This is the backyard project I have taken on. As you can see, the backyard is currently covered in mulch. We want grass. It's not a huge yard, but it's a huge project! I already have blisters!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Free Bagel Friday and Code Enforcement
We just got back from a nice little outing at Einstein's Bagels. Turns out they have "Free Bagel Fridays" according to a mailer we received! We got yummy bagels and were feeling refreshed and happy.
As we were driving up our street, we saw a city code enforcement vehicle parked in front of our house. Now, you know we aren't the "bad neighbor" type, but apparently, someone in this neighborhood thinks so! Here's a little background....
Last Friday, at 2pm, the moving trailers were dropped off. We got them unloaded Friday night before it started raining again on Saturday. We called the moving company and requested they pick up the trailers. Saturday at 4pm, the police dropped by. Turns out there is an ordinance against trailers being parked in front of a house for longer than 24 hours. So, the trailers were going to be towed.....Troy talked to the very nice police officer and explained our situation. Then, he called the moving company and had them get moved asap. Problem solved. We were now neighbors in good standing.
Until today.
This morning, I tackled the front yard. Now, this house has been vacant for 18 months. The people who lived here before then really didn't care much for the house. Ivan bought it and fixed it up, planted grass in front, and here we are living in it. The inside is beautiful, but the outside still needs some TLC.
This morning I mowed, weed eated, edged, trimmed bushes, sprayed round up where needed, and cleaned up sidewalks, etc. In the meantime, our trash bucket is missing one wheel and a lid. The city has been saying they will replace it since last Tuesday....in the meantime, we should not put anything in it. So, we have nicely stacked the trash bags in front of the garage until the new bin is delivered. I added the yard debris, nicely stacked, with the other trash.
I made the effort to tidy up the yard. I made the effort to neatly stack the debris. I even weed-eated the front of my shins and drew blood. But, code enforcement gave us a warning and 7 days to clean it up. Our new best friend is Sasha at the Code Enforcement Department. She said she gets a lot of "nit picky" calls from this neighborhood and she appreciated our cooperation.
I'm never mowing the yard again.
I wonder what the neighborhood "picky person" would do if Steven ran out of the house naked?!!! Could make for an interesting Memorial Day weekend!
Betsy
As we were driving up our street, we saw a city code enforcement vehicle parked in front of our house. Now, you know we aren't the "bad neighbor" type, but apparently, someone in this neighborhood thinks so! Here's a little background....
Last Friday, at 2pm, the moving trailers were dropped off. We got them unloaded Friday night before it started raining again on Saturday. We called the moving company and requested they pick up the trailers. Saturday at 4pm, the police dropped by. Turns out there is an ordinance against trailers being parked in front of a house for longer than 24 hours. So, the trailers were going to be towed.....Troy talked to the very nice police officer and explained our situation. Then, he called the moving company and had them get moved asap. Problem solved. We were now neighbors in good standing.
Until today.
This morning, I tackled the front yard. Now, this house has been vacant for 18 months. The people who lived here before then really didn't care much for the house. Ivan bought it and fixed it up, planted grass in front, and here we are living in it. The inside is beautiful, but the outside still needs some TLC.
This morning I mowed, weed eated, edged, trimmed bushes, sprayed round up where needed, and cleaned up sidewalks, etc. In the meantime, our trash bucket is missing one wheel and a lid. The city has been saying they will replace it since last Tuesday....in the meantime, we should not put anything in it. So, we have nicely stacked the trash bags in front of the garage until the new bin is delivered. I added the yard debris, nicely stacked, with the other trash.
I made the effort to tidy up the yard. I made the effort to neatly stack the debris. I even weed-eated the front of my shins and drew blood. But, code enforcement gave us a warning and 7 days to clean it up. Our new best friend is Sasha at the Code Enforcement Department. She said she gets a lot of "nit picky" calls from this neighborhood and she appreciated our cooperation.
I'm never mowing the yard again.
I wonder what the neighborhood "picky person" would do if Steven ran out of the house naked?!!! Could make for an interesting Memorial Day weekend!
