Couldn't Resist

Since we'll have to be much more frugal with only one of us working, we figured we would be spending a lot more quality, cheap time at our new house.  So, when we picked our new house, one of the real reasons we picked it is because of the outdoor living space.  No, actually more clearly in my head I remember us walking through it and Donnie saying, "We have to have this house," with wide-eyes when our realtor couldn't hear us.

Here is it with the previous owner's furniture in March and lots of dead plants around which we have been pruning,

For the most part our new outside living space will be pretty neutral, tans, black iron pool furniture with tan cushions, and a little sunbrella green.  Somewhat of tiki tones minus the tacky tiki things. 

Except one.  We couldn't resist, and it's soooo tacky.  Gotta love ebay.

Whirlwind Weekend

We had a whirlwind weekend, and yet another bad camera weekend.


Friday we head to Carmel for Nicole and Jeff's wedding day.  Congrats Nicole & Jeff!  So much fun, I was so sad that day when our camera died right in the church because everything was gorgeous!  I thought it was charging every time I would download it to the computer.  When it actually hadn't been for months, so I'm really surprised it did last as long as it did.  Il Fornaio, A.W. Shucks, Jack London's, Piatti, and  shopping.  Including finally being able to buy lots of stuff at Lush for our tub at the new house after lusting at the store for years in Santa Monica.  And best of all, great friends!  We stayed at the adorable Cobblestone Inn (with a beautiful river rock fireplace in our room amongst red rose wallpaper, lol), and it was a great mini vacation.


Sunday we headed to Auburn for the Auburn River Festival to see a friend and coworker demonstrating swift water rescue.  Donnie and I are joking that it should be called the "Auburn River Gathering" instead of a festival, but they are trying to get there and it was still fun to support and another mini road trip.  I'm just as bummed that we/I forgot the camera, but it was one of those times you're just a little too far when you remember than you really want to turn around for.  Sunday morning before we left, we were all laying in bed.  Jackson was trying to turn on a bedside lamp with a turning on/off switch.  After trying forever, he finally was able to turn it on, threw up his arms and said, "I did it!"  I was laughing as Donnie said, "Oh no, you didn't just say that!?"  Possibly a fluke, but I'd say the kid is fine.

Giants Box BDay

Happy Birthday Troy!  Thanks so much, we had the best time!  It's going to be hard to go back to a game regular-people style anymore, but I guess we'll have to try :)

Housework

Jackson's room after Donnie and Aaron ripped out the damage.

The machine that got out all of the moisture.

And finished and waiting for paint! We worked it out with the contractors that if they just painted the ceilings white (they used to be tan), that would be fine with us. Now I can paint the walls whatever we feel and not have to do ceilings, which I loath.  Although now I'm debating just painting it back the same tan, but I am so glad for a white ceiling out of it.

All this from one tiny slip of a few roof tiles! (These shown and a few more.)

At least Donnie had a little more time for his fence project.  Just waiting for the gate to be made.

Survivor Thursday

Yet another Survivor Thursday and my watching buddy is in Chico.  That's okay, we've (okay I've) cut out Panda Express Thursdays anyways in anticipation of pool season! 

I have a feeling it's going to be one of those bad blogging months.  Not a bad month, just bad at keeping up.  Super chaotic right now.  Jackson's room is getting fixed, plans every weekend, moving/packing, last 4 weeks of school.  Only 19 days minus the 3 I have to take off for weddings and plans = only 16 days of work!!   Once we're in the new house I hope to have some good before/after pictures.  And more pictures in general since our computer will have Internet!

Some Snaps

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Here are a few snaps from a few weekends ago.


Jackson's first sight of the new house,

Little deer in headlights.



Yup, I'd say the pool man was worth it.  Once I'm up there, I will be taking over the pool cleaning duties.



And of course some sort of fence around the pool was necessary.  Thankfully there is an nice iron dog run in the yard.   So, we can just move it and not have to buy a lot of the fence new, since we wanted the fence to be big.  Not one of those fences that are only 5 feet from around the pool where there's barely any room to lay out.  We're a big laying out family!  We know, it's bad, but ehh.





Nothing hotter than the sight of your husband working hard building a fence around the pool for his child because he's concerned for his safety.  Nope, not much.

Hello Mr. Captain

Say hello to Donnie's new title!!  So excited and proud of him!

It was definitely a stressful week.  After his exhausting, nerve wracking, and draining interview last week, he went up to Chico only to find that after a small rain & wind storm last week, a teeny, tiny shingle slid in the roof, leaving Jackson's new room leaked into and mold starting to form.  The sheet rock had to be torn out, a moisture specialist had to come out, a roofer is being called.  Thankfully insurance is covering it, although at first we were freaking out about how this could've happened.  Had it been happening for a while?  How did the inspectors not catch or the owner not disclose this?  Only to find out that it actually did happen just this last week.  Why couldn't it have happened during or before escrow, who knows.

I'll post pictures once Donnie gets back, he has the camera to document the work.  He's stuck up there dealing with the drywall, roofer, and insurance to get it finished because supposedly it's supposed to rain again next week!  Jackson's room looks a lot worse than it really is, and thankfully we caught it quick.

So, especially this week, to get this kind of call, is FABULOUS news!  Again, I'm so proud of my new Captain.

Thankful Thursday

1.  I got my job back.  Of course, after we've already moved.  Doesn't life always happen like that?  So, my principal, who knows our family's plan, was pushing me to put in my resignation quickly so that someone else could get their job back and have the weight off their shoulders.  I put it in on Friday afternoon and Monday morning, one of my good friends got her job back!!  Not sure if I am really thankful I got my job back, but I am certainly thankful that she did.

2.  Donnie got a bike trailer from a guy at work.  When we were in Chico last weekend, I was amazed at how many bikers there were.  I don't remember that many people biking when I went there!  We have a great bike trail right next to our house that leads to downtown.  On Saturday night we biked it and it's not even that far.  We haven't set up the bike trailer yet, so I'm crossing my fingers that Jackson will like it, but hopefully it will be fun!  I think it looks kind of like this one, but Donnie paid $50 for it new in the box from a guy at work!

3.  Only 28 more days of school.  I try to tell myself, if the people on Survivor are on day 28 of eating rice and coconuts, I can certainly do 28 days of 23 9-year-olds. 

Trade Off

We went up this weekend and worked, worked, worked on the new house.

The people came and got the rest of the Koi while Donnie drained the pond, and there ended up being 13 hiding in the muck instead of 10 we originally thought.  Of course, now in place of the pond is a stinky, muddy mess.  Hopefully it'll dry up and we can figure out what to do, add more river rock and have a dry bed or fill it in and plant.

The trade off is the pool now looks fabulous!  The pool guy asked me, "Did I really say I would do all this for only $100?"  Yup, that's why we hired you as quick as we could!  Poor guy had been there almost every day since we were last up, and has cleaned the filter more than 4 times.  Maybe he'll think twice about offering that deal to new clients again!

Our frog friends have found another home now that the pond is drained.

Can you see him sunbathing?

Gross!

Words

I've been trying to make a list of Jackson's little words in hopes of remembering his cute little words he said first and his adorable little boy voice.  I don't want to forget that adorable little voice.
bye
Mama
Dada
dog
cat
car
truck
bone
bird
tree
done
hot
train
choo choo
cow
moo
squirrel
please
hello
uh oh
no
up
go
down
come
house
hat
drum
bubble
shoe
cracker

Oh, and I forgot the best one!  He just learned "ta da!" So when he does something he thinks is fabulous, he holds up both arms and yells, "Ka Kaaaah!"  So funny.