Spring?

So we go from "Snow!" to "Spring?"  Nothing super exciting has really been happening, just a lot of the daily grind.  We recently switched internet providers and I am having a little difficulty getting everything synced up like before.

We are in a quiet activity lull.  Swimming is over until summer.  Grant didn't want to do spring soccer, until it was two weeks past sign up and then of course he asked me why I didn't sign him up for spring soccer!  Right now it is just gymnastics, Auggie and Brandon's crazy work schedule.  We are anxiously awaiting the warm sunny days.  We were given a bad tease and thought spring had sprung, and then snow was in the forecast again.  No snow ever came but it has been cloudy and chilly.  We are all ready for some Vitmain D from the sunshine!  I think next week we will be much happier campers.  The kids need to be outside burning off some energy.  We have hit a wall where they are really not enjoying each other's company's much (and that's being polite!).  Elizabeth is very bossy, Grant is very loud so you can imagine what it sounds like in our house when she tells him to do something he really doesn't care to do.  I am not going to lie, I have contemplated wearing ear plugs.

Meet Andi! Auggie's sister (previous litter)

Getting long legs!!

Our first run - she's going to get me ready for St.Jude!

She did not love this ride in the bike trailer...at all.  Grant's only job was to make sure that she stayed in.  Half a block up the street I can see her paws in my bike mirror.  He was trying to find a good tune on my phone and forget his job! 

She loved this ride even less!!

Elizabeth has been working hard on her reading.  Grant will be starting speech again to continue working on the sounds he struggles with.  I have been spending a lot of time training Auggie.  We are re-doing our master bedroom so that process is taking quite a bit of my attention.  But it should all be done before the kids are out of school and before we open the pool!  Brandon has had some travel, some evening engagements, but in general is just putting in a lot of hours.  We are all ready for spring break!  This year we are surprising the kids and taking them to waterpark for a quick getaway on Good Friday.  After we celebrate Easter we will have a surprise "stay cation" each day.  One day we are going down to the farm...it will be Auggie's first trip!  I think we may try ice skating one day, bicycle safety town if the weather cooperates, a museum, the zoo, etc... Fun in our own backyard!

 

Auggie is growing like crazy.  She is so much fun and has a great demeanor.  She obeys really well when there are no distractions, so we are working on behaving with distractions.  We still have some puppy biting, but it gets better each week.  She went on a short run with Elizabeth and me a few weeks ago and did pretty well.  We are still perfecting the leash walking...again a lot of distractions!  She starts puppy class at the end of April.  She loves when her sister Andi comes over to play and loves running with the big dogs next door, one day she might be able to keep up! Grant asked me last week if Auggie had stuffing inside of her!  She really does look like a teddy bear, but no stuffing, unless she has eaten some!

"Puppy" is still a favorite game to play, even though we have real one now!

The dive we have not yet perfected...but the strokes look good! Yes that is her, mid-air.

Grant's game of War while watching Lizzie swim has been perfected! 

Both front teeth gone! 

On the to-do list was clean out a few cabinets...check! 

Elizabeth and I at Beauty and the Beast - the bear was dressed as Belle. Great show! Great Xmas gift Auntie Amber! 

I guess they do sleep during a sleep-over

This was on a snow day, actually it was too icy to have school.  Swimsuits and goggles on and pretend like it's summer...with bubbles! 

Brandon and I met Bob Love (just goggle it!)

Elizabeth participated in Jump Rope for Heart and raised enough money to "pie" a teacher

Getting set for Aunt Sara's baby shower.

The Lego boat...it still floats!! 

It's still cold, but we are done with winter!! 

Frolic with the Fairies is a mother/daughter tea put on by the Jr. Women's League.  Elizabeth and I were invited to attend with one of Elizabeth's classmates.  They were kind enough to let us borrow an outfit and Ima just added an extra layer of "fluff" to lengthen it!  She even got her face painted, hair done and walked the runway.  

Julie K, famous children's musician performed and EB was first in line to get a picture with her after her show!  I wish I could find the picture of the two of them when EB was in her music class as a 9 month old! 

T-ball season is just around the corner.  Daddy is getting him all warmed up! 

This is my start to St. Patrick's Day.  A green pancake that is obviously in a shape of a shamrock.

And a little St. Paddy's Day parade fun.  The girl with the sunglasses in the background was certainly having fun as she was knocking the boys down to get candy...we thought we were in a family friendly section.  A few looks from the mothers and she got the drift and started sharing!

Next year Auggie and Andi are in the game!

And why not! No, who really wants green chicken !

"The leprechauns make me do it" shirt that was oh so appropriate for his behavior that day!

And moving on down the line....kitchen gadget drawers were cleaned out.  I am totally embarrassed to say how many whisks I own. 

The chicks are in at Big R! Auggie even went along to see them too! But I could not safely get her in the picture, as my son almost knocked down the display!

 The difference between boys and girls art....in this case fizzy art.  Yes it was 40 degrees outside and yes I made them put on a coat and socks (shoes were optional) and forced fresh air upon them and peace inside the house.

Grant 

Elizabeth (in his defense she did use cookie cutters)

 The difference in their dancing....

Crazy hat, shirt half on, won't stand still, running around like a wild man to Everything is Awesome 

Elizabeth striking a pose to Let it Go in a very dramatic rendition.

