Big Helpers and Some Time for Fun

 We have been working hard to get our house ready to sell. The week before we were suppose to list the house our garage started flooding with all our things in it. We hurried to call our insurance company and they called a plumber. Three holes in our wall later and they still had not found where the leak was coming from. They called a specialist who ended up finding out that it was coming up from under the cement floor of our spare room and flowing from there into our garage. 

The plumber came back out and cut up the garage floor and the cement below. He said that our beautiful lawn that we had just reseeded and the grass had come in nice and full would have to have a large trench dung through it to reroute a new pipe. Mark spent all day working on digging a trench on his day off. The kids and I helped a little, but he did most of the work, expecting the plumber to show up at 9am this morning. However, we got a message this morning saying sorry he would be out today and they would try to get someone else out. In the mean time we can't keep the water running but have to keep turning off the main otherwise the garage floods again. 

We are not allowed to clean out and throw out the things that were damaged because the insurance company wont be out to look at it until the plumber is finished. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my birthday week. However, I am extremely proud of all our kids for being wanting to help out. 

Mark and I were digging the trench, the kids were scooping out the loose dirt

helping stomp down the dirt inside the trench

It took until it got dark but it finally was done

A few of the kids have really been growing up quite a lot and go out of their way to help out even without being asked.

 

putting the silverware away

putting her dishes away after eating 

Fun drawing heart flowers

We decided that since it would be raining on my birthday that we would celebrate a few days earlier. After Mark got off work, we played at the park, picked up some dinner from the grocery store, and then headed out for a drive. 

Fun at the Park

Our drive took us around Mt. Hood where we discovered an area we could stop and play in the snow for a little bit! 

Got dad right in the face, lol!! 

On the way home we stopped at the falls. (if you look back at the pictures from the park, the rock wall with the waterfall mural is the same exact waterfall that is behind he kids in the pictures below. 

The kids announced it was the "Best Day Ever!" and asked when we can do it again. Such a wonderful day!