Mother's Day Madness!

Mother's Day was crazy this year! So much going on!

First of all, Kendall's wiggly tooth fell out this morning. Well, it didn't actually fall out...she let her daddy flick it out while we were having breakfast this morning. It was looking so funny anyway, since it was hanging to one side. She looked like she had already lost one the gap was so big! So she summoned up her courage and let Daddy take over...
















Check her out! I can't believe it's already time for her to lose teeth. While it IS exciting, I would be lying if I didn't say that it also makes me a bit sad...she is just growing up way too fast! One thing is for certain though. This girl is totally geeked up about the tooth fairy! She didn't even fuss about going to bed tonight, and made sure to wish for stickers instead of money. I'm sure the tooth fairy will comply! ;-)

Then of course, we had our Mother's Day/Noah's Birthday cookout today, and what a great day for a party!! The weather was awesome, we had a great turnout, and I really enjoyed my day. The kids fished, blew bubbles, took canoe rides, and just had a really great time. Noah slept through the first hour or so of the party...he desperately needed a nap before the festivities began. But once he was up, he was the life of the party! Can you believe my little man is two?

















The Cars cake was a huge hit with all the kids (and the 4 flavors of ice cream!), and Noah got all kinds of gifts that he was totally into.. The big hit was this little car with a dog on it that you shake and it makes car sounds and takes off. He played with that thing for at least an hour. Barry picked out a really good gift for him too...a rooster flashlight that crows when you push the "on" button! All in all, it was a good birthday celebration, and I think all the kids had a lot of fun!

And just as importantly, I think all of us Moms had a good day too...just relaxing, talking, and watching the kids play. I hope all you moms out there had a Mother's Day that was perfect for you, too! Isn't being a mom just the best?

And there's nothing wrong with that!

You know what?

I really like to be at home.

I like to hang my laundry on the line.
I like to lay in my hammock.
I like to water my flowers and garden.
I like to sit out by the fire with Barry, drinking a beer and talking.
I like to sit on my couch and watch Dr. Phil while doing puzzles with Noah.
I like to chase butterflies and fish with Kendall.
I even look forward to mowing!

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the fish are jumping in the pond, the frogs are chortling. I love to be here.

Yesterday, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't get moving. I dropped Kendall off at school and then I had 3 1/2 hours to get things done. Boy, did I have a plan. I had returns to make at 4 different stores, a market umbrella to buy at Sams Club, a menu to plan for the party this weekend...in short, plenty to do. But 2 1/2 hours into it, I was still making myself busy at home. I put laundry on the line, watered the garden, picked up the house, and cleaned the kitchen. I was just so content to be here. It's funny, because for most of my life I wanted to go, go, go. Anytime someone asked me to do something with them, my answer was, "SURE! I'll be right there!" I was always looking for something to do, anything to have fun. We were gone all the time!

And while I still want to be having fun (after all, what is life without fun?)...I now appreciate solitude and inner peace so much more. My home has become my haven, the place I long to be more than anywhere else. Although there is so much work to be done around here at any given moment, it is still where I want to be, and what I want to be doing. I've become a homebody, and there's nothing wrong with that!

My life is abundant and good.

THIS is where I belong.

Dumb Blondes

Ok, now I know that I really shouldn't be perpetuating the "dumb blonde" thing, being that I was a true blonde until I was almost 30...but this was too funny to pass up! And thanks to Brian, my acupuncturist and friend, for sharing!

Brian called me on Sunday to tell me that he had the funniest dumb blonde story ever. It seems that as he was leaving his office on Saturday, he stopped to get gas at the local BP. As he was pumping his gas, "a big, blonde, bimbo" (his words, not mine!) pulled up to fill up her tank. She got out, took off the nozzle, and then proceeded to try to feed a $20 bill into the receipt printer. And no, she didn't get the hint after the first couple of times...he estimates that she tried if at least 20 times, getting more pissed each time it didn't take her money. Then she got frustrated and stomped into the BP to complain to the cashier, while Brian discreetly got into his car and howled with laughter. I'm sure she felt like a complete idiot when the cashier explained that it was a receipt PRINTER, not an ATM!!!!

