3 trees are out!!!

The huge lodge pole to the right of our deck, the huge cedar in the deck and the huge cedar right behind that one, gone!!!! $800 bucks total. They cut, we clean up. It's gonna be weeks to clean it all up, but it's done! Our homeowners insurance was requesting the deck tree be removed and our Pointe Pest service notified us that the other cedar was infested with carpenter ants..... When they cut it down, peanuts spilled out everywhere! So squirrels had inhabited it in addition to the bugs!!!! Glad they're out!!!!!!! Not a fun way to spend $800 but the light shining on our house now is amazing! So much sunlight to enjoy!!!! And a clean roof!!!! We won't have the heavy snow fall from all the branches when the snow melts.... So many many positive things to come from taking these 3 trees Out! So that's exciting!!!! Love all the light coming in from the skylights and windows!! It's breathtakingly beautiful the view!!!! Instead of staring at tree trunks out the living room windows we can see the trees in a distance and the creek is going to be more visible! Love having the huge creek feeding into the lake next to us!!! Such a blessing and so very fun for the kids to play in all that water!!!!! Love love love our house. Such a blessing to live here...... It's the most peaceful place.

Jazz choir

Love that Caelan texted me right away when she found out she made the Jazz choir at school! Everyone had to try out for it and she made it on the choir team for next year! Proud of her and excited for her!

Memorial weekend.... Saturday

Eric worked at his parents house yesterday all day long! Literally all day! We all had the day off school which is a treat every Memorial Day that they give us 4 day weekends...... Today we worked in the yard! Got mulch on sale for 5 bags for 10 bucks! So we put bark mulch in the garden beds. Then we went to the lake, the girls swam and Eric and I sat and enjoyed the sun! Such a nice day! Now the 3 of them are fishing at the docks and I'm having some quiet time at home :)

Spring! Garden and lake time

It's been 80 degrees! Wow! We've worked in the yard quite a bit, recycling the fencing from the back deck and using it across the side yard to keep the deer out! We've also fertilized all of the plants in the yard, along with the grass..... We don't typically fertilize everything but this year we did, even the bulb food! All of it. It's been such a drastic difference and things have grown so well, strong, and the flowers are coming constantly! The rhododendron finally is about to bloom for the very first time!!!!! So gorgeous! The blueberries, raspberries, all doing so well!!!!! Riley is learning to mow! Yes, even in her pjs! lol. And of course she is still wearing those fedoras! Every day. :) we enjoyed a day at the lake! First swim this past week! So exciting!!!

Date day Monday!

This past Monday Eric and I took a date day and hiked Tubbs Hill! It couldn't have been more gorgeous out! So thankful for the quiet times with Eric..... Loved it. Needed this time with him......

Before photos of the house

Before the trees are cut, here are photos of the front of our house....

Bye deck! Bye trees!

The deck over our room is gone, has been for a while..... The deck used to spread the whole length of the house..... But with all the rot we have begun to take it all down..... Today was the beginning of taking the rest down..... After school before Caelans concert, Eric spent a bit of time working on it...... The 3 huge trees in the back are coming down Monday, so the deck needs to be gone for that to happen Monday! Very excited to get our yard cleaned of these trees! The cedar trees are amazing but not so amazing when they are touching the house, literally! And the one is rotten, and another is leaning way too much to leave alone...... So, here we go, huge projects! Exciting ones but big tasks!

Choir concert

Caelans choir concert...... And then a family trip to Baskin Robbins to celebrate, end of the school year stuff..... Soccer is done, choir is now done, band is done, erics student council events are done, my AP proctoring is done....... Now, these things are all good things but it is nice to have a break from the business and begin to enjoy summer break!!!!! 10 days left of school! Bring on summer!!!!

Spring time in the garden

Softball

Eric and I went to CHS girls softball state play off games this last weekend. What a blast to cheer them on! Such a fun time although the weather was interesting and quite a bit of rain off and on...... But we weathered the storm and sat through it to the end of each game! They ended up taking 2nd in state....

Soccer

Soccer season is winding down..... Just one more game for each of our girls.....

Twinsies

Like father like daughter...... Eating with their noses in their books.....

Rileys school spring social

A few weeks ago.

Roadblocks. We've hit many on our ado topi journey but this one takes the cake! California. Wow. You make me so frustrated at times...... The lack of staples caused them to not state certify our docs.... We went ahead and got Idaho references and sent them to Idaho instead and the sweet people of Idaho sent them the very next day!!!! We sent them our FedEx account and they overnighted it! Thankful! Those docs had been sent so many weeks ago to California, so many weeks ago and to be returned like this with this letter was defeating!!!!! But we got it handled! And our dossier was completed!

K27

Officer Greg Moore passed away when enduring gun shot wounds to the face. He was a Sargent in the Cda Police dept and had been with the CDA police dept for 16 years. This stunned our community! The community rallied together and raised 200,000 for his wife and daughter Gemma, and Gregs son Dylon. We attended the funeral this last week with close friends Jon and Jamie (Jon is the school police officer who was close to Greg, and Eric and Jon are super close)....... Jamie and I have become good friends. It was such an emotional service....... Such a reminder that life is fragile. We never know when it is our time..... We must make sure we take opportunity to show others who Jesus is...... And shine a light to those around us....... Praying for the Moore family. Praying for peace and comfort.... That the Lord would shine his love and light on the families affected..... May this tragedy be turned for goodness.... The lord never intends for evil. That is of satan. But the Lord will take this horrific event and bring it for HIS good..... Praying for the community and blown away by this amazing community we call home!!!!! The amount of support that has been given..... Businesses stepping up! Schools. His wife is a teacher at Ramsey elem. (3rd grade class)..... The schools have stepped up. Thousands have stickers on their cars that read his badge number..... We have them on our cars..... To remind us of this day. To remind us to pray. To speak about Jesus. The reminder of life, that at any moment we could leave from this earth....... We must be ready when it's our time..... May each day be filled with purpose, meaning, and intention..... May we live with intention, serving those around us with love and grace.....

Band concert

This week Caelan had a band concert. They all did such an awesome job!!!! She's done so well in band playing the clarinet and really enjoyed it! Here she is with a few band mates: Hailey and Faith

Mother's Day!

With my girls on Mother's Day doing yard work. Eric was there too! I'll have to post photos of all we did!!!! It looks awesome! Slow excited about the side yard!!!!!