Inspection

As president of the Home Owners Association for Maple Ridge Estates, it is my duty¹ to regularly inspect the neighborhood for any unauthorized deviations from normally approved residential activities. 

The HOA Board is allowed to procure the services of agents or other service providers in the execution of its aforementioned duties. 

To this end,  I have engaged the Z and T Inspection Company, Incorporated.  (hereafter, "Z&T").   Z&T makes numerous inspections during the week in all weather conditions.

Above is a picture of Zach (the Z) and Tyler (the T) beginning an inspection after recent heavy rains. 

One of the most important tasks is to carefully inspect each storm drain to ensure water is flowing in the right direction.  If one of these drains gets stopped up,  it could spell disaster for the neighborhood. 

Puddles must also be inspected thoroughly.  Their depth and volume must be determined to ensure none of the puddles exceed local safety regulations. Now that Maple Ridge Estates has been incorporated into the city of Renton, these inspectors must not only know King County rules and regulations but also codes and ordinances for the city of Renton.

After carefully watching Tyler’s examination of the puddle using the one foot technique,  Zach determines the more difficult, but more accurate, two foot technique is needed for this puddle. 

Sometimes during an inspection a disagreement occurs that can only be settled by a foot race. 

1. Its is important to note that this story is for entertainment purposes only.  The MRE HOA, its president, or any other board members are not actually responsible for any neighborhood inspections.

The Heavy One

“He aint Heavy,  He’s my brother!” – Neil Diamond.

Zach and Tyler are pretty good to one another.  Here Zach is pulling his brother up a fairly steep hill.  It was pretty hard for Zach,  so shortly after this picture was taken, Tyler got out of the wagon and helped push it up the hill.  Of Course after working together for about 10 feet,  they both gave up and I pulled the wagon back home.  If you have seen our driveway, then you know there is no shame in them giving up.  

Kindergarten Rocks

Zach will be starting Kindergarten in the fall/late summer .  He and I got a sneak peak of his new school, Tiffany Park Elementary.  Home of the fighting Tigers.  Zach should be in good shape heading into the first year of his formal education.  He can already perform many of the basic tasks necessary to compete at this level.

Zach's best friend from pre-school will be attending the same class as he,  and this has him excited.  While I filled out a mountain of paperwork, he and his friend were allowed to go play on the play ground.  Rumor has it the playground is awesome,  But I wouldn't know.

This was completely unfair,  isn't he the one going to school? Shouldn't he be doing the paperwork?  I have put in more than my fair share of time in school.

The school is 2.6 miles from the house.  Zach will be riding the bus.  We are eagerly awaiting the bus schedule.



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Here is Zach, posed next to his favorite letter.  We are still working on that smile.

I think Zach is ready for School!!!

All About Zach

Song of the Day:   Mr. Brightside

Poll:  Spiritual Thought of the Week?  (send them to me, I need them for a church meeting)

For the past several months,  six or so,  Zach has been telling people he is four and a half.  Monday the Missionaries were visiting and asked Zach his age.  Zach, once again, proudly stated that he was four and a half.  Under my breath I muttered to Shannon,  isn’t he actually like four and three quarters now?  Shannon quickly informed me that Zach was not aware of such complex fractions.  

Later that evening,  reflecting on two awesome talks about parenting given in church Sunday,  I expressed to my boys my love for them and their mother.  Zach, pausing for a second from his near constant motion, looked at me and said, “Daddy, I love you the very mostest.”   Taking advantage of the moment of calm, I asked Zach how much he loved his mom.  He answered without hesitation, “about three quarters.”   The irony was not lost on me, as I looked at Shannon and said,  “1/4 deduction for doubting his math skills!”   Intrigued by the pecking order,  I asked Zach how much he loves his Papi and Grandma in Colorado.   He gave Grandma a “97 quarters,  just three less than you Daddy” and Papi a “98 quarters.”  He then volunteered that Tyler and Grandma(the one here) were right up there with me.   I apologize for not finding out everyone else’s position in the hierarchy,  but I was happy with my placement and didn’t want to press my luck.  

Despite my rank,  Zach almost knocked me over running to say hi  and hug Mom as we both came home together from work this evening.  

Shannon and my Mother went to  a relief society event about gardening(plants fear Shannon) and eating vegetables whilst I put Zach to bed.  After reading about evil mothers-in-law and mongooses(the mongooses were not evil) I asked Zach to brush his teeth and get ready for bed.  He said he was hungry and wanted pudding.  I heard Karl’s voice in my head, “How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat!”   Knowing that the presence of pudding has created great controversy lately  I asked Zach how many puddings he had eaten today?  After several moments of deep thought,  he answered none.  I didn’t believe him for a minute.  After staring at him for what seemed like a week,  he told me “I am very sneaky”, and to keep Tyler and Grandma from seeing,  he snuck pudding out of the box and ate it before they could see what he was doing.  Very sneaky.  

    

The Pudding Controversy:  Zach’s mother’s other child, Tyler has always had strong opinions,  and even stronger opinions about food.  From his infancy eating times and amounts have been non debatable Items.   However, recently Tyler has become extremely opinionated about the which food he wants to eat.  Do to his strong like of cookies, executive order 2011-2B was issued outlawing the presence of cookies in the Ellis house.  Despite being shown that the cookie jar is empty multiple times a day,  the Tyrant demands cookies be presented to him at every time he sits down to eat.   In the absence of cookies,  he has decreed that pudding can be and is a more than adequate substitute.    Tyler will refuse all other foods if he has determined, which he has always determined, its pudding time.   Thus,  the need for Zach to sneak pudding.