ham

Josie is turning into a total ham.

progress!

We have a new driveway! And a walkway too!

Josie is showing off the lovely gravel that was put down prior to the concrete (and also a stuffed toy that's seen the washing machine half a dozen times since she arrived).

And if you look close, you can see that Ella approves of the walkway.

And yes, our yard is even more of a wreck than it was prior to the driveway.  We'll be able to finish the sprinkler system soon (depending on what the foot doctor says) and then maybe grass?

puppies

Life has been very crazy.

1. Puppies are a lot of work.

2. I have been battling a sinus infection.

3. Robert has been battling a sinus infection and tore something important in his ankle while trying to nab the puppies a week ago. It's possible the colds we both had prior to the sinus infections are actually an allergy to fluffy puppies.

4. Did I mention puppies are a lot of work?

They need baths every day, sometimes more than that.

If one puppy is being good or sleeping, the other is usually ready to rumble.

And they only sleep like this in the middle of the day.  Never at night. 

Josie is pretty smart. She knows not to go into the street, can usually sit on command, and is noticeably lighter than Margo. She also likes to tackle Margo whenever Margo finally calms down and is beginning to sleep.  Margo is pretty slow.  She's a little confused about sitting or why we get upset when she steps into the street.  She puts up with a lot of Josie's shenanigans and will make a really awful sound when she's had enough.  The other night Robert was sitting on the driveway while the puppies went potty.  All of a sudden Margo raced toward Robert at top speed, flung herself in his lap, and promptly fell asleep.

big things are happening

Yesterday was Rachel's first day of school!  She is officially a senior.  Not only that but she has already been accepted by her number one college choice.

We are also getting a new driveway put in, which also means we can finish putting in the sprinkler system!

This is turning out to be a very big week for all of us!

hopefully the good kind of crazy

Meet the two newest members of our family:



That's right, two!

This little chunkster is Josie:

Josie really enjoyed looking out the window on the way home.

And this hooligan is Margo:

And don't you worry.  Miss Ella is still just as spoiled as ever.  After picking up the girls, Rachel sacrificed her water on the car ride home.

Naturally, the first person the girls met was Hunter, who is a close friend of ours.  She babysits any time we're out of town.  Hunter is holding Miss Margo.

Hunter re-potted a neglected plant while she was over and Margo loved the dirt.

Both dogs fell asleep while I cut their nails.

So yes, we might be crazy. But Josie and Margo slept through the night (Robert let them out at 1:30 to go potty though) and have been keeping each other company so I think it was a wise decision. 

long, perfect weekend

Last weekend was crazy and incredibly fun.  I played tennis early Saturday morning, had a sewing machine lesson immediately afterwards and then...my first official crafting party at our house.  Seven people came and there was enough space for everyone, Robert and Rachel chopped up a thousand fruits and veggies and made all the food, and everyone had a swell time.

We went back to school shopping Saturday night and managed to get nearly everything on Rachel's list plus a dress with parrots on it for me (because you know a gal can never have too many birdy dresses).

Sunday morning I played some more tennis and then we took off for the Ozarks to visit with my dad.  It was an AWESOME visit with lots of joking, thrift shopping, and chatting.  On Monday, dad and Lisa had a doctor appointment, so while they were at their appointment Robert, Rachel, and I went to Ha Ha Tonka, which is one of the places I've been wanting to take Rachel to.  We watched a family of beavers frolic in the spring, climbed all of those steps, visited the now fenced off castle, and soaked up enough serenity and sunshine to get us through this week.

It was such a wonderful weekend!

July Reads

July was certainly a let down in regards to the books I read or attempted to read.  I read several books that started out wonderful and then fizzled near the middle or end.  Thankfully, there were these two wonderful books: 

Joyful Daily Stitching, Seam by Seam by Valerie Bothell (adult nonfiction)



Packed with many stitch combinations I would have never thought of on my own, with clear pictures and the names of the stitches in each combination. I also loved how ribbon and beads were integrated in many of the combinations, and was thrilled to see flower and heart beads.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll by Abigail Flesch Connors (adult nonfiction)

This is such a fantastic resource for anyone who uses instruments in storytime, AND it also has entire chapters focusing on individual instruments and a few movement and scarf activities too. I was particularly delighted by Tapping Softly with rhythm sticks, Shake to My Lou with maracas, All the Little Ducks with sand blocks, and The Penguin Dance.