Have a laughter-filled day! ;-)

Some thoughts...

Well, I really haven't had anything earth-shattering to write about lately, so I am just going to freestyle it tonight and share some random thoughts.

#1. Kendall has 2 wiggly teeth. The two top front ones...won't that be a sight when they fall out? And I think it's going to be soon - they're REALLY wiggly! Of course, she is mostly excited at the prospect of seeing what the tooth fairy will leave her. I'm sure it will be something good! ;-)

#2. My little monkey Noah has been sleeping so well! We've had quite a few nights of sweet slumber here lately, and it has been great. I feel so well rested, and have had plenty of energy throughout the day to get things done. Danniel even commented on Thursday that I had a sparkle back in my eyes (of course, he thought I was pregnant, because he hadn't seen that since I was preggers with Noah!). Needless to say, I've been visiting dreamland quite a bit lately!

#3. I've come to that place in my life where I realize that not every friend I have is necessarily a lifelong friend. People truly do come into your life for specific reasons and short amounts of time..and that's it. And it's OK! It's OK to not force a friendship that has fallen by the wayside. It has taken me a LONG time to get this, and sometimes it's still hard to let go. BUT, it's also hard to make all the effort and not feel like it's reciprocated, OR be on the other end and feel like you are keeping up pretenses just because you should! Along those same lines, I've found that there are also people I consider to be friends whom I don't spend a lot of time with...and that's ok too. It is what it is, as they say. And at the end of the day, you just have to do what feels right. Sometimes you do get to be a little selfish, especially when it's your precious little spare time...and you have to decide how to spend it.
Ya know what I mean?

#4. I'm going to see the new Cirque de Soleil show, Corteo! And best of all, I'm taking Miss Kendall. It's my Mother's Day gift, and I am so excited! I am never more entertained than when I am sitting in the audience of one of their shows. And I know this much for sure...Kendall is going to lose her mind when she sees it! If you haven't seen them, I highly suggest you do!!

#5. Barry and I are watching Southpark. I haven't see in it YEARS...and yet, it is still hilarious! This proves to me that I haven't grown up THAT much! I do wish Big Gay Al and his Big Gay Boat Ride would come on...that's my fave! "I'm Thuper! Thanks for athking! Don't you think I look great in this hat?"...

#6. I've been thinking a bit lately about working on my scrapbook...a LOT actually! So, I am going to have to keep my eyes open for an opportunity! I have quite a few nice pictures to use!

#7. Anyone else in need of a good pedicure and some sassy polish? ;-)

#8. Noah is such a sweetie. It is his mission every day to give me at least 100 kisses...and I love it. Even the slobbery, half-open-mouth ones. His smile is so pure, yet so devious. Love that little peanut!

#9. Is there anything better in the spring than sheets fresh off the clothesline? NO. On Wednesday and Friday I washed everything in this house...all the clothes, sheets, towels...all of it. And everything went on the line...Ahhhhhhhhhh....

#10. I'm looking for a good book to lose myself in. Anyone have any suggestions???

That's it folks. I've gotta focus on Southpark. The way Barry is giggling over here, I must be missing some things!!!

Ciao!

As Good As It Gets

This weekend was truly about as good as it gets. The weather was phenomenal! Perfect San-Diego style weather...ahhhhhh! I had to work on Saturday, but it was a very light day, and Barry and the kids just dropped me off and went to run a couple of errands and then came back to get me. Noah fell asleep in the car, which is something we have come to appreciate, since he stays asleep when you move him to his bed. Isn't he just too sweet?


We got lots of projects finished outside...cleaning out the chicken pen, buying mulch, putting in annuals, planting trees, mowing, and yadda yadda yadda....
Barry spent some time on Sunday just playing with the kids while I planted the flowers out front. They broke out the new kite Kendall got Barry for his birthday and then laid in the hammock watching it float on the breeze. Noah just entertained himself with his trucks, a pile of gravel, and a tub of water.


