CampOut

Looked forward to this all week.  A weekend on the river.  The little man got to go early with Uncle Pat while I worked and the little woman went to daycare.  Then we all met up.  We bbqed burgers and watched ships go down river.  The birds were flying majestically.  There are ospreys and bald eagles here regularly.
It started very quiet.  Just a few tents set up.  Just felt weird at first.

Longer Day

It wasn't the longest day this month, but it was a longer day.  We are trying to get the rental returns done.  Made great headway today having extra hours to accomplish it.  I have three pallets sitting on the floor waiting to go.  I only have two small orders left to process.  :)
We talked about July and I have several full days.  Rush.  Inventory.  Liz is taking some vacation days.  So while I expected to be light on hours this month.....it's not happening that way.  Good.
After work I hit the grocery store before I picked up the kids.  Good plan there.  And they haven't gotten into the groceries yet either.  Told them it was all for camping.

Pie Night

We had planned on going out for dinner last night.  But once we were home the littles got distracted playing with a neighbor girl.  And Shari's went right out the window.
So today after I picked them up, we didn't go home first.  We headed straight to Shari's.  And Wednesday is free pie night.  So they had dinner and I had pie.  They didn't want pie so we got to bring one home.  Yum.  Lemon Sour Cream.

Clean Up at Home

Today I cleaned out the car.  I just did it at the beginning of the month and then we went to the beach.  So I'm cleaning and thinking how we are going to sand again in a few days.  Why do I always clean it before.  Anyway the job is done and again I am reminded how much of a good interior detail I need.  Too bad Johnny of Johnny's Detailing moved to Bend.  He came to you.
Then the yard was in terrible shape.  The grass grows no matter what.  So I wanted to get it mowed before the weekend.  And now that job is done.  I also played mowing fairy for a neighbor whose yard looked like mine.  Figured they didn't have time lately either and I was already hot.  They have to do their own backyard.  Both front yards look much better.

Camp Update

Too bad I didn't take a before picture when we set the tents up.  Pat and his friend went back out today and did some clean up around our campsite.  The biggest thing was the weed eating.  Between the tent and the road was a humongous patch of weeds that liked all that flooding.  Ehhhh.  Those weeds just like it there.  I think every year they have to be whacked down.  Once the weeds were down I noticed that one of "our" trees fell down.  I knew about the big tree down in the main camp, but just didn't see this one.  I sure appreciate all the work Pat and Dede did.

Tent is Up

We met Uncle Pat out at the island to set up our tents. We took our little tent since we didn't need the big one.  Pat took the big one because his little one developed a problem.  Too funny.  Some other friends brought out a load of wood for the fire pit.  They weren't sure they could get their truck to the camping area.  The road is still not fixed.  Not sure if it is going to get fixed by camping time.  I guess the plus side of that is that it may lessen the number of people camping next weekend.  If everything has to be packed in, it is quite a job.
The little man got put to work moving some cut brush.  He did an excellent job and then he played on the beach a bit.  The little woman didn't want sunscreen on so she hibernated in the car.  She was watching for us when we walked back to it.

Summer Fun

My friend Doug is on his way to the Midwest.  His annual trip back there.  He texted me to let me know he had made it to the first stop safe and sound.  Makes me a little jealous.
I had such a good time last year. Wish we were going again this year.  But we are staying in the PNW and doing the things we do here.  Maybe when he gets back I can finagle a bike ride for this year.
The summer got here fast and it is going to rock full swing.  We already did one camp at the beach and we will end the season with another one at another beach.  July is going to be crazy.  We start with camping (that we are going to go set up tomorrow), Fourth of July, Mommy visit, and family reunion.  I have rush and inventory at work in July.  I'm really not looking forward to inventory.  It is going to be bad this year.  By now we have usually gotten so much pre-counting done that it makes it much easier.  I know some has been done, but our dept. hasn't helped with any so we know......
Anyway it is going to make July fly by.

