A camp'n we will go

We had a heat wave come through for Spring Break.  So we decided to go camping with the Miskins.  Usually when we go camping we pack about half our house (or so Jared claims- he gets so frustrated with me :). But the Miskins are big packers to. We packed our huge van to the brim.  Why?  I don't know.  A sleeping bag for each person.  A backpack with clothes for each person.  A camping chair for each person.  We also brought bikes for everyone and our spiffy new bike trailer.  Tent, cooking equipment, food. It just adds up- really fast.  It took us a couple hours to load up everything.  And a couple hours to make camp once we got there.  All in all, a lot of work.  But fun work.  The kids had SO much fun.  And food cooked over a camp fire is SO DELICIOUS!  We did tons of bike riding.  It was chilly at night and I fretted over Ethan being too cold.  In our major over packing, Jared had brought along a space heater- which turned out to be a blessing.  We went to a nearby state park- Prophet's Town.  They have tons of trails to ride on there.  And it was almost empty. And they have several huge playgrounds too.  Altogether the perfect place for us. We played and rode bikes and cooked our meals together.  Repeat.  Super Duper Fun. 

Puppies aren't angels

So it turns out puppies aren't angels.  They are adorable and snuggly and cute...for a little while.  Then they get bigger.  And more energetic.  Lots more energetic.  And potty training this puppy turned out to be harder than potty training some of my children have been.  And for one very sick pregnant mama it just turned out to be too much.  Jared had conceded to allow us to get a dog on the premise that I would do all the work (and then teach the kids and they would help, of course too).  But potty training was all me, because I was home all day.  And I tried so hard.  But I was so sick.  And our house was starting to take the damage.  And our puppy turned out to have some terrible disease that made her release gas that could've been bottled and used as a weapon of war (it smelled that bad).  And it never failed that she'd come curl up next to me (who was laying on the couch nauseous from morning/ all day sickness) and then she'd release it. Every. Single. Time.  She had lost favor with some of the little children because she was getting so energetic and big that she'd tackle them to the ground every time they played with her.  If I hadn't been so sick, I could've taught her better not to do that.  All of these things combined against us until it was just too much.  Our wonderful friends had told us that we could bring her back if it didn't work out.  I absolutely hated myself that I had to take them up on the offer.  I believe once you've committed to something- you find a way to make it work.  But I just couldn't do it anymore.  We returned Leia to the Hasek's house.  It only took her a little while to be happy to be there- they had kept one of her sisters and she must have recognized her.  Off she went.  We return often to visit Leia.  I feel so bad that the timing just wasn't right. 

Saying Goodbye to Miss Molly

Molly has been so much fun and such a blessing to us for the past few years.  We were given her a few years back.  She was our first dog.  It's been so much fun.  But she was already about 12 years old (the vet's best guess) when we got her.  She had grey around her muzzle, but still plenty of life.  She's been active and loved living out here in the country with us.  We've never had her tied up on a chain or leash.  She's always lived free out here.  All of our neighbors know and love Molly.  In the morning she goes up and down the road and visits her dog friends.  No one minds that she's lose.  Even the mail lady brings Molly treats.  She's mild mannered and gentle with the kids.  Never once has she nipped at them.
Best. Dog. Ever.
We had originally hoped she would be a kind of guard dog, but quickly realized that wasn't in her personality.  She was just as soon lick someone to death than bark- much less bite anyone.  I found that out one night when Jared was out of town working on a dental office a few years ago and I had brought Molly in to sleep next to me.  Then I woke up to Molly banging her big tail against the floor.  She was excited.  Even without knowing who it was.  Jared had come home to surprise me and she couldn't have known who it was, but rather than bark to alert me, she started wagging her tail.  So, forget about being a guard dog. 
We just enjoyed her.  She's been so much fun. 
The past year Molly's health has really been declining.  The vet saw her and said she was just getting old.  We had every hope of her dying of old age.  We've tried to make her comfortable.  This past winter, I brought her inside.  She's always enjoyed sleeping inside, but not being stuck inside all day.  This winter she's stayed inside all day without even wanting to go out.  She rarely got up off her bed.  She even lost her ability to go to the bathroom.  It made me sad to see her in such sad shape. 
We finally made the decision that it was time to help her go.  It was a hard decision.  She has been a beloved member of our family.  We said good-bye to her this morning.  Jared took her to the vet and he gave her a sleeping pill first.  Jared said he held her while she closed her eyes and went to sleep.  It was so sad!  When he brought her back home, we dug a hole by a tree in the back yard and laid her inside.  Then we each said a few things we loved about Molly.  We will miss her so much.  I hope there will be a place for the really good dogs in heaven.

We love you Miss Molly. 

Poor baby

Since Ethan is now a big boy, he eats in his high chair at the table without the tray.  BIG STUFF, let me just say.  Tonight at dinner, he kept leaning forward out of his chair.  I kept reminding him to sit back.  Towards the end of dinner, he tipped just a little to far forward and to the right and SMACK over went the chair and down went the Ethan.  But not before hitting his eye right on the corner of the table.  It didn't budge at all and his eye socket took the full brunt of it.  Ouch.  The kind of ouch where you don't wait to see what their response will be to gauge how big a deal you allow it to be.  The kind of ouch where you're already snuggling them before they can gather their breath to let it out in a cry.  The kind of ouch where their start to turn blue and you have to remind them to breathe.  He curled up on my lap and had a good sobbing cry...for about a minute- then he was all better.  Tough kid.

It's just a little swollen.

The culprit.