Kendall also had an exciting find...a pair of tree frogs that have housed themselves in the trim of our side door. We also found one that had made a little home for himself in our bird feeder. No wonder the birdseed wouldn't come out! She was just beside herself when she got this one to hop on her arm...she said it felt funny that his feet were like sticky suction cups!


Hope you all had a great weekend as well! Welcome Spring!!!

Happy Birthday Barry!

Thirty-five years ago today the world was changed for the better.

Barry was born.

Never have I known someone with a straighter moral compass, a stronger drive to do the best job possible, or such an unwavering need to do the right thing every time...no questions asked. He is truly one of a kind, and the kids and I know how fortunate we are to have him as the foundation of this family. He is kind, fair, loving, playful, responsible, and romantic. What more could we ask for?

Happy Birthday, Barry! You are the best! We love you!

A New Craft!

Last night Sheri and I went to my friend Kathy's house to learn a new craft...

BEADING.

Kathy is a bead freak. She sounds like one of those computer geeks when she's talkin' beads. You hear a whole lot of words coming out of her mouth, but you don't know what the heck she's talking about! That girl can bead anything... and does! So we headed over to her house to pick her up and then promptly went to Bed Bath & Beyond (home of the 20% off coupon) to pick out servingware. Once we made it out of there, we headed to Michaels for our beading essentials. I picked out some awesome beads that have the same colors as my dishes, so I was really excited about that. We could hardly wait to get started!

When we got to Kathy's, she told us that we wouldn't believe how easy it all was, but we didn't really believe her. Not at all, actually. But we each beaded a bottle opener and also each made 2 pairs of earrings. Check them out! I am so impressed with myself, I can hardly stand it!


We also picked up some servingware to bead as well, but Kathy didn't have enough wire for us to do it just then. No biggie. I can see that I will be having to find time to do this more often anyway, so I can do it later! Ooooooo, I can see some cool new projects in the works!

Don't you just love it when you learn how to do something new? Especially when you learn how to make something? I just get so geeked up! Crafting is so much fun!

3 Great Friends, 4 Great Days!

This past weekend was the best of the year so far...hands down.

Sarah was here in the States for 4 fun-filled days! Our little Cannuck has been gone far too long, and we were soooo happy to have her here! The kids headed to Grandma's house for the weekend, which they were none to unhappy about, and we headed out on the town. For a whole entire weekend, I got to just be one of the girls...not Mommy, not Jen the Massage Therapist. Just Jen, part of the Sarah-Jen-Sheri trifecta. It was so much fun!

We did all the girl things...shopping, eating, drinking, laughing, beautifying, and most of all, TALKING. The talking did NOT stop through any of the aforementioned activites. And may I add that the eating and drinking made us talk even faster and about more random topics! I'm not sure you have ever heard 3 girls talk so fast and loud. Sarah holds the record though. Sometimes I find myself looking at her mouth when she's talking because I can't believe how fast it is moving and how clear her diction is at the same time. I get anxious because it seems like she won't ever take a breath and I'm worried she'll suffocate on all those words that obviously NEED to come out! You really must experience it to understand!

But we love her and miss her. And let me just say that the good ol' US of A is just not as much fun without her. Canada definitely got the best end of the bargain on that one. So, what is there to do but start planning our next get-together?

How's the airfare to Canada look these days?

Kindergarten Romance

Kendall has been talking alot lately about how she and this boy in her class, Christian, are in love... and you must say that last part with feeling, rolling your eyes up to the ceiling, and cooing. Lord.

Anyway, on Tuesdays I volunteer in Kendall's classroom reading with the kids. She and I part ways going into the building, as I have to go to the office to get my visitors badge and she has to go line up in the gym. Anyway, because of this parting, I end up in her classroom before she does.

So this Tuesday, I am up in her classroom chatting with her teacher when she comes bounding in with the rest of her class, pigtails flying, grinning from ear to ear. She runs up to me and says,

"Mama, look what Christian brought me today! He LOOOVES me!"

It was a carnation...or at least the top part. It had been popped off its stem. I said,

"Wow, Kendall! That was really nice!"

