Come one....come all!

For three weeks Brian has been trying to get a hold of our landlady. I say Brian, because I wasn't as concerned as he was about the constant sound of water running through the pipes. But last Thursday he called and asked me to call the water company to see what they could do about it. Find the water meter and I could determine if there was a leak, and how bad the leak was. They tried and tried and tried to help me locate the water meter. I failed and failed and failed to find it. Trying not to sound like a broken record "it's not here!" (or stupid) I told them I'd call them on Friday if we still couldn't find it, and enlisted my neighbors' help. Still no luck.
Friday was busy...it was Father's Day weekend after all, and there was lots to do, none of which included looking for the water meter again. Although, I did drive by our landlady's house and knocked. No answer. Saturday and Sunday were filled with other things (such as celebrating our fabulous fathers!) Monday: We drove by landlady's house again, left another message after we saw her driving in her car and headed to Disneyland. (FUN!) Tuesday: I called our landlady again. My message said, "Betty, we really need to talk to you about this water leak! Please call us!" After my message I found standing water outside my kitchen window. It was so deep it was flooding my little patch of ground cover clover and killing it.
Finally, she called.
Long story short:
Betty came with an irrigation guy last night. (probably thought it had something to do with the sprinklers)
Brian touched the water: Hot (water heater is on the other side of the wall where the standing water is, but there's no sign on or around the w/h of a leak.
Wednesday morning (this morning):
8:00am Betty arrives
8:30 Joe Plumber and his assistant Carlos arrive
9:00 I call water company again...because the plumbers can't find the water meter either. (Suddenly I don't feel so stupid)
9:30 Water District Team #1 arrives with a shovel
10:00 Water District Team #2 arrives with some fancy yellow beeping sticks
10:30 Water District Team #3 arrives with a guy whose beard goes to his chest. Walks to where the other men are searching, takes 2 steps to the left and taps the lid with his pole. (He used to read the meter 'back in the day')
10:31 Water District Team #3 leaves.
10:32 Water District Team #2 tells me they'll have someone come out and chop a pathway from the road to the meter. Um...okay.

from left to right: Team #2, Team #2, Team #1, Team #3

12:45 Chopping team arrives and makes a lovely 'pathway' from the road to the meter.

Rosemary bush 'before' picture (taken in the spring)

Ethan is standing on that blasted water meter that evaded all of us but the bearded dude.

meanwhile: the plumbers locate the leak (in a slab that feeds the master bathroom hot water)...takes dishwasher out, cuts holes in the wall behind the dishwasher, cuts a hole under the sink in the 2nd bathroom, and another one under the sink in the master bathroom.
3:33 plumbers leave...back again tomorrow or Friday to patch the drywall.

It's been a busy day. And I'm glad we don't have to foot the bill.

Now what do we do with the rosemary bush?

A wonderful reminder

Sometimes all I need to hear is:

Don't you quit!

You keep walking.

You keep trying.

There is help and happiness ahead.

Hebrews 9:11

click below to watch video

Good-Things-to-Come

Rock a bye Baby

Sometimes it's really hard to live far away...especially when Erika had her baby on June 5th and Angela was expecting her new arrival at anytime. So I wrapped up AJ's two baby dollies and both kids snuggled into the rocking chair. Their singing was completely spontaneous, and so so cute.

Looking Pretty

"It's too quiet" Brian said as we were making lunch after church today...

AJ found my makeup drawer today.
Thank goodness for liquid dishsoap.

