While driving through Spokane to get to Montana, we'd planned to drop off the pop-tops we've been collecting for two years. It wasn't until we got home and were unpacking before I realized we'd forgotten. So when Randy said he wanted to do something fun with the kids, I suggested a day in Spokane.
*Side note that I don't want to forget: It ended up being perfect that we'd planned it, because Randy accepted a new job on Friday with Permitium, a competitor to Tyler Technologies, and he needed to do a urine drug test, which isn't offered in the Tri-cities, funny enough.
This being our first time doing this, we weren't sure what it entailed, so we were pleasantly surprised to find it SO easy to drop them off. It was semi-anti-climactic if I am being honest. We've been saving these for two years, with multiple families from multiple states saving with us. Any time my parents would come from Utah, any time we went to Utah or Mount Vernon, every family reunion, we'd save. It all culminated with us walking up to the entry door and finding this drop-off box right outside. We took the picture to remember just how many we'd collected and then simply dropped the bags into the opening. We'd planned to be done collecting, but I think I'm going to change my mind. We may not have changed the world with this collection, may not have donated millions of dollars to this amazing charity, but it was so easy, so effortless for the most part, that it feels almost wrong to end it. Plus, we're used to popping the tops before recycling the rest of the can. We'll see. It would be a no-brainer if it was RMH Seattle. I wonder why they don't.
After dropping them off, we headed to the mall. We ended up finding the best toy store. We had a blast looking around, but also finding stuff for Keilie's upcoming birthday. We let the kids each get something they wanted. The boys chose something Caden loved-- Metal Works.
Tyson finished his
Black Pearl fairly quickly. He said it was hard doing some of the small work, but it came together well.
Brennon, on the other hand, struggled. He has always struggled with fine motor, ever since he was accepted into the Child Development Center's Occupational Therapy program in Casper. He worked hard to overcome his obstacles, but he's always struggled with fine motor more than my other kids. When his pieces, tiny and frail, weren't coming out as effortlessly as Tyson's, when his wasn't coming together as quickly, he got more and more frustrated, understandably. When one of his pieces bent and broke as he pulled it from the sheet, he gave up entirely and actually threw it away.
Randy, unable to let him give up, told him he could do hard things. Brennon, through tears, told him how frustrating it was to work with such tiny pieces in flimsy metal, and told him he didn't want to finish it. Randy wouldn't listen, telling him to go get the tools, they'd work on it together.
Randy worked to get the pieces out of the sheet metal while Brennon put it together. Even Randy struggled to get them out without breaking them! Slowly, it came together. Randy encouraged and praised, Brennon concentrated and advanced.
And just like that, he conquered his frustrations and made something incredible.
I'm proud of Brennon and grateful to Randy. Randy may have helped, but he made Brennon do all of the hard work without allowing him to give up. It may not be the hardest challenge, but for Brennon, it was extremely difficult. But like his three-year-old self, he didn't give up, worked hard, and astonished us all with his determination in the face of his insurmountable odds.
We'd planned to eat at the
Steam Plant, a building that used to house pipes that would feed heat to the surrounding buildings. Randy's eaten there a few times and was excited to show us the stacks. Google said they opened at 3:00pm, so we planned to be there right at opening. We arrived to find it not only locked but closed down for remodeling and new ownership. Talk about disappointment. However, luck was on our side when an owner happened to be just inside, saw us trying to enter, and allowed us entry to see the place. Randy was right-- it is an incredible place. Pipes, early-American gages and levers, water storage tanks with large coal ovens used to create the steam, and the 50-story stacks you can walk into. Simply amazing.
They took down our information to email us when they opened. I can easily see us going back. Maybe we'll begin saving pop-tops again and celebrate another great drop-off with a meal at the Steam Plant. Sounds like a plan to me!
Glorious sight. I just sat here this morning and stared.
Because of some easements with Kennewick Irrigation District, we are not able to have our gate where it used to be. We will now have to have a block wall directly next to our house and the 12' gate (2 x6', iron) will have to be at the property line. This means that all of this grass you see here currently will now become a driveway, with a small, circular round-about between to break up the cement.
The rock up the side of the fence as well as where the boat, trailer, and riding lawn mower are will also become cement. It's insane how much concrete we'll have on this side of the house, but it was necessary because of that easement. Plus, Randy's always wanted it.
We've been working these last few years to get all of the rose bushes pulled from the backyard. We finally got the last two yanked to make place for our boat while they work. Has your yard waste dumpster ever smelled this rosy?
We've decided to keep our trampoline here permanantely. It was made as a fire pit area, but because the water main directly under it (the reason we have the easement!) broke a few Springs ago, it is all cracked and uneven in places. It fits our tramp perfectly, so we decided to make that the side of the yard where all of our toys will go. One day, a swing set will be placed where the boat is in these pictures. We'll build a fire pit somewhere else if we so choose. Or we'll make a backyard kitchen and have no need for a pit. Who knows.
