Over Seeding (week 475)

We actually began the process of re-seeding the backyard last weekend to take advantage of a coming rain storm.  The rain never came, but Chris, Dad, and I spent our weekend aerating the lawn, fixing sprinklers (that I drove the metal aerator spike through), spreading seed, dropping fertilizer, and raking top soil over it all.  In fact, it was a lot bigger job than we ever expected.  We put caution tape around the yard, which looks like a giant muddy mess right now.  I have a new appreciation for all those parks, soccer fields, and stadiums out there.  Re-seeding is super hard and a pain in the butt.  I have also stopped pestering my dad about all the little brown spots on our lawn where we have destroyed the grass.

Continuing the landscaping theme, Saturday was Field Day at the East Long Beach (ELB) baseball fields in Heartwell Park.  Each year, a bunch of volunteers from the league show up from 800 am - 1000 am to rake, sweep, paint, and weed the fields (among other tasks such as coffee drinking, standing around, and eating donuts). This year, since we moved up to the Mustang Field, we focused our energies on the left field bullpen, walkway, and outfield--raking leaves, pulling weeds, and making it look awesome.  It took about 2 hours, but we were very proud of the fact that we were 2 of roughly 5 kids that showed up to volunteer (out of 750 kids in the league)!

Chris and I are learning to navigate our increasingly complicated relationship.  As we go through stuff--mainly 3rd grade and Kindergarten--we struggle with wanting to do stuff together, wanting complete control, wanting to be independent, but being completely dependent on our parents to referee and solve problems for us.  Most of our interactions result in crazy screaming and crying by one or more of the family members (including our mother and father).  

On Sunday, however, Chris pulled out the new (old school--didn't know they still made and sold it) Snoopy snow cone machine.  It was a great project for us to share, fight, yell, and ultimately conquer together.  Dad refused to do the work for us, or to read the instructions--so long as we mixed all the sugar packets over the sink.  We found out that we made a lot of mistakes but that we were able to get it done.  Experiments are hard and frustrating, but the sweet taste of a cherry Snoopy snow cone was worth all the torture of working together.