GREAT DAY ADVENTURES

 So Caleb turned 9 on Monday but before that he had just a couple of things to do to finish his wolf up, one of them was a visit to the firehouse for a tour and to learn about fire prevention.  My mom set up a visit for us to go on Saturday and so we went.  The guys were awesome they took us all, since of course all of our boys went, anyway they took us all on a tour of the firehouse starting with where they get their dispatches to the captains office where he works only Caleb interjected plays because he saw a bunch of board games on the shelf in his office, that had us all laughing.  Then to the truck.  They let the boys climb in and then took us all on a ride through the neighborhood, which of course the boys loved!  Then when we got back to the fire station they pulled it out front and let the boys spray the firehoses.

The water pressure is so strong that the firefighter had to hold the hose to keep the little boys from being pushed backward, so stinking cute!  Then they let the boys hold the axes and tools which I kept picturing AJ dropping through his foot.  At the end one of the guys asked if there were any questions and Caleb said, "I have one, I want to see you in all your gear."  So he did!  The guys timed him because he has to have it all on in less than 90 seconds... he had it all on, including oxygen mask and breathing through the mask in one minute 5 seconds!  Awesome!  Then he got down and talked to the boys about what to do if the house was on fire, to get low and up against a wall and yell for help so that the firefighters could find them.  It was awesome for the boys to see what he looked like in all the gear and to be told not to hide or sit in the middle of the room and the fastest way to be rescued!  Such a great experience!  The guys were awesome and as usual went above and beyond any of our expectations.  We took them cookies later that evening to thank them for all that they did in making it a great adventure!  Since then the boys have dragged all of their winter gear out every day to dress up in their firefighter gear, including the hat they got at the firestation to be firefighters which they have decided they are going to be when they grow up.  My only complaint is 110 degrees outside and they are walking around in their snow bibs and jackets and gloves and the rest of it is laying all over the floor, oh well, you win some...  It could be worse!

KIDS SAY THE DARNEDEST THINGS!

ME: Levi you need to go...( I can't even remember what I asked him to do now to be honest)
LEVI:  Mom, I love you and I'll always love you but I just can't do that for you, because... well... I just don't want to
Now you know why I can't remember what I asked him to do, what do you say to that?!

JAKE: What is that smell?
ME:  The irrigation in the farm fields.
JAKE: It didn't smell that bad when we were playing in it.

Again I couldn't stop laughing to answer him.

These are the riches the Lord blesses you with when you give up all the other stuff for your kids: laughter, joy and memories, and these are just from today.

GIRLS CAMP 2011

I was blessed to have been asked to go to Girls Camp this last week so I spent 5 days in a cabin with 7 girls and another cabin mom.  We were fed beans or chili 4 of the 5 days and the girls were only allowed to shower once, after the hike.  It was an experience I'd do again without hesitation.

  I was a bit worried about it since, for one thing I have very little patience for drama but mostly because I was worried about being away from my family for so long, especially because now that I'm working I feel like I don't get to see them very much already.  My awesome hubby took the 4th off and brought them up to Payson to have some fun out of the heat and watch the fireworks up there and then I got to ride home with them yesterday.  I was going to post a cabin pic but decided I had better not without parental approval but trust me, a beautiful group of fab girls!

  Camp was alot more spiritual than I remember it 20 years ago.  We had daily scripture study and classes for Personal Progress.  The first day, Thursday, Christy Bishop gave all of us a pillowcase, so stinking cute!

   We also found out, to our dismay, that the forest was and still is, closed due to fire danger so we weren't going to be going on the usual hikes, bummer.  Even more news, there have been 2 bears trapped in camp so far this summer so NOONE was allowed to go anywhere alone and absolutely no food in the cabins.  NICE!

Friday night was skit night.  Our girls took a little idea and ran with it and did great!!! The priesthood dressed up in their "stretchy pants" and came from Sherwood forest to serenade their wives. Instead of Robin Hood and his merry band we had Pancho and his merry band.  HILARIOUS!!!