First Grade is Over

And so it is.  I now have a second grader and a kindergartner.  The little woman enjoyed her last day.  They had field day and I think she thought the best thing was getting sprayed with a hose by the fire chief.  She was so excited when she told me about it.
First grade was a tad bit of a struggle for her.  But she got extra help and that helped.  She grew in a lot of ways.  She learned more about classroom behavior and controlling her fidgeting.  Her classmates learned how to tune her out when she was humming.  It was a win win for all.
What I noticed from going on the field trip and then we talked about it, is the little woman made no friends in her class except maybe Maggie.  She and Maggie go back and forth with being friends.  She did have friends on the playground.  That was good.
I think my girl is more of an introvert which seems strange when she runs up to people at parks and playgrounds and trails.  She will talk to anyone.  But when it comes down to it...she prefers to be home and only really play with her brother.
I'm going to have to think more about that.  We talked about how maybe in second grade she will find a good friend in her class.  But for now we have the summer and lots of activities planned.

Blue Nails?

I was watching a movie.  All of a sudden the little man came in to show me his painted nails.  Oh and they are such a pretty blue.  He did a really good job.  I commented on that and he told me he took his time.
So he went to daycare like that.  I didn't have the time or the inclination to try and find polish remover.  And if it was gel paint my remover wasn't going to help anyway.  He came home and asked if boys wear nail polish.  I told him some do.  And he was fine with that.  He told me one of the boys at daycare laughed, but he wasn't overly bothered.
That as reminiscent of when the little woman put her pink hat on her baby brother's head and Papa took a picture.  He then posted it to facebook or used it as his profile picture or something.  The flip comment made was why would anyone ever put a pink hat on a boy.  Color is only gender specific to the person deciding it is so.
There are some stereotypes I am sure I just pass on without trying.  There are others I try very hard not to.  I want them to be free thinkers and make their own opinions based on their own likes and experiences.  So if the little man wants blue fingernails....so be it.  It doesn't hurt anyone if he does.  Just like if he wants to wear a pink hat...or his sister wants him to wear a pink hat...so be it.

Field Trip

We find ADS pipe in the most unusual places.  Gives us a sense of Papa.  This pipe was found in an animal cage at the zoo where these little dog type things ran around.  I didn't catch what they were but they use the pipes somehow in their scurrying.
It was the first field trip the little woman has had that I actually got to go on.  I dropped the little man off at daycare and then met up with the class at school.  Chaperones had to drive themselves over to the zoo and pay their own way in.  I left early and they still beat me inside by the time I parked, paid for parking and paid my entrance fee.  The zoo was packed.  The parking lot was full and there were several buses that passed through.
We were in a group of two adults and three kids.  You would have thought we would have no problem keeping an eye on the three kids, but two of them were fast.  One of those being my little woman.  We never really lost them, but we didn't maintain eyes on them the whole time.
We saw lots of sleeping animals.  We saw some cute baby monkeys.  The little woman said she liked the tigers best....they were asleep.   We saw the baby elephant.  And before you knew it our time was up.
They let me take the little woman with me.  So we stopped at DQ on the way home and had a cone.  Then we hit the dollar store and then we picked up the little man.  We picked up a balloon for him at the dollar store.  He thought the little woman picked it and was so appreciative.  I didn't pop his bubble.  She has been kind of mean lately so a nice thing just gives us a moment peace.

Park Time

We spent some time at the park having a picnic and playing.  Of course the tire swing got a lot of use.  But they did give it up for awhile and did other things.  I turned around to find the little man on top of the rock.  He has climbed it himself a time or two before but always with someone below him helping.  Well today he tackled it by himself completely and he figured out how to get down by himself.  I think just enough of his fear left that it allowed him to try.
I watched a group of young people create art on the sidewalk.  Made me want to try some of it on rocks.  I was surprised neither kid wanted to play in the fountain.
It was just a nice time at the park.

