Annie

This is a sad way to start the new year. We lost our sweet Annie unexpectedly on January 7. I know some of you have wondered what happened. I think it was probably due to bloat. She was feeling a little unwell. I knew her stomach was upset and she'd had some loose stools. I had no idea the problem was so bad, or that we would lose her so quickly. It was Saturday. We were in and out and not really wanting to go the emergency vet. She had had upset stomachs in the past, and I did not really believe that this could be serious. She seemed to be doing better. She was in the kitchen under the table when I went to check on her early in the evening. I knew as soon as I saw her stretched out with her eyes open and staring that we were losing her. She may have already been gone by then. She was convulsing. Within minutes, there was no more movement, and we knew our beautiful girl was really gone. Just that suddenly. My heart is broken.

Introducing Heath

Wow, it's been along time. I guess that is what happens when you go back to school. Since I am on winter break, I will belatedly introduce the newest family member. Our house has been taken over by the cutest kitten ever. This is Heath, our Maine Coon cat.

5 months old, the day he came home

love

Heath is addicted to watching television

under the Christmas tree

Christmas morning. Wrapping paper is the best toy

cat nap

Homecoming Day

I thought it would be fun to look back at some pictures of the days our current dogs came to live with our family. The two oldest are missing because they predate digital pictures. Someday I'll go back and look for theirs and see if I can convince my scanner to work. For now...

Here's Annie. She came home with us in April 2005. Quite possibly the cutest puppy ever!

She was supposed to be Duane's girl

The kids were so small!

September 2007 I took Rhiannon to pick up her Maverick from his foster mom.

February 2009 I brought home my Brynley boy.

He was pretty cute too!

Papillion Days Parade

Rhys makes his debut with the PLHS Marching Band!

Big Muddy

Pedestrian bridge from the Omaha side

looking from Nebraska to Iowa

upriver

Iowa

The Missouri River is near flood stage. I've been wanting to check out the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge since it opened a few months after we moved here. We finally went today.

Baseball

We have had a miserably cold spring break. Still, it is spring and baseball season has begun!

Back on the bikes

Seems like the bikes and the kids get bigger every year. I don't have to wait for them anymore. After gifting  son with my fast hybrid bike, he dropped me in the wind like a hot potato (or a teenage boy and a middle-aged mom). Daughter is still a little kinder to me.

What happened to spring?

We had some fabulous weather, but then it changed - to this

This is my new favorite hot tea, and I need it in this weather!

Sunset

Bear Repair

A couple of nights ago, Brynley was wanting to play with his purple bear. Brown teddy, city squirrel, or moo cow wouldn't do. It had to be purple bear. But purple bear had a problem, a hole in his head was losing stuffing.

No one knows how purple bear came to have a hole in the head.

Luckily, Daddy thought repairs could be made, and purple bear could be saved.

Brynley kept a close watch on the proceedings to make sure purple bear was well-cared for.

It was a happy moment when his purple bear could be returned.

Thanks, Dad!

Brits, blogs, and stuff

I've been reading blogs today. I'm sick you see. Nastiest case of strep throat ever. I took a peak at my throat yesterday, it looked like swollen cauliflower in there (gross!), so I immediately gave up any guilt about laying around sick. Doctor said I had to be in like quarantine for 24 hours because of being terribly contagious. Even Husband was impressed (though I think he's still half convinced I'm just trying to be lazy and inconvenience him). I'm improving today thanks to wonderful antibiotics and lots of tylenol and ibuprofen to control the fiery pain in my throat. Presumably, I am allowed out of quarantine, now my first 24 hours on antibiotics are up, but really, I just don't have the energy. So here I am.

Oh yes, blogs. I've been reading blogs. I love blogs about all things British. I read several blogs by British expats in America and sometimes by American expats in Britain. My mom (mum?) is a British expat. She is an American citizen and has lived in California longer than most California natives. She is very American to most Brits, and yet still somewhat British to most Americans. My dear godmother is another British expat. So as you can see, I had a fair bit of British influence growing up. Basically this just means that I speak with just enough hint of English syntax or vocabulary choice for people to think that I'm a snob. I'm really not. It's just how the voice in my head (which often sounds suspiciously like my mother) talks. Me, I'm just a California girl with British accented voices in my head. Oh dear, I shouldn't admit to voices in my head! My brother and I, I think, are both convinced at times that we were supposed to have been born in England and should have grown up as Brits. But that would be another story.

So, these other bloggers all seem so witty and clever. Some are so funny. I'd like to be, but I think only I really think so. Some are so artistic or good at crafts, definitely not me. Some are fabulous photographers. My pictures are decent, but nothing out of the ordinary. Some of the blogs I read are by amazing dog trainers and top agility competitors. I'm average. Actually, I've been feeling a little guilty for the last month or two because, honestly, I've done almost no training with my brilliant young dog. I mean seriously, have you looked at the weather here? It sucks this time of year. It's cold, there is snow. Agility is something I play when the temperature gets above 40 degrees and the snow and ice go away so I can play outside. So there. That's just how it is. That's all for now.

Here's a kind of cool picture I took of a storm coming in last spring. I can't wait for spring.

a little too much winter

Mickey and Annie reluctantly participated in provided some perspective on how the local landscape appearance has changed since my last post.

Mickey is on our driveway in the front yard by the walkway.

Annie is actually in the street here. It does make a kind of nice backdrop.

We live on the inside of a circle, where the snowplow leaves all the snow in a nice mountain for us.

a winter walkabout

A day that's chilly but sunny means I may as well get the dogs out for a walk. 

Mickey was put out at being left home, but I assured him it was too cold for his approval (plus I can't manage three walking and him in the baby sling, he's not up for long walks yet)

my little corner of Nebraska

So not going to let go of Maverick's leash, there were birds flying around!

our little lake we walk down to and around

warmer at home

Susan Garrett does not have this problem

Brynley really does like to do everything with me!

I try to get some exercise on my cellerciser, Brynley thinks its time for a gentle massage. He loves it and won't get off even when I'm bouncing!

my fine young man

My son, my first born, he is growing up in to a fine young man. He's in 8th grade now, he'll be 14 in a couple of months, it's hard to believe. He is really growing up this year. We've had struggles over the years. He has dyslexia and ADD. He receives special education services at school. He is a smart kid. This year, he is starting to be the successful, confident, young man I've always hoped he would be. Next month, he will participate at his school level in the National Geography Bee. He is one of only 29 students, out of the hundreds at his middle school, that made the qualifying cut off score. A special ed  student competing in a competition that was mostly intended for the gifted kids. Rock on! Dyslexia has hidden his gifts for long enough. 

He's plays flute in his 8th grade band, right in the middle of the flute section. 

He loves fencing.

I love that smile.

He is a swimmer. Breaststroke is his favorite. When he was younger he sort of looked like a flopping fish. His times were, in a word, slow. Now he slices through the water with a smooth, seemingly effortless stroke. His times are dropping fast. 

Butterfly

Freestyle

Gliding through the water, swimmers are being passed, times are coming down, confidence is going up. 

Small rewards of being a parent.