So Saturday morning bright and early we set off on the Friendship loop, a hike that is nice, has great views, isn't terribly arduous but has some steep hills which was good for the girls.  We were able to go on that hike because it's entirely on church property so almost every girl in camp went.  We lost one girl and her mom on the first hill but 73 girls finished the entire hike!     Every girl in my cabin finished and so did every girl from our ward, all without complaining at all!  I was so proud of them and made sure to tell them so.

Check out the view!!  At the top of most of the hills we had an amazing view  to enjoy.  I love seeing the Lord's creations the way he made them.   We saw a few deer, with absolutely no fear, they just stood and stared at us and kept eating while we hiked past.

We saw a horny toad.  He didn't much care for being touched.

On Saturday night the bishops came up and first played minute to win it that was hilarious!  Then we went to the meat of the program.  The girls broke up into wards and the Bishops read to their girls the book, "My Wedding Day",  our sweet Bishop was teary eyed, he made it through the book but cried when he talked to the girls about his hopes for them to each have their own special day when they get married in the temple.  Awesome.

And lets not forget this not so little fellow who came to visit us in the bathroom on Saturday.  Thankfully the priesthood caught him and relocated him and just as thankfully, he was a very well fed bull snake which made me realize there were likely rattlesnakes around too and sure enough we came accross one on our way home from the sacred grove after testimony meeting on Monday night, we gave him a wide berth.  I was really surprised to see him being that it was dark out, it wasn't cold but still, pretty late at night.

Every night we were serenaded by the camp staff and priesthood.  Sister Hardesty is amazingly talented and made up lyrics to popular songs that were awesome!  They dressed up as Pancho and The All Earl Band and all manner of goofiness!

On Monday, July 4th, we were blessed to have a soldier who just returned from a tour in Iraq.  He and his wife spoke on how honoring their temple covenants gave them strength while they were separated.  Awesome.  They are such great speakers, could easily be professional speakers.  After they spoke we went to testimony meeting in the Sacred Grove, I always loved having church at camp, church in the forest, it doesn't get any better than that.  We ended with singing trees, also always phenomenal after which we met the rattlesnake in the path, but no worries. We stayed up way too late every night and got up early everyday and I came home completely exhausted but so grateful to have been able to go.  So grateful for my husband who took the helm so I could go.  Thankful for my mom who came over to babysit while R was at work on Thursday and Friday.  I even came home to a clean house, he even made the bed , which he thinks is a complete waste of time because you mess it back up every night, but he knows I care so he made it.  I am so blessed.

THEY CAN BE TAUGHT!

When we're helping we're happy...  or "that's right, he can be taught!" (my fave line from Aladdin)  AJ wanted to help wash dishes and then Levi wanted to help too... I taught AJ and then he taught Levi and we all did it together, and they even did a great job AND without arguing!    I was so pleased I paid each of them a quarter, now I feel like I'm running a sweatshop or something.  These are my future missionaries/husbands in training, you know, raise them up in the way they should go...

SWEET GIRL

Before we left Idaho and sold the boys horses R promised them he would replace them as soon as possible.  Since we've been back Jake has been on the computer almost daily looking for his new horse.  Moving is expensive and so the poor guy kept getting put off for my first paycheck.  I got paid last Thursday and Wednesday night he had sent me 3 new horses to go see.  We saw them and this sweet girl won Caleb's heart.   None of the other's worked out but have no fear, Jake is still looking, daily!
  So... this sweet girl was found wandering in the desert.  She wandered onto someone's property skin and bones and a dead look in her eyes.  They called the BLM and long story short after the long process of trying to find her owners she was sold to them and then to someone else and now to Caleb.  She has great ground manners and other than still being too skinny, but much better, she seems healthy.  Caleb saddled her,  rode her and when we bought her, caught her and loaded her into the trailer without any problems.  She fit right into our herd and now she and Tiger are always together except that she eats alone.  So welcome to the family Isabel.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY STUD

I have the greatest husband on earth or as he likes to say EEARTH (if you've ever seen Lilo and Stitch you know how to say that right) but back to the point.  He isn't perfect, thank goodness or he wouldn't put up with me, but I love him like no other.  He makes time for the kids.  He makes time for us.  He is never satisfied with mediocre.

