Backyard

Eric has been working hard all weekend getting the backyard and deck ready for summer.  Lili helped for a few hours.

Looks great.  Power washers are a wonderful thing. 

Kids were in and out all day.  It was too hot and often things were wet but in the end there was a clean trampoline and the new disc swing is up so it was all good. 

The pool is open and the boy's little pool is on the deck.  Three of them went in after dinner and we suds them up and did pool baths. 

We had planned with Mom to go on a picnic but Lili and Jia wanted to stay and enjoy the backyard.  Thankfully they were ok to have dinner here. 

Fei and I had packed individual salads for each of us so dinner was super easy.

Kai is torn, he likes joining in but still prefers to be inside.  So we had to keep calling him out. 

Boy's at a Birthday Party

Some of you will remember the fiasco of days gone by of taking Kai to parties. 

So I've been dreading taking the boys to the this latest party.  I knew Eric was going to prefer not going.  Then we all got busy going in different directions so it really was me on my own.

Now the boys are easy to manage normally but this time was at the gymnastics club.  Yikes. 

They did better than expected.  Kai tripped a few times (bad florescent lighting and blue mats all over at different heights) he started lifting his legs up, going slower and walking more like he was riding a horse.  After a while he found the little kid area and was happy in there just moving all the equipment and mats around.

Luk found the little kid foam pit and was thrilled to play in there.  It went WAY better than I was expecting. 

Then for the party part both boys were great. Sat and ate nicely.  Kai got pretty excited about watching the birthday boy open his and Luk's gifts.  At the end they remembered to say thank you. 

Easy peasy.

What?

My girl mowing lawns and sanding wood?  I don't understand. 

She wants to earn the $ enough to help out with Eric chores!

Wheelchair Sitting

Eric took Luk to Queen Alexandra to start the wheelchair process. 

It's of course complicated.  With too many people involved.  Measuring a small child that is going to grow.  So if a chair lasts a few years then realistically it should start out a bit big, get just right and then be a bit small.  Like a bike. 

Eric was overwhelmed with information.  The Queen Alexandra folks think Luk should go to a power chair first.  Something about funding?  But...that would mean two new vans with lifts!  Yikes.  I vote NO.  We're thinking he won't need power until high school when he's faced with long hallways and less assistance available.

We have to co-ordinate the team to get to the ordering part.  We're being told 3 to six months and they'd all like him in the chair asap.

Soooooo. ..in typical Nelson  fashion.  Eric immediately found a used pediatric chair in really nice shape.  In green.  It's not light. He took it to have a cushion made and the lady at the foam shop said no problem we make them all the time.  Don't worry about the size it will fit all of the chairs they're about the same size.  Like we thought.   So we've got this one on a three month trial. 

Luk LOVES it.  He was able to manouver all around the house right away.  He did a Walmart trip and managed alright.  He tires out every few minutes and either Jia or I took over pushing.

Jia is a bit of a problem.  She wants to be a part of it but has LOW impulse control.  She wants Luk to spin.  Because wheelchairs spin very very easily.  Luk does NOT want to spin.

Lots of learning curve.

Visiting Sue

And our chickens, and the old moho, and Tessa and Max.

Jia was thrilled to see our old girls.  Five of them with the run of the yard.  Still tame and walking around with us.  Tessa the dog is very much like our Isabel so the kids had fun getting to know her and throwing her ball for her.  We got to see bunnies and meet Max the blue and gold Macaw.  Sue even gave them each one of his feathers.  Luk and Jia had it rubbed all over their faces immediately.  Kai wasn't sure what the heck to do with a feather but it sure wasn't going on his face!  The kids all piled into the old moho while Eric was having a look at a few issues for Sue.  Luk could NOT grasp that it was ours once and after circling around it a few times I begged him to stop and just think on it for a while. 

Physical Therapy

Luk goes every Wednesday morning to play with Tyler.  I don't see a lot of work happening, looks like a lot of set up and a ton of chatting.  They do have fun.

Jia's first swimming lesson.

We've gone private lessons for Jia.  At the hotel in Cowichan Bay.  They had the pool to themselves. Lesson went very well.  Both Jia and her teacher were pleased.  And as parents always waiting...couldn't ask for a better view ;)  Plus wifi. 

Homework

Finally homework I didn't hate. Lili's career education class.  Selling a product for a profit.

Englishman River

Not a site we normally go to but booking was difficult.  Turned out to be a great place.  Very quiet.  Great hiking trails.  Falls are gorgeous.  We all had a nice time with friends. 

Jia in particular played hard.  She also was selecting meals.  Asking who had what and eating where she preferred.  Something we've always discouraged in group camping but with little miss who often chooses not eating at all it worked great. 

Kai was all about dirt...putting dirt in everything.  Chairs, pockets, Luk, Frisbees, bug collecting sets, ball mitts, in bubbles and playdoh.  You get the picture.  The toy bin was drastically reduced to diggers, cups, spoons and balls.  He didn't even notice just happily sat spooning dirt into the cabs of the diggers.  Too funny.  Cleaning his hands became quite the chore! 

We were hitting the routine of moho life just in time to leave.  It's always so much work getting the first trip ready.  Rest of summer should be easier. 

Score...new playground in the park.

Dogs did great camping.  Lacie was a bit sore first night from too much walking.  Back to riding with Luk.

Still loving our propane fire.

Tigerlily Farm had kittens!  4 weeks old.  Way more fun than goats, chickens and bunnies that don't want to be caught.

Could have visited the spca for free!

Come on Luk...this way.

Luk's favorite part, how soft the bunnies were.  

And back to the kitties.

Check out Kai.

Apparently I take more pics of Kai than the others.

An evening stroll to the falls.

Boys were thrilled to sit and listen to Al.  Super cuteness.

Theater seating.

Lunch at Combs with my big girls.

These two playing chess.  Hillarious.

Only one goat on the roof.  Goat butt selfie.