Mini-Vacays Part 1 and How Pregnancy Changes Marriage

I've decided to break this post into 2 or more because I don't want to freak you guys out by how busy and awesome I am.

Our first big trip of the year was Memorial Day weekend camping with our good friends the Clevelands. We camped in Prineville and while the weather was iffy, the spot was GORGEOUS. I forgot my camera so here are some I hijacked some of Facebook. I can't find the best one of all the girls, so I'll just post what I have.

I would like y'all to notice Amy in the blue to the far right. She is dancing. All by herself. 'Nough said about what went on that night! I love this girl! Always entertaining!

Our gorgeous spot! We had 8 dogs on this trip so it was the perfect trip for me!

Our next trip was to Cannon Beach with our friends Eric, Aja and Bentley. The weather was beautiful, the food was amazing and the company perfect. The dogs are best friends, so it really was a blast to watch them run and play with eachother. I love the beach!

Poor Madison can't be off leash because she is a bird hunter and deaf. So daddy walks her back and forth while the big dogs run free. Sadness.

Happy dirty boy.

Boo Boo is a tired boy!

This is me. And my boobs - Trouble and Troublemaker. They are OUT. OF. CONTROL. And I wasn't even pregnant here.

Eric found an enclosed beach where Maddie could run off leash. Isn't she beautiful?

I am so glad my son-bear has the mental capacity to discover this buoy and entertain himself for hours. Isn't he so bright and intelligent? Most little son-bears don't have that sort of intelligence but he is GIFTED.

Take note of the way he uses his agile paws to manipulate the buoy. Gifted.

This was a very coveted, VERY valuable stick the boys found.

Looking at this picture, I realize that it is a MIRACLE that I ever got married. I'm sorry, that stick was just TOO exciting. I couldn't contain it.

I love my stick!

Boo is looking at me like I am a freak. But whenever Maddie is off leash, Daddy and I have to take turns chasing her up and down the beach to make sure she doesn't get away!

And that takes us through June at least. Are you overwhelmed by how exciting and cool my life is? I know.

In other news, morning/afternoon/evening sickness has begun to kick in full force. McSexy has been down at OSU the past week finishing up HIS LAST PRE-MED CLASS! Thank you, Lord, that it is almost all over with and we can start applying. But I have been a single mom to the babies, super sick/tired, and working full time. My house is a disaster, I haven't showered LITERALLY in four days (will you still be my friends?), all I eat is Taco Bell, the dogs are wild from half the walks, and I had to leave the last day of summer school early so I wouldn't have to puke in the disgusting preschool bathroom.

So I get this call earlier today from ManSlave.

M.S.: Um, honey? When is Karen's wedding tomorrow?
Me: 5:30 but we have to be there at 4:45 (so I can manage the guest book and kung foo anyone who tries to break in without scrawling a thoughtful note to my sweet friend Karen. Karen picked me and my friend Becky because we are especially loud and obnoxious and will get.that.job.done!).
M.S.: Okay, well, can I go play basketball with Ryan in the morning around 10???

Silence.

Me: ARE YOU FREAKING JOKING ME?
M.S.: Oh, okay, yea, okay, that's what I thought, nevermind then.
Me: YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FREAKING JOKING ME!
M.S.: Oh, okay, honey, I'm coming home right home right now, sorry, honey.... Well, maybe we can work out together tomorrow then.

Silence.

M.S.: Okay then, well, I'll see you soon, honey. And what do you think about a beautiful new dress?

Put a fork in him. He is so done. Welcome to pregnancy, babe.

Boo Boo

I am going to make this short, but I really need prayers for this little guy:





Who is feeling like this right now:





We need him to pull out of random, unexplained kidney failure so that he can resume doing this:

with my little troublemaker.

We love you, Bentley. Please get better soon...

Breakfast in Bed

This is Woody.

You might remember him from his trials and tribulations so oft noted in this blog.

Here is a poem I wrote for him:

Woody is very special, you see.
For he is an endangered manatee.
He was caught by me
Before he tried to flee.
And now I like to kiss his lips and suck on his face.

Okay, maybe that isn't quite the best ode in the whole entire world, but it is heartfelt.

I might mention that Woody is even more endangered than the average manatee because he CAN LIVE OUT OF WATER. This makes him very rare. Because Woody is endangered, he demands a lot of extras that most other animals in our family do not receive.

Like breakfast in bed.

Here is Woody's morning schedule.

He sleeps in his big king sized bed under the covers. He also generously allows my dad to sleep with him for additional body heat. Nevermind that he has eleven layers of blubber to insulate him. He is always freezing.

When he feels like it (around 10 am), he signals my dad to let him know that he is ready for his breakfast. He does this by slightly opening his eye. One eye. Not both. Too much effort.

This guy rushes downstairs to quickly make Woodykin's hot breakfast. Oatmeal.
(Don't they look alike? Obviously the apple does not fall far from the tree).