He seeks to continually improve himself and those around him. He is a hard worker, an honest man, he has a great sense of humor.  He is so handsome I just love to look at him.  He loves to give service to anyone who may need it and frequently volunteers me to help him, which I am grateful for.  He honors his priesthood and magnifies his calling.  He is so stinking funny, I love his sense of humor.

I mean how can you not love this guy?  I am so grateful he chose me and is such a great father for our sons!  I love you R

SUMMER PART III (I KNOW YOU'RE THINKING HOW MANY PARTS COULD THERE BE?)

 Probably my favorite vacation is camping.  I love San Diego and all but camping is soooo much more relaxing for me.  I know there is dirt but since it's unavoidable I don't have to worry about the boys getting dirty or messing up the house with it.  They can't break anything, really.  We generally camp far enough away from others that they boys can be boys without bothering anyone else.  I don't have to clean really... it's just so much nicer than being in a hotel somewhere and worrying about the boys calling someone on the phone or breaking the tv or an arm jumping from bed to bed, their fave hotel past-time, or bothering the guests below, above or next to us.  You get the idea I'm sure.  We planned to go camping on Memorial weekend but since there is a well deserved fire restriction we had to postpone to the next weekend.    Anyway up to Payson we went.  Our good friends came up for dinner and to hang but couldn't stay, still fun and glad they came and brought the BIGGEST marshmellows ever known to man for s'mores.  Karla and Greg came with the coolest little trailer ever!  If you ever want to laugh out loud, ask Karla for the picture of Greg with the giant marshmellow oozing out of his mouth, classic!

R has decided to try his hand at fly fishing so this trip was his virgin effort.  He only lost 2 flies and caught 0 fish but in his defense we had to leave to come home for church right when the fish were starting to bite.This was also AJ's first ever fishing expedition and as you can see, he was ready!  So excited to go!

On Saturday Grandpa Dan and Mary came up for the day and to go fishing with us, thank goodness because even though we just wanted them to come and spend some time with us, Grandpa Dan was awesome with helping the boys, all of them, with their fishing poles.

Caleb has decided to try fly fishing also.  He and Jake and R took a class at Cabelas the week before we went to start learning the basics.

Jake and Caleb wisely decided to each get a different pole and share so that they could do both traditional and fly fishing.  Such smart boys!

Levi fished also but somehow the only pic I got of him was his bum trying to peak out while he was raiding the tackle box, at least I think that's what he was doing.  It's always hard to come home but at the same time, it's nice to sleep in a bed again and take a hot shower.  I'm so thankful for the time our family and friends took to come and share our weekend with us.  We are super excited to go again in a month or so, after our schedules calm down so if you're game...  we love to have friends go with us!

SUMMER FUN PART II

We have the most awesomest friends.  That is one of the few things, well pretty much the only thing, I miss about ID is the awesome people there.  Still we also have AWESOME friends here and after the splashpad we had some friends over the next day for bbq and cards.  It also happened to be a great friends b-day so we celebrated that too.  They brought some yummy cupcakes with patriotic frosting, being that it was Memorial day weekend after all, and as you can see all the kids enjoyed them to the fullest. 

We had a variety of red white and blue faces afterward.  Such a great time.  I count myself blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life!

SUMMER FUN (FROM THE BEGINNING, SORT OF)

One of the great things about the summer here is having all my kids home to do fun stuff with.  Another great thing is having good friends who are equally fun and adventurous so we get to go on lots of outings.  R is fond of saying that I am glutton for punishment because I choose to take all the kids out on outings rather than spend the summer in the house.  What he is only starting to understand is that 4 boys in the house, bored all summer are infinitely more difficult to handle than 4 boys out in public entertained.  So that being said when my good friend Darice suggested a playdate at the splashpad with not just ours but lots of our other friends we were of course going!  The weather was awesome and I'm certain that I speak for all of us when I say a good time was had by all.Caleb spent most of his time shooting people, his fave target was  of course me.

