Opening Day

It's Opening Day at Bingham Field. The grass on the boys side of the yard has filled in pretty good as it gets nice afternoon shade. It is not super thick yet but good enough to keep these boys busy this summer. Dad says no sliding yet!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oEHCaTSuHxdrnHJj9

Finish Plumbing

Plumbing continues to haunt us. The original Plumber has actually gone out of business. It has taken quite a while to sort that out. The project manager had to get approval to hire a new plumber. So we were behind on getting the finish plumbing fixtures installed. We also had to get the permit adjusted with a new plumber's name. Nothing seems to be easy with the plumbing. We get it all ready call in the plumbing inspection and the inspectors says he refuses to even go to our house. Apparently he had previously wrote on an inspection sheet in chicken scratch he instruction the previous out of work plumbing company to install a valve on our sprinkler. The plumbing inspector said he refused to show up until it was done. Here is where the comedy routine began.

I contacted the sprinkler installer and he said that a pressure valve to the sprinkler tank is an unnecessary item because the tank already has a valve. He said this is the only inspector in the state who ever asks to have this pressure valve installed.

The plumbing inspector says it is required to have the second unnecessary valve or you have to disconnect from live water and just fill the sprinkler tank with a garden hose if needed. If we install the valve we will also need to have it inspected once a year.

The sprinkler installer says that fire code inspector will not allow you to disconnect from live water as it will not be code.

The building inspector says that we can add the valve ourselves that we don't have to be licensed.

The sprinkler installer says that even he is not allowed to add the second unnecessary valve because of a regulation saying that it needs to be a licensed pressure valve plumber who needs to add it.

Our licensed plumber has never heard of anyone every asking for this.

We had to find a plumber that has worked with this one plumbing inspector who requires this one unnecessary double valve to the sprinkler tank.

Project manager suggests putting the valve in and then just disconnecting the whole sprinkler system when it is done.

Sprinkler tank valve installer appears to install the unnecessary pressure valve. He says there is a float to prevent water from getting to the level where it could go back up the pipe to the live water line and a valve already at the top of the tank. He asks his boss why there needs to be another valve.

I did not make any of this up. After a few more thousand dollars and more delays we made the plumbing inspector happy. Now we can proceed to trying to make the building inspector happy.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/w3NbZumFE84R6EQc7

My Little Reader

Summer break has begun. I typically have the boys read over the summer to keep them busy and also keep up on their reading. Jake announced that he wanted to start reading the Harry Potter series. I have read the entire series to them over several years. But he wanted to read it on his own. He seems very motivated to read. It seems like he is actually enjoying it which is exciting to see.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EG5cTycxFkhfniri6

Tommy's 4th VBA Home Game

Tommy had another home double header today. He had a game winning RBI single in one of the games which he was pretty pumped about.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rs2ipuAMaQjrhCQz7

Good Day for Digging

Good day for digging. We got the fattest geoduck we have ever got. It was so big even with 2 hands I was not strong enough to get him out. Eric had to get in there with me and help. (giggles allowed) His mantle was for sure the biggest I have ever seen. Took him home and seared it up. And had the kids helped me make chowder out of the necks. Good times. Yummy food.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/u8B1RJn7oBC6C67dA

So Hot and So Not

One of many reasons to build a new house. 82 outside and currently 90 inside the old house in  the little corner where I sleep and work. Walked over to the new house it is 71. And that is without the air conditioning even kicking in. I set it to turn on at 75 since no one is in it. Still waiting on our plumbing inspections to go through so we can get our final building inspection. Hopefully soon. Before I have heat stroke...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AFL6kH3KqB8XdaSb8

Punch List Items

We are down to getting punch list items done while waiting for the plumbing to get finished. Eric was a bit panicked about the state of things. But he was a lot happier when the punch list items got finished.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PYMNmivDBLwoDkqw6

Last Day of School

Today was the last day of school and the end of 4th and 6th grade. Watch out Tommy, Jake is creeping up on you. Not sure how this happened but they now both have size 8 1/2 shoe. Which also happens to be my shoe size. So now I have 2 kids stealing my shoes.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4pjxJzeKA13MX6oj6

VHS Graduation Parade

Today was the graduation parade for VHS. We went up to go cheer them on. Tommy's baseball coach Finn was one of the graduates. It is such a fun tradition.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9cQZKcZC23PzdXWD9

