Spring break in Bend

We took a few days in the middle of the week and went over to Bend. My parents came with us...mainly because my dad wanted to golf with Jamie. I'm seriously thinking I need to take up golf just so he can't stick we with the kids every time he want to go play! My mom and I had fun though...I swam in the heated pools with the kids which was fun. With the exception of Jalen continually wanting to switch pools which meant I had to get out and go with him and it wasn't exactly warm outside! It was sunny and mid 60's but felt about 40 degrees when you were all wet. We played put put golf, played at the park and the highlight for the girls was ice skating. Ellie thought she was semi-pro because she had been a few times with a friend. Jamie had to go out in his shoes (he would have been NO help on skates!) and help Lily. The second time we went at the Sunriver resort with some friends Jalen wanted to go. Since he was free Jamie agreed to let him try. Let's start by declaring that he was wearing Lily's sweatshirt...we don't normally dress him in pink...although he would love that, he says its his favorite color! Add some white skates and a helmet to that and you couldn't help but giggle. We were all in tears laughing because Jalen couldn't stand at all and his legs kept slipping out from under him and hitting Jamie in the shins. After the first time around Jamie's shins were all cut up and bleeding. Jalen didn't want to be done so Papa got out there and they each took one hand and went around with him. I shouldn't laugh because I can't skate at all...didn't even want to try but it sure is funny watching other people wobble all around! The last day we woke up to snow and after swimming in the snow we packed up for the car ride home...only three hours but with these kids feels like about 6!

Snooks save Sweetie

Let me start by clarifying that Ellie titles this post all by herself! You remember Happy...the new dog we got in December? Well after Riley died we decided Happy needed a playmate. It was unbelievable to me that we had 5 acres for him to play on but unless we were outside with him he would sit on the porch and pout. And who wants to be outside in the middle of winter in Oregon?! So back to the shelter we went and came home with a lab pointer mix, super cute white and black, super sweet (hence the name) dog. Yes, we now have two dogs named Happy and Sweetie...we are those people! After nursing Sweetie back to health (giardia and kennel cough both of which she gave to Happy) we had two dogs that already love each other and run around together and play...problem solved! Until they together felt "tough" all of a sudden and thought they ruled the neighborhood. Not just our yard, but the neighbors yards and even the street. Which meant that every walker, biker and kid getting off the bus got chased and barked at...and although they really are friendly dogs they look really mean when they come charging you...especially two of them. So now we were the neighbors that nobody liked...they wouldn't go out to get their mail, the parents had to drive the kids to the bus stop because they were so scared...you get the point. So as if the dogs hadn't cost us enough money in vet bills...they were now costing us even more by forcing us to find a way to "contain" them. Keep in mind where we live...everyone has at least five acres, no one's yard is fenced, all the neighbor dogs roam free and always have and ours have to go and ruin that streak. We called up invisible fence and two days later they had dug the trench around the entire 5 acres and the dogs had on their pretty shock collars. It has been a success...it only took Happy one time getting shocked and he won't go within 20 feet of it and all it took for Sweetie was a beep and she backed away...she's our fearful one...the silent assassin. We have no idea what happened to her in her past, and although she is so loving and cuddly, she has some issues with her hips and back end which cause her to be a little "snippy" at times. We found out the hard way when Jalen was laying on top of her and giving her loves (Jalen style which means pinching and squeezing with much intensity) and somehow managed to hurt her which led to a yelp and a quick turn of her head landing a tooth right on the edge of his lip. It made me feel a little better that it wasn't a full bite...there was only one tooth laceration, but still I had that protective mommy moment where I wanted to immediately get rid of her. The girls are crying (I'm still not sure if it was because Jalen got bit or they thought they had to give Sweetie back!) so I told them I would wait to make any major decisions. A trip to the emergency room, 30 minutes of screaming at the top of his lungs, being mummy wrapped and strapped to the bed and 4 stitches later he was fixed. I thought ok well at least he will learn his lesson and be nice to the dogs now but no such luck. The first thing he did when we got home is go right back at her...no fear in that boy! Yes, we still have Sweetie...everyone I've talked to from trainers to friends have said that all I have to do is teach Jalen how to treat the dogs. Haha...easier said than done but we are working on it...my solution is to keep them separated for the most part. I figure this stage will pass and one day they can be best buds running in the field...but for now the squeezing of the cheeks kind of affection needs to be given to humans!