There is even a playground close by so they could pick their fave place to play or just go to warm up for a few minutes.

AJ and Levi loved the "rainbow tunnel" and I have to admit, it was my fave way to cool off during the day also.

There's J with his signature indignant glare, that is really not serious at all but usually precedes a punch for teasing him.  What a great day despite the sunburn I got for not wearing enough sunscreen on my shoulders and AJ's goofy one on his shoulders where I also didn't get enough sunscreen.

PROTECTED BY THE LORD'S HANDS AGAIN

Sooo... yesterday AJ and I went for a ride, sort of.  We didn't get far because Buddy was limping, just sore from having recently been trimmed.  Anyhow we went back pretty well immediately and all was fine until AJ went to get off.  He swung over to get off, hung down like usual and dropped down but this time his momentum took him backwards and to his bum, under tiger.  Tiger and Buddy didn't spook or anything but Tiger put his foot down on AJ's hand.  I tried to get him to lift his foot, which he did but he put it down on AJ's tummy.  Now I'm in full panic mode and so is Tiger because he felt him under him and immediately picked his foot up but didn't know where to put it back down so he sort of stumbled/stutter stepped to get away and off of AJ who is screaming "OWEY!!!" over and over again.

 As soon as Tiger moved off him I dropped the reins and scooped AJ up and ran to the truck with him, leaving both horses standing there by themselves.  All AJ would say was Owey and when I asked if it hurt on inside or outside he screamed inside so I ran back to the horses and pulled the saddles off and left them laying there and put both horses in the pasture and ran back to the truck.  So fast forward a couple of minutes, R and I decide to drive him in as he has stopped crying rather than call an ambulance.  They got us right into a bed at the hospital thankfully and after a little bit the tests got started.  The poor little guy had to get an IV, which he hated but he acted like a champ and held still and didn't have to be restrained and didn't even cry!!  After most of the tests were done he started complaining that he was thirsty, of course he couldn't  have anything to eat or drink so we were trying to keep him distracted  and entertained.  They gave him a puzzle for being so awesome with the IV but that only worked for so long.

That's when super dad, R, got into full swing.  He had him laughing out loud with the test tubes and begging for more.  He found that this way worked best, the glass end was slippery and they kept falling out which made for some laughs but the rubber end had some grip power and AJ loved it,

  So much so that he decided to try it himself.  Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your perspective, his nostrils aren't big enough and they wouldn't go in.  I have to admit I was a bit concerned that we were teaching him something we would regret but I recalled that while in Idaho AJ had stuck a lego man head up his nose and came running to me to get it out.  We reminisced about that and AJ remembered how that had hurt, so I'm confident, or at least hopeful that he won't do it again.  The funniest part was when a nurse walked by and saw R with the tubes in his nose and asked if there were any urine in them with a very disgusted  and concerned look on her face.  R was pretty embarrassed and after that would only put them in after lots of begging and a thorough look to make sure the coast was clear.

Thankfully, and miraculously, AJ escaped the day with only a small scrape on his tummy and the top of his thigh.   I know the Lord was protecting him.  I'm so grateful that he is ok and that Tiger isn't stupid or mean spirited or anything other than who he is and that Buddy is who he is and didn't even bat an eye during all the screaming and hubbub.  R said to me as we were leaving, "you know how lucky we are right?"  "Yes, I know. "  And I do.  I know that the Lord protected him and answers prayers, even or especially the ones uttered in a panic.  I know that if Tiger was stupid or mean spirited he could have put all his weight down and killed my baby and I'm grateful he isn't and didn't.  I said before he was an awesome horse, I'll say it again and I'm so grateful to know how blessed I am that the Lord really is aware and does care about each and every one of us individually.  He isn't some vague concept.  He is real.  He is our  Father in Heaven and just like any other father he cares and he is involved in our lives in a real way and I am thankful for that and for the knowledge of that.