By now all the kids are excited and whispering...this was the talk of the classroom! So Cameron, a little boy who also likes Kendall, comes up to me and says,

"Mrs. Kuck, did you see what Christian gave Kendall? He says he's in love with her, but I'm in love with her!" Awww! Lucky little girl!

Anyway, Kendall's teacher comes over and asks me what is going on and I so I tell her. She laughed and said that this drama between who Kendall should choose has been going on for about 2 months and she figured now she should probably nip it in the bud, as more budding romances were starting to show up. So I watched her walk over to Christian and pull him over to talk to him. She asked him if he liked Kendall and he said yes. She asked him if he brought her a flower, and he smiled and said yes. She told him how sweet that was and told him he is such a nice boy. Then she explained to him that they are all just good friends and there shouldn't be any LOVE going on. When she finished up talking to him, she walked over to me, and could scarcely contain her giggles. I asked why she was laughing. Do you know what she said????

"He's wearing cologne..."

Heaven help me.

Wanted: The Cookie Bandit!

Yesterday I decided we had to make cookies.

Anything to put a positive spin on an otherwise yucky day.

We decided on good ol' chocolate chip. YUM! We whipped 'em up and I must say, they are VERY tasty!

So, we were in the basement cleaning up and I ran upstairs to check on Noah. As I came into the kitchen, all I could see over the bar was a little hand coming down from the rack where the cookies were cooling. I started laughing when I saw what was going on....

My little monkey had snuck into the kitchen and reached up to steal a cookie...but not without a plan! Oh no....he definitely had a plan.

He had taken one of the cookies lingering a little too close to the edge and pulled it down to take a bite. Not just any bite, mind you, but the tiniest bite you've ever seen. Then, he slyly put it right back up there. In fact, if I hadn't come in at just that particular moment, he would have gotten away scot-free! I am still in awe of the tiny little bite. He is a smart cookie, that one! (no pun intended!)

SO, needless to say, the Cookie Bandit has been caught. But he's so sweet that he probably won't have to serve his entire sentence!

A Brand New Room!

The Bug is so exicted....

We finally bought her new bed and got her room all rearranged...decluttered and weeded out. It was a job, but totally worth it! We have a stack of stuffed animals to donate to SAFE and a small pile of toys to go to Grandma Cindy's house. (Won't she be thrilled!) We went through her baskets of books and weeded out all of the ones that she is much too old for and gave them to Noah...and he was totally pleased with that arrangement! That sweet little boy is really into his books lately. Books, puzzles, and cars...that's all he wants to play with!

Anyway, now Kendall's room is befitting of a six year old. We moved her bookshelf right beside her bed and put her reading lamp on it so she can sit in bed and read if she wants. That was a big selling point, let me tell ya! She really likes her room now, and so do I! Let's just see if she likes it enough to keep it clean...

My next project is to weed out my closet. That should be fun... NOT!

We are also on schedule to move Noah into the daybed and see how he does with that. We are dragging our feet a little, of course, because there is no going back once we start that! And I also have to start going through the kids' dressers and closets to get rid of outgrown things and replace them with new spring attire. Lots of fun around here! Wanna come and help????

In Denial...

I am in denial.

Last week we went from 80 and sunny to a high of 40 OVERNIGHT.

We have been having snow flurries on and off for days.

I am in denial that spring is being delayed. SO, in honor of my denial, here are some pictures from that beautiful week we had.

The first picture is of a nest Kendall found outside...we are assuming the eggs belong to a kildeer. She was so pleased with herself for having found it! I'm sure she'll be keeping an eye on it for little chicks.


These next two pics are of Kendall and Noah playing outside and loving it. Bary was laying grass seed and planting trees while I was on kid duty. We had so much fun. Kendall is totally into baseball right now, so we let her hit for a while...all while taking a break every so often to get Noah out of the chicken coop. He is obsessed with the chickens and their pen! He is also really into climbing the "rock" wall into the little treehouse. And check out his hat! We knew Grandpa Tom would dig that. And Noah thinks it is so cool... he's always looking for his hat!


