Miss Eve celebrated nine big years today! I have lots of pictures and it was a busy day, but this is all I’m doing tonight. I love this girl more than the world, even when she drives me crazy, and I am so lucky to have her in my life. Happy birthday baby girl!
Breakfast art
Lex brought this home from school the other day. Can you tell what it is? :)❤
I’m six days in to dog ownership and already wishing we had an electric fence. He is such a toddler and I regularly have no idea what he wants, so we walk. Ten times a day, up and down the street, me just hoping he will pee or poop or something and just stop whining! Brings back memories of countless trips to “check out the fire hydrant” with my little human toddlers.
On the bright side, the stars are lovely tonight.
(These are the times I miss Facebook, when I just want to complain and I want a dozen fellow dog owners to sympathize and empathize and maybe even recommend a good trainer. Facebook, like the sirens’ song.)
Our day in photos…
We remembered to buy eggs the day before Easter and finally got to coloring them that evening. Plenty of time, plenty of time.
Easter eggs are so pretty
Easter baskets. I told Lex last night that the bunny wasn’t very prepared, but when he woke up this morning he told me I was silly and obviously the bunny was very prepared, as usual. Whew! Really it’s a bunny and books from previous years, bubbles, and candy. That’s it! Oh, and a little bracelet for Eve. But they are happy, so that’s all that matters!
Eve made an Easter basket for me and Alan. :)
She’s so sweet! <3
Everyone loves lying in the sunshine! (ignore that crazy outlet behind him!)
It’s good to label your children so you don’t forget who they are.
The kids took a few selfies while waiting for me to hide the eggs.
Our first egg hunt was at 2pm this year! Normally we’ve done a dozen or so by then! We did three outside, Eve ended up an emotional angry mess, and that was the end of that fun. Maybe we’ll sneak in another one inside before bed. Or maybe not. We’ll see.
Counting eggs. Gotta make sure you find them all!
A few more selfies from Lex. He took about a hundred! I love this boy!
Easter eggs are especially beautiful in the sunshine!
Hiding in plain sight. :)
I took Arlo out for a 3+ mile run/walk this morning, then Alan took him out for a 4 mile run this afternoon. Plus several walks up and down the street for bathroom breaks. He is a tired boy!! He put his head on my leg and fell right asleep. :)
This boy can’t pass up a chance to cuddle a sleeping dog! Luckily the dog is super chill with the kids!
Now the boys are playing Minecraft, the girl is upstairs in her room protesting the world (she’s having a rough day today unfortunately), and I am looking around at everything that needs to be done and feeling totally uninspired. Maybe I’ll make myself (another) cup of tea and read for awhile!
Happy Easter. Life is good.
Nuoska is a very good dog, but his walks around the neighborhood have not been exercising him enough and after this morning’s very naughty walk I thought a romp at the dog park was in order. Fortunately the weather and the family cooperated!
Another car ride for Nuoska, in a different car this time, with lots of people.
Hahaha… I think he’s yawning, or maybe about to eat the children!
He didn’t last long in the way back, choosing instead to jump over the seat and spend the rest of the ride on one kids’ lap or the other, depending on which window he wanted to look out.
The weather and the family cooperated, but the dog park did not! Apparently they close it in March for spring cleanup or something. There was a big field nearby, but I really wanted him to run and I was pretty sure that if we let him off the lease he would never come back. I was texting with a friend of mine about the dog park and she came to the rescue with her 8mo old puppy and a 30′ lead! Yay! The two dogs were fast friends. :)
Gracie in the pink collar and Nuoska in blue. They are very similar looking dogs!
Gracie likes the water. Nuoska wasn’t so sure. I got him to drink it, but he didn’t want to put his feet in.
Oh yeah,, there were kids there too. Can’t forget about them. :)
This one decided to take dozens of “amazingly beautiful” river rocks home with us. She has them in her pant legs and shirt and arms. She got near the top of the bank and asked if I’d carry them for her. Ha! She plans to sell them and make a lot of money. We’ll see how that goes. :)
We were just thinking it was time to wrap things up when a lady came by with two big dogs. We stuck around a bit longer. Nuoska barked a bit at them, but they were older dogs and didn’t give him the time of day. After a few minutes and a few good sniffs he went back to playing with Gracie. A few minutes later another couple came by with a smaller dog on a leash. Nuoska went crazy and practically attacked the poor thing! Good thing he was on the lead and Alan was on the other end! The little dog was fine and bounded right away, but we decided that was enough for Nuoska. All good things come to an end.
With the kids I always said there was that little window when the playdate needed to end. If you left before that everyone was disappointed, but if you missed it then there were tears and fights. There’s that little window right in the middle and I got pretty good at spotting it and leaving on time. I think the same goes for dogs and we just missed it!
A man and his dog (and his electric car and his bag of collected litter). Happiness is.
Checking out the world together.