Gratitude

We are so grateful for the people in our lives.  The ones who share our ups and downs.  Our friend Brenda won this lularoe shirt and gave it to the little woman.  It is adorable and reminds me of fireworks.  The little woman loves it.  She thought it was going to be way too big, but it wasn't.  Brenda has been our friend for quite awhile now.
Brenda is almost a fill in aunt for them.  You know we create family where we can and while a lot of the people in our lives aren't relations following any relative line.....they feel like family.  That is why we are so grateful to have Brenda in our lives.
So thank you again Brenda for the shirt.  She just adores it and so do I.  And we are grateful to have you in our life.

LMFAO

Okay I had a conversation with Elizabeth.  I did not do damage.  I did not pry.  But I learned something hilarious.  She told me why her mom again cut us off.  And to me it sounded like looking for an excuse and I'm happy to let it lie.
Seems she was upset because I sided with my mom and didn't believe her.  Wait...what?  Yeah I was totally confused.  Seems my mom asked her to do something or not in Tanya's mind and I believed my mom that Tanya told her no.  Now Tanya and I have never had a conversation about this.....so.....
As soon as Elizabeth said this I busted up laughing.
Last summer Mike was coming over to see the kids.  He had told the kids the weekend before how he was coming to see them.  He talked to them on the phone and reiterated it.  When Tanya brought him over she informed me that they didn't have time to stay because they were going to the river.  Now I was upset and left the room.  Better than saying anything.
Mike asked me about it and I told him the things that led up to being rather annoyed which started with....hold on to your hats.....Family dinner when Mom, Tanya, girls, Pat and I were sitting at the table and Mom asked Tanya to take her bra shopping and Tanya told her no that Pat and I could figure it out.  I didn't tell him the story as it was just that she was asked to do something for Grammy and she said no.  Obviously she doesn't remember the incident at all.
But no, I didn't take any one's side.  I was sitting there and witnessed her declining to help.
If this is the excuse to end the family.....so be it.  It's not the first thing, it's not the last thing.  But it is a thing and an excuse.  We didn't ask for anything before that or since that.

I did not completely clear the air with Elizabeth.  She wants to do dinner with her sister and the littles and I.  I told her to plan it.  I don't expect anything to come of it.  As always the ball is in her court.  And now we go back to regularly scheduled programming.  ;p

Father's Day

We sucked big time this holiday.  We have more mothers to celebrate than we do fathers.  So we totally spaced off sending a card to Bill.  And we really suck in that we didn't send anything to Mike.  He is incarcerated and I just didn't think about it.  The little woman did inform me that she made a card at school.  It is in her backpack.
We went to the park and saw all these dad's playing with their kids.  And of course my heart broke.  But it is what it is.  The kids played until they were tired.
Then we headed up to the cemetery and visited my dad.  We talked about him and about Papa.  And that is about as big of a celebration as we are going to do.

I had an epiphany the other day.  I belong to a relatives raising children group and someone commented on a change in their child about first grade.  Well yes, yes we have had a change in first grade.  I never would have put it together if someone hadn't said "oh yeah. That is when they get a big dose of reality that most kids live with Mom and/or Dad."  All the kids talk about their parents.  They make gifts for Mom and Dad for the Mom's and Dad's day and any other holiday they make things for.  Wow. I have no other great insight other than it explains the change a bit.
And so we continue to take life one day at a time.  We breathe.  We love.  We paint.  And it is all therapeutic.  We will survive it and hopefully be stronger on the other side of it.
So today we miss our dads.  The littles were lucky enough to have Papa for awhile.  I know their memories are fading, but he helped create a foundation.  He gave them love.  And they loved him.

Still Painting

A few finished rocks.  We have several in progress.  I love the little man's dotted butterfly.  I don't know why he decided to do it this way, but it is really cool.
We are still hiding and once in a rare while finding.  The little woman and the little man have both commented on how funny it would be to find our own rocks sometime.  And it could happen.  People rehide all the time.  So do we.
We have been meeting all kinds of people in our new community.  We have gotten lots of accolades from people who have found rocks.  They are the simplest thing (at least for us.....no big complicated painting for us) and they make people smile and feel good.  They make us smile and feel good no matter if we are painting, hiding or hunting.
The best part is the three of us do it together.

