Summer- part 2

Long Lake... I don't have many pic but there's the kids at the Cherry Bowl and then the lower is the kids on the ride home; it was a busy week.  =)

This summer- part 1

This is one of our summer projects.  Colby told me she wanted a loft bed.  So, Kevin and I found some plans and made her a loft bed. 

It looks pretty cool now that we've put together a reading space underneath for her with a blanket covering the front like a fort and I've fixed the pictures around the top of the bed as well.... The whole project turned out really well and Colby seems to love it.

Dang bunnies!

For mother's day we redid our deck.  Well, kinda.  We had found that a creature was digging under it and then found some water in our basement that wasn't there on previous rains.  Apparently bunnies like to dig trenches so water can pool right along the end of unsealed basement foundations. 

So we lifted the deck, added some drainage pipe/stone.  We dug a trench on both sides of the walkway and then lastly pulled up the walkway to find... another walkway.  Our wooden walkway was built on top of a concrete walkway.  Thank goodness for brother-in-laws with sledge hammers.

We then moved the dog's lead so he could also enjoy the deck and that meant we had to move the grill so it wouldn't get knocked over.  Here's our new patio area using patio stones we found around the yard.  (If you come and visit, there will be no talk about how level it might not be.)

And, here's about the final pic.  There's still a few boards missing in this pic, but we replaced those today.  Now, we just have to borrow a pressure washer and stain it. 

I'm thinking that I'm just going to put down some mulch around the outside.  I also have to figure out if I'm going to put chicken wire around it to keep further critters out or let them be and just hope the drainage pipe works.

Take that evil bunnies!!

Let the fun (and massive money hemmorage) begin!

The architech has called and will start on our house May 13th!!!!!!!!!  While he makes plans for our house, I think I'm going to work on plans for a "treehouse".  I use quotes because as the kids tell me, it's not really going to be in a tree... it's more of a freestanding, really big (hopefully) fort.

Tournament of kid geeks: RESULTS!!

Today is our first Science Olympiad.  Results and hopefully pics to follow.  Mason is doing Water Rockets!

Results:  HE WON FIRST PLACE!!!  Though the cute pics of him with his medal are on Glynda's camera.

Here's the winning rocket launch.  We were thinking that time continues until the rocket hits the ground but I guess the rules state more until the rocket stops moving toward the ground.  Either way, they had the best height and this launch gave them longest time as well.  Their first launch got great height but the parachute didn't deploy.  And then the second one got stuck in the tree.  Imagine what their time would have been had the wind gone the other way and down the hill...

The kids set up the rocket on the launcher and tell the guys what pressure setting they'd like.  Then the official people set the pressure and hit the launch button.  (Taking the job the kids like most!!!  But, it's all about safety nowadays.)  As of now, I'm not sure anyone has rescued the winning rocket.  (Oh and I also took video with our camera, but this one from Kevin's phone turned out better.)

Here's him at the awards ceremony:

 (Apparently I was a little excited... this was right after they announced them as first place, or right after they announced the second place and we all realized they had won first.)

And, Mason going back to his seat with his first place medal!!

Just like the orginal. Really... you'll never tell the difference

Fourth grade concert... just one of many

Playing the bananas