Here it is!! Our pool arrived today!

                             Here it is on the other side of the fence on a big flatbed truck.

 They set the crane up on the other side of the fence as well and hooked up the pool.

                                                                   Away we go!!!

                                                       Around in a semicircle...............

                                                        Hovering over the hole

                           Pulling it forward to make sure it is going right where it should.

                                                     Ahhhhh..............perfect fit!

 

So here it is .....empty.......it will take several days to fill with water, a little at a time, and back fill the dirt around it.  It is fiberglass and has to be adjusted and settle with each filling....so as not to buckle it.....so we are told!!!  But hey this is great progress!!!

 

Of course I will keep you posted on each phase of the installment.  John had to work today----but made sure I remembered to take lots of photos!!    I think it will be another nice evening on the deck just staring at the pool!!!  YEEHAW.

Its OFFICIAL!!!!

So this month is bringing huge changes in our lives.  This wonderful man right here ...my handsome hubby.... is retiring on the last day of the month.

He has worked at the same hospital as I did, for the past 39 1/2 years.  I was there for 32 years before I had to medically retire.

We decided we deserved a nice gift to ourselves for working hard and being responsible and raising for amazing children to adulthood along the way.

So, we opted for an inground pool!! 

 Last week it all started to come to fruition when these guys showed up out front.

                                                        Big Cat coming down the drive!

                                                          Here it is in our backyard!

                                             Making the first swipe----scraping up the sod first!

                       Digging right up to the deck.  I am glad he knows what he is doing.

                                        Here he is making the first dig in the pool area itself!

                                                                 Making progress!

                     This is the view from the far corner of our yard and the deep end.(8')

 

This is from the shallow end.  The hole is a little wider than the pool but needs to be in order to place it in the hole and manuever it into place.

 

John and I had originally thought we were going to buy a relative's lake place and when that fell through we decided a backyard pool would be perfect.

1).  Hello..... a mini lake in our backyard.

2). Walk off the deck and into the pool...so convenient.

3). It will be heated.....making it a longer swimming season than the lake.

4). Ordered the largest fiberglass size they make.....will hold all our kids and kidlets.

5). No mortgage payments.

6). Our kids all live hours away....so the perfect backyard fun. (not to mention the perfect bribe to get the kidlets to visit more often and stay longer----like all the kidlets without their parents--)

7.) I love entertaining.  What's to not like about a poolside Barbecue?

8). It's Paid for.

9). I am limited in other forms of exercise, but swimming is something I LOVE and can do to my heart's content.

10).its all paid for! 

The Pool is supposed to arrive in the next few days!  We can't wait.  John and I sat on the deck and watched the hole for a few hours the night this was all dug.  Can you tell we are excited?

 

Summer Happenings

I can't believe it is already August.  The time has flown by.  The most exciting thing is that our youngest daugher, Brianna, and her family have returned from living in Ecuador!  WOOHOO! 

 

                                                                               
After spending years away from all of us, they are now residing in the same state! They will actually be living in close proximity to our other three children and their families, on the other side of the state.......  BUT they are only a few hours drive away instead of a day's travel!!

So Oma has been reveling in making up timeI spent with Nakiah and Tovi joi.

                                            They got right down to sewing without hesitation.

We were able to celebrate Momma's Bd.  The grands all know that at Oma and Opa's they are free to be creative and have fun with whatever they want to do.  The girls spent an entire day decorating for the party.

Of course, there is a treasure trove of supplies at hand at any give time.

The girls picked out their own tablecloth, dishes and glassware.  They had so much fun. (so did OMA)

Momma was home the whole day and had to walk by the dining room to get to other rooms in the house.  She was under strict orders to NOT peek in there.  Then the girls had her go out the front door and walk in and be 'surprised.'  How cute is that?

we took advantage of the wonderful hot weather--phew--- and the girls made a fairy garden in my old red wagon.

We spent the Fourth at my brother's annual barbeque and the kids and adults enjoyed their pool.

 

Nakiah wrote her annual play, Letters To Abigail.

She spent the better part of a week just going through all of Oma's junk to find props, costumes, and making signs.

                                                        She didn't miss anything! 

                             This kept the audience away from the production site!

This walled off the patio area where the cast members could change and wait their turn.

                                 Nakiah and I only had to buy two dresses  The rest we had on hand.

                                                    Nakiah planned all the costumes

At the end of the play, Nakiah gavve all of her cousins and her sister flowers and acknowledged their acting skills!  This is the 3rd annual play and we look forward to next year's  production!!