Start It Out Right

Something in me has been screaming to exercise. So much so that I've started having dreams about it. I had a dream last week that Brian and I had been to the doctor and both of us were 90% body fat. Is that even possible? I don't know, but apparently my brain and body were working me up for something. I have been longing to get back on my bike since Ethan turned 1. Dreaming/longing don't count though, does it! Summer is (again!) upon us and I live in a beach city. Not that I'm worried about swimsuits, I'm more focused on the fact that I'm loosing my breath faster as I 'dance' with the kids to music on iTunes, and that my muscles shake way too quickly after a few jumps around the couch/room doing the hokie pokie. It's terribly embarrassing.
So, the day after my dream (Friday) we were shopping in Target. We were racing down the aisle to the restroom when Ethan stops dead in his tracks and points to a large box. "Look! Mom!" What is he pointing to? A bike trailer...did he have the dream too? ...ON SALE...! "Oh, we are so coming back for that!" (which we did)
Now...how do I bring this up with Brian? usually, I'll at least call him before I purchase something that's not planned for...and more than $50. . .that night I told him about my dream...and then brought him to the car (it was still in the trunk)
Even now I can't tell you if he's excited about it, but yesterday (Saturday) he assembled it while I googled "bike trails in Fallbrook" which led us to a 7.2 mile stretch of paved, mostly flat, trail that went straight to the beach. With a little drive we could park (for free!) and bike to the beach? What luck! We didn't want to go to the beach because it's Memorial weekend and perfect weather = no parking available, naturally. But if we could RIDE our bikes to the beach!!
Brian didn't think we'd make it that far, and without wanting to pressure him (because he would be doing the hardest part: pulling the trailer) didn't pack any beach gear. If he didn't have such a great endurance level, and so much love for his wife...plus adding in a few comments about burning body fat, and remembering he used to bike 7 miles (one-way) to work everyday in Logan...we probably never would have made it to the beach. But I think he felt the 'pull' just as strongly as I did. Destination: BEACH. Brian pulled Ethan in the trailer with our packed lunches, and AJ was on the seat in front of my bike. It was picture perfect. I had on a camelback and AJ would reach for it and pull it to her mouth. Ethan watched for airplanes, and gave quite a lot of people a good laugh when we had to stop for a 'potty break'. Everyone was chuckling as they rode by.
WE MADE IT! We rode our bikes to the beach. It was exhilarating. I couldn't have been happier. Even when we had to ride the 7.2 miles BACK to the car. It was seriously a great way to start the weekend.

Yeah...our butts are super sore.
Here's to a fun summer!

Sandbox Project

When we moved here we acquired a wooden box that movers would put a TV in to keep from being banged up. Our TV is much to old to fit into such a slim box, but I was determined to keep it and 'make something'! (Sometimes, I just can't 'let things go') It sat in our garage for over 8 months...while I dreamt up what it could be. After months of contemplation, and hours spent at the park playing in the sand... I knew what it was supposed to be: a sandbox. It became my project while Brian was in New Jersey. I sanded the edges, corners, rough spots to minimize any splinter possibilities. Sprayed a sealer on it to keep it from rotting when exposed to the rain/sprinklers, drilled holes in the bottom and put landscape fabric down to let the water drain out, but also to keep the ants from coming in from beneath.
I didn't paint it, or make it pretty, but I'm still excited about it.

who needs sand?

When Brian and Ethan came home from camping on Saturday, we took a trip to the hardware store and bought the sand.
250lbs of sand later = two happy, sandy kids.

Girls Night/Boys Night

Tonight was Ethan & Brian's Fathers and Sons camp out at Oak Grove National Park. Brian flew in from New Jersey at noon...reported to work...went to the doctor...came home, ate dinner...and left again with a VERY excited little boy. I kept prepping Ethan that 'when Dad comes home, you're going to go camping with him' His little enthusiasm helped Brian keep on track to getting out the door for another night 'away from home'. Making one last bathroom trip he was washing his hands when he asked me, "Mom...I don't know! Will there be toys there or not?" I said, 'no, not toys, but lots of trees, and you'll get to sleep outside!' "Oh...there will be beds!" was his reply.

rosy cheeks!

snake caught by the boys

Annie Jane and I had our little girls night out. It happened quick, as AJ is a wiggle worm. BUT...I did accomplish what I set out for :) . . . painted toenails/fingernails :) It's silly because I didn't even have a bright color to paint with. It kindof dampened the initial excitement I was anticipating from her watching me. She probably couldn't even tell what I was doing, as the color was more like a peachy color. Oh well, it was just the two of us and there were girly things to do! But Brian has the camera and so there won't be any shots of pretty toenails/fingernails. PINK toenail polish is on the list to buy at Target, next time I go.