We're Getting a Dog

Okay, so it's been a long long time in the "talk about it stage", actually about as long as Dennis and I have been married, maybe even before that. A few things put us over the edge to make the plunge: the kids are old enough now (no more babies in the house for me to take care of) and can all help out in some way AND Bay is an extreme dog afficionado, and by that I mean that he could be the dog whisperer. Every dog he meets acts like he and it have been best friends all of their lives!

Anyways, we have always wanted a boxer, so it didn't take us long to find one. We went and saw her and the breeder last weekend and will be bringing her home in a couple of weeks. She'll be just a little more than 8 weeks. Here she is at 6 weeks.

Of course the kids are super excited. We are too! We have been reading books, and the questions have been pouring out of the kids...where will her food bowls be? where will she go to the bathroom? will we give her people food? where will she sleep?... We haven't 100% decided on a name yet, so we'll save that for you to find out once we bring her home! Hint... it will be something of German origin since the Boxer breed originated in Germany!

Soccer and stuff

We have been full of activity lately. It is soccer season, and the boys are having a great time, but haven't been able to have many practices due to all of the rain, but so far no games have been cancelled. Dennis is coaching Bay's team again. My brother came down for the weekend to celebrate Bay's birthday and also got to squeeze in his soccer game as well. He took some great pictures. The other two were at home with me getting set up for the birthday party...post soon to follow on that adventure!

Dennis looks like he wants to do the throw-in for Bay!

Eric had a soccer game on a Sunday evening and we enjoyed that change. Usually they are all on Saturdays, but having it in the evening was nice. Eric is number 9 above...the team they played had some great plays and super players, but our team still managed to eek out a win with the score 2-1. They were thrilled and it was a hard-earned win.

Gramps recently had his big sailboat hauled for some bottom paint and other work to be done on it. Leah (in curls) went with him to check out the work site. (That is not his boat in the background...not sure where his is???)

Still Alive

It's been too long since I have posted. Sorry if you've noticed and wondered what we've been up to. Spring has always had a tendency to put life into fast forward for me. Sometimes I think it's because all of a sudden we are spending so much more time outdoors, and so everything that normally happens indoors falls behind. Anyways, we are still here and all are well. What have we been up to?
camping...homeschool curriculum fair...hanging laundry on the line...spring cleaning...preparing for birthdays...homeschool coop play practice and end-of-the-year activities...piano theory test...camping some more...planting the garden...planting the flower beds, herb garden...soccer games...running in the sprinklers...

Enough said.

Art Day

Because of this....

....lunch was here.Every once in awhile, we make it an art day. This morning, I woke up and it was pouring rain. We have a busy week ahead of us, and no sun in sight till the end of the week, so I decided it was a good day for an art day. We broke out the paints, markers, pencils, paper, smocks and other items first thing after breakfast, put on the classical music and let our imaginations fly. We took a break for Eric's violin lesson, and lunch, and then finished up after a few more hours of art making.
We do art as part of school, little things here and there, but the real fun is when I put no limit on time or what they are going to do, and we just relax.



Eric told me that this has been one his happiest days in a long time. What a wonderful thing to hear! I told him that was because I was tickling the left side of his brain today! (is that correct? left or right?) anyways, his natural bent is all things in the arts, so that side of his brain has been fully satisfied today with all of the music and art he has done.

Painting the letters of his name in camoflage to match the room decor.

I wondered how long they would last today. I would say that they didn't even notice that it was raining outside!Mom even got a little creative

Wishing for the warm spring days when my clothesline is as beautifully adorned!

No training wheels!

Bay finally decided it was time to ride the bike without the training wheels. He got it on the first try...and on about the third try, was able to start off by himself as well. Here is a video of him about the 5th time down the driveway. He was so excited!

Cartwheels
I am always amazed at how different each of our children are. I guess I shouldn't be amazed any more, but it constantly takes me by surprise!
Another thing that is a challenge is to make sure that the middle child doesn't get sqeezed out by the other two in many areas. For instance, since Eric is the oldest, he tends to be involved in the most activities, just because of his age. On the converse, since Leah is the youngest, and also a girl amidst 2 boys, she tends to get attention pretty easily. Not that she is loved any more than the others, but if you have children, you know what I mean...she is the youngest so I think that is pretty self-explanatory! So, in Bay's case, he is the typical middle child. He easily switches between being the playmate to Eric or the playmate to Leah, depending on whatever is most convenient. He doesn't have a lot of things that are "his", he usually just does or likes whatever the other sibling is involved in.

Point being, it is really neat to have found something that is "just his", and that thing seems to be gymnastics. We are very fortunate to have found a local gymnastics center that is out of the way and not part of the overly crowded rec-and-parks deal. He has been taking a class once a week in the mornings now for a few years and it has been just him, a friend of mine's daughter, and the instructor's daughter. So 3 students who have been together for a couple of years 1 hour each week. It has worked out really well and he has really taken off with it--he enjoys it and does very well. It is something he strives at and can see improvement in himself and likes to see that improvement. Plus, my mom is the one who orchestrates the whole thing and takes him, so in addition, it is special time for them together.

So, she took the camera this week and got some good shots!

back bend-he can do this really well all by himself

the running trampoline is by far their favorite piece of equipment. here they are doing front handsprings off the end of the trampoline onto a big mat

front rolls down the trampoline


cartwheels

I'm tired!

Out with the old...in with the new!

Remember the old master bathroom? I do..although it has been a long time in the making. We used to have that tiny cubicle to bathe, toilet and brush our teeth. Then we expanded and put in the double sink and took out the old sink.

It has stayed in this condition for a loooong time now, so long I thought it might never change! I was actually getting used to the splotchy drywall cement patches on the wall! Don't ask how it happened, but one fine day we decided to take everything out, sand, finish the mud job, and paint.
Some new towel racks and shower curtain and what a difference! (I've had the towels to match since Christmas, they've just been sitting in a bag waiting to come out of hiding!)

Now, though, since the walls look so nice, I must say it really draws my attention to the ugly floor, half pink tile, half old linoleum with a marble threshold in between! Well, I guess that will inspire us to move quickly on putting down some consistent tile on the floor sooner than later!
Also, the rug in the above picture appears to clash horribly with the paint on the walls, but it must have something to do with the lighting and the camera, because in real life, it is the same color as the walls.
And, well, those cabinet fronts are stil waiting for Dennis to make them...one thing at a time I guess! But for the most part, it is such a nice change!