Puppy Days

I've been putting off this post for 3 months thinking I shouldn't write about it just in case it doesn't work out. But then the other day Emma asked me why I hadn't put our new addition on the blog yet and I felt bad. So it's official.  We have a pet and I wasn't foreshadowing anything in that post last summer. I had no plans for this, but Todd got puppy fever and the next thing I knew we had a dog.

If you have kids or a small desire for a dog, I must warn that you may not want to look at the picture of our little but growing quickly yellow lab.  I would recommend that you don't show it to your children either or you may find yourself with one of these under your Christmas tree.  

So here I thought I would list ten things to consider before bringing one home in no particular order and they are not all cons.

1.  They bring in a lot of dirt. I am not a big fan of this and thankful for my nearly carpet free house.

2.  They need to be bathed almost as often as kids or you can get a doggy smell in your house.

3.  They have vet visits not covered by your health insurance.

4.  They have to be trained to stay in a crate, go potty outside (an extra clean up chore for kids) and not chew up everything.

5.  They chew up everything!  Borrowed library books don't mean anything to them. 

6.  You must provide them a form of exercise.  This is a good thing if you need forced exercise.  Labs in particular have lots of energy it and we are a pretty active family, so it has not been a problem so far.  A large yard and a swimming pool are a bonus to a dog like ours who tries to sneak in the pool area every time the pool guy shows up.  She'll swim laps forever and fetch things out of the water.

7.  Any windows at dog level do not stay clean.  I used to stress over the sliding door having hand prints all over it.  Now all the windows in our living areas have doggy nose or paw prints on them .  I've given up on the windows. They get washed by the kids now and then and I just know it is out of my control now.

8.  They can be a replacement for a sibling.  Emma asked for a dog or a sister for 3 years until the dog showed up.  She has not asked for either one since.

9.  They are free entertainment.  I never knew how fun it would be to watch the dog play or learn new things.  It is almost a zen like thing to let the dog off the leash at the lake and just be in the moment with her. Seeing the world through her eyes can be a big stress reliever.

10.  They are really cute. No explanation needed.

Suri

I have never had a dog so everything is new to me.  I wasn't sure how this whole thing would go, but I do know that she's a keeper.

A Little Rant

So I just realized that it has been 1 month since the kids went back to school and it has been extremely crazy with no time for blogging or reading! I am the only person I know who hasn't opened Breaking Dawn. It has spent weeks on the table next to the couch patiently waiting for my life to settle down. I even loaned it to my friend Jenn, who promptly returned it in like 3 days and she has 5 kids! HELLO! Oh yeah, and if I finished Eclipse first, that might help too. So, I guess I have still not found my rhythm or adjusted to the not so new schedule yet. It seems that I should have more time on my hands than ever having all 3 kids in school, but life just seems to get busier the older they get. Emma's homework load is a bit heavier in 4th grade and between dance class, violin, Achievement Days, American Girl Club and her never ending social calendar she has turned into a night owl. She totally comes alive at night wanting to craft, read or just talk our ears off. I am beginning to see some serious pre-teen/tween behaviors going on. She really likes to be in on the adult stuff too and I have to be careful about what kind of information she becomes privy to.

I must say that I do feel so blessed that even though we are busy, everyone is doing great. It seems like I know a lot of people dealing with a lot of stuff right now and I wouldn't trade mine for theirs. I am just a little type A sometimes and with the lack of control of the schedule it's like I am playing a real life Survivor game trying to manage it all. Fortunately, Noah is handling first grade like a pro and has won the heart of his teacher who can't stop gushing about him, and Daegan tells me everyday that he just loves preschool, and well that statement is just music to my ears! Over the summer I struggled with getting him to go to the child care at the gym or to his class at church, so I was a bit paranoid about the whole preschool thing.

For now the current solution to handling the chaos is ( I may have a better plan tomorrow) if I am playing Survivor, I need to have a game plan! I guess the first step might be coming out of denial about the fact the summer break is really over. I may be one of a very small group of parents who were not ready for the leisure of the summer season to end. Maybe one last batch of Pina Coladas (the virgin kind of course) in the blender this weekend and then I'll be ready for fall.

Tribute to My Dad

My Dad passed away last Friday, August 15th, 2008 at the age of 63. He's had many health issues the last few years and he was never able to recover from them. Last Saturday at his funeral I was able to reflect on our relationship and what I've learned from him. What I know for sure about my Dad is that he had a great love for life, he was an extreme optimist and his glass was always full. He taught me to be a dreamer, to work hard and never give up. Our family will miss him very much.

Back to School

Emma and Noah headed back indoors this week to start a new school year. It felt strange to have them back in school so early in the summer, and with temperatures over 100 degrees all week it hasn't been so fun for them to be outside during recess when they belong in a pool. It will take a few weeks to adjust, but I think we are set to have a great year. Emma is entering 4th grade and is in her4th year of the Spanish Magnet Program at Folsom Hills Elelmentary. She was very lucky to be selected for this program in 1st grade and hopefully will be conversationally fluent by the end of her 5th grade year. She won't speak much to us, but when I hear her at school or while practicing her homework her accent is amazing! She has had great teachers and been able to stay with the same group of kids all along, which makes her very happy. Noah is entering 1st grade and is high on the waiting list for the spanish program. He's a lucky kid because his teacher, Mrs. Hedgepath, is one of the nicest teachers at the school and he has tons of friends. Preschool starts this next week for Daegan and I am VERY excited. The preschool is also at Folsom Hills, which is so great because it's a block away and I'll have all 3 kids in at the same school for the next 2 years!