Betsy
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Entering the Bus
Today was Steven's first day riding the bus. God bless the school district for sending the driver, the bus aide and Steven's classroom aide. This district offers "Home Based Intervention" just because we are residents of the district. For instance, since we anticipated Steven would have difficulty getting on the bus, they sent Mr. Dunn, Steven's classroom aide, as a familiar person to help guide him into the bus. If today was unsuccessful, they offered to send a behavior specialist to our home each morning for "a few weeks or until Steven can successfully enter the bus independently."
Yesterday, Megan experienced a first at school....actually, a couple! Her elective class is Home Ec. They have "real kitchens" and the kids got to make and bake and EAT chocolate chip cookies! Also, they got to begin dissecting "a real live, dead frog!" They will finish that today! She's loving school and the kids are very friendly!
We have an appointments for Megan with the hematologist tomorrow and with the GI doc next Wednesday. The GI doc's nurse said, "he loves abdominal pain!" and that he likes to get to the ultimate root of the problem!
I'm off to take Megan to school and find something to do for myself today!
Troy is getting a haircut and heading to his office to get his parking decal and security badge!
Have a great day everyone!
Yesterday, Megan experienced a first at school....actually, a couple! Her elective class is Home Ec. They have "real kitchens" and the kids got to make and bake and EAT chocolate chip cookies! Also, they got to begin dissecting "a real live, dead frog!" They will finish that today! She's loving school and the kids are very friendly!
We have an appointments for Megan with the hematologist tomorrow and with the GI doc next Wednesday. The GI doc's nurse said, "he loves abdominal pain!" and that he likes to get to the ultimate root of the problem!
I'm off to take Megan to school and find something to do for myself today!
Troy is getting a haircut and heading to his office to get his parking decal and security badge!
Have a great day everyone!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Yep, we're loving Texas!
Both kids enjoyed their first two days of school. Megan was especially excited and has already exchanged her phone number with others! According to Megan, "school is awesome, and the bonus is there are hot guys!"
Steven has only had one aggressive episode at school in two days! He has a male aide named Troy who he really likes. Yesterday, Steven attempted to blow bubbles and even said, "bubbles".
Our upstairs a/c was repaired yesterday. The downstairs a/c is being replaced today! Fortunately, the weather has been very nice the past few days and is nice enough to sleep with windows open and need a blanket!
We finally heard from the GI doc office last night. They are prescribing a med for Megan to take for her stomach and want us to follow up with a GI doc here regarding follow up. It's not officially Crohn's disease, but they want her followed. We'll see what that means when the doc himself calls today to answer our questions!
I'm off to get the kids to school!
Betsy
Steven has only had one aggressive episode at school in two days! He has a male aide named Troy who he really likes. Yesterday, Steven attempted to blow bubbles and even said, "bubbles".
Our upstairs a/c was repaired yesterday. The downstairs a/c is being replaced today! Fortunately, the weather has been very nice the past few days and is nice enough to sleep with windows open and need a blanket!
We finally heard from the GI doc office last night. They are prescribing a med for Megan to take for her stomach and want us to follow up with a GI doc here regarding follow up. It's not officially Crohn's disease, but they want her followed. We'll see what that means when the doc himself calls today to answer our questions!
I'm off to get the kids to school!
Betsy
Monday, May 18, 2009
1st Day of School
It's here. The first day of school for the kids. They've both had their shots. I've filled out tons of paperwork. We have dotted all of the i's and crossed all of the t's. We're ready.
Megan has her outfit AND accessories all picked out. She has her backpack. She gets her schedule when she arrives at the office. She's ready.
Steven has a surprise coming to him. I have his outfit picked out. I have his backpack. His teacher gets a surprise when Steven arrives:) We've packed the m&ms. He's ready.
I'm hoping that their schools are as wonderful for them as they appear to be to us parents. Every aspect of moving here has been great. We chose our home based on school district, narrowed down to best schools within the district, narrowed down to distance to the schools. I'm hoping that tonight I can post that both kids had a wonderful day at school and are looking forward to going back tomorrow......
To be continued.
Megan has her outfit AND accessories all picked out. She has her backpack. She gets her schedule when she arrives at the office. She's ready.
Steven has a surprise coming to him. I have his outfit picked out. I have his backpack. His teacher gets a surprise when Steven arrives:) We've packed the m&ms. He's ready.
I'm hoping that their schools are as wonderful for them as they appear to be to us parents. Every aspect of moving here has been great. We chose our home based on school district, narrowed down to best schools within the district, narrowed down to distance to the schools. I'm hoping that tonight I can post that both kids had a wonderful day at school and are looking forward to going back tomorrow......
