The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Oh, the joys of being a homeowner.

Aiden Picard was surprised to learn on Aug. 7, the day before his fifth birthday, that he'd be getting his dream home.

That dream home, a playhouse, was made by DWK Fowler Construction to be raffled off to raise money for the Ridge Riders Junior Rodeo.

Young Picard had wanted allowance, or any other money he would have received, to go toward raffle tickets with his grandmother, Reyne Finley.

"He was just determined to buy that house," his mother, Meghan Finley, said.

Other people even began buying raffle tickets on his behalf.

But his name wasn't chosen in the raffle, which was won by Ellyn and Rex Kiner, of Ephrata, who had also won another playhouse the previous year.

The couple decided they didn't need a second one, and that they wanted Picard to have it.

So the day before he turned 5, Aiden was taken to Fowler's shop to see his new house.

"He was so surprised, he had no idea where we were going," Finley said. "They told him it was his house. He was stunned. He was very happy to play with it and promptly locked his sister inside."

They had cupcakes to celebrate Picard's birthday the following day, when he was given a roadster-style play car.

"He thinks he's pretty hot stuff now," his mom said. "He has a house and car now."

Picard has had plans for the house for a long time. He's told adults he needs a toilet for it, and at one point he was moving his sister's things out of the way to make room for it at the family home.

Seeing an American flag on the house, the boy wondered why there weren't any soldiers inside.

The playhouse will be delivered to his home in Coulee Dam soon.