Duane?

Well Duane and I did everything we needed to do for him to buy the house.  I texted  him tonight to see at what stage he is for the closing.  I hadn't heard back from the lender and neither had he.  Oy.  Well we have to assume that everything is according to Hoyle.  Now he waits and hope it closes on Monday since that is the day closing moved to when the funds got a hold put on them.

Another One Bites the Dust

The island is having a clean up party this weekend.  Trying to get it ready for camping on the fourth.  I wanted to go help because it is the right thing to do.  However I don't see me doing much work if I have to take the kids with.  Then it is just watching kids.
So I contacted the babysitter to see if she was available this weekend.  She texted me back and informed me that she is taking the summer off from babysitting.  She is going to be too busy.  Okay then.
I don't know how many people she might babysit for now.  I know we were her first ever.  I utilize a babysitter about once a month max for about four hours a time.  So she is saying that twelve hours is too much with her life for the summer and she doesn't want to make the money.  Okay.
We just lost another babysitter.  Maybe it is time to hire someone off the care.com site.  They are adults and tend to be a bit more responsible.

Strawberries

Well all I can say is Wow.  I used to make jam all the time.  And the recipe on the box of pectin used to use more berries and sugar.  And made more jars at a time.
The little man and I went on a strawberry hunt this morning.  We found some just past Bi-zi farms.  I like the littler place and feel like I'm supporting the owner.  So we bought a flat and stopped at the store for lids and pectin.
Got home and went to work.  We got all the berries ready for jam and shortcake.  We got two batches of jam that equaled 12 half pints.  If nothing else we do have some jam for the next year.  We will see if I manage to get another flat and make more.
We will enjoy the shortcake tonight for supper.  A good day for the little man and I.  He learned he does not like to stand there and stir and stir and stir.  He gave up after the first batch and let me do the second.

Walking In Mud

Oy.  Every step is like walking in mud.  I am trying to do my part in helping Dave's brother Duane buy a house.  He has a lender all lined up, but they need some things.  And some of those things are easiest coming from me as the trustee of his trust.
So Duane and I have been searching our respective piles of paperwork looking for the original trust paperwork.  After three days of searching we have given up.  I went to the attorney's office. Well yes, they can get me a copy.  But the original is in storage, so it will take a day.  I left them with instructions to just scan it and email it to me and then I can forward it to the lender.
Then we had the issue of money.  He wanted to use his trust money for his down payment.  Great plan.  The lender wanted the money wired.  Well I start that whole process to find out I need to add Duane's bank account to the information the mutual fund has.  Well three days later I can't get verified.  A call to the mutual fund didn't help.  They can't wire with out the bank being connected to the fund.  Argh.  So off to the bank I go with a check.  Naturally the bank puts a five day hold on the funds.
And Duane is suppose to close in two days.  Don't think it is going to happen.  Every step I take feels like walking in mud and it takes so much longer than it should.  It might have helped had I knew the amount needed and the closing date sooner than a few days before.
C'est la vie.  It will all work out the way it is suppose to.

Upcoming Visit

Cassie and family bought their tickets to come out here for a visit.  She had already told the little woman and I was holding my breath.  I never tell the kids when we expect people to come because more often than not...they don't.  So I was happy that they did in fact buy their airline tickets.
Then I thought perhaps I better touch base to see how much time she might want with the kids.  Find out if they were going to be going north to Nana Nita's like they did last year.  Just get a few more details.
So no, they are not going north.  Nana Nita is coming down for a surprise birthday party for her sister and they will see her then.  Yes she would like to see the kids.  She is hoping she can have them for the fourth if she can find a ride.  They will be spending their whole time at David's dads.  So she will let me know if it is going to work out to see the kids.
Wow, on so many levels.  Here it to hoping that it works out better than it sounds like it is going to.  And no I'm not going to get a night off.  Oh well.  Haven't had one since August anyway.

