Where Did May Go?!

I can't believe we're on the last day of May already. Our kids only have 2 more weeks of school and then it's summer break! We're already using the pool a lot, well mostly the girls but I can't help but be so happy that it's finally our turn to have pool to enjoy in our own back yard after having neighbors with pools (smaller above ground pools) that they could only swim in occasionally. There's going to be lots of swimming this summer....and lots of sunscreen!

Well, here's a few highlights from the last few weeks. Alice and Charlotte have been enjoying t-ball and softball. I'm still helping with coaching Alice's team when I can. I'm so glad that Charlotte's practices moved to Tuesdays so that Mondays I could just worry about Alice. This week is a little different because of the holiday. Tonight is a game for Alice and nothing for Charlotte. Tomorrow Charlotte will have a game. I had to miss Charlotte's last game because I was with Alice at her game but I heard from another parent that she played really well. Their whole team did. 

Alice played really well on 1st base during one of her games. If they would have counted it, she would have gotten two people out. They don't worry about score and outs in t-ball. They are just learning how to play.

One game Charlotte had to sit out because she hurt her hand pretty bad on the monkey bars and tore off about a quarter size of skin on her palm. One of the coaches had her come stand by him and help give team mates high fives and pick up bats. She loved that! She's the one wearing the blue helmet.

She would come over and see me when she came in from coaching. Such a cutie!

I didn't get any pictures taken on Mother's Day as half the day was a bit of a downer for me. I just wanted to do something as a whole family but Garrett wouldn't join us on anything. At least he helped Curtis and the other kids make breakfast. We're so worried about Garrett. He seems to be doing less and less of the things he used to like to do and becoming more reclusive. He's also been depressed and feeling lonely and wants to quit band. I do feel we were so blessed to be able to get him an earlier appointment with therapy through the church family services and his first appointment is this afternoon. I sure hope it helps and that we can figure out what he needs.

I may not have gotten pictures on Mother's Day but I did get some pictures of the cards and drawings my girls made and the card that Charlotte picked out at the store that everyone signed.

Charlotte made this at school for me.

This is what Alice made for me at school.

The back. She loves rainbows and unicorns.

Garrett and I did make a quick overnight trip to Nampa on the 18th and 19th because he had an orthodontist appointment. We tried to see what it would take to just transfer him here but we would basically be starting over with him and it wouldn't be worth it. We'll just continue to travel for him. I also had to get my oil changed on the van at the dealership in Boise while we were there, so we went shopping with Dad and Laverne at the mall while waiting. I found some pants on sale and Garrett found some Zelda and Dungeons and Dragons stuff. He was pretty happy.

We did go ahead and get Jack started on braces again over here. He had braces before but that didn't mean he was finished when they removed them. They had to wait for his baby teeth to come out. They did come out last summer but because we were pretty sure we were moving to Washington I told them we'll wait to get braces on again until after we move. Garrett is happy that he's not the only one with braces again. Jack is projected to have them on for 12-18 months but could be earlier. We'll see how it goes.

He got purple, his favorite color.

Curtis purchased a new pool cover for daily use. It's solar so it helps trap the heat in and helps with evaporation and chemicals, etc. as well as keeping the pool cleaner from tree debris. We still need to cut it to the shape of the pool but for now we just fold over the corners.

The girls got to try out our new solar powered floating pool lights. They thought they were so cool and named each one. I can't remember what they named them though, ha ha.

We finally got to the point where we could move our stuff out of our bedroom and into Garrett's room, so we can go to town on remodeling the master.

All moved out and cutting up the carpet.

Curtis put some strips of carpet around the bed in the new room so that we wouldn't have to walk on the bare floor.

Goodbye closet!

The Sunday before last most of us took a drive (Garrett stayed home) after church to just explore the area some more. We drove over one of the bridges and couple of times and decided to go over where the boats were all parked. Little did we know that Kennewick has their own little light house. I looked it up online and it was built in 2010, the first one to be built in the US since the 1960's. Unfortunately, it was locked and we couldn't go inside but it is a nice looking lighthouse. We also drove by a dam. It's a 100 year dam that's only there for emergencies. Basically it means that it's only likely to flood in that area every 100 years. Although we did see that they made two marks on the wall from where the water level was in the last 10-20 years.

There's a lookout platform near the lighthouse. It's such a pretty view!

There's the bridge we crossed over.

Here's the dam. All dry on both sides right now.

This last Thursday, they turned on all of the splash pads in Kennewick. There was one at the park right next to the library so after Jack, Charlotte, Alice and I went to check out books, I dropped Jack off and the girls got their suits on and we headed back for them to have some fun. We saw a lady there with her two young girls and a golden retriever dog. Charlotte was in heaven because the lady first let her pet the dog and then she let her walk to the dog around on a leash. She was so happy!

It was at the end of the day so the splash pad was covered by shade but they still had fun.

Well, I'm going to end this post and continue in another. And it's time for me to get ready for Garrett's appointment.