hockey and Dex's baseball and guitar lessons. Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed that with counseling, Dex will get through this.
Summer o'Fun Day 30
Stephen took the day off and we went for a walk along the lake trail. It used to be a railroad track and they turned it into a trail many years ago but I had never walked along it. Anyway, we walked and gawked at all of the multi-million dollar homes along the lake. Right where we decided to turn around for the return walk, we suddenly heard a loud noise then realized it was a helicopter. We turned and watched a helicopter land at a house about 100 feet from us. It landed on a special pad that was on wheels. The owner got out and then used a 4-wheel ATV to tow the helicopter into his garage. We had no idea what goes on just a couple of miles from our house.
Summer o'Fun Day 29
I got a call from one of my friends from back home. We had not been in touch for many years but her mom and my mom have been best friends for 52 years. Anyway, she was in town as her husband has been working here for 2.5 years (she chose to stay behind) but she's here for a month. We decided to meet at the locks. It was great seeing her and meeting her three children. I hope to see her again before she goes back to Canada. And hopefully she will be moving here in the next few months so we'd be able to see more of each other.
Summer o'Fun Day 28
Sad but I have no idea what we did this day... but I do know that at 5pm I met with Dex's psychologist who has diagnosed him with anxiety and depression. I feel so sad and guilty and so many more emotions. We had a good discussion and it seems that part of his sadness and depression might be grief from the change in his relationship with Jax. Jax is growing up and is less inclined to want to play with Dex. As well, this past year the kids have spent so much more time apart with Jax's hockey, Cars' hockey and Dex's baseball and guitar lessons. Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed that with counseling, Dex will get through this.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
I spent this weekend cutting branches off trees and weeding. OMG, weeding! I filled up the yard waste container and a leaf bag that is about 3 1/2 feet high. Things around the front yard looks nicer but I definitely need to pull a few plants/shrubs and add some new ones.
We have a landscape service that comes to mow the lawn every week. It is owned by a neighbour from our previous house. They do pull some weeds in the garden but not always (it is just a mowing service we have so the weed pulling is bonus). I asked the owner to pull out a failed compost area in the back by the raspberries that the previous owners started and abandoned. And to put down more bark in the play area. So, he hired a couple of guys to come out to dig out the compost area. Then I saw a big black lab running around the yard. I was so mad because the black lab from across the street is always running around and crapping on my lawn (as well as everyone elses!). So there is that damn dog in my back yard and all I could think about was it pooping in the yard and the kids stepping in it. And I did not want the dog bugging the workers.
Anyway, I was on the telephone to a friend and I asked her to hang on for a min and I ran out the back and started shouting "(dog's name) GO HOME! GET OUT OF HERE! GO HOME DOG's NAME! GO!" and the guy digging out the compost area kept saying "It's ok! It's ok!" and I said "No, it is not!" then went back in the house to continue my conversation, ranting to my friend about that damn dog.
Much later in the day, after the workers left, I saw the black lab from across the street sniffing around my front yard. I was thinking "Gee, he looks bigger than he did earlier" and "I thought his collar was red" then "uh-oh!" The black lab in my yard earlier in the day was the dog of the owner of the landscaper. Then I realized that one of the guys who was doing the work must have been his oldest son. Gah! I was so embarrassed! I feel I need to apologize for my shouting performance.
And on top of all that, the damn black lab from across the street shat on my front lawn.
We have a landscape service that comes to mow the lawn every week. It is owned by a neighbour from our previous house. They do pull some weeds in the garden but not always (it is just a mowing service we have so the weed pulling is bonus). I asked the owner to pull out a failed compost area in the back by the raspberries that the previous owners started and abandoned. And to put down more bark in the play area. So, he hired a couple of guys to come out to dig out the compost area. Then I saw a big black lab running around the yard. I was so mad because the black lab from across the street is always running around and crapping on my lawn (as well as everyone elses!). So there is that damn dog in my back yard and all I could think about was it pooping in the yard and the kids stepping in it. And I did not want the dog bugging the workers.
Anyway, I was on the telephone to a friend and I asked her to hang on for a min and I ran out the back and started shouting "(dog's name) GO HOME! GET OUT OF HERE! GO HOME DOG's NAME! GO!" and the guy digging out the compost area kept saying "It's ok! It's ok!" and I said "No, it is not!" then went back in the house to continue my conversation, ranting to my friend about that damn dog.
Much later in the day, after the workers left, I saw the black lab from across the street sniffing around my front yard. I was thinking "Gee, he looks bigger than he did earlier" and "I thought his collar was red" then "uh-oh!" The black lab in my yard earlier in the day was the dog of the owner of the landscaper. Then I realized that one of the guys who was doing the work must have been his oldest son. Gah! I was so embarrassed! I feel I need to apologize for my shouting performance.
