Life's Update

We are so happy to be back in Kennewick even if we are living like sardines in an apartment! It's not too bad but does get quite loud sometimes. I'm sure the neighbors are already asking the manager how long we are going to be here. The kids are getting along better than I expected. And it's easy to keep an eye on the little boys so that is always a plus!

We have started getting bids for the new house. It is actually going quicker this time because Mark can email the construction drawings and get replies back the same way. It is so much faster than driving around delivering prints then having to back a few days later to take them to another business. It looks like we will wait a few extra months to start building though because there are issues with the water pressure on our lot. The neighborhood where we are going to build was annexed into the city of Richland, although our kids will still go to Kennewick school district and the city limits are right across the street. The problem is that their psi for water is different and not up to code for Richland. So, we either have to pay for fire sprinklers to be installed inside the house ($$$$) or wait until the system is updated. We are choosing the latter. We are told that it is supposed to be complete by May but the City Planner thinks July is a more realistic date. If we go in to get a building permit before the system is updated we have to install sprinklers even if our occupancy date is after it is complete. Kind of silly. We asked if we could get our permit ammended if we are still building when the system is updated and they said that no one had ever asked that before. So, hopefully they will work with us. It's so silly to waste that money that we will never be able to recover in resale. If the city is nice we hope to start by March 1, but it looks like it may be later in the spring. Keeping our fingers crossed it is sooner rather than later!

Here is the kids new favorite play place because playing hide and seek in 1300 square feet of space isn't always easy. They even make Adam's bed in there so he can snuggle with his stuffed animals. Whatever makes them happy!!