hiking in the preserve, bathroom remodeling, and the home and garden show 2016

One Saturday, 20Feb, Little man and I went out to the Fernald Preserve to quilt.  He was not too excited to go quilting, but I wanted to see friends and I did not want to have to find someone to watch him.  I had him pack a bag with his DS, his Ipad, and his IPOD and some toys.  He had plenty to do, he choose to be bored.  After about 2.5 hours of quilting (no pictures), I took him out for a walk.  The day was gorgeous. 

We had never been out to this location for hiking and due to the wet ground (from the snow), we were advised to stay on the gravel walking trail.  The trail was about .7 miles in length.  In the first section was a bone yard.  this is where the conservationist at the preserve put any dead animals they find.  the scavenger animals come and strip the bones.  It is pretty cool looking.  We don't know what the small cage is for, but it was kind of creepy being in with all the bones.

As we walked, we saw some cat tails. the ground is very marshy here.

this is the visitor center, where the quilting group is at.  This whole area used to be a uranium processing plant until 1988.  When I was growing up, we were told if the US were ever bombed, this was one of the primary targets to be destroyed.  it was less then 2 miles from the house I lived in.  Basically, we would have been killed in the blast of any bomb dropped on this plant.  In 1994, they started the clean up of this area and it was completed in 2006.  They restored the land back to what it was prior to the plant being built.  from the info inside the center, they took out enough ground/dirty to equal the weight of 18 air craft carrier ships in the US navy!

Little man near the lake.  We saw some hawks who were very mad we were so close to their nest.

 

 

In remodeling news, my shower has to be replaced.  I took a shower and then went downstairs to do some laundry and found the laundry room flooded from the shower.  Apparently there is a crack in the stone floor.  After talking to the plumbers, it was clear the shower has to be replaced.  There is a temporary fix I could use, but it will only last for a month, which means the shower could flood the laundry room again.  So Monday, 07Mar, the shower replacement starts.  Once the shower is replaced, I am going to paint the bathroom again. I like the yellow/orange color now, but it is starting to be too dark for me.  I think I might try a light blue or a light green this time.

 

As you can see, the color makes all pictures look orange/yellow too.

 

On Monday, 22Feb, the local Police department came to speak to the PTO about internet safety for our kids.  The kids were invited too.  Here is a picture of little man with the school Principal, and the detective.  I hope the detective's words "electronics are a privilege not a right" stick with little man.

 

Saturday, 27Feb, we headed to the Home and Garden show with Auntie Lulu, Mam, Julie and N.  This is the unofficial start to Spring for me.  The weather was lovely, about 50 degrees F.  Which might not be hot, but was certainly better than the below 32 degrees F we had earlier in the week.

Little Man trying out the car.  I realized when I looked at him in the car, I only have about 5 years until he is able to start driving!!!  I am definitely not ready for that to happen.

N and Little man found the glass window they want for their rooms. 

The boys found the tractors, as usual, but they were not so excited to play on them.  It was a lot of cajoling to get them to smile and be happy.  Julie was thinking we had a picture showing the boys smaller than the tractor wheels.  I went through my pictures and checked Julie's blog and the closest I could come was a picture of N from the 2012 Home and Garden show, where N was smaller than the tractor wheel.  I am not sure Little Man has ever been smaller than the tractor wheel (I know he has, but it seems like he has been so tall for so long that he was never small).

 

N back in 2012

 

 

 

 N and Little Man back in 2012

 

the tulips were just about ready to blow.  The ones in my yard aren't even coming up yet.

Nice little path.  I like the weeping Cherry tree

Daffodils!

Little man sitting in the chair made from the end of car. Pap would like this, if he was still talking to us.  2 years of silence from him. 

The boys in 2016.  They look like young men now, not little boys.  I don't like this growing up part of having kids.  I wish little man could stay little for a while longer.

 

 

that's the fun for the last 2 weeks. 

 

March is going to be busy.  We have the cub scout ceremony where he will bridge to boy scouts (another opportunity for me to cry).  Then the following week is little man's piano recital, the US versus Guatemala Soccer games, braces coming off (little man is praying for this),  and Easter!  Busy, Busy, Busy.

 

Have a wonderful week.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

A couple of snow days and racing cars

On 10Feb2016, we had snow and rocket had the day off school.  it was not a lot of snow, but it was enough that he got to sled.  We went over to the middle school and sledded on the small hill.

I convinced him to try "snowboarding" on his sled.  He did great and he loved it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Monday, 15Feb2016, it was a US holiday.  Rocket got the day off school and I took a vacation day.  We were supposed to go tubing with friends, but plans changed.  Instead, we had a lazy morning at home and then after lunch we shoveled the driveway (there was a snowstorm on Sunday evening/night), and headed over to sled on the school hill again. This time Rocket started off snowboarding.

Pablo even got to go out to the sledding hill.  I walked him around the fields while Rocket sledded.

But, we both decided that Pablo needed to go sledding too.  This is the second run down the hill.  I took him down the first time.  We are not sure if Pablo liked sledding, but he did not complain.

We finally went home when Rocket and Pablo got too cold.  They were happy to get home to warmth and warm food.

 

Tonight was the Pinewood derby at scouts.  This is the last derby for Rocker as he will be bridging up to boy scouts in March.  There were some cute snacks.

The cars built by the Sr. Weblos (Rocket's group).  Rocket's car is the 3rd one from left between the gold and the blue car.  His car is a glittery minecraft car.

There were some games before the race while cars were weighed and checked in.

There was pack award ceremony for all the awards the boys have earned since November.

Ready for the race to begin- Let's go racing boys!

Rocket has never won one of the 5  awards for each group of racers.  He has come close over the last 4 years.  He as been a good sport about not winning, supporting his den mates, trying hard the next year and always being positive.  this year, he won 2nd place. One hundredth of second out of first place! I am so proud of him for always trying his best and working hard.  These are his best friends, they have been classmates since kindergarten and scout mates for 5 years.  this is their last year in scouts together.  Come March, some of the boys might leave scouts, some will go to other troops, but at least they will still be classmates.

from the back row, in tan shirt, E (1st place), Rocket (2nd place), in blue shirt T (3rd place- he had never won an award too). In the front row, in blue shirt A (originality award- he had the Chewbacca car), and P (craftsmanship award).  L did not win an award this year, but he has won in the past.

cars- left to right- T's car, P's car, Rocket's car, L's car, E's car is missing, and A's car.  What talented boys they are.

My boy with his car and trophy.

These are the belt loops that Rocket has earned over the last 5 years.  Lots of hard work, lots of fun and lots of effort.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb