Camping Over Labor Day Weekend

Swimming In The Pond

Military Man and I took a short day trip southeast of here through Corral Canyon.  The trail was awesome - very different from what we're used to.  The road was manageable but tight, sometimes barely enough room for the Jeep.  It was green as far as the eye could see, but don't let the heavy clouds and vibrant foliage fool you - it was still HOT! - humid and we caught the wrath of several mosquitoes when we hopped out to let the dogs run around and take a dip in the pond.  Copper was in dog heaven - he swam across that thing and back several times.  He also attempted to herd Daisy into the deep end to join him in the joy of swimming, but she was not liking the deep.  She mostly stuck to the shallow end and spent a good portion of her time dragging her chin along the edge of the water... weird girl!

It was nice to get out and explore a place that wasn't steep rock climbing and desert scape for a change.

- Jess

Our Summer Activities, part 2

Here's a brief look at the second half of our fabulous summer break... it went by far too quickly, that's for sure! 
* Monsoon season was a bit of a bust again this year, only a couple of good storms brought any actual, measurable rain to the desert.
* The kids enjoyed some Circus, Circus! in Las Vegas as we met Grandma for a two-week trade off.
* Cousin Jacob came down for a two-week visit we went camping and swimming and played video games.
* Grandma Brunette taught us how to make homemade candy - lollipops.
* Copper and Daisy made a new friend while camping, Tank.
* Copper and Daisy also got a little down when the kids were both gone to Utah and when they were packing backpacks in preparation for going back to school.

Snagged By The Cactus

Last week Daisy snagged her tail on one of our cactus plants in the backyard.  The needle was about three inches long, with about 1/2 inch imbedded into her tough skin.  I had to use the pliers from the tool box to pull the sucker out, but it ended up breaking off twice.  I am certain there's still a needle tip buried in her tail but she's refusing to let anyone near it.  She stayed away from everyone for about three days even though she didn't have a fever and there was no noticeable swelling.  She seems to be doing much better now - although I have no idea if the needle is still there or not - she's back to her usual antics therefore I'm not too concerned.

I {heart} Lazy Afternoons With My Babies

I sure do love our quiet afternoons together.
Happy Monday XO

Playing Catch Up via Mobile Phone Shots

 

I'm sharing a few mobile phone shots today as I am playing catch up in every direction.  School started two weeks ago - everyone is doing well so far... but then the homework hasn't quite started coming in yet... so we'll see.  Football started three weeks ago - so far it's been conditioning, bruises, ear-to-ear grins, mud, grass stains, mosquitoes, late nights, and more mud.  And it's been a bit hectic around here for a good month - trying to get it all in. 

Monsoon season brings out the toads.  Toads bigger than my fist... which is big enough for me.  This guy welcomed Freckle Face one night as she came home from babysitting.  Too afraid to startle it in the wrong direction (more on that in a minute) she decided to enter through the garage.  The next morning the toad was gone and had left a nice fat present in front of the door for us.... grrr!

Speaking of critters going in the wrong direction... this little guy was warming in the sun on the front door one afternoon.  I didn't see him as I opened the door and trying to escape me, he jumped a few feet into the wrong direction, landing in the middle of the front room, then took off running.  The dogs went ballistic, crashing into walls and furniture.  After about five minutes I found him hiding from the dogs in a crease of the curtains.  He was so small that he could've easily hidden in the house for weeks undiscovered.  It's a good thing Copper has a sharp eye and Daisy has a hound's nose.

Daisy was not too happy about being told off for constantly laying on the bottom of the curtains causing the rod to bend and the whole window treatment to come crashing down.  I had to line large items up in front of the window to keep her from trying to lay there.  She whined for a few days, then laid her head on my lap every time I sat at my desk - looking at me with sad defeated eyes.  Eventually she settled for UNDER the desk - only she doesn't quite fit... so several times a day she gets a kick or a nudge or a tail or ear ran over with the wheels of my chair... none of it seems to phase her anyway.

I recently picked up a couple of inexpensive yard sale "props" - which I used to block the curtains from Daisy's napping.  After a week or so, she got over it and was content with sleeping wherever she stopped walking.  Literally - stop, drop and snore - as the kids say!

These two have been glued to my side since school started... and oh. my. gosh!  I can't get anything done.  This was my attempt at 4:30am yoga - obviously I gave up.

And this last one (super grainy, sorry) is from when the kids got home from a two week trip to Utah to visit grandmas and grandpas - without mom and the dogs.  They were sorely missed.  We all piled on Freckle Face's tiny bed for a big group hug.  Daisy took up the most room - go figure!

