The Clubhouse

Gordon built Jude a "Clubhouse" in the backyard. So far Jude and all the neighbor boys love playing in the clubhouse. Gordon built a climbing wall to enter the fort through the trap door and a closet door for the entrance/exit to the walkway that goes around the whole structure. (He designed it to look like a Fire Station Lookout with an observation deck.) We received some playground pieces from Gordon's Uncle Mark and Aunt Tina years ago to build our own playground set, so Gordon has been using pieces of that on the clubhouse: the climbing blocks, the monkey bars, the swing (which is on the deck by the house). We still need to put in a slide for the exit, but we haven't found what we are looking for yet for a reasonable price. If anyone has a place to get slides for cheap, let me know please! So far the kids don't seem to mind. Gordon will put a roof on as soon as we have extra money for the materials (ha, ha, extra money).

Spring is in the Air

Since Jude has learned to ride his bike without training wheels, we have been doing a lot of family bike rides! First of all I need to thank Summer for running after Jude and Maile a few fridays ago, to teach them both to learn to ride without training wheels, when I was at work. Jude was so excited to tell me that he could ride his bike without training wheels!! Pretty much everyday since then he has asked to go on a bike ride after school and work. Gordon and I have been riding with him and we are enjoying it too!

Last Thursday the two of them ride from our house to the bike path behind his office (approx 3 miles) then they rode to the end of the bike path in Central Point, past the Expo, over the overpass, by Scenic and across the highway to Gordon's grandparents house. He mapped it out afterwards and thinks they rode about 12 miles. They called me later and I picked them up, since it was getting dark and they wouldn't be able to make it home before it was totally dark. Jude loved it even though Gordon said he crashed/fell off his bike 3 times.

On Saturday Nicole, Susan, Jude, Dallas and I went to the Pear Blossom parade. Jude and Dallas had a fun collecting candy that was being thrown at them. The weather was kind of crazy though, it was windy, but the sun was shining which was great! My scalp got it's first sunburn of the season. After the parade and really late lunch/dinner, we all went for a bike ride and Gordon joined us. We rode from Medford to Blue Heron park in Phoenix/Talent and played at the park until the clouds looked like they were about to burst and soak us! We all had fun!

Even Nicole and Gordon tried riding the buckin' bronco. I think all Nicole's practice has been worth it. Gordon on the other hand might need to work on his skills.

How to Train Your Dragon...

Last Friday we took Jude to see How to Train Your Dragon. It was great! It's a fun movie and very entertaining. Monica had shown Jude a picture of Monte with a Viking hat from his McDonald's happy meal from their trip to Boise and he remembered yesterday, so he talked me into getting him a happy meal after school on the way back to work. He was so excited to make the hat, but I made him wait until we were back at work and could put the unwanted pieces in the garbage instead of finding them in the car a week later! He did not want me to take a picture, but I finally talked him into it, and it's so cute! What a goof!