Saying goodbye to Riley

This was a day that we knew was coming but it doesn't make it any easier when it finally arrives. Riley has battled lymphoma for a few months and although the doctor thought he was in remission, there was something more going on as he stopped eating, drinking and could hardly get up anymore. Let me back up for those of you who don't know the story behind Riley. My parents saw him at the pet store when they were building the new Oregon City Papa Murphy's and when I saw him I fell in love. My parents advised against getting him...Jamie and I had just gotten married and were living in an apartment which they didn't think was the best place to have a dog. And Jamie REALLY didn't want me to get him...he actually said it's me or the dog...but of course I knew he was kidding because that same night he came home to meet our new puppy! I had no idea what having a puppy meant...the chewing, biting, jumping, peeing and vet bills. I would have to jump up on the couch or counters just to get away from those sharp puppy teeth attacking my ankles! And of course I had to find somewhere to keep Riley when I went to work all day so guess who got to take care of their first grand-dog?! I would bring Riley up to my parents before work and let him play on their 5 acres, go in the pond and chase balls. When we moved into our first house we were finally able to keep him at home. Then we had Ellie and let's just say Riley wasn't a big fan of little people. It got to be too much trying to keep a toddling little girl away from an inpatient dog so Riley got to move up to the 5 acres once again. And this time he stayed. We still came to see Riley and everytime we pulled up he would talk to us...this funny little howl thing he did. He loved it up here, he loved us and he loved my parents. They became his caregivers (thank goodness because we never could have afforded all that cancer treatment, or back surgery he had)...he was in good hands and they came to love him and had a strong bond with him. So...fast forward to this morning...I was getting ready to get the girls on the bus when the phone rang and my mom said it was time. He had a bad night, and it was time to end his suffering. We walked the kids over to say goodbye and we all gathered around him and cuddled him. Lily was too sad to go to school, Ellie went but didn't have a very good day. I went with my parents to go put him down and it was a very sad day. We decided to bring him home with us and bury him on our property so he could always be here with us. Jamie dug a hole...a very big, deep hole and we had our little memorial service for Riley. The girls made cards that they put in the grave with him and we put in a ball...he loved his tennis balls! It brought Jamie and I back to ten years ago...he was our first "baby"...the first addition to our family. We laughed how hard it was in the beginning and cried over how hard it was today in the end...but all those special memories in between makes it all worth it. Riley will be missed and will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Jalen found the bb gun

Before I tell the story let me say I HATE guns...any guns and all guns...paint guns, bb guns, hunting guns, kill someone kind of guns, and even water guns when they are pointed at me! So I wasn't happy when I walked downstairs to see Jamie and all three of my kids outside with a rifle and a huge cardboard box propped up against the big fir tree. AND...it was 8:00 at night! I guess Jalen spotted my dad's old bb gun up in the closet in the office and for some reason Jamie thought it would be cool to show him, and the girls, how it worked. So there they are out in the dark taking turns shooting this gun at the box. They dragged me out to watch...which I'm sure Jamie later regretted with all the grief I gave him...and once I saw Jalen's face I had to go get the camera. You would think he had just seen Santa Claus...or walked into the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...or whatever else excites a 2 year old! The look on his face was priceless! So I let him have his fun and then made Jamie promise to put it away where he COULDN"T see it and never let him shoot a gun again!

Bathtime for Happy

Let me start by saying I am so far behind on posting to this blog...and the whole reason I am doing it is to keep all of you updated on our busy lives...as well as for my kids to be able to look back on and remember special moments in their lives. Okay...so this technically isn't that special but it was one of the priceless moments that will be so funny when they look back on it one day. Happy had been playing outside and they know that Mommy gets MAD when they let him in without wiping his paws. Even Jalen tries his best to chase Happy around the room with a towel...usually unsuccessful but the effort is there. So they came into the office and asked if they could give Happy a bath. Of course we don't have a good place to give a real bath so I clarified that what they really meant was wiping him down...more of a spongebath and they eagerly agreed. So...thinking we were on the same page (my mistake!) I told them to close the laundry room door to contain Happy and have at it. A few minutes went by (okay maybe more than a few...I was REALLY enjoying the peace and quiet!) So by the time I went and checked the entire room was covered with every single rag we own, Jalen had the car wash mit on his hand, Ellie was holding Happy on the leash and Lily had the sprayer from the sink pointed out into the middle of the room attempting to spray Happy as he tried his best to get away. I wanted to be mad at the mess but all I could do was laugh. The kids meant well, they were having fun and although Happy didn't seem to like getting sprayed he was still sitting there with that big old "happy" smile on his face!

Papa Jacks 60th Birthday!

We feel so blessed to be surrounded by such loving family! Everytime we all get together we are reminded of how lucky we are to be so close to our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Papa Jack...we love you and look forward to blowing out many more candles with you! xoxo

Surprise Snow!

No one was expecting anything but rain...but then again should we expect anything more from our weather friends?! Yesterday when a few flakes started falling I grabbed the camera thinking that would be the only shot of snow I would get but three hours later there was four inches on the ground and the kids were outside making snowmen and sledding down the hill! Ellie got stuck at a friends house,Jamie got stuck at work, and our dinner guests had to cancel. So after spending a couple hours on dinner I had no one to share it with! Lily called and invited Grandma and Papa over to have dinner and they walked across the field and joined us....pretty convenient! Usually it's the other way around...us going to Grandma's for dinner! The snow didn't last...Jamie was finally able to get home (although he had to use his mom's car to get up the hill) and when we woke up this morning there was still snow but after a beautiful day of sunshine it's sadly gone. It was still a nice unexpected treat!