The Shed (aka Le Chateau)

It's the eve of the mini vacation we're taking to Mackinac Island and I have a ton of things to do, since we leave for Colorado not even 48 hours after we return from Mackinac, but I have to post about our shed. This project has been on my mind for many months now as I have tried to coordinate the tree cutters/stump grinders, the building permit office for the township, concrete contractors, and Grandpa Jim for the preparations for the shed. I don't want to bore everyone with my complaints about all the details, since I have a lot of them, but lets just say that I'm happy to have this project behind me and off my shoulders!! We ended up ordering the shed from Costco and Jim volunteered to help put it up (or put it up with our assistance).

Before he came, the kids, Jason and I cleared the ground of grass and weeds and dug out some dirt.

 Jim had to put some dirt back when he came, since we got carried away. Then he and Jason framed it.

 We ended up doing the concrete ourselves instead of contracting it out, which was our original plan. Jason got to carry the wheelbarrow, while Jim and I smoothed it out.

 We put our hand prints in to personalize it.

 Then, while Jason went to work the next week, Jim built it and I got to be his assistant for a lot of it.

 I learned I'm not very efficient at hammering nails, but I improved.

 It reminded me a little of making gingerbread houses and trying to keep all the walls square and sturdy while you put it all together. I just wish we could have used some good frosting!

 The kids enjoyed watching to process, when they weren't playing with Grandma Pat.

 They even wanted to "help".

 The best part was helping with the roof shingles. I can definitely say I learned a lot about building from this experience.

 Of course, I wasn't out there half the time Jim was, just a few hours here and there, but that was enough for me! We're grateful for his help in this. You need to know what you're doing when you purchase a "do-it-yourself" shed. He calls the shed "Le Chateau", so I guess we'll keep that nickname!

Meanwhile, Grandma kept the kids busy during the times I was unavailable.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Chatterley!

Party Time!

Austin's birthday party was on Saturday. Even though it was a very busy day for us (trying to use up the rest of the 5 yards of mulch we purchased and start preparing for the shed Grandpa Jim will help us build soon), we managed to squeeze it in. I had decided that I wanted simple for a bunch of 4-5 year-old boys. We went to a local park where there is a splash pad and nice playground. There is also a soccer field. We forgot to bring a ball, but the boys found someone playing there toward the end of the party and joined in on the fun. All Jason and I did was supervise for two hours, it was great! The weather was 70 degrees and a little breezy, do it did get a little chilly, but the sun was shining and they warmed up quickly on the playground and soccer field.

Logan, Owen, Austin, Rory, and Dallin (and Erik)

Drew arrived later. (Austin had some "raising the foot"pose going on in these pictures) 

Playground

Pretzels, grapes, cupcakes, and juice boxes. Those boys ate in a few minutes and were off and playing again.

Playing Star Wars

Impromptu soccer

 I decided we should have his party there every year. I have to take advantage of my one summer baby!


Father's Day was great too, but we were tired from a full day on Saturday. Jason is a fantastic father!! My dad is too!

Happy Father's Day!

Talents

My girls just performed at their piano recital last week. They had some hard songs, but did very well and I'm so proud of them! If you're on facebook, you've probably already seen them. I posted them there so Victoria's old teacher could watch and see her progress.  (Just copy and paste these in the url box and you will see them. For some reason, I can't get the direct link onto my blog lately, ugh!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S74XniRLTY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXUNHrpRbMg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RroKJGwRaQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeV2dIi--RM

Something else you may have seen on facebook, Austin learned to ride his bike without training wheels! I was hoping either he or Karissa would so that I wouldn't have to replace the old training wheels Austin used last year. Since he just turned 5, I am surprised that he learned so quickly. We only tried one other time about a month ago. He has been riding a two-wheeled scooter since Christmas (in the church gym every week during the snowy months), so his developed good balance. On Monday I told him we should try again before I went out and bought the new training wheels. Off he went like a pro! He goes all over the place now, it's crazy!

Karissa, however, was a little discouraged when she learned he could ride a two-wheeler. I reminded her how Victoria and I were 7 1/2 when we could do it, so she shouldn't fret. She still didn't even want to try, though, because she doesn't want to fall. I encouraged her to use her two-wheeled scooter more often to work on her balance. She went right to work on it. I also reminded her of her many talents, such as this picture she made for Austin on Monday.

This is the outside.

This is the inside.

She just comes up with these creative art projects and makes them in no time! 

Obviously, my talent is not at the computer, since I could not get these pictures to turn the right way!!

Austin's 5th

Austin turned 5 yesterday. He's getting to be such a big boy! Suddenly he's into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, super heroes (Spider man is his favorite), and playing with anything that is like a tool or a weapon. Most days for his quiet time show, he chooses to watch Wild Kratts (a show about animals). Besides being into typical boy stuff, he likes to watch My Little Pony and loves to sing the songs from Frozen, like the rest of the kids in the world. Gangnum Style (the original and sung by The Annoying Orange) and What Does the Fox Say are some of his favorite songs to dance to.

He has created his own make-believe world called Force. He's got characters he's named to go with it (Blue Guy, Gogu, and Force Power himself). Even the girls get excited by it and make up stories and pictures to go with it. Whenever we play "name that movie" Austin will come up with some random sentence that will stump me and one of the girls will always say it's from Force and look at me like I'm crazy because I didn't know that!

If he could live on shell noodles, Nutella sandwiches, and strawberries, he would (actually, he does!)

This year he took a gymnastics class most of the year and got really good at cartwheels, back bends, and handstands. He also played soccer for 6 weeks and really enjoyed that. He loves to play board games, ride his scooter, and play on Starfall.com.

He can't wait to start kindergarten in the fall and do Xtra math on the computer like his sisters do. He loves the Piggie and Gerald books and the Scooby Doo books. He went to Churchill High preschool this year and enjoyed it. All the teachers were female high school students. He enjoyed telling them random things that came to his mind. They awarded him with "most laid back" at his graduation ceremony. Some of you may wonder how Austin received that award, since at home he's pretty uptight and stubborn about getting things his way, but he is pretty laid back outside of the home.

Best of all, Austin has a very sensitive and nurturing side. If he hurts me on accident he's always quick to apologize (can't say the same thing about that with Erik!), he likes to hold the door open for me and other ladies, he likes to cuddle still,  and he loves to give flowers to me and other moms.

What a sweetheart!

Graduation Day

His Award

Last day of soccer with his medal.

Cool boy on his birthday 

BFF Logan

Dinner at Denny's (free food for kids on weeknights!!)

Excited for gifts!

My big boy! (he didn't want to have a cake at first, but then decided that morning that he did. Luckily, I had all the fixings for a cake available. He didn't end up eating any though, just the ice cream!)