On Saturday, Dad and Taffy and Luke came out to the house because we had plans for dinner at the Fish Market. See, my birthday was Saturday, Taffy's was Sunday, and Dad's 60th was Monday. So we had a bit of celebrating to do! Dinner was great, especially since we got three free desserts! And for the record, 3 desserts at the Fish Market is more than enough for 6 people! Afterward, we headed to Jessie's, and then out to our house. The last picture is at Jessie's.

Of course, Sunday, the Easter Bunny paid a visit to our house, but he had to hid the eggs inside, since it was so miserable outside. Uncle Luke was talkin' trash about how he was going to get more eggs than Kendall, but I think she had more! Other than that, we had a lazy Sunday. At some time or another, everyone laid down for a little catnap...AHHHHH.

What a great weekend. Food, fun, and family. It doesn't get much better, does it??

A Rant...

So, it's been awhile since I've really gone on a rant about something. Well, TODAY'S THE DAY!!!

I am so fed up with these customer loyalty cards.

You know the ones I mean. The plastic credit-card thing they give you to not only take up space in your wallet, but also to hang on your already too-bulky keychain. I HATE them. Everytime I go into a store, someone is handing me a new card, and EVERY time I feel like screaming...or pulling out my wallet and showing them that there is no room for any more cards. Now, keep in mind, I am making a stand, so these are just the few I have left...and it is still enough. I know people who have 3 times this many, easily...


Now, because I am a reasonably smart individual, I DO understand the general idea behind these. They use them to collect data about the types of items you buy...demographics and all that crap. I'm sure it's all very useful and makes sense to the marketing-types. But from my point of view, it stinks. When is it enough? Did anyone ever think to wonder how many stores the average family frequents? It's ridiculous. And heaven help you if you end up at one of the stores without your card! It's either a long drawn-out process to get your info , or they just tell you that you can't get the sale price. WHATEVER. That's the s*** that makes me NOT want to shop at their store anymore.

I just want to write one of these executives and ask,

"Isn't it enough that I'm here shopping? Obviously, I like your store, or I wouldn't be here. Why can't we just go back to the days of a sales flyer that everyone could take advantage of just by showing up...not just the people who have their card??? "

And you know what really works my nerve? The ads that show this great sales price in huge red letters, and then in small white or black print, "With card". SO. ANNOYING.

Anyone with me on this?

Build A Bear...Wait! I mean BUNNY!

This weekend we were busy, busy, BUSY!!!!

On Saturday, Kendall's school had their Fine Arts Festival, in which all of the kindergarteners sang a few of their favorite songs and also had artwork on display. I didn't take pictures of that! Sorry! But I prefer video of those moments! I must say, we were really impressed with the artwork...not just Kendall's, of course, but the entire school district. There was some really great and creative stuff!

Then we came home and started to get ready for Jessie's graduation party. We had a really good turnout, and from what Jess says, everyone had a good time. And obviously I was slacking all around this weekend, because I don't have any pictures of the party either! Just too busy chasing Noah and socializing, I guess. So, congrats to Jess!!!



Well, if nothing else, I redeemed myself on Sunday. Kendall had 3 gift cards to Build-A-Bear, so we thought it would be the perfect time to go, since Grandma Cindy was here. Kendall was soooo excited. She picked out a soft bunny and decided to name her Daisy. They stuffed her, fluffed her, put a heart in her, and made Kendall follow along to a little chant to make sure the bunny would have all the best qualities. Then she was to put her hand on Daisy's heart, close her eyes, and make a wish before they sewed her up! Too cute.

Then it was off to give her a "bath", and take her to the "dressing room" to get all gussied up in the clothes that she and Grandma picked out. We headed over to print off her birth certificate, and then Grandma busted out the big news...

She was going to buy a silver pair of flipflops for Daisy...complete with rhinestones to match her sundress. OMG. Kendall was all smiles...ear to ear, baby! And let me tell you, the experience was priceless...the entire ride home she sat in the back of the van singing to Daisy, cuddling her, and making plans for the rest of the day. I'm so glad we did it finally!

