Fenced in Again

When we bought this house, for some reason it didn't have a fence. The builder is one of the few in our area that doesn't include it. So we knew we would have an added expense of getting a fence put up. Well we have been moved in for over a month now. I have jumped through all the hoops that this ridiculous HOA required and we are now in the process of having our fence put up. I can't tell you how excited I am to be fenced in again. I will now be able to just let the dog out instead of having to actually stand outside with her while she does her business. The kids can now play outside freely without me worrying about them falling off the retaining wall again and again. (Some lessons are a bit harder to learn I guess) We can now start thinking about that shed that Hubs really needs so there will be more room in the garage. And now if we feel like it we can run around outside with the kids without every neighbor in the block laughing at our kids whipping us at tag or whatever game we are playing.

There is a drawback to our fence. It will now block our view of the lake from the backyard. For whatever reason, the HOA wouldn't allow wrought iron. But we will still see the view from all the windows inside and or course out front. Our crazy old bat lady of a neighbor who so rudely accosted Hubs about our fence will not be able to see the lake anymore. She will also not be able to see our "bunch of kids and dog" as she so eloquently put it in her crazed state of mind. I have thought of taping a picture of the view on her side of our fence just so she won't miss it so much. But I heard that she's considering moving now (apparently our fence was the final straw or something like that) so I'm really not to concerned about her keeping her view. I guess I shouldn't tell her that our new neighbors moving in next door our putting up a big fence also. When they do then her yard will essentially be fenced in on all sides. But I don't want to add to her fence burden anymore than I have. Some people are just not happy and I am sorry to say that she is one of them.

I however am a happy person. I'm happy that I am going to have my fence by the end of the weekend. Yes, that makes me happy. It makes my kids happy. It makes the dog happy and it makes Hubs happy. We are going to be such happy people to be around you won't be able to stand it.

And then there were three

Our house has been a bit off balanced the last two weeks and it continues on this week as well. This is because my parents have been taking each of the kids for a week to spend some one on one time with them at their home. First to go was Hoss, this was the first time he actually got to go all by himself. He had lots of fun and lots of milkshakes. I really missed him and the house was very quiet while he was gone. It was also a lot more clean. I soon realized who my two main mess makers are. And when he came home, he looked like this.


Next to go visit was Z. He actually bumped K. from her chosen week but since he was off from school on Spring Break she really didn't have a chance. He to enjoyed lots of milkshakes, movies and made lots of friends at their house. He spent lots of time playing basketball when he wasn't eating. I swear that child gained five pounds last week. The house was quiet and off balanced during his visit as well. But when they returned for the Easter weekend it was all good again. I had a few days with all my kids back home in their own beds like they are supposed to be.

But then K. had to get her visit in and so she hopped in their car when they left and got her first turn at Grandmama and Pappy's house all by herself. She will be a bit more work for them since she is still the youngest and I hope my parents make it through her week without to much trouble. If not, we will just meet at the halfway point and just shorten her trip a bit. My K. can be a bit clingy to her grandmama, kind of like this.


But it was something that both the kids and grandparents have been wanting to do. So we seized the opportunity while we could. I'm sure it will take me weeks to get them back into reality once they are all home again. Baby A. isn't going for a turn. She's still a bit to young for me to let go just yet. But someday she'll get to go. But for now, they are all noticing the difference it makes when just one of them isn't around.