SO BLESSED

I count myself blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful friends.  Last night while playing cards after dinner with some longtime, notice I didn't say old, friends another incredible friend called.  Let me next say that everything is fine but this friend needed help giving a blessing.  Superstar R immediately stood up and ran out the door, another blessing I'm grateful for is an awesome hubby, the rest of us worried about my friend.  I didn't mention anything to the kids but apparently when R left he said something in explanation to them because this morning my friend called to reassure me that all was well and to thank me for my sweet Caleb calling her to tell her that we were praying for her.  I had no idea he called and started to cry to think what a sweet boy he is.  I am so grateful for all of my boys, they are all so caring and I am so grateful to have them in my life to teach me everyday, sometimes it's to remind me how inadequate I am but never the less, I'm thankful for the love they exude and the sweet spirit they bring into our family.  I can't imagine how empty my life would be without any one of them and am grateful to fall into bed exhausted every night because of them.

WILDLIFE WORLD ZOO

Yesterday was scout day at the zoo and my awesome friend Zoila called to tell me and forward me the flier that you had to have to get in free.  Scouts in their uniform got in free, R and I thought about wearing ours but opted out since neither of us is currently  serving and that wouldn't be honest.   We hadn't been since they added the aquarium and it was cool, and that could have a double meaning since we started out later than we planned and we looked at the outside animals first, it was getting a tad warm so the air conditioned aquarium was awesome!  We got to pet starfish which didn't feel like I thought it would, not hard but not soft or squishy either, somewhere in between, also got to pet horseshoe crab and a sea urchin and some stingray.  Very cool!

The thing I love most about this zoo is that you are so close to the animals.    you could literally reach out and pet so many of them like the jaguars sleeping over our heads or the zebra eating RIGHT there.  The ostrich that I thought for sure R was going to be pecked by because he was so close and the Rhea's he was taking pics of that kept fluffing his feathers.

You can't leave before you go into the petting zoo!  This little fellow wouldn't stop climbing all over R.  They had lots of babies this year.  The white tigers have been moved outside, they had a baby llama in the petting zoo, some baby mountain lions, baby zebra, the baby giraffes weren't so little anymore but looked little next to their parents, and many more!

I love going to this zoo, it's ridiculously expensive so we only go anymore on coupons or free days but it's always worth it!

BACK IN THE NEW OLD GROOVE

Well since we've moved back lots has happened and I haven't had time to blog about it, so here is a quick update that probably won't be so quick.  I think it was the week after we got here that was Easter.  Just like old times we went to Mary's for Easter dinner.  As always great food and great times with family and just like usual Mary sent us home with leftovers.  Then she called us to invite us for dinner the following Sunday since Kimberly and Rob et. al were in CA for Easter so that we could reunite with more family.  Again great conversation, great food, tired kids and delish leftovers.  In between dinners we've had lots of riding,  shopping for and buying a commuter car for R, dinner with a great friend from ID, more riding, job hunting and interviews for me. An adventure with a couch, long story, yard sale finds and So that gets us quickly up to yesterday.  We got up early to ride but didn't.  Sold our truck and met some nice people, went to the wildlife zoo which never gets old and constitutes a whole different post, went to a benefit bbq for officer's Tirado and Paz who were ambushed in Phoenix last week and finally capped the day with a stake bbq in Tartesso.  What a great day.  Today is Mother's day and we were served breakfast, a real breakfast, duing Sunday School, had a great lesson in RS, got some great gifts from the kids and this after tulips from the Superstar hubby.  So all in all, an awesome weekend and a great reminder of just how blessed I am.

