May 2008

After working from home 99% of the time for a year or two, Jamie finally became officially a work-at-home employee and had to vacate his IBM office in Boulder.

It was very odd for him to pack up his office, even though he was rarely there.

It has just been his space for so long that it is weird to lock the door for the last time.

Jamie's IBM Office

After losing contact for almost eight years, Tracy's long-time friend Tracy (yes, Tracy) came to visit today with her two kids.

Drew loved to play with Kaden (yes, Kaden) on his newly-finished (finally!) park.

We didn't have a long time to visit, but had a great meal and hope to see them again soon.

Tracy and her daughter

Drew and Kaden playing on Drew's park

After many, many (many) hours of hard work in the hot sun, Jamie finished Drew's new Park today.

Drew just loves it and the girls do too!

Daddy and Drew in the Clubhouse

Drew in the Crow's Nest

Having fun swinging

Brielle and Alexia enjoying their double swing

Working into the darkness, Jamie almost finished the Park today.

Drew waited so patiently the entire day, so we let him play on it anyway.

With a lot of careful supervision, of course.

Jamie swinging Mitty

Andrew swinging all by himself
(which he just started doing today on his "old park")

Drew exploring the Clubhouse

Mitty in the not-quite-finished tunnel

The Call Family (Darrenn, Willow, Thatcher and Gunner) came over for dinner today.

It was too bad that the Park was not yet finished.

We had some great burgers and dogs and the boys tired themselves out completely.

After dinner the boys watched a Veggie Tales video while the parents played a board game.

We all had a really great time.

Drew and Thatcher
(presumably after some type of spill)

Drew swinging Thatcher

There's always time for a good story
(Tracy, Drew, and Thatcher)

Plumb Tuckered Out

Back to building the park today.

Lots more time, still not a lot of visible progress. Hopefully Jamie will finish this upcoming long weekend.

Jamie helping Drew to slide down the unfinished Park

Some very nasty weather brought golf ball size hail and tornado threats.

We all moved as quickly as possible into the basement.

Drew was very scared at first but we quickly put a Mickey Mouse video into Grammy's TV and he was just fine.

The dogs were placed into a containment zone brought into the basement to keep them away from the mouse poison.

Fortunately the tornados skipped Longmont.

After about an hour we re-emerged and checked for damage caused by the hail.

Amazingly, the cars were not damaged (both were outside because of the unfinished Park pieces in the garage).

The deck heaters took a beating, but are still functioning.

Several plastic toys have, wouldn't you know, golf ball size holes in them and will have to be thrown away.

There are leaves all over the ground and many of the plants are, well, pulp.

It is very good that Jamie was not faster with building the Park, because the plastic tunnel would have been swiss cheese. . .at best.

We feel very fortunate that things were not worse and we will clean up quickly.

Drew really likes to tell his story about the "tormado."

Hunkered in the basement

The Park is in place, leveled, attached to the ground, and is ready to be finished.

We did a little bit more today, and made good progress even though it may not look like much.

Jamie hard at work

Tracy and Mitty helping

As a "thanks" for the help on building the park we invited ourselves over to Corey and Michelle's house for dinner.

Well, actually, dinner was on us but we ate at their house.

Mason, Camden, and Drew with his "helmet"

What it feels like to be a little boy

The beginning stages of Drew's new "park" require two people, so it was decided that the whole Holland family would come over early for breakfast before Corey helped Jamie build the park.

We had a great meal before starting several hours of following directions to put the thing together.

Didn't get anywhere close to finishing, but enough was done so that Jamie can finish the rest himself.

Camden, Michelle, and Brielle

Mason and Drew (and Toby too!)

We loaded up the entire traveling circus today to take Shiloh to Evergreen, Colorado to meet a possible new family for her.

This home was literally on the side of a mountain.

They really liked Shiloh, but their current dog just wouldn't leave her alone.

This family didn't work out, so we will keep looking.

Shiloh meeting the family

Sometimes things just don't go your way.

Tracy had big plans this year to have a unique birthday.

Sometimes things just don't work out.

It was still a great day, but her neck was "out" and the restaurant she wanted to go to was closed (permanently).

It was still a lot of fun and will certainly be one to remember.

Tracy in front of a poster she created for a friend for the Longmont Theatre

"Tracy" opening her birthday card

Nona and Lexi
(and "the finger")

It's not a "Tracy Cake" but it sure was tasty anyway

Tracy and her cake

PaPa John, Nona and the kids

We went to visit Michelle and Corey Holland today for dinner.

It was a lot of fun and the boys (Drew and their sons Mason and Camden) love to play.

Michelle and Madison

Jamie and Lexi

Lexi tackling Madison

Drew driving Mason and Camden