Inspiration

 

Colin and Spencer have worked so hard on their downstairs bathroom.  I love what they have done.  I also love that they send me photos of the progress that they have made.  Seriously, I love the tile choices, and that they have worked together to make it happen.  I started thinking, I should redo the basement bathroom.  The one that the dog had puppies in, and then when the puppies got big enough to run around, I shut the door.  Blitz apparently panicked, ripped up the wall and the flooring trying to escape.  We patched it, but did not do a good job of it.  The floor looks terrible.  Also, we put in a new toilet, and Jim's "plumbing skills" got the best of him, and there had to be a few more patches done as  a result.  During the pandemic, I mixed together some old paint and used it to paint the walls, and let's just say, it is hideous.  So now, after seeing how nice a bathroom can look, I feel inspired.  But I am also lazy.  I don't want to learn to do tile work, and I am not redoing anything for resale value like Colin and Spencer are currently trying to do.  Which made me think.....I should do a fun color with a fun theme down there.  Yes....that is exactly what I should do.  But what?  

And then it hit me....pooping puppies in a bathroom that is barely used, hardly ever seen by anyone outside of the family.  That would be hilarious.  I got my first piece of decor.  I love good inspiration, and fun themes.  And projects - I love projects!

We turned the babies out with their moms this week.  They seem to approve of having more space for rambunctious running and jumping!  They are adorable!  Of course, Betty is not impressed, she was head butting them and acting like a fool.  Their moms will straighten her out.  :)  

Madison's crew was sick this week.  Sorry about it, but happy they are getting better!  

Andrew was home sick and was going to keep the girls home, but when Madison started to leave, Wrenley wasn't having it.  Being a bus rider is her job.  :)  

I took my friend to surgery this week.  Adreinne and I have been friends since we were 4 years old.  We I do not remember a time when she wasn't front and center in my business.  Although she had surgery, we also had plenty of time for catching up and visiting, a novelty we don't get often.  She came through her surgery ok, and is recovering at home now.  Lifelong friends are the best.  Of course, you can never break up with them, they know too much!  

The weekend is looking like a jumbled mess, but at least the scenery is different!  Jim made it home from his water conference.  I am happy he is back, more drivers needed around here!  :)  

League band for Saige and Clayton

 

Santa Fe was the host for league band this year.  League band is pretty cool.  They get together with all the other bands in the league - they work together on several pieces (that the band directors have selected before hand and started working on).  Then they come together and perform a concert.  There were 290 kids who performed together yesterday.  Since Jim is in Wichita for a water conference this week, I did some video, but in order to save them here, they have to be short clips.  They did a cute piece called "Clarinets pack up early" where after each verse, the clarinet players took off part of their instrument and put it in their case, by the end they were just playing their mouth pieces - it was so cute!  Saige is hard to see after they combined the bands - but if you squint you can probably find her!  

They had a guest band director, who was a petty cool guy and seemed to really get the kids motivated to play together.  It was impressive to get this number of kids to come together and sound so good after only one afternoon!  Once again, I am blown away by our band program.  I am thankful to our district for continually keeping the program alive, and to our directors, Mr. Quilling and Mrs. Rice for making band so successful here.  It makes the nerd in me smile!

I attempted a panoramic photo to get an image of how many kids were playing.  My photographic skills are lacking, but you get the picture.  I also took some photos of my nephew, Clayton, but since he plays trombone, and was in the back, it was sort of hard.  My cousin's kids Jaden and Lily also played last night.  It was a fun night.  

When we got finished with the band concert, I came home to find Mallory running Maude for me.  Literally running her around the yard.  Playing fetch and chasing her.  She was a tired girl!  Which was good, because Mallory has to serve breakfast to the Kansas Teachers of the year this week.  I volunteered to make breakfast burritos for them.  I then decided I would make burritos for the entire staff at her school.  That meant 50 burritos - and then I found out that they are actually doing breakfast in Scranton, so I decided to make breakfast for that building as well, so make that 75 breakfast burritos!  Now, I have eggs coming out my ears, so this was not as expensive as it sounds, however, Preston was home over the weekend and he loves eggs so I sent some back with him.  Let's just say we are waiting to gather today's eggs to finish this project.  I believe we need to make about 15 or 20 more.  We are about finished though!  With Mallory's help, I even had the kitchen cleaned up and sat down to watch the 10 pm news!  

I love cooking and feeding people.  I am happy to help out, but that being said....when I volunteered to doing this little breakfast project, I did not realize this was the week Jim is out of town.  I did not realize how many other things we had going on either.  This week is insane!  Oh well, no rest for the wicked I am told.  

Saige and I did take 30 seconds on our way home to take photos of the sunset.  I love how the smoke hanging over the horizon traps the colors of the setting sun.  One of my blade men was in my office this morning.  They had been out fighting those fires as one got out of control, and he was telling me he came very close to not being ok today.  I am thankful for the people who volunteer on our fire department, and will hope and pray for their safety -especially during the burn season.  

