This is our pond so far! It's about half-way completed. We have most of the plants in, and although they look small right now, the hibiscus plants against the wall will get up to six feet tall and three feet wide, and the flax plants will get about three feet tall. This is assuming that we don't kill them all off first, which is a definite possibility. The pond needs a liner, which was just delivered two days ago. Clint is going to install the liner on his next day off. The liner also came with a pipe/pump thing that you put in the center of the pond and it bubbles or sprays water up, depending on which setting you choose. We still need to install the flagstone around the pond, which you can sort of see stacked on the sidewalk in the background. Clint also bought a bamboo "deer chaser" (yeah, I don't really get the name either, but it's a type of fountain), and some lilies to float on top of the pond. I'm excited about the progress we're making...at this rate, it should be finished in about a week. I only wish I had "before" pictures of this area...it was this crappy little corner full of rocks and weeds.
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I feel like I was blind-sighted by awards assemblies today. We went to what was supposed to be Elijah's very first awards assembly at 5:30 this evening, but once there, the principal informed us that Trinity would be getting her award at the "fourth grade" award assembly at 7:00. We didn't even know she was supposed to receive an award tonight, so we were pretty much thinking, "Um...come again?" Rather than hang around for an hour after Elijah's assembly, we took the kids to McDonalds and treated them (and ourselves) to cheap hot fudge sundaes.
Elijah received an honor roll award, which I thought was amusing, because seriously, what the heck is honor roll in kindergarten? Straight "A's" in shoe-tying, scissor handling, and distinguishing left from right? Almost all the kids in his class received an award, so it's just another example of our society awarding mediocrity and fluffing up kids' egos before they have even had a chance to earn self-esteem the old-fashioned way...you know, by actually accomplishing something. But Elijah has worked hard in kindergarten and is doing great in reading and math, so I was proud of him tonight.
Elijah received an honor roll award, which I thought was amusing, because seriously, what the heck is honor roll in kindergarten? Straight "A's" in shoe-tying, scissor handling, and distinguishing left from right? Almost all the kids in his class received an award, so it's just another example of our society awarding mediocrity and fluffing up kids' egos before they have even had a chance to earn self-esteem the old-fashioned way...you know, by actually accomplishing something. But Elijah has worked hard in kindergarten and is doing great in reading and math, so I was proud of him tonight.
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Trinity's unexpected award was for getting straight A's. In fourth grade, it's more difficult to get on the honor roll, so I was actually proud of her, too. It would be nice though to be given a little heads-up when she is going to receive an award. Although who really knows...she probably had a letter in her backpack that she "forgot" to give us. She is very scatterbrained.
That's great, Jodi! It looks like a pond, minus the water (which is what it is, I suppose), strangely fitting for the desert. It must be great having a husband who enjoys projects like that. Matt's so unhandy! If I found him outside digging a hole in the ground, I might start to worry about what he planned to put in that hole... Ha! No, no, I kid.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to your little ones. I remember being in elementary school at Maple and getting awards for Math or Music. Its a little ironic, since I'm terrible at math and always have been! I'm not sure what happened to them, I think my mom probably has them somewhere.
So, I think that if there's a problem with fluffing up kid's egos, it's nothing new. I'm honestly not sure why they do it. I remember it, but it hasn't affected me at all.
Okay, I'm blabbed on enough. :)
I wouldn't say that Clinton exactly "enjoys" doing projects; he's more of a begrudging worker most of the time. But he has been pretty enthused with this whole pond project, and it is nice that he's willing to invest time on our yard. You should see the rest of our yard though Kristyn, it's a typical desert wasteland (aside from a few small trees that we planted). I'm hoping getting this little section done inspires me to do more with our yard.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Matt, it's interesting how all of our hubbies have different gifts and shortcomings. Clint is extremely handy around the house, so I am very thankful for that. But your hubby is a talented writer and shares that passion with you, and you have no idea how much I would LOVE to have that in a spouse. I constantly crave a companion who doesn't view writing as a big waste of time. But I guess we have to count what we have, not what we don't have, right? Well, unless it's that time of the month. ;) Anyway, just keep Matt away from shovels.