Snow!

We finally got enough snow to really be able to play and it wasn't freezing cold.  Great packing snow meant mom and dad bundled up too and helped build a big snowman!  Auggie came home to us in rain and within two days we had snow, which she loves!

Follow through from a snowball fight

The snow packed so well it even picked up leaves!

Snow angels...by kids 

and Dad!

Olaf...because what other name would we possibly call a snowman?!

Teeth, Teeth and more Teeth

We are on tooth number four and I fear that we are going to start losing track!  She told me it was loose and I told her it wasn't ready and the next morning she woke up crying saying her tooth was gone.  I feared she had swallowed it and as I was trying to wake from the morning fog to search her bed for it she said "Mom, it's right here!"  I think she grinded on it all night until it finally came out!  The tooth fairy made a surprise day time visit - fun!! Although the $2 bill wasn't very sparkly...I think it must have been her last stop for the day and the glitter was running low :)

AUGGIE!!!!

Jan 25th finally came and we got to bring our puppy home.  It was a 4 hour drive one way and it rained the whole way there .... and the whole way home!  I had contacted our vet for advice on picking out a puppy and he gave some excellent and very helpful advice.  When you are looking at 7 adorable puppies -- it is really hard to choose!  We had reserved a female, but we had first choice so they brought out all 7 and we began sorting.  There was one dark one, 3 medium and 3 light.  Brandon had favored the dark one from pictures but within moments we knew she wasn't the one.  She was very timid, and hardly socializing with the rest of the litter.  We liked the darker color so we eliminated the 3 lights, plus 2 of the light ones appeared to be fairly dominate.  So the medium brown seemed to have the medium personality that we were looking for.  We weren't going to wrong with any of them!  EB was holding one all crocked in her arms and she looked up at her with the sweetest most tolerant face!  EB thinks that is the one we brought home...it actually isn't, but she later held our Auggie in the same way and she did the same thing!  Brandon held her cradled in his arms and covered her head and her tail wagged for 2-3 seconds and then she became totally calm and submissive and I watched her body language and I looked at him and said "that's the one!"  Auggie is a F1B golden doodle.  Her father Buddy is a red toy poodle (a really cool poodle according to my dad, who got to meet him on his scouting visit to the breeders!) and Sonny is her mom who is a golden doodle.  Auggie is 75% poodle an 25% golden retriever.  I wore black pants all day today and you wouldn't know we had a dog!  It is so awesome not having dog hair!

Auggie did great on the ride home.  I was worried about her getting car sick but she was fine.  Elizabeth wanted to hold her the whole time and asked if could start training in the car on the ride home!  EB is all hands on deck with this one!  When we stopped in Springfield I moved to the front seat because I was getting queasy and I held Auggie the rest of the way home.  The kids must have asked four times if they could have her back...I told them no, it was my turn!

Sleep is not plentiful, at least not in our room, which is why after ten minutes of her crying the first night Brandon made himself a bed on the other side of the house! Tonight is night four and I told him I think he should try to sleep in our room again.  Each night she has made progress.  The first night was total flashbacks of having a baby!  She would fall asleep and then cry every half hour...just when I was really getting to sleep good!  The 2nd night was 1.5 hour stretches.  Last night was two 3 hour stretches.  I could do without the 5:30 wake up call, but that's what time B has been going to work, so I just get up with him and face the day!  Last night Auggie curled up with EB for a little pet therapy as she was going to bed.  She was upset about some trade she had promised a friend at school that she wanted to back out of.  She got upset when I  told her she couldn't back out unless it was mutually agreed upon, handed her Auggie and said "here, pet your dog and go to sleep"  Within 10 mins they were both out.  Tonight was Grant's turn.  He had a bedtime meltdown but with Auggie by his side he settled in and they both zonked out!  Now, if only she didn't have to sleep in her kennel at night and could just cuddle with us we would all get some sleep!  But rules are rules and she needs to be in the kennel and learn to like it!  After playing for two hours outside today she was wiped and I think she will rest better tonight (fingers crossed!)

Grant looks like he is 10 in this picture!

She is a doll and looks like a teddy bear.  I am not sure she can see that great, there is so much fur obstructing her view!  She got cold the other day and we wrapped her up and EB held her on her back just like an infant.  We had friends come over and we passed her through 3 people wrapped up like a baby and she was totally content!  We are working hard on her biting inhibition, as those puppy teeth are sharp and her mouth is very exploratory!  She really likes our boots and the new Soggy Doggy rug by the back door - but no damage has been done yet! She responds best to people walking away from her when she misbehaves and given a 2nd or 3rd chance typically self corrects.  It is just as much about training our guests as it is her!  I feel like I have a lecture to give anyone who comes to meet her, but don't want to be "that dog mom!"  (haha! I really don't care, I want an awesomely well behaved dog!)

We aren't sure she knows she is a dog!  She got cold and we wrapped her up like a baby and passed her through 4 people like she was newborn and she didn't stir! 

She is just what our family was missing and she is WELL LOVED!!! I look forward to warmer weather and long walks!! (once we figure the walking on a leash thing out - she thinks that is just fun chew toy!)

She loves to find a pile to curl up and sleep on!