XOXO - Jess

Twinkies + Monsoon Season: Our Last Two Weeks of Summer

Our fantastic summer vacation is winding down.  Football (hell week) started for Monkey Boy yesterday.  School begins next week and cheer leading tryouts are coming up shortly after that.  It has been a great summer, although I am welcoming the idea of a more structured schedule and many of my LOVES come with autumn, like football and pumpkins and cooler, more bearable weather.  The monsoon rains seemed to have hit a little bit later in this year and it has definitely been a welcome change from the six continuous weeks of 103-115*F+ heat... even the dogs have been out enjoying the hot rain showers, watching the flood waters rush by and splashing about in the remaining puddles.  The image above is the last one my camera snapped before I was mowed over while trying to snap some pictures of the kids and dogs playing in the rain - such a HAPPY PUPPY!

I only bought ONE box, but ate far more than my share of America's beloved Twinkies.  I also (probably should not have) let the kids watch the tv edited version of Zombieland, which they loved even though they did not fully appreciate half of the references in the dialog... they will forever associate Twinkies with the zombie apocolypse... good times :)

XOXO - Jess

He literally laid by the laundry room door like that for hours... and I couldn't quite figure out why until I opened the door and remembered I'd bought the dogs bones earlier that morning.  How he even knew they were in there I'll never know... maybe he could smell them.  But I thought his desperation was comical.  Later that evening I sent them outside to enjoy their colossal beef bones.

I video recorded Daisy (and if I can figure out how to post it, I will).  She wanted in the house and every time I opened the door she'd run to get her bone.  I kept telling her it couldn't come in... yet she continued with that silly dog-grin on her face - trying to bring the bone inside.  She could barely lift the thing ...it probably weighs as much as her big fat head.

Happy Monday!!!
XOXO - Jessica

It Sure Has "Been A Week"

Seriously is this week over yet?  So far the milestones of the last seven days have been me repairing a dishwasher and a washing machine, reprogramming the irrigation, replanting a thorny palm tree seven times because Miss Daisy didn't like it blocking her view to the busy street below... every bl**ping morning!!! And not so surprisingly I did not finish all the laundry.  I also did not fix the ice machine, even though I've made every possible attempt to get it working again... I mean, it's not a complex thing - but for some stinking reason it just doesn't want to work.  Ugh!  I also did a "Google" crash-course on the difference between formatting on a MAC and a PC.  And then the rest of the time I chauffeured my three kids and their buddies around the suburbs in a minivan like a good soccer mom does.

Now for the fun stuff - HIGHLIGHTS - from this past week... Buggy was one of only 17 students to participate in the Castle Fair this year.  She was not happy with her project outcome, but we won't get into that... she worked hard and that's all that matters.  She also had her final advanced orchestra performance of the school year - they worked on Bach's Fugue in G Minor for the entire school year - and it was outstanding. Monkey Boy got first place in his class for his carbon dioxide Science Fair project.  He did a great job and we are pleased with his outstanding efforts.  And earlier in the week Freckle Face was called to be the Beehive President in the Young Women's organization.  She too, has been working hard and we are so proud of her example.

XOXO- Jess

Monday Mornings

Daisy In The Snow

I'm not so sure she liked the snow.  She does quite enjoy hot and sunshine... all this cold, wet Utah snow was not her forte.

She was however, keen to the next door neighbor's pony that kept prancing around the yard every time she ventured outside.  I think he may have been showing off for Miss Daisy, she could easily be mistaken as a small horse.  I didn't realize just how big she really is until I saw her next to the pony.

Snow Follies

...or should I say: fall-ies!
Copper LOVED playing in the snow.

Getting Ready For Christmas Traveling

Daisy hates to travel in vehicles.  She doesn't know it yet, but she'll soon be on the road to visit Grandma - the only person on the planet that loves her as much as Military Man... **wink, wink**

Unpredicatable & Difficult

Two weeks ago I taught an in-person group workshop on beginning photography.  One of the after-class internet assignments I was working on included photographing subjects in front of the Christmas tree.  The only subjects I had home with me at that time was Copper and Daisy... which proved my lesson statements sound and true - photographing a dog is about as unpredictable and ridiculously difficult as photographing a toddler.

Daisy's Almost Two!

Monkey Boy and I took Daisy to the vet a couple of weeks ago for her (nearly) two year old check up.  Our family had a running bet going on what her weight would be, because she's a pretty big girl.  I guessed 103 pounds.  According to the scale at the vet's office she weighed a healthy 96 pounds.  I am certain that the bath she had that morning washed away those missing seven pounds.