Pictures from Tuesday's Game

 Riley got to wear the pink helmet only cuz the little girl next to her has a bigger noggin. It was looking pretty bleak until she had to give it up.

 I have to do what?

Third base...

Tackle T-Ball

Here's Riley's first hit in T-ball. (Mo was taking pics, I did video...Meg)

Ice Cream Truck!

The Ice Cream Truck makes a visit almost every Father's Day...

Just a few more Father's Day...

 Love the Doodle...or get out of my way!

 Catch Zack!

 Ni-night Doodle!

Snuggle pup-pup!

More from Father's Day

 Daddy's girl...

 Flower child...

 UNCLE D!!!!!

 Just chillin'!

 I love you...a bushel and a peck!

Cranky boys?

Swimming Lessons

Swimming lessons are going ok. Riley enjoys the teachers and has already passed to Level 2 (see picture where she is banging the gong). However, she refuses to put her face in the water, which will keep her from moving up because Level 2 is front float and back float. Rowan however Loves the pool and wants to get in with big sis! He has managed to say on the sidelines to cheer her on so far!

T-Ball Picture Nite

Riley started t-ball two weeks ago, half her practices have been rained out including picture night that was supposed to be last week. Tonight was batting practice and picture night rescheduled. Roo did GREAT at both:) She went 3-3 hitting and during warm-up catch with Daddy she caught 7 in a row (two hands even, Coach!)

P.S. Yes, she is wearing poor shoes for T-ball. Side Story: We left the house for swimming lessons at 9:30 a.m. and did not return home until after T-ball because we had a showing scheduled and I wanted to keep the house clean. She's lucky I remembered the T-ball shirt and pants. Oops. Mom error!

Father's Day - Take 100...

 Mom made the kids clover crowns...

 The Boys side!

 Grandma didn't know what a project she created!

 Why are canes so much fun?

I have tried to post pictures from Father's Day 5 times already. Here we go again, not sure what's going wrong...Father's Day is at our house, Luau-style every year....looks like it's going to actually post this time!

Interesting Tips

Greening your home's exterior

Summer is an ideal time to work on home improvements that will help your home last longer, keep you healthy, and increase energy efficiency. Take a walk around your home and assess what improvements need to be done this summer. Inspect the foundation for cracks. Foundation cracks can be a pathway for moisture and pests to enter a home. Excessive moisturecan lead to mold and structural deterioration, and pests can affect a home’s structure and indoor air quality. Repair indoor and outdoor cracks right away or hire a professional to do so.

Inspect gutters and downspouts for damage or blockage. To prevent water from coming into your home, gutters should drain water several feet away from the foundation. Add downspout extensions if needed. Consider a rain garden at the base of a downspout to soak up the water, but locate the garden at least 10 feet from your foundation.

 

Remove vegetation within one foot of the foundation. Planting shrubs, bushes, and vines next to your house creates dead air space that insulates your home in both summer and winter. But keep full-grown vegetation at least one foot from the foundation to minimize moisture problems.

 

Increase slope next to foundation. Encourage proper drainage by sloping the ground away from the house.

 

Add a rain barrel. Water from a rain barrel can be used to irrigate plants and grasses. Most commercially sold barrels are designed to keep mosquitoes out. The more water that is collected by a rain barrel, the less water there is to saturate foundations and basements.

 

Check the roof for damaged shingles. Look for loose and raised shingles or bent flashing around chimneys and vents. Repair or replace as needed. For improved durability, consider installing a metal roof or a 40+ year asphalt shingle roof.

 

Check siding for peeling or blistered paint. Peeling and blistering paint should be replaced. If repainting, use exterior paints that are low- or no- VOC (volatile organic chemicals) and formaldehyde-free.

 

Seal exterior air leaks. Sealing on the outside of your home not only prevents air from entering, it can also prevent damage to siding, walls, insulation, windows, and doors due to moisture intrusion. There are many places to apply caulking or foam to weather seal the exterior of your home: doors and windows; vents for furnaces, dryers, water heaters, air exchangers; entry points for wires, pipes, cables, faucets. Learn to caulk and seal your house by downloading the Home Envelope Guide from the Department of Commerce.

 

If re-siding your house, choose long-lasting materials. Steel and fiber-cement siding are especially durable. Steel can be recycled at the end of its useful life. Remember to do an energy audit if you replace siding. Properly installed, new siding can make your house much tighter, which can change the fresh air requirements for some combustion appliances or for the occupants.

 

Upgrade exterior lights. Switch exterior bulbs to energy-efficient compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LED). Adding motion detectors to exterior lights will also save energy.

 

Build a greener deck or patio. If you build a deck, use wood that is certified to be from sustainably managed forests, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification; use reclaimed wood that does not containchromated copper arsenate, lead, or creosote; or use recycled-content materials. Better yet, install a patio, which typically requires fewer materials than decks to construct. If installing a patio, consider pavers that let the water through. These "pervious" pavers let water soak into the ground, thereby reducing pollutant-prone runoff.

 

Consider solar. Adding solar electricity panels or solar hot water panels can reduce your carbon footprintand save money in the long run. An installer will perform site assessment to determine if your house is a good candidate for solar. Find an installer near you on this interactive map of solar and wind installers in Minnesota.

From Living Green 365 newsletter

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there. I love you Dad, you are the best Coach in life! Josh, you are an amazing Daddy and you make me so proud to be with you!

Twins Game!

I took Riley to her first Twins game at Target Field with my family last night. Josh continues to boycott the field with no roof:) (Unless it's a work function I guess!) So he stayed home with Rowan. Here's pics from the nosebleed seats. May I remind you that I am deathly afraid of heights and we were also directly below where they shoot off fireworks...Thank you Danny Valencia for getting that home run so I could get sparks shot out above my straw cowboy hat:) But really, I had a great time and more importantly...RILEY had a great time. She is in LOVE with Cuddy...and he was in Right Field...she swears he looked up at her when she cheered!!