And on top of all that, the damn black lab from across the street shat on my front lawn.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Summer o'Fun 2010 Day 23
Jax is going to hockey camp this week. It is just 3 hours each day but the worst possible hours - 12-3pm! Right in the middle of the day and it is ~40 mins each way so it makes it very hard to do any "fun" summer-like thing. Oh well. The three hours he is there has been a nice break from the bickering amongst the boys. Not that Jax is the instigator but he definitely does his fair share of it.
We are thinking about going away later in August so I have been researching vacation rental homes. It is totally the way to go because it is often cheaper than hotels plus with a family of 5, it is much easier to find a place to accommodate us Let's hope my research pans out and we find a place to vacation.
We are thinking about going away later in August so I have been researching vacation rental homes. It is totally the way to go because it is often cheaper than hotels plus with a family of 5, it is much easier to find a place to accommodate us Let's hope my research pans out and we find a place to vacation.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Summer o'Fun 2010 Day 19
Not an exciting day today. I took the kids to the mall because I had to buy some new drinking glasses. I think we broke or cracked 5 glasses in the past week. One was spectacularly shattered when Dex dropped it (it was as spectacular as the shattering of the Corelle plate that Cars managed to drop a drinking glass on a couple of days ago). Anyway, after Crate and Barrel (cannot beat 95 cent juice glasses and $1.50 low ball glasses!), we hung out at the Lego store for a bit before we started a quest to find Ash's son a birthday present.
At the fifth store we stopped in (3rd since leaving the mall), we ran into a kid from Dex's class whom he had plans to have a play date with later in the day. The mom just offered to take Dex right then so I was light a kid for 5 hours today!
We still did not find the item that Jax was searching for but he had seen it online at K-Mart so he demanded that I drive to K-Mart to get it. The thing is, the nearest K-Mart is over 25 miles away so I told him no unless he'd like to pay me for my time and gas money. He was so irritated with me. All over a $16 toy.
After that exchange we drove home. I went out to do some yard work and saw a bunny sitting on my lawn eating away at the blades of grass. It did not even move when I started towards it. I finally threw a rock into the bushes behind it and it scampered off under the deck! Aargh! Our whole street is infested with rabbits. I have seen lots on our front lawn and down the street ducking into the bushes when I walk or drive by but I do not like them in my back yard. Where are the coyotes or owls when you need them?!
At the fifth store we stopped in (3rd since leaving the mall), we ran into a kid from Dex's class whom he had plans to have a play date with later in the day. The mom just offered to take Dex right then so I was light a kid for 5 hours today!
We still did not find the item that Jax was searching for but he had seen it online at K-Mart so he demanded that I drive to K-Mart to get it. The thing is, the nearest K-Mart is over 25 miles away so I told him no unless he'd like to pay me for my time and gas money. He was so irritated with me. All over a $16 toy.
After that exchange we drove home. I went out to do some yard work and saw a bunny sitting on my lawn eating away at the blades of grass. It did not even move when I started towards it. I finally threw a rock into the bushes behind it and it scampered off under the deck! Aargh! Our whole street is infested with rabbits. I have seen lots on our front lawn and down the street ducking into the bushes when I walk or drive by but I do not like them in my back yard. Where are the coyotes or owls when you need them?!
Summer o'Fun 2010 Day 18
Today was the lowest tide of the season in the Puget Sound so we went to Carkeek Park beach and explored the tidal pools. My kids really love doing this every year. It was cool this year too because there were Beach Naturalists there and I learned a few things about the sea creatures that we see. Funny though because one told us to to touch the creatures very lightly and another told us NEVER to touch them.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Summer seems like now that it is finally here it is just whizzing by!
Last week, Dex had his first appointment with his counselor. He seems to like her which is good. He did readily open up to her so hopefully he will be able to work though his issues/concerns quickly (my hopes!). He is still a wreck sometimes. He broke two glasses in the past three days and he has completely broken down and sobbed "I break EVERYTHING!". *sigh*
On Friday, it was our first day at the beach and we had a really good time. The bigger boys jumped off the diving board on the dock the whole time. Cars just played on the beach and in his floaty. I swam with him in the floaties out to the buoys and back. I am not a strong swimmer and I have absolutely no idea how deep that water is. I tried not to think about it too much. Next time we go I will bring his life vest so he can jump off the diving board too.
Ash is back from Florida so hopefully Spy, Ash and I will be able to get a Cosmo Friday in this summer. I cannot recall when we had one last. Before Ash moved, I think (before November). Or maybe it was last summer. The kids want to have their annual lemonade stand at the corner during a Cosmo Friday. We still have their money from the past two years and we'll have to ensure they go spend it on something fun.