UPDATE ON THE NEW DOG

Note the new pic on the right, R gets to keep his pup we found, maybe it's better to say she found us, either way, she stays.  Long story short... the last owner finally called me on her but not until she had run off w/ Jazz and gotten lost at the Lake in the canyon, a short walk from our house.  We couldn't find her and thought for sure she was cougar dinner but on Sat. the  pound called me about an ad R had put on Craigslist for our lost found dog; they were wondering if we had come there to look for her.  I had called and given them a lost dog report but when she was brought in they hadn't checked the reports.  Again long story short, I tried to contact the owner who had finally contacted me but they never called me again and we get to keep her and she is now legally ours, even have the license to prove it thankfully since she has proven to be a partner in crime w/ Jazz and the 2 of them frequently take off chasing rock chucks and playing in the lake and the tags have gotten her returned to us already.  Anyway, she is very happy with us, loves R who loves her too and she sleeps w/ AJ EVERYNIGHT!  She definitely fits right in w/ the rest of us.

BIG CHANGES COMING OUR WAY!

So last year, almost 8 months ago we moved up to Idaho thinking it would be a good thing for our family.  Of course we prayed about it first, alot, and we felt good about it so we jumped in and went for it.  It was hard at first and got a little easier but we always felt like Buckeye was home.  So the readers digest version, R's old boss called him a bit ago and offered him a M-F 1-9:30 pm job, the answer to many prayers to get him off the night shift, something we could never afford here and to be able to go to church every Sunday.  We prayed about it and decided it was a good thing so we are moving back.  Since then things have fallen into place so smoothly it's been amazing from moving trucks to schools and a house and place for our horses, literally everything.  We leave in 6 days.  We have alot to do and more that has to fall into place just right but I have faith that we are going where the Lord wants us to go and just like he has been, he will keep paving the way for us to get there, remember the Lord giveth no commandment save he shall prepare a way that you might accomplish the thing which he commanded.  I'm working at not being overwhelmed at all that has to be done this week and remembering that he will help me and looking forward to it all being finished with.  I wish that we could have stayed until September and enjoyed the summer after the miserable freezing winter but if we do the boys can't go back to Odyssey so we'll suffer through the summer there and it'll be ok and not only that but worth it.  We still don't know why we were supposed to come here and we may never know but I'm glad we did.  It's been a growing experience for all of us and not only that but has helped to settle us down so that now when we go back to AZ it's because that is where we want to live not because we have to  be there and now we know that.  I'm grateful for that.

ANOTHER DOG!

So we are sitting at the boys lessons on Thursday night at Stargazer ranch, they have an indoor arena, anyhow we are sitting there and this sweet lab pup comes in and adopts us.  I've never seen a lab pup so calm.  She played with the boys, everytime they fell down, or slid down a mud hill or pile of horse poop (which they seem think is great fun) she was there instantly to lick their faces.  I asked around there  but noone knew where she came from, they all said she appeared at the same time we did and they thought she was ours.  She has a collar but no tags She is clean, smells like she came straight from the groomers, and well cared for so I'm certain someone is missing her but since Stargazer is on a very busy road and she is already limping we, mostly R, thought we'd take her and find her owner, to be honest I thought for sure I'd post the ad as soon as we got home on Thurs night and she'd be gone by the time I got home from work on Friday.  Today is Sunday and she is still here, despite posting her a couple of times.  She is super sweet and mellow, hasn't chewed anything yet but isn't housebroken either, but she is catching on quickly.  She loves the boys and I usually find her asleep somewhere near R.  R named her Star.  I'm worried, the longer we keep her the more attached everyone gets which will make it that much harder when her owner comes for her.  For now we'll just enjoy her and teach her some manners and then we'll see.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Soo... We bought Jake's horse for Christmas and she is pretty good but for a few things.  Anyhow when I bought her the guy told me she was 20, exactly what I was looking for, for Jake.  Long story short she is older than that.  Longer story, she and Caleb's mare DO NOT get along AT ALL.  So we talked it over w/ Jake and promised to replace her and he agreed that it is unsafe to have them both in the trailer for any given period of time, one or both of them would get hurt, let alone having any other horses in there, recipe for disaster so we decided to sell  her and get him a gelding.  I posted an ad on CL stating the pertinent info and since I'm not going to lie I named him by name as having sold her to me and the age discrepancy.  He is mad to say the least.  He called me wanting to buy her back saying I was slamming him on CL and why?  I said you lied plain and simple and I backed it up.  He immediately calmed down after I caught him in another lie, many actually. But I agreed to remove the ad if he makes it right and buys her back.  So, what would you do?  Was I wrong to call him out by name?  It is a small town and I've had lots of hits on the ad.  Would you sell her back to him or to someone else figuring that he will possibly do the same thing to someone else, which by the way is why I posted the ad that way, to prevent anyone else from getting taken... R says I should forgive, which I don't feel angry, I just don't necessarily trust him.  Is that unforgiving?  R says I should just sell her back to  him and he'll be responsible for his own actions.  ARGHHH!!! R says I worry too much.