Official Triathletes

Emma and Noah crossed the finish line yesterday to join Dad and Mom as official triathletes. With all the things Todd has going on, he manged to pull off a very successful event and we made it a family affair. This is the 2nd year he has put together The Iron Hills Youth Triathlon for our neighboring town of El Dorado Hills. He recruits participants by offering a one hour a day training camp all summer long. Most of the kids participate and then many others from swim teams or just all over the place also race. Emma and Noah do not participate in the camp or a swim team, but they wanted to try it. I thought maybe Emma would change her mind, or maybe not finish because she really was not prepared. She spent a lot of time playing in the pool this summer, but never got on her bike! I shouldn't underestimate the girl. She finished and can't wait to do the next one. (The funny thing is that she and Sadie both talked the entire race, even during the swim which I assume helped her get through it.) I had no worries about Noah. His age group had a much shorter race and he is so physically active I knew it would not be a problem. Needless to say it was fun and we look forward to Ready. Set. Go! Which is the next race Todd will put together in October for the City of Folsom.

Amazin' Daegan!

I'll call this video truly amazing because most 3 year olds can't do that and beacause Daegan has had to relearn to love the water this summer after he had a bit of a scare early on in the season from falling in face first. I have another video that would take way to long to upload that shows him jumping in and swimming the entire length of the pool without a life jacket or any apprehension. It is kind of fun and kind of scary to watch him. He doesn't want to wear a life jacket at all anymore, he keeps trying new flips and dives, and all of this equates to no poolside reading for me. (FYI: His name really does mean little fish, and I wonder it has anything to do with his new found love of swimming.)

Meet Julie

She is finally here! Julie is the latest addition to Emma's American Girl Doll Collection and Emma couldn't be happier. This summer Emma read all the Julie books so they would be acquainted and she saved every penny from the Otter Pop Stand to buy this doll. Now her doll Kathryn has a friend and Emma sleeps with 2 dolls.

Emma and Sadie show off all of their dolls.
Two very happy girls. Four very lucky dolls.

Soccer Time!

It's back to Briggs Ranch Park this week to start practice for another fun soccer season. Noah was very excited to get back to practice but was a bit bummed when Dad, a.k.a. "Coach Todd" had to miss the first practice due to a bad sore throat. Coach Todd was sad too, when he got the report from his assistant coach, that his winning team that has reassembled from last year, a.k.a. "The Rattlers" have a lot of work to do before their seeding tournament next week.


Our soccer obsessed 3 year old Daegan was a bit disappointed when he got to practice and realized he is still not on the team. He spent most of last year on the field during practice with all the other boys. That started a new trend in his wardrobe of soccer only attire. His passion for soccer wear has allowed him to accumulate some very nice professional soccer uniforms in a size 4. My favorite is the David Beckham outfit. Well, one more year to go before he can play and Todd could be coaching 2 teams!

Catching Lizards, Catching Ants

I think we need a pet! Todd and I keep using the excuse that we can't have a dog or any other animal until Daegan is a little older. So to satisfy their need to have an animal around they bring in the wild. I know a lizard and some ants seem harmless, and it is very cute how Daegan thinks that he's catching an animal when he brings in some ants, but I am seriously worried. Living so close to the lake we encounter all sorts of wild animals in our neighborhood including SNAKES! I run into one now and then when I go out for a run and I know that it is only a matter of time before one is in my yard or in my kitchen!

Happy 87th Birthday Oma Enoo!!!!

Today is the 87th birthday of Todd's grandmother Ann Van Enoo. Oma Enoo moved to Folsom almost 2 years ago and we have been so lucky to have her close by. Our family has really enjoyed spending quality time with her and hearing stories about her life and all of the amazing things she has been through. We feel so blessed to have this woman around and for our kids to have a great grandmother who they know so well and who cares so much about them. It is fun to see how much she enjoys all the little things in life, including chaos that sometimes occurs at our dinner table. We appreciate her wisdom and her unconditional love more than she'll ever know. We had a little cake with her last night to celebrate before she left on a trip to visit other family for the week. I know she won't mind that I mentioned her age because she thought she was going to be 88 and then laughed when I told her she was only 87. I guess I gave her an extra year as a birthday present.

For the Love of Dolls

Every summer the City of Folsom holds a Thursday Night Market in the historic part of town. They shut down Sutter Street and allow people like me to sell aprons or other fun stuff. Last summer Emma and her friend Sadie opened an Otter Pop stand adjacent to our Domestic Darlings booth and were very successful in their efforts. They used their profits to buy several Webkins (a very popular stuffed animal) for themselves and their brothers. This year their new goal was not spend money on a bunch of stuffed animals, but to save it all up for an addition to their American Girl Doll family. This week was the third time this summer these girls charmed the locals with their cuteness. In 3 hours time they were dancing in the street to their new Miley Cyrus CD because they had sold $80 worth of water and Otter Pops and had finally crossed the finish line. They now have enough money to buy their dolls and have learned a little about saving money.

All American Girls