House projects, kids, graduation

Wow! It has been about a month since our last posting! The month of May was very busy for our family and June has started out the same. This posting is sadly out of order with the pictures and timeline.

Alyssa is now done with school and is officially a second grader! We were thankful for the wonderful first grade teacher she had and hope Alyssa likes her new teacher just as well. Alyssa celebrated the end of the year with the rest of the school on June 2, for field day. I was able to have lunch in the school cafeteria with Alyssa and then spend the afternoon watching the kids play at the 25 different stations. By far the biggest attraction was the face painting and tattoos, then throwing wet sponges at Mr. R's face (P.E. teacher who had his head sticking out of a large hole in a big board). Alyssa has a few days off before starting swimming lessons and then in a few weeks a reading program.

I am officially done with school!! Today was graduation and although I would of liked to have gone up to Spokane for the ceremony it didn't seem clear to go. I am very happy to be done and the girls are also glad mom won't head off to school anymore. Harry did a great job at being Mr. mom for a few weeks so I could really knock the assigments out to get done on time. MANY thanks to you Hubby!

Harry takes his naturalization test on June 17 and it looks like he is pretty well prepared. There are 100 questions of which he is asked 10. He has to get 6 correct to pass and also pass a written and verbal test to determine if he is fluent in english (he should ace that :) ).

We head up to Tacoma area for cousin P's high school graduation next week. Way to go!! We can't believe you are old enough to head off to college already! Isn't amazing how quickly kids grow up?

We have posted many pictures, most from the last week or so. My dad and Harry installed a railing in front of the porch. It is now done other than the final coat of paint. We primed it this evening but I didn't get a picture of it yet. Hopefully next week we can get it done and the rest of the petunias planted. We really like how it makes the porch more private as well as making our house a little different from the others that are a similar design.


Cooling off with some creme glacee on the deck. The middle girl is a neighbor.


Alyssa is trying to surf in her pool--good balance!

Face painting on Field day. Poor Alyssa has been really suffering from allergies and her eyes always appear a bit red. We hope to see her Dr. soon and find out what we can give her to relieve the symptoms.

We have some neighbors about three blocks away who live in an original farmhouse (our house is on part of the old farm) and they have two acres that are an amazing park-like paradise. Twice a year they open their property up to the public. We finally checked it out today and I was SO impressed! The folks who live there are very kind (grandparent-like...lovable, hugable....), probably early seventies, who invited the girls to come play in their garden anytime. Of course, I was drooling at the idea of all the photo opportunities...little girls playing tea....family photo shoots....girls dressed up like princesses.....I could think of endless ideas! There were colors of all kinds, deep greens in the shaded woodland area and gazebo, chipped wood paths weaving in and out of shrubs, flowers and trees, grassy areas surrounded by English gardens, an old garage fixed up and covered in vines.....it was beautiful!

Nice expression Lauren

Having some lunch and taking a break from the porch project.

Lauren just polished off a chocolate ice cream sandwhich, with much of it still on her face.

Another project, a screen/storm door. We have really enjoyed it!

Before starting the railing, the porch was fairly open. Now it feels a lot more cozy and private. I will post pictures when it is completed and the rest of the flowers are planted.