WINTER ROUND II

So... I woke up on Thursday morning to snow coming down, great for R and J who were going together on a school ski trip. Not so great for me who  had errands to run all day and several appointments.  Luckily for me it stopped around 9 and slowly through the day disappeared, in town at least. R said they got 8 inches fresh powder on the mountain during the day. That night C prayed for more snow so he could go snowboarding the next day.  Friday morning I woke up to this...

C came running down the stairs yelling," Heavenly Father answered my prayer, it's snowing!" It kept snowing and snowing all day and according to the weather reports, it's supposed to stick around.

Now it's very pretty, I'll grant you that , until you have to drive in it.  Since  we live out of town limits our roads don't get plowed.  The county comes and sprinkles some cinders/sand at the intersections but that's about it.

The boys are having a grand time sledding and snow boarding on the hill on the other side of our driveway and it's providing some peace and quiet in the house and thankfully R is keeping the fires going, he is quite a pro at it thankfully so we are toasty warm, as long as we stay in the house.  Be that as it may... I want spring!  I've had enough!  The robins are back and that means spring is here! So weather consider this your noticification... Your time is up, I'll see you next year.  It's time for warmer weather. 

BTW, I told C if he prays for more snow before December he's grounded!

MAN'S/KID'S BEST FRIEND

Remember Neptune?  He's getting quite old these days and hates the winter here.  Poor guy has finally put on some weight at least and loves the freedom, although he gets into trouble sometimes, Friday I came home to work and met them trotting down the road like they had someplace to be, I think they were just trying to get away from R and the loud tractor.  Anyway, these days he has alot more gray than black and I wonder how much longer we'll get to have him with us.  He still has enough gumption to wrestle w/ Jazzmin and run around the property and as usual, he is happiest at my feet, all the time which often drives me crazy when I trip over him, constantly.

 Jazzmin is the sweetest of sweet dogs.  I don't think she has a vicious bone in her body.  We've had some strays lately and they weren't so nice to her.  After they would be mean to her while she was trying to get away, she would come running to me with this confused look on her face like she really just couldn't understand why anyone would be so mean.  She truly is sweet and loving as can be and loves nothing more than to lay at your feet and snuggle and have her belly rubbed.  She also loves to snuggle w/ anyone who will, the only problem with that is she ALWAYS has to have a "hand" on you and she doesn't realize how big she is so her "hand" is pretty big and clumsy w/ large toenails to boot.
And... what other dog do you know that would be able to sit and stare at that pizza and not touch it?  I don't know many boys who can safely leave their food within reach and know that it will still be there when they  come back.  This was while we were watching the SuperBowl on Tuesday night, yes we DVR'ed it, and that was a long 2 days, anyhow, we let the boys bring up pizza to eat on the sheet and even though they both wanted some, they didn't take any.  What great dogs my kids are blessed with.  They love them and cuddle them and ride them and "hunt" with them and pretty much go all over our place with them. Even the cats love them.  They truly are a kids best friend!