Then after we got Barry and the kids home, I got a special treat! Mom suggested we go back in to town and do a little shopping...for ME!! I had some gift cards I've been needing to use at Old Navy, and we were in luck! I was able to find two pairs of capri pants and a shirt. And that is a miracle, because I can NEVER find pants that fit well! So anyway, a successful weekend all around! Hope yours was too!

Two New Obsessions

Noah has two new obsessions.

The first is his Superman shoes that Grandma Cindy bought him. Aren't they cute? He brings them to me every morning and says, "Shoes. On?" So of course, I put them on for him. He then proceeds to run around the house, looking at his shoes. I swear, that kid keeps me in stitches!

The second obsession is his nose. Yep, you guessed it...he can't keep his finger out of it. See, we've been working on parts of the body...nose, eyes, hair, mouth, belly, toes, etc. Well, that is going along just great. He's really got it!
Especially the nose.
I guess the nose is the most fun, because his finger magically found its way inside and has been residing there ever since. And all the while, he's saying "Nose! Nose!" in a very nasally voice. YUCK. Lucky for you I don't have a picture of that!

This, of course, is leading to quite a few bloody noses. And let me tell you what...being a boy, that does not gross him out at all. In fact, it just makes it cooler! Ahhhhh, the beauty of little boys!

Are we done yet???

Well, for those of you who don't already know, we have had quite a bit of sickness around here the last few months. Noah had stomach flu 3 times, and Kendall had it twice. Now, Kendall is going on her third week of extreme fatigue...and I'm not talkin' just a bit of drowsiness here. I'm talking about sleeping 16-18 hours a day! And not doing much in between, either. Poor kid. She's got a cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, tired legs, headache, and no appetite. UGH. I feel so badly for her! So today we went to have her tested for mono, and thankfully, that came back negative. The doc thinks she just has a nasty viral infection, and as we all know by now, there's nothing to be done for a viral infection but time and rest. So we are waiting and resting....

I think it goes without saying that I will welcome spring with open arms! Bring on the warmer weather!

Nothing else too grand and exciting going on. I wrapped up the Auto Show this week, and was glad to be done with it. I'm always glad it's coming, and always glad it's done for the year. It's quite a bit of work added on to my regular schedule. But hey, the check always comes right about the time my quarterly taxes are due, so that alone makes it worth it.

One more big thing for the day...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSIE!


Today is my sister's 33rd birthday, and this is HER year! The year where everything turns around and things start happening...so you GO, girl!

Remember when...

So do you all remember the pouty picture of Noah about a year and a half ago...from when we were at the beach on vacation? Well, this is the 2007 version.

He wanted off the horse and when I told him "just a minute", this is what I got. Seriously, how can ANYBODY resist this kid?????

Bring on Spring!

This change in the weather has me PUMPED!

I have been so motivated the last couple of days! I've been cleaning, cooking, and making lists of things I want to get accomplished. We got outside and let the kids play...and Noah was wild! He was so mad when he had to come in for dinner!

Kendall got a kit to make gummy bugs for her birthday last year, and we found it in the pantry and decided to finish it up! She made some very interesting lemon gummies...check them out. She was so proud of them...and she thought it was just hilarious to "gross" me out by eating them in front of me. (Of course, I played right along!)

Noah has just been talking up a storm. He adds 5-10 words a day now. And you know what? I think he is going to be just as much of a talker as Kendall. Lord help me.

Here are a couple of pictures of Noah being busy this weekend. The first one is him riding his scooter (and badly needing a haircut!).And this one is of him, right after his haircut, riding his spring horse. When he gets on, he says "Go go GO!!!!" Doesn't he look ornery???? And let me tell you something else...I don't like this haircut. It's cute and everything, but my goodness, doesn't it make him look like a big boy? It makes me a bit sad...

And here's one last shot of my sweet little boy. Here, he is "counting" his money. He asks for his "Piggy" and then he opens it up, dumps out all of the change, and puts it back it again, one coin at a time. Aren't we proud...
And last but not least, Kendall, Queen of the Bubbles. There's nothing better at the end of a day outside than a nice warm bubble bath!

Hope you've enjoyed the photos.

Get out there and enjoy spring, everyone!

