I have been off of work the past week and have been able to get a lot of things done around the house. Most everyone knows that we have more than enough projects to keep us busy all summer. Show up and you are likely to get assigned a small project.
Gretchen, Colin and their two daughters were visiting this weekend before going on their cruise. After they left this morning I decided to tackle one project that has been bugging me ever since we arrived. There is a nice play gym that came with the house however it doesn't appear that anything has been done to maintain it for many years. The paint is faded and mold moss and mildew was growing everywhere. The same goes for the picnic table right next to it. About 5 hours later I had both pressure washed, the table sanded and painted however I ran out of paint for the play gym and I didn't want to go back to Ace hardware for the 3rd time today. Mandy was encouraging though and she and Jake convinced me to try and finish it tonight. They both were a big help and we got done just before dark. I still have to bolt some of the handles back on and find some rope for the climbing wall but so far I think we all made a huge improvement and just may squeeze a few more years out of it.
This is a picture from the springtime. I wish I had taken one before I started today.
The final appearance after powerwashing and painting
Looks much better after washing, sanding and staining.
Gretchen, Colin, Hope, Phoebe and Jake at the Beach
Well it has been about 6 weeks since our last post here and as I type this I am wondering if anyone is still reading it. We made the long drive from Atlanta to Gig Harbor and along the way got to hang out with Mandy's parents in the RV which was a huge help. We celebrated the 4th of July and Sam's 1st birthday with more family in Newton Iowa before stopping to visit Mandy's Grandmother in Sioux City. After that we made our way through Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone which was a first time for me and the boys. I wish we had a few extra days to explore but we had a good time and got some great pictures along the way. We have been here in Gig harbor for a about 3 weeks now and are still getting settled but things are slowly getting put back in order. Being a homeowner is a shock again with all the additional projects that I are on my to do list.
Sam turned 11 months on the 4th of June so I figured I would post the monthly photo even if a little late. He has started to stand up without assistance from other objects and has become the speedy crawler.
I can sense that the first steps are only a matter of weeks away. The question is whether Mandy will be back in time?
Atlanta has been pretty darn hot the last few weeks with no let up in sight. Jake and I were invited to go down to the Chattahoochee river with one of our neighbors. The water was nice and cold but didnt seem to stop them from having a blast.
Jake is a member of a notorious gang of troublemakers in the neighborhood. They are usually seen riding scooters between houses and terrorizing the local plants and earthworms. Below is the first known video of the gang in action.
It is already getting hot in Atlanta and the pool a Piedmont park doesn't open until Memorial day but fortunately there is a really nice new fountain that has not been discovered by many people. Both the boys had a blast getting soaked and cooling off. There is a nice grassy area right next to it as well and we have been having a picnic the past 2 weekends.
Jake and Sam overlooking the setup for the Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park.
Picture in the sunshine of the house with a pretty flowering cherry tree.
Grandma Weezie and Sam. Jake claimed that Grandma was visiting from Louisiana "weezie-ana"
Sam is now able to pull himself up and nearly cruise with some assistance. Jake is so funny and articulate now. He still likes to run around and play. He has a group of boys on our street that he runs around with. We call them the "scooter gang" for obvious reasons. Jake is the youngest, but the older boys (oldest is 10) are so good with him, very kind and patient. I keep asking their dad how he helped them become so kind. He just shrugs and admits that he has always been that way. We're getting more and more excited to move as daily pictures come from our contractor with updates and progression on the house. We will miss aspects of our time in Atlanta...our neighbors, our church, friends from Scott's work.
