Moments

Do you ever have those moments when you look at your child, or a neice, or a nephew and think...

"Ok...that is me....all the genes lined up and there is a little me..."

I know what she's thinking...what she's doing...how in her imagination...

she's NOT sitting in a cluttered kitchen....

With a disinterested cat...

and a really disinterested puppy...

But instead the whole world is listening in rapt attention to her dramatic rendition.

I know how she feels and what she thinks.

And I like that.

It's good.
Most of the time it's good. :)

Molly in a Mood

Who knew that dogs can get "in a mood."  Molly has many moods.  I snapped these pictures one afternoon when we were babysitting a friend's baby.  Molly definitely noticed that she wasn't the center of attention anymore.  It wasn't long after I took these pictures...in fact it was WHILE I was down on the floor taking these pictures, that I noticed a strong unpleasant smell on the carpets.  It seems she she had been expressing her distress silently and....well....damply for a few days.  We had to have several carpets cleaned and she is now kept away from carpets.  But these sweet pictures were before that revelation.

"Hmmmm...she's playing with that baby again....all that kissin' and lovin'"

"I remember when I was the one who was the center of the universe...like it was yesterday....."

"Well....we'll just see how they feel when they realize I have been leaving my mark on all the carpets...this is my house ...."

"...and I just don't think it's fair for some baby to come in here and take over my turf..."

"Stinkin' baby"

Hello

Hello.

Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Suzanne, and you have probably met me before, but it's been so long that I can't imagine you'd remember me.  I used to blog....for therapy...and amusement....but now I just clean up puppy messes.

HOW IS EVERYONE???  I have been neither blog writing nor blog reading, and I feel completely out of touch!  The problem, you see...well there are several....but ONE of the reasons blogging and puppy training don't mix for me is that the puppy is downstairs and the computer is upstairs.  Another reason I've been AWOL on the computer is that I am engrossed right now in an intensive study of the book of Revelation and am finding myself spending more and more of my oh so abundant free time searching out some AMAZING well...REVELATIONS...about Jesus Christ.  Time well spent, let me tell you!  The third reason I haven't been around is that it's January...and January is the month with no excuses.  If you don't have  your life in order by mid-January, you are plum (plumb?) out of any sort of acceptable reason why...SO...I've been trying and failing miserably to get my life in order! 

So back to blogging!

HERE'S the NEWS:

Katie "wowwed" us all with her skills as a comedienne in the