Woohoo! Schools In!

First day of school starts tomorrow. My children are ready and so am I. They will be all in one school, same schedule, same times. Yeah!

Dog Sitting or Dog Missing

My children have been begging for a dog for the last three years, but I've kept them at bay. The main reason I don't want to get a dog is because I don't want to have to board the dog when we go on vacation. This is a minor detail for some, but for me I've never boarded a dog before. And I always had a dog when I was growing up. Therefore, my children should have a dog too. Well maybe that isn't a great reason, but Child #1 would really benefit from having a dog. So her dream might be coming true, my dad is retiring in February and he will take the responsibility of watching the dog when we go on vacation. No more excuses after February.

Ironically an opportunity came up, we were given a chance to watch a small dog while her owner went to Ireland on vacation. Brandy, the dog, is a sweet, calm, laid back small dog. We've been watching her since Sunday and not once has she barked. She loves to be pet and go for walks. My husband has admitted if every dog was like Brandy, we would've had a dog a long time ago. She is such a good dog. Such a good dog that you forget she's even there. 

Today, my parents stopped over to go over some yard changes I'm trying to make so we were hanging out in the backyard on the deck talking. Then Child #1 comes outside with the dog and hangs out with us for a few minutes. It's a nice day. Not too hot. Not too cold. What a great afternoon. Child #1 goes back inside the house and my parents have to go. Child #2, #3, and me walk my parents to their car. Then I yell for Child #1 to come out and say goodbye to her grandparents.

Then I noticed, she didn't have the dog with her. It all came back to me the dog was left on the deck. I freaked out. I yell for the girls to start looking for Brandy. We were all looking for the dog. And all I can think about is how we lost the most easiest dog to watch in the world. After several minutes of searching frantically, Child #3 finds her two houses over happy as can be. I released my breath and wiped my forehead. We missed that possible tragic ending by a few minutes.

Maybe we aren't ready to have a dog yet. But the girls are very attentive most of the time to her. Decisions, decisions.

Relative Kindness

After our first trip to Michigan and then again on our trip to Yellowstone this summer, it appears there is a trend forming.

First, in Michigan Child #1 decides to make a little experiment out of the bathroom door. "What will happen if I lock the bathroom door and then close it behind me?"

Oh I don't know, "IT WON'T OPEN."

Well guess what, the door is locked and no one can get in. This is a bathroom door and there is no key for it. Okay, I take a deep breath and ask my Aunt for a screw driver so I can take the handle off, open the door and then put the handle back on. No problem right? Wrong!

The handles comes off, but the locking mechanism is still stuck in the door. It's too long to slip it out. I'm trying to use everything possible to unlock the mechanism. By this time, my Aunt has asked a few people to stop and help. Basically the whole campground is over trying to get this lock thing out. Finally, a knife and screw driver leverage the lock enough (without too much damage to the door frame) to slip it out. Needless to say I was getting a little nervous I wasn't going to be able to fix this.


Then coming back from our trip out West, we stayed at my brother's house one night. Child #3 decides to sit on the toilet seat while brushing her teeth. Except she sits down on just the right angle and then slips busting the toilet seat off the hinges and breaking it completely. Have to love them.

This is why there is no reason to fix things until the kids are close to moving out (we have about thirteen more years to go).You may want to think twice before allowing us to come over. I try to keep them at bay, but it doesn't always work.

Westward Skies

Apparently dry heat and high elevations does nothing for my cardiovascular system. It takes the hot, sticky Midwestern humidity to knock my lungs out while jogging. Coming off of a very active vacation really didn't boost my endurance any. Actually I feel like I fell back a notch. However, it was well worth the time off from the usual routine. I'm not complaining just noting the difference in weather. I miss the West and some day I will return.

Competitive or Addicted

Once you go 80 it's hard to stop.

When I'm on a mission to get somewhere, I admit I take advantage. I get why race car drivers get addicted to the speed. Adrenaline kicks in and you just want to get home or to your final destination. Or maybe it's the competitive nature in me that doesn't want anyone to pass me. Nah. Anything below 80 feels like a snail's pace anyway. Oh well, home safe and sound from our 5,100 mile trip.

Onto the next adventure...