Just Keep Frying

Tommy helped dad out with breakfast today. He is working on perfecting his fried egg.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fxEB3BPsovHutbim9

Tommy End of Year Baseball Party

Tommy had his end of the year rec baseball party for the Green Goblins. It was a water party, baseball fun and then pizza. They had a great time.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/T2Si3C22gQj9u38SA

Baby Grass

We are already getting a bunch of baby grass on the ball field. That was fast. It has only been a little over a week. It does look really green but it is thin and wispy grass. It is not thick grass. But it grew a lot faster than I expected.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WXvkgiXtXcAKpNq18

Last Bit of Grass Planting

We forgot one little patch of grass that needed to be planted. We are not sure when inspection will happen so we want to make sure and get it done. So I picked up rocks. I got the dirt spread. The boys helped me for a while. And then I raked the dirt out flat. Eric then put the seed in and we covered it. All ready for inspection.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ChAscnizwPA71oT69

Jake End of Year Baseball Jamboree & Picture Day

Today there was an end of the year baseball jamboree and picture day for all of the age groups. It was a hot, sunny and long day. But they had a lot of fun. And it was Jake's 10th birthday. We tried to make it special for him by bringing as many mini cupcakes as Thriftway had. It was over 100 cupcakes. Jake had a fun day and got some hits in his last game with the Bearded Chickens. I did not get to see all of it because I was over at Tommy's games but I could see a little from afar.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Uj5VWhznQvsKUsXD9

Jakes 10th Birthday

Today was Jake's 10th birthday. We had told Jake he could have a birthday party at our house if it was finished. But we just aren't there yet. So we told him it would have to wait till this year. We are also crazy busy right now and money is tight. So we brought cupcakes to his baseball jamboree. And after the long day of baseball we dropped into the arcade to let them play some games. We then went to island queen for some burgers. And when we got home we sang over a little ice cream since everyone had already had their fill of cupcakes.

He is my goofy little guy. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and he said he wanted to be a goat cheese farmer. He is pretty cheesy. He has also grown a lot this year. His shoes shot up 2 sizes this year. He now has the same size shoes as both me and Tommy. That is why I can never find my shoes.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9cbdhXm7fxtUcua36

Tommy End of Year Baseball Jamboree & Picture Day

Tommy was playing on the high school boys field while Jake was on Munger field. They needed help base coaching so I volunteered. They had a great day. The first game ended in a tie and they were not doing extra innings. So they did a base race to see who would win. And the Green Goblins won. Tommy pitched 4 innings in the last game and killed it. His team won the jamboree and were pretty pumped about it.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/A3v63HmcLTmVZ6WF8

Early Morning Cuddles

It was going to be a long day at the ballpark, so the boys had some early morning cuddles with their kittens while their breakfast was getting ready.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/S9H8iLcPCuzf9oLf9

Jake's Bird Painting

In 4th grade they study birds. They go on a field trip to do bird watching. They bring in taxidermy birds from the museum so they could see what feathers, beaks and talons look like. Then they get assigned a bird and they create a painting of it. Then they hang all of the paintings up at the art center for the public to see. Jake got a heron.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XsnXB4pcCbSDjaa87

Not So Little Kitties Anymore

The kittens are a little over three months old now. The are not so little anymore. Finn especially. He is getting pretty big. Rey seems like she will be smaller than him.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wN21UdmTTbqGi2VM6

Tommy's 7th Rec Baseball Game

Tommy had another game today. Still throwing that bat. But still getting hits.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZRE1XsYKTVSNwGda9

Jake's 4th Baseball Game

Jake had a nice rainy game today. But he is still getting hits and has a smile on his face.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ALx1ZSeSqmzNrvhj7

Finishes

The finishes were installed today. That includes mirrors, glass shower doors, towel racks and closet shelves.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XXP2fqGJtRYfxjUD9

Prepping and Painting the Trim & Doors

Painting has been a lot of work. It has taken a lot of time and effort. Trim work is so tedious. We are not in big of a rush to get it done because there is no one really waiting on us. But we just want to get it done. We do need to get to the point of cleaning things up for inspection so we have finished most of it up. There are a couple remaining exterior doors to finish.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RGiYHgYieHgcvfPe7

Tommy 6th Rec Baseball Game

Tommy had a few more hits today. He also got warned for throwing the bat. Drop the bat kid.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GGDQVTVv2zdQbBLg6