New Words

Noah has been talking up a storm lately...and trying out quite a few new words. His new vocabulary now includes words such as:

duck
cat
kitty
dog
mama
dad
Bug (for Kendall-bug)
car
shoes
socks
truck
ball
bird
yogurt (of course, his favorite food)
coat
book
night-night
bed
bye-bye
Jessie
Amy
juice
kiss
nose
eyes
welcome
bath
fish
cracker
cheese
uh-huh (used while nodding vigorously)

So you see, there is quite a bit of talking going on around here. AND, when one of these words doesn't fit, he can always resort to his old standby: Pointing and yelling, "UNHHHHHHH!!!"
Because, ladies and gentlemen, THAT is what I hear in my sleep, when I am able to catch some!

3 weeks...?

I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since my last post! My, does time move along quickly. I guess it's time for some updates!

THE Y
We finally decided to join the Hilliard YMCA. Very exciting for us, since there is NO place to work out in our town. We went in a week ago and got the paperwork going and then
I took the kiddos swimming while Barry worked out...very fun. Kendall of course, is a little fish. Noah just wasn't sure about this whole pool thing. He just wrapped his legs around me and held on as I walked up and down the length of the pool, inching him down a little more into the water on each trip. By the end of the hour, he was in up to his shoulders and "jumping" off the side of the pool. Then Barry came in and I went to sit in the sauna while he played with the kiddos. Of course, we went on Monday too. We registered the kids for childcare so we could work out together...and let me just say for one moment that going back to working out is not easy! It's been, say, 6 years or so since I've worked out seriously...and it SHOWED. I felt lost as soon as we walked in. My aerobic capacity was underwhelming, to say the least. And I am WEAK. Yep, that's weak with all capitals... W E A K !!!! It will get better, I know. But hell, it's going to be a rough road to get to that better place.

SOPHIE
Two weeks ago we adopted a dog. A very sweet beagle/lab mix. She was everything the shelter said she was....and more.

Let's just talk a minute about severe separation anxiety. It's not pretty. In the 20 minutes I was gone to take Kendall to school the first day, she destroyed the baby gate, knocked everything off the kitchen counters and scratched up my wood door. The next day I crated her and somehow she got out. Lord knows how...the crate door is still closed and latched!

Then there was the male aggression. Every man that got within 25 feet of her was subject to lunging and crazy barking and teeth baring. One man even put out his hand in an attempt to calm her, and she tried to bite him. Not good.

After much deliberation and conversations with a dog trainer, we decided she had to go back to the shelter. She needed much more time and help than we could reasonably provide. Enter Janet.

Janet wanted to take Sophie. This would be her third rescue dog, and she fell in love with her immediately. Great. I took her to Janet's house on Tuesday night, and cried the whole way home, feeling as if I gave up on her. Then on Tuesday, Janet called and said she didn't think it was going to work out. OMG. What happened, you ask??? Well, it seems that when Janet went to work, she put Sophie in her basement (finished, of course) just because she wasn't sure how she'd do having the run of the house. Anyway, when she got home, Sophie has completely DESTROYED her basement, tearing up woodwork, carpeting, etc. So needless to say, Sophie went back to the Humane Society. She will make a great dog for someone who works from home, or can be with her CONSTANTLY. The Humane Society is going to put a requirement on her that she can only be adopted into homes with another dog so she won't be alone. I feel better about it now, knowing that it was the right thing to do, but it still hurt. The right dog is out there, I just know it!

GET YOUR SCRAP ON!
I went away this weekend for a scrapbooking retreat with my friend Beth. It was a lot of fun! And I did some really nice work, I am happy to report! The food was great, the bunking was, well...interesting. The people were really nice, and it was great to spend some one-on-one time with Beth. We stayed up Friday night working until 4:30 a.m...and breakfast was served at 8:30...UGH! But we went on and worked a bit on Saturday before heading out. The event went until 5:30, but I was done at 3. Just couldn't squeeze one more ounce of creativity out of me! Check out what I accomplished!


And that's about it for my updates! Hope you've all been keeping busy as well!