Rockin' and a Picnic

Our day started off with rockin' the duck pond.  We took a lot of rocks and hid them around.  Then we went to the playground.  I was hiding a few rocks there when I hear this high pitched yell.  It was a friend of the little man's from daycare.  And she had one of our rocks.  She and her sister both had one from the duck pond and they were rehiding at the playground.  The littles played for quite awhile with the girls.
Then in the afternoon the little man informed me he wanted to learn to cook on that thing outside.  The bbqer.  And so we bbqed up some burgers.  He wanted to eat our dinner as a picnic.  So he brought out a blanket and set it all up.  He did a very nice job.  I can see him making someone very happy some day.  And for now he just makes me smile.

Rose Festival

Betty again got us Rose Festival pins for free admittance.  So we hopped on MAX to go downtown.  We just love riding MAX.  We crossed the parade line so saw a small bit of it.
Once downtown we saw the navy ships.  We walked around city fair.  We looked at all the stuff for sale and bought fidget spinners.  They are pretty cool.  We found the wildlife exhibit and loved the tiger.  She had the most beautiful face.  We also saw a Geoffroy cat.  Never heard of it before but it is darling and small.  The Albina python really liked the kids.  Came right up to the edge of the glass.  Or maybe she was just bored.
The littles were so happy to get cotton candy.  And amazingly enough it was pretty fresh.  It didn't take them long to devour it.  We also had an elephant ear which the little woman tried and then snubbed.  Guess she didn't like it.
We saw some street performers and met lots of dogs.  No outing seems complete without meeting dogs.  And someday we will have another one that is ours.  Thanks again Betty for the pins and the experience.

Hard

So I work on letting all of it go.  And yet I had to see if Elizabeth again was at the bookstore without asking if I was working.  Yup, she picked up her cap and gown for the Clark graduation.
I received my announcement in the mail.  The one for the graduation from BGHS.  My understanding is running start student can walk at both ceremonies and  I guess she is since she got announcements from BGHS.  Those announcements are sure to let you know that only guests with tickets can attend the actual graduation.  Naturally my announcement didn't include a ticket.  I know they only get six.  But it would have been nice to have some consideration like a note explaining there are only six and she had to make choices.
Maybe it would just be nice to have some consideration in the first place.  And I guess it is not to be.  And that is hard.  Now back to letting it go.  Easier said than done.

Weeks End

Well we ended this week.  The little woman only has two more weeks of school.  Course that means the little man is asking how many days he has left of daycare.....till you are 12 little man.
I filled out the form for the background check for her school.  It seems so odd to be filling it out when school is almost done.  But that is what it takes to go on the field trip.  Really excited about that.
And Duane's mortgage broker is driving me crazy.  All the little nuances and needs.  So when I was done with all of his stuff I asked my question.  And the answer was yes. I didn't want to take up too much of any one's time if the answer was no.  So now if I find a place I really like I can pursue it.  Got to like that.

Going to the Zoo

The little woman has a field trip coming up.  The first graders are going to the zoo.  Chaperones have to drive themselves.  I didn't sign up because I figured I had to work.
Well I realized this morning that I have that day off.  So when I got home I emailed her teacher and asked about it.  I got a resounding yes, come.  And then asked if I just wanted to walk with the little woman or a small group.  I told her whatever she needed.
The little woman's face just lit up when I told her I was coming along.  Love to see that.
Now I think I have to get that background check done.  Again.

Mona

I got to work too early.  So I sat in my car and I called my friend Mona.  I haven't talked to her in several months and I almost didn't call today.  I only had about twenty minutes before I had to clock in. I figured any time was good time so I did it.
She is settled in where she lives now.  Her house sold after five days being on the market.  She is painting again.  I told her about our adventures into painting and she, too has painted a few rocks.  She wants one of ours for her rock display.  So I will pick one out for her and try to get it to her soon.  Sometimes easier said than done.
It was so great to talk to her.  I forget how much I miss her.