She done

Sadly, spring break is over.  It was a wild, crazy week of I can’t even remember what.  I always love having the kids home, and Harper and Saige helped me with quite a few projects.  Also, I was able to see all our kids this week - not all together, but seeing each one is almost as good.  I enjoyed seeing everyone.  I am so proud of them all.  Seriously not even because I’m just a bragger mom.  They truly are growing up to be such good people. Working hard, making good choices (mostly) and I truly feel blessed.  

This little dog made some new friends today.  Wrenley absolutely loves the pup!  She had so much fun dragging the dog’s blanket and watching Maude chase her around and around the house!   

They also played outside together.  It was sweet and funny.  Also, hilariously, Mallory was highly insulted because she had been trying to get Wrenley to say “Mal” for weeks now.  Wrenley won’t say it but she did say “Maude” today!  Haha Aunt Mal!  

Jim and I made Maude walk all the way down the driveway and back tonight.  Goal - neither of us spending the night rocking a dog.  It seems like it worked as she went right into her kennel, gulped down her food, and fell over, sound asleep.  Fingers crossed she has a good night. 

Evie was excited about the flashlight that she got at the discovery center. It has little attachments and flashes cool shadows onto the wall.  She had a great break, including getting to go to Disney on Ice with grandma Rachel.  

I am sorry my “sleeping in” week is over, but also I know how fast the last quarter of school always goes by.  It will be summer before we know what hit!   Preston got an internship and will be spending the simmer in Tulsa.  I guess I know what city we will be looking for things to do at!   Summer is shaping up to be awesome and I’m here for it!  

 

Puppies need a good man

Soooo I brought home a puppy.  I didn’t really ask anyone if it was a good idea.  I didn’t seek out advice from any experts, nor do I really know much about being an effective dog trainer.  I did read a few articles specific to Bassett hounds, and I was excited because it was something I wanted, and found an avenue where Colin helped me achieve something I wanted.   But selfishly, I plodded ahead full steam, as I often do.  It is my personality to jump in to things - realize the water is over my head, and then learn to swim.   Cart always before the horse.  Project components purchased before I even know if the project will be possible. I like to think of it is enthusiasm for life.  The problem is - I married a planner.  He likes to think of the details.  The how.  The financial aspects.  The possibilities of what could go wrong.  And then, after weighing everything out carefully, he likes to plan some more.  So basically my polar opposite.  

And I have loved this man since I was 19 years old.  There has never been a thought of me loving or living with anyone else beside me. I know I make his life an upside down, eye rolling, insanity festival.  He knows it too.  A while ago, I was talking to my sister in law, (Jim’s sister) and she suggested to me that perhaps he likes the insanity.   I have always thought Pam was pretty smart, and I have thought about it some.   I am not sure if he loves the insanity, or if he just loves me, but I am thankful for him.  

The first night with the puppy was pretty rough.  She was mourning and sad and cried unless I was holding her.  I stayed up pretty much all night, and honesty I didn’t mind it.  I felt bad for the little beast I had taken from her mother, and forced to go to a new place full of other dogs, not all of whom were very welcoming (Carlos).  I slept for short bursts, but basically it was just rough. So yesterday, we played outside.  I forced the little tiny dog to run around, she followed me all over the yard, she helped me water trees.  Mallory came out and she played fetch (sort of) with Mallory’s dogs.  We picked up sticks from the yard.  Preston and Sunny came for a visit.  They played with her some. And when it was time for bed, she was tired.  I rocked her to sleep and put her in her kennel and she was out!   Jim was still watching tv, but I was exhausted so I went on to bed. 

I heard it storming in the night, and I rolled over and had the brief thought that I hadn’t heard the puppy, and smugly I thought all the fresh air must have worked! 

When the alarm rang for me to get up and ready for mass, I realized my baby dog slept all night!   Wahooo!   Then I realized Jim wasn’t in bed.  I came out to the living room to find my beast of a husband laying on the couch with a tiny little puppy stretched out asleep on his chest.  He looked like hell.  I asked if he had gotten any sleep - he said no - he started to go to bed but the baby was crying and so he took her out to potty. And then she was so happy when he was holding her but when he put her in the kennel she would cry so he just held her.  Then it started to storm and Blitz was scared, so they all just stayed in the living room watching tv together.  

I asked why he didn’t come get me.  He said because you stayed up all night the night before.  

Seriously, I do not think I could love this man any more than I do.  

And I’m positive he loves me too, and also that “my” new dog will solidly be his.  All of the dogs we have, I have drug home.  And not a single one of them would choose me if they were forced to pick between us.   I won’t make them choose, but I know.  I choose insanity, Jim chooses calm.  I choose chaos, Jim chooses to tame everything.  I think he is my exact opposite, but also everything I ever needed to make my life happy.  

Also, I’m not sorry even one little bit for bringing home this tiny widdle dog.  Despite the lack of sleep, despite the accidental poo on the floor, despite the puncture wounds from little puppy teeth and toe nails, look at her.  She is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen (except our kids/grand kids of course).