To be continued.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
AAAH....a mattress!
This one is for my Dad! I got his email this morning reminding me to post on the blog! I can't email out to people right now...I need to find some computer guy to take a look at that!
In the meantime, the past two days have been VERY busy! Thursday was a day filled with....immunizations for the kids and running proof of such to each of their schools. Megs was a trooper and had to have 6 shots! Steven only had to have 3. Ya all pay attention now, ya hear?....when Texas seceeds from the U.S., don't worry about disease taking us out! The immunizations that we put off in AZ are required in TX unless we want to go through a huge long process via the state to get an exemption that is only good for 2 years.
After that....no plans! The house was too hot to stay home in, so we had a vacation day! We all went to run a few errands, then went to the movies and stopped for ice cream on the way home! Megan was thrilled they have Marble Slab Creamery here! Steven was thrilled they have popcorn at the movies! Troy, John and I were excited just to have air conditioning!
By Thursday night, I was done being hot. I went to Home Depot (whose signs are brown here) and bought a stand up air conditioner that plugs into the wall and vents through a window. Not the old fashioned window air units, this one rolls from room to room! We're semi cool now in the living areas and definitely cool in the bedrooms at night!
Yesterday, the moving trailers arrived right on schedule between 12-2. The movers also arrived right on schedule at 4pm. Troy and I did some unloading of what we could before they arrived. These 4 moving guys were amazing! They had us unloaded in 2.5 hours. We felt VERY old as we saw them hoisting heavy items into the house, then literally RUNNING back to the truck to get more! Last night, I got a lot of the kitchen put away, Steven's room done, and made beds. Troy and John were busy putting beds together, running back and forth to Home Depot (with the brown signs!) to get the ice maker valve thingy, dryer vent and new cord for the dryer! When everyone wakes up today, I will be able to make a great breakfast! Troy and John will be able to get the ice maker and dryer running and we will have a fabulous day unpacking. Megan will get to put her room together and Steven will get to tap on all his familiar items!
It's a good day in Flower Mound, Texas.
Bets
It's a nice, quiet morning here! It's gently raining and cool. I'm looking forward to a day inside getting stuff in it's place!
We miss everyone!
In the meantime, the past two days have been VERY busy! Thursday was a day filled with....immunizations for the kids and running proof of such to each of their schools. Megs was a trooper and had to have 6 shots! Steven only had to have 3. Ya all pay attention now, ya hear?....when Texas seceeds from the U.S., don't worry about disease taking us out! The immunizations that we put off in AZ are required in TX unless we want to go through a huge long process via the state to get an exemption that is only good for 2 years.
After that....no plans! The house was too hot to stay home in, so we had a vacation day! We all went to run a few errands, then went to the movies and stopped for ice cream on the way home! Megan was thrilled they have Marble Slab Creamery here! Steven was thrilled they have popcorn at the movies! Troy, John and I were excited just to have air conditioning!
By Thursday night, I was done being hot. I went to Home Depot (whose signs are brown here) and bought a stand up air conditioner that plugs into the wall and vents through a window. Not the old fashioned window air units, this one rolls from room to room! We're semi cool now in the living areas and definitely cool in the bedrooms at night!
Yesterday, the moving trailers arrived right on schedule between 12-2. The movers also arrived right on schedule at 4pm. Troy and I did some unloading of what we could before they arrived. These 4 moving guys were amazing! They had us unloaded in 2.5 hours. We felt VERY old as we saw them hoisting heavy items into the house, then literally RUNNING back to the truck to get more! Last night, I got a lot of the kitchen put away, Steven's room done, and made beds. Troy and John were busy putting beds together, running back and forth to Home Depot (with the brown signs!) to get the ice maker valve thingy, dryer vent and new cord for the dryer! When everyone wakes up today, I will be able to make a great breakfast! Troy and John will be able to get the ice maker and dryer running and we will have a fabulous day unpacking. Megan will get to put her room together and Steven will get to tap on all his familiar items!
It's a good day in Flower Mound, Texas.
Bets
It's a nice, quiet morning here! It's gently raining and cool. I'm looking forward to a day inside getting stuff in it's place!
We miss everyone!
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