Sad...

Last week was a sad week. Our dog Stella (also pictured in first day of school pictures with 'the girl') became unexpectedly ill, one day she was fine, the next day she didn't have any energy, didn't want to go for a car ride, we thought maybe she had a tummy ache. Later that day she was worse and we took her to the vet. She had low blood count/anemic, had got something, couldn't shake it and died 2 days after taking sick. We were heartbroken. She was such a great dog, so patient with "the girl" and any other children.






My husband was devastated as she was more his dog, although she was the family dog.


We miss her. The door bell rings and no there is no barks, it doesn't seem real. We were scraping plates into the garbage and something fell on the floor - normally Stella would be there to 'clean up' before we got a chance to pick it up - it sat there - we both looked at it for a minute and realized there was no dog to come lick it up.... There is no clickety click of her nails down the hardwood floor. No heavy sigh & breathing & fwhump as she lays down near our bed at night. We had to rearrange the living room, removing her bed, because it was just too empty in there.... but we're getting on with our lives. We'll be dog-less for a while, someday we'll probably get another one, but for now, we are adjusting to life without Stella.

Frog!!

Okay, I don’t mind frogs, I actually think the little ones are kind of cute - I like hearing their little croaks & chirps and they are cute when they live outside. We had one a few years ago that lived in our hose reel box - for months - it was dark & shady & moist & we could visit him & then forget about him. But when they are in my bedroom - I don't think they're so cute! 3 times in the past 3 days I have had this frog (I think it's the same one) sneak into my bedroom via the air conditioner. There's a little gap around it and this little tree frog sneaks in and sits on my windowsill. The first time I wasn't sure what I was looking at til I got closer - then I yelped - and then my mother in law & the girl helped me relocate it outside via a little box over the top & a piece of cardboard underneath. We put him outside in the garden by the soaker hose & watched him - Then he jumped - both the girl & I screamed and ran back in the house. That was Thursday after work.

Friday night I'm getting ready for bed and there he was again!! On the window sill. We tried to catch him, but he crawled under the air conditioner. I'm freaking out so hubby blocked it so it stayed underneath the airconditioner - towards the outside - with a hanger, so that froggy couldn't jump into our room & this morning he was gone. I've suddenly developed a very squeamish attitude towards frogs!! I'm scared it's going to jump on me when I'm sleeping!!!

Then AGAIN Saturday afternoon, he's BACK!! Once again I scream and this time he is again caught & relocated, this time to the front yard - in hopes that this location will take him longer to find the backyard & my windowsill again!!! We haven't even had the AC on, but tonite - need it or not - it's on - in hopes that the noise will scare the frogs away. I hope it works!! I'm about ready to take down the air conditioner and we probably can use it up for the rest of the month!

(the frog in the photo is not our actual frog... I did snap a picture of him by the hose, but it wasn't very clear....)

Back to School - First Grade!!

Our one & only, best girl started First Grade today.... And we have the pictures to prove it!

A little history - first day of Kindergarten, September 07.

Kindergarten Graduation, June 08.

Coming home from school today with Stella.



She seems so grown up now! She had a good time at school today. Enjoyed the 3 recesses, got to play with friends that she knew from last year, ate lunch at school - she brought it from home today in her new lunch box, and they had cake for a snack this afternoon. She didn't like that the teacher tried to make her hold her pencil differently, but that was the only complaint! We're off to a good start. I left work early to meet her at the bus today with Stella (the dog). Tomorrow I'll take her to school again - I want to go in and see the classroom. Didn't work out that way today, the kids were all lined up outside the door & the teacher lead them all in single file. Friday she wants to take the bus to school - we'll see how she feels about that having to get up 30 minutes earlier!

Sophie turns One!

Sophie is our cat. We got her last year in late November/early December (can't remember) when she was 'about 8 weeks old'. Wasn't she just a cute little kitten?

'The Girl' wanted to know when Sophie's birthday was, and I said "Labor Day!". And then I forgot about it. But 'The Girl' who remembers things like that, but not things like 'brush your teeth' insisted we needed a cake & presents for the cat...

So we had a little party that consisted of a can of wet cat food with a candle, we sang 'Happy Birthday' and 'The Girl' blowed out the candles for the cat - who wasn't as excited about her birthday as the rest of us.


Happy Birthday Sophie, the feisty, toe biting, girl chasing (literally, she stalks the child sometimes) frisky feline member of our family.


PS. Sophie didn't eat her 'cake', so we let the dog have it. Stella LOVED it!

PS2. One day we couldn't find Sophie in the house - she'd found a new cozy place to sleep in the laundry room - the dryer!!