Last week, Dex had his first appointment with his counselor. He seems to like her which is good. He did readily open up to her so hopefully he will be able to work though his issues/concerns quickly (my hopes!). He is still a wreck sometimes. He broke two glasses in the past three days and he has completely broken down and sobbed "I break EVERYTHING!". *sigh*
On Friday, it was our first day at the beach and we had a really good time. The bigger boys jumped off the diving board on the dock the whole time. Cars just played on the beach and in his floaty. I swam with him in the floaties out to the buoys and back. I am not a strong swimmer and I have absolutely no idea how deep that water is. I tried not to think about it too much. Next time we go I will bring his life vest so he can jump off the diving board too.
Ash is back from Florida so hopefully Spy, Ash and I will be able to get a Cosmo Friday in this summer. I cannot recall when we had one last. Before Ash moved, I think (before November). Or maybe it was last summer. The kids want to have their annual lemonade stand at the corner during a Cosmo Friday. We still have their money from the past two years and we'll have to ensure they go spend it on something fun.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Summer o'Fun 2010 Day 15
Yeah - we have sun and warmth! In fact, it was hot-hot-hot today - 92F at the local junior high school.
This morning I took the boys to the orthodontist. Jax is probably 18 months to 2 years away from braces as it Dex. Cars however will probably end up with a palate expander and partial braces next summer if all of his upper teeth have grown in. Poor little boy.
Later in the day we went to the local farmer's market. It was so hot that it was hard to even look around and sadly, a lot of the produce was all wilted (all of the lettuces). Anyway, I did buy some organic eggs and some orange-honey hazelnuts (a "safe" nut for us). Oh my those hazelnuts were good!
After dinner, the kids and I spent time outside. They filmed bits of a movie they are making and I watered the garden and cut branches off a couple of the trees that are close to the house. Earlier in the day, I had a crawlspace and attic specialist come out to seal up some holes because we heard some critters in the attic two mornings in a row. I would like to think they were squirrels but the guy said they were probably rats. Eek! He said that trimming the trees will help ensure that they are not jumping from the trees onto the roof. Anyway, we also put some rat bait traps out so hopefully no more scratchy-scratchy sounds in the attic.
Tomorrow will be another hot day. I am having my hair cut (and Dex will get one too) in the morning then we'll have to find something to do before Dex has his first appointment with his therapist. Wish us luck!
This morning I took the boys to the orthodontist. Jax is probably 18 months to 2 years away from braces as it Dex. Cars however will probably end up with a palate expander and partial braces next summer if all of his upper teeth have grown in. Poor little boy.
Later in the day we went to the local farmer's market. It was so hot that it was hard to even look around and sadly, a lot of the produce was all wilted (all of the lettuces). Anyway, I did buy some organic eggs and some orange-honey hazelnuts (a "safe" nut for us). Oh my those hazelnuts were good!
After dinner, the kids and I spent time outside. They filmed bits of a movie they are making and I watered the garden and cut branches off a couple of the trees that are close to the house. Earlier in the day, I had a crawlspace and attic specialist come out to seal up some holes because we heard some critters in the attic two mornings in a row. I would like to think they were squirrels but the guy said they were probably rats. Eek! He said that trimming the trees will help ensure that they are not jumping from the trees onto the roof. Anyway, we also put some rat bait traps out so hopefully no more scratchy-scratchy sounds in the attic.
Tomorrow will be another hot day. I am having my hair cut (and Dex will get one too) in the morning then we'll have to find something to do before Dex has his first appointment with his therapist. Wish us luck!
Monday, July 05, 2010
Summer o'Fun Day 13
Well, the sun still hasn't decided to show its pretty face in the past several days but there is hope that this week it will be sunny AND warm. We'll see...
Today we just recovered from the 4th of July. At the last minute we invited a few people over for dinner before we walked, in the rain, up to the city center to watch the fireworks(did I mention that it was raining?). It was a good show but there were so few people there because of the rain. At least, few people in the area we were sitting in which is normally PACKED (grassy area in the "lower commons"). Anyway, by the time we walked home it was after 11 and our friends stayed until nearly 12:30am so it was a very late night for everyone in the family.
As I mentioned, warm weather is in the forecast for the week so we might head to the beach for some sun. However, the lake will be freezing because it has barely been above 65 so far this summer. Brrrr!
Today we just recovered from the 4th of July. At the last minute we invited a few people over for dinner before we walked, in the rain, up to the city center to watch the fireworks(did I mention that it was raining?). It was a good show but there were so few people there because of the rain. At least, few people in the area we were sitting in which is normally PACKED (grassy area in the "lower commons"). Anyway, by the time we walked home it was after 11 and our friends stayed until nearly 12:30am so it was a very late night for everyone in the family.
As I mentioned, warm weather is in the forecast for the week so we might head to the beach for some sun. However, the lake will be freezing because it has barely been above 65 so far this summer. Brrrr!
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