We have been thoroughly entertained by the cat and dog show around here lately. Nuoska is so interested in Daisy, but Daisy is taking her sweet time warming up to him. She isn’t scared of him, in fact she has been inside more than usual and is staying near him and the rest of the action. Nuoska really, really wants to sniff her bottom! She’s not so sure about that. Sometimes she lets him get close, but other times she keeps him at bay. Last night she even went over and rubbed up against him, which was sweet, until he turned and started trying to sniff her butt! LOL! Dogs! Whenever they are interacting it is fascinating to watch. Eve bought Daisy a big bag of catnip in a pillow, which Diasy has been loving. That probably mellows her out a bit. Right now she’s sleeping with her head on it. They crack me up!
Nuoska was being really bold and naughty this morning! He was relentless with her! Usually when she hisses, he goes into the other room for a few seconds before trying again, but this morning he was persistent. Lex and I took him out for a walk and he was totally crazy! Naughtiest walk ever! (in the two days we’ve had him so far! :) ) Maybe it’s a sign he’s getting comfortable with us and more bold in his environment. :)
At family meeting today we are going to vote on a new name. These are the options so far. What do you think?
I picked up our new doggie today! The kids have a half day today so I picked him up early to give him a chance to settle and explore before they get here.
He wasn’t very happy to leave his other doggie friends behind. Actually, Rosie really wanted to come along. She was a big help getting him in the car, but then we had a hard time getting her back out! She tried to hide on the floor boards in the front seat. :)
We almost had two dogs — exactly what Eve was hoping for!
This guy is a very nervous traveler! And very drooly in the car!
Look at him shake! He did that for the whole half hour trip home! Poor pup.
I took him for a short walk at their house before putting him in the car, but he didn’t not want to go too far from the house without his puppy friends with him. When we got home I took him for a walk up and down the street a few times (had to go back with a plastic bag!) He sniffed everything and peed on a few mailboxes. Checking out his new world.
When we came in Daisy was already inside and quite surprised by this new thing in her house. I kept him on the leash so he couldn’t chase her, but she immediately established herself as the alpha! She hissed and swiped at him. He shirked. Poor pup. I thought she would run away, but nope, she stuck right near by and kept a close eye on him.
We know who has the claws around here!
Hehe… they sent his puppy bed with him, but I think he’s a little big for it. :) I stuck it in his crate to help him feel at home.
Daisy kept a close eye on this new thing. Whenever he got too close, the hiss and claws came out! He gave her a wide berth!
For some reason he really wants this bully stick to be on the bed. I keep moving it and he keeps bringing it back.
Can you see her on the chair? I don’t know what the technical term is, but basically he is submitting to the cat. Clearly she is alpha. :)
Even when I put him in the crate, she kept watch. I eventually sent her outside to give him a break. :)
Nuoska got his payback by eating all the food in her bowl. :) I think we’re going to have to move her bowls up high.
I got up to get a drink and returned to find him in my cozy spot on the couch.
I took him off the couch, but he found somewhere better. :)
When I went back to the couch (to finish this blog post!) he followed me and hopped up onto the other couch where he is sleeping peacefully now. He seems pretty happy here so far. We’ll see what happens when the very excited children come home!
Oh, one other thing, we still need to agree on a name for him. Everyone agrees that Nuoska is a girl’s name (it’s Finnish for something…) but no one can agree on a better name. It might stay Nuoska for awhile. :)
In 5th grade the kids do a big biography project that culminates in Bio Fair, where all the kids dress and act as their person and show off their display boards. Lex chose Dean Kamen, a local(ish) inventor who invented the home dialysis machine, a wheelchair that raises to standing position and can climb stairs, the Segway, and a robotic arm that can move with electrical impulses from the brain. He’s a pretty cool guy.
Hello Dean Kamen.
Shoulders like his daddy.
He looks good in a button down shirt. I doubt we’ll see it again though! :)
The Bio Fair runs for an hour and fifteen minutes and during that time each class comes through, as well as parents and families, even some from the general community. Most teachers give their students something to do at Bio Fair, such as write down three facts, or interview three people, or decide who is your favorite and why.
Lex describing “Luke,” Kamen’s prosthetic arm invention.
Eve interviewing Mr. Kamen. :)
Haha… I don’t know what’s going on here, but it looks like he’s in the middle of telling the principal a great story! :)
They had a list of items that were to be included on their display boards, including photos, facts, and an “I Am” poem. Yesterday they recorded themselves reading their “I Am” poems and added them as QR codes to the display boards. They also had to make a Google presentation about their person and add that as a QR code to he board. Here are Lex’s:
I Am Poem (I love his voice here!)
His teacher just shared a bunch of pictures from the morning as well: Bio Fair 2016
We met a new friend yesterday. If all goes well we’ll be bringing him home soon. :)
These two got a long very well. I think they’ll be good for each other.
Eve wanted to bring home both dogs! Unfortunately for her the golden one (named Rosie) is not up for adoption.
He knows lots of basic commands already and is very treat motived. He was “shaking” with Lex and happily took treats from everyone.
Stay tuned.