Ghostbusters in NC!

It's breakfast for dinner time!

Emily helped me make pancakes tonight so she got the special plate.

Emily's Sunflower!

It's as tall as her.

Dog Show Pic

Then they got to meet the animals and take pictures with them.

The amazing dog show

There was a show that competed on animal planet with their amazing dogs. Emily is the one on the far left and you can see the dog leaping over her and her friend next to her.

The kids having fun

On their unlimited rides pass. They got to ride all the rides.

A day at the fair

We went to the Catawba County Fair this afternoon with Em's friends.

Another look

Ahhh giant slugs!

On the side of my house.

First Day of Kindergarten

The first day of school, Emily is all grown up....

Ready for school!

Where's Waldo (Dozer)

Dozer found his favorite spot in his new backyard.

The girls chilling by the pool

We went to a Patio Clearance sale this morning and decorated the deck amazingly cheap. I'll post a few more pics of what we got.

The Pool is done!

Well it's never really finished but the major construction phase is done. It turned out even better than we imagined. Time to enjoy it.

Beck's new office toy

She needed something to spice up that new office.

The Pool at night

Concrete!

They poured on Thursday and hopefully be back to put in score lines today. Fence installed on Monday and we are finished!

Notice the temp

The pool is 92 degrees

Quite the hot spell down here. Need to get the water feature in to cool the pool off at night.

What are these birds?

And why do they think my house is now their home?

Our first Swim!

Who needs concrete....spent last two days brushing and vacuuming the pool, start up chemicals are installed. Hope to get concrete in by end of week and get the salt system started once the pool is balanced.

Miss Poofy Hair

Emily got her braids taken out tonight.

Our new retaining wall

The guy did an amazing job.

Our new steps

Are we home in NC?

Look what Harris Teeter carries now.

Can't get these in the states.

Hup Holland

World Cup fever here in Aruba as the Dutch are playing Spain today in the final. If Holland wins it will be a crazy night of partying here in Aruba.

Bumper Boats!

Sunset at Dinner

We had our anniversary dinner at a great Italian restaurant at the tip of the island and got this great sunset.

Dancing at Salsa night

We went to the other resort that Beck's parents are staying and enjoyed a home cooked spaghetti dinner and some salsa dancing.

Ahhh Parrots

Island Girl

Emily got her hair braided this morning!

Feeding the fish

This is just outside the resort. We feed the fish our leftovers.

I love this sign!

This is on the side of a building in downtown Oranjestad.

Hello from Aruba

Out to lunch!

We have wifi in the lobby so I can update the blog regularly. Emily and I going out to lunch.

Aruba!

Just got back from a great breakfast. Off to swim in the pools.

The foreman overseeing the build

Conduit buried, piping ready for pad, ground is leveled for concrete. Need electrician to finish his stuff up for inspection and we lay concrete. The retaining wall stone was delivered too. We are in the home stretch!

Pools half full

of actual pool water. Inspections coming up soon and then laying the concrete!

Almost done!

Mitchell worked his butt off the last two days and got the pool shaped, drains installed and Vermiculite finished. Now we can install the liner and start filling the pool!

We have the pump pad, electrical, retaining wall and concrete to finish. Almost there....

Piping done

Piping is completed on the pool and backfilling has started. Tomorrow
they will pour pump pad and finish backfilling and hopefully getting
the rest of the dirt hauled away.

Designing a big pergola for the back of the house for some shade. I'll
try and post a pic of the design tomorrow.

More progress today

It was the point of no return the last few days on the pool. They
showed up today (a Saturday) and installed the coping and got the
electrical bonding completed for the next step.

We finalized locations for the ladder, pump and eelectrical wires. We
are planning on building two 10' square pergolas down at the far end
of the pool. We will be installing ceiling fans in them and one will
be set up for a tv. I may just move into my backyard shortly!

First day of gymnastics camp!

School is out and summer camps are starting. Emily is doing gymnastics
and Science camps. She is very excited.

Progress!

They worked on the pool full time the last two days. Pool walls all
assembled. Steps are installed and the bracing is 90% done.

Cat armor

This is what happens when Dad plays Barbies

Ken gets dressed as a queen and Barbie gets dressed as a fat man.