Back To Work

Back to work. Four days this week.  I think freight must be coming in.  Today Liz gave me a short list of things to accomplish while she was at the staff meeting.  Told me no pallets today.  Ha.  I was just about caught up on the small amount of receiving when here comes Xpo.  Yay!  It was a small pallet, but it took me until Liz returned to do it.  No boredom today.  ;p

Back To Routine Times 20,000

The little man and I spent the day working around the house.  Getting stuff done.  Laundry, dishes, mopping. The plan was for some grocery shopping....nope.  Also mowing the yard....nope.  I'm still calling it a good day in that ALL the laundry was done.  That almost never happens.
And now back to work tomorrow.  Three weeks left of school for the little woman.  And then we will find our summer routine.  :)

Camp End

While Mom slept in we did the camp clean up.  Loaded up and then woke her up.  She spent the majority of the time sleeping.  We are thinking she was just too out of her routine and it may be her last camping trip.  She and Pat headed out and were going to get something to eat on the way. Before we were done with the campground we stopped at a viewpoint.  As soon as we were out of the car I remembered that we had hiked to that viewpoint a couple of summers ago when we went out to the coast to visit Pat.  The little man was still just as brave and climbed up on a column.
We left behind Pat and Mom and then stopped in Astoria for lunch.  Pig n Pancake for some pancakes.
After that we stopped at the Astoria Sunday Market.  I have always wanted to stop and never seemed to have time.  So today we did.  It is kind of like Portland's Saturday Market.  Lots and lots of art and crafts.  Right off the bat the little man found an Astoria Rocks rock.  He was so excited, he showed it to so many people.  Lots of people were excited for him.  It was really cool and I'm glad we took the time and stopped.

Cape Disappointment

Oh what a day.  Pat and the little man ran to Long Beach for some supplies and then went crabbing.  The little woman and I were left to tend camp and be there in case Mom needed us.  Good thing we brought things to do.  Girl time seems to equal paint time.  We painted some rocks.
The little man discovered climbing trees.  The answer to the question of when he would start is five years-old. Course the tree next to our campsite was spectacular for climbing.  He said it was like a ladder.
We spent a little time on the beach flying a kite and playing with our la crosse set.  Then later we got to do one of the trails and it led us to another beach.  The little man was enthralled with the horses walking on the beach.
We had simple food, keeping it easy.  Nice burgers for dinner and s'mores for dessert.

Camping

We loaded up the car and picked up the little woman.  Thought we would really be ahead of Pat and Mom, but it was not so.
Got to Cape Disappointment and set up camp.  The ground was pretty uneven so we put the tent on the deck of the yurt.  Pat kept telling us we could put it out on the ground.  I disagreed and left it where it was.
There was a nice sand pit that the kids spent some time in.  Wonderful.
We went down to the beach for awhile.  And then the little woman got a sliver and that ended that.  But they had a good time before then.
The littles made friends with some kids who were camped next to us.  They arrived late.  They made a s'more.  We had forgot sticks so I was happy they got to do one over at the other campsite.
Mom slept a lot.

No Contact Dropped

My son would like to be able to see his kids.  There was a no contact order in place between the two of us.  And yes, I know, we did not honor it part of the time.  It is hard when he is my son and he is their daddy. But when he is incarcerated it has to be honored because jail/work release/prison won't let you in if you are protected.  When he was in work release his sister sponsored him and he got to see his kids at the park one day.  Then on another day he saw them for a minute because she made other plans for him.  Then she said she couldn't help him anymore. Whatever....I'm sure there was more to the story.
Well he is again in  prison.  So I have been working on the hoops that need to be jumped in order to occasionally take the littles to see him.  I got the little man's birth certificate that shows Mike is the father.  The one I had was from before paternity was established.
Today I was in court to get the no contact order dropped.  The judge granted it with no problem.  He, like me, feels it is important for the kids to see their daddy.  So now that hoop has been jumped.  Next is filling out paperwork for visitation.
I really really hope he doesn't end up on the other side of the state.