joke of the day

a quick poem

A while since I have blogged

The craziness of the summer has completly killed my blogging social life. There have been many wonderful experiences this summer that have kept us so busy.

So far this is what we have been doing:

Fishing, going to the beach, catching turtles,frogs, and fish for the ponds. Walking to maggie moos to get ice cream, drinking lots of alcohol at night, doing Kayley's birthday party, trying out new resteraunts, getting aquianted with new neighbors, riding horses, busch gardens and water country, going to the pottery, visiting my parants, fruit and veggie picking, gardening, playing in sprinklers, swimming in neighbors pool, boating, living museum, planetarium, laser light shows, and taking the kids to movies, spending time with friends, Raising baby cockatiels, playing with the dogs and puppies, breeding Liberty (puppies due in Sept) and just enjoying life.

Now if you can't find an excuse in there for not blogging......then come kick me in my ankle!!!

There has also been one really hard thing that has happened this summer. A few weeks ago John's niece Karissa was killed in a car accident. John's mother was driving and his father was a passenger. They are both okay, only minor injuries, and a broken heart. Here is the article

http://rdu.news14.com/content/headlines/?ArID=88201&SecID=2

It was both heartbreaking and enlightening to be there and witness the heartbreak, and feel it as well. It was so nice though how the community really came together to provide comfort and all sorts of food, contributions. It is hard not to imagine yourself in the same situation. Something as terrible as this really makes you realize how fragile life is. When an older person passes away, it is hard...when a child passes away it is horrendous.

We as a family are okay, we have grieved and are moving on. If you pray, please pray for Karissa's mother and father, and her grandparents. Karissa was an only child, and was a very very special little girl. She was especially active in her church and spiritual. She had arthritis, but it never stopped her from dancing, singing, and loving life.

Our girls don't really understand the wholething. They did not cry, although they loved Karissa dearly. They know that Karissa went to heaven, and that is it. They went to the funeral and placed flowers on her casket. Ariel threw a fit because she wanted to see Karissa as an angel before we left......it is a hard thing to explain to children. Maybe they know more than we do, and that is why they are not sad.

In any event, we are okay. The girls keep us laughing, and we have stayed very busy. Dog show season is about to pick back up for us, and we intend to enjoy the rest of summer to the fullest. Hug your kids extra tight, and go enjoy the day....because no one is promised the next one.

Reflections on the past...lessons learned

I had a relationship a long time ago, that I wasn't the one in the driver seat with a guy named Justin. He was handsome, delightfully smart and conversationally engaging, drove a Harley, loved coffee and reading, and he was very aloof. Well we had a fling, and it turned out that I was his rebound to a girl who he was still completely in love with. Which was heartbreaking to me because I had fallen for him...hard. Well when one too many call went unanswered I stopped calling and went on about my life...then he started calling me again.....which was a huge surprise because I had written him off. Well I went to visit him one last time and he told me that he was leaving and wanted to "smooth" it out with me. At that moment I got to see what he was all about, and I walked away giving him "the hand". It was heartbreaking for me to see the reality, but I realized I had not the been the one in control, until I took it. As I was walking away he yelled to me "I bought you a helmet" which apparently was some big deal, so I could ride his Harley. 

I always wondered if he really bought it for me or for someone else. Needless to say, I kept walking, never turned back...was heartbroken for a few weeks, and then moved on. The moral of the story is that in the end I won. I let him know that I was in control, and wasn't willing to loose myself again.
For the first time too, I got to hear a little desperation in his voice as he called out to me about the helmet. It is amazing what happens when you just walk away.

Do you know there is a training trick you do with a dog when teaching advanced obedience? It is really fascinating. For days you give your dog no attention....just feed water, and let out to go potty.
No eye contact, no petting, talking to...anything. At the end of three days the dogs is so beside themselves at the lack of attention that they will do anything to try to please you.
*Note being this only works with things that love you*

Okay, so it was a weird introspective blog......but I thought that I should write it down before it was forgotten, truly a defining moment of my adult identity. Although at the time it seemed more like a train wreck with me walking away mostly alive, but with some chuck removed. Luckily that chunk was expendable....or more, it grew back like a lizards tail does Amazing how the human spirit is so resilient

Long time no blog. Busy here with all of the funness and craziness that summer brings. Here are a list of our goings on.

Fishing ...kayley is obsessed

turtle catching...around 30 baby turtles in out ponds currently. Breeds included Eaastern painted turtles, river cooters, and red eared sliders. Names include Money(supposed to be Lenny), Tuck, Ming -ming, Holy cow, stinky cow, and it is 6:12 am so I can't remeber the rest....

gardening..raspberries, snow peas, tomatoes,peppers, cucs, and other crap

camping

dog shows...Tux's brother winston finally is a champion, so with our arch nemesis removed from the competition we should finally start to win

trying to get puppies here from Iowa...ever try to co-ordinate flights from Iowa when the temp can't be over 75degrees at any location in the late spring/early summer? Sheesh. Full time job.

Frog hunting...for the garden...not frog legs

babysitting, which leads to after the kids are gone, drinking!!

The beach

busch gardens , water country, and other kids entertainment stuff

so this is why I have taken such a blogging hiatus.

Other events include John buying himself a big ass truck..dodge diesel 2500 freaking giant monstrosity, school almost being out, chinchilla given to neighbor, new people moving in on our cul-de-sac(insert dramatic music)...new neighbors scare me.

John starting new job

Me talking to the parents again...yikes

and I think that is about all. Hope everyone is doing well. Headache in full effect, bye for now.