My dad promptly serves Woody his piping hot oatmeal in bed in his special green bowl. He is so gifted that he holds it between his manatee fins. Thank GOODNESS that he only have to slightly lift his head to consume his meal. He is ENDANGERED, you know!

Oftentimes, Woody simply cannot muster the energy to finish the whole bowl. He commands my father to spoon the remainder of the porridge into his mouth.

After, he is exhausted from his morning routine. He promptly flops his rare manatee head down on his king sized bed.

Oh, Woodykins. We love you.

If these walls could talk...

In my family, we have three thousand dogs. Well, not really that many, but it feels like it sometimes! When I am at my parents, it is usually Woody, Duke, Maddie, Diesel and my sister's cat Poppa-C who acts like a dog and all the dogs are obsessed with. Anyway.

Duke doesn't like Diesel.

Cannot stress this enough.

Duke is HIGHLY IRRITATED by Diesel.

Probably because precious Diesel snorts like a pig and Duke always thinks he is growling. Diesel cannot help it, he has squished respiratory turbinates in his nose and can't breathe. Duke does not like the noises he makes. And instead of feeling bad for Diesel because he has this disability, Duke is a punk and will regularly attack Diesel for no reason.

Last night I was at my parents (Jason had a guys' weekend in Crooked River, but that's another story!) We were talking about nothing (well, FOOTBALL) and I decided to sneakily record the convo on my dad's iPod because my mom most of the time is hilarious and says really blunt and funny things. I was hoping to catch one of these inappropriate comments when Laura let Diesel in from outside (I guess my dad trapped him out there accidentally). When Diesel came in, Duke attacked him. It was a fiasco - all recorded on my dad's iPod. LOL. Here it is. I put it to pictures of the perpetrators :)

Enjoy.

P.S. My mom is NOT hitting Duke-Jason when you hear those smacks in the background. She is clapping at him, as if he cares. Also, Duke didn't actually do any harm to Diesel (he never does...)

Welcome to ME

I was depressed after that Brooke Wilberger post, so here is funny photo my dad sent me. It was taken last Thanksgiving at my parents', almost a year ago. It always cheers me up to see pictures of my dogs, and this photo basically sums up my family. A thousand dogs, my dad sleeping, Woody draped all over him, and me in my pajamas and boots. It also captures the personality of each dog perfectly. Diesel is alert and curious, such a good boy. Madison NEVER stops searching for birds to contribute to our supper - there is no relaxing for her. Woody is a beached manatee. Duke just looks irritated and slightly depressed (he hates being the "biggest brother!")


I know, I dress like a kinder.

Pawsitively Pitbull Event

The Pitbull rescue group Jason and I volunteer with, Pawsitively Pitbull is hosting a fundraiser at the downtown Wild Oats today. We have prior commitments, but here is the information we got in an email if anyone wants to go!


Please come down to WILD OATS on 28th and E. Burnside for a BBQ to benefit the pit bulls!
WILD OATS has generously donated tons of grub for us to grill up and serve to you. 5 bucks gets you a hot dog and a drink, and we will even have vegan hot dogs too! We will be there with all sorts of information and handouts on combating BSL, myths and facts about pit bulls, photo albums, books, and even some real live dogs to shower with affection. Come meet and socialize with other pit bull supporters and dog rescue advocates.

We will be there from 2pm until 6pm this Saturday August 15th.

The address is:
WILD OATS
2825 E. Burnside St
Portland, Oregon

Thanks all!

Post-Graduate Life

Since finishing my worksample, I spent this past weekend doing absolutely nothing. Jason was sick on Saturday, so we basically sat around the house. I have been very fatigued so I tried to sleep most of the day, but to no avail. Same Sunday. Tried to sleep, couldn't. The most productive thing I did was clean Alice and Hazel's cage and take the dogs to the dog park. We had Laura's Pittie Diesel, and it was his first time at the dog park and he did fabulous. Extremely well behaved and kind to the other dogs. Two dogs got into a fight right next to him and he backed away, ears back, and laid down, pretty much terrified. That was the real test. Pitties hardly start the fight, but they always end it.

Today, however, I taught all day, went to the gym, went to the library to get my kiddos a video on westward expansion, and then cleaned the house. We are trying to get ready for camping on Friday, and I am hyper-organized, so of course I have to start the week before. That's all. I do have a teaching tidbit of the day, however:

Me: Elliot, I really enjoyed reading your persuasive letter. You have excellent voice in your writing!
Elliot: Really?
Me: Yes!
Elliot: Oh. I didn't know I had a voice.

Ta da!

Baby Name of the Day: Delilah. Jason loves it, as do I. However, I would want to call her Lilah, and Jason doesn't really care for that nickname. It means "delicate." I am not sure a girl of ours will ever be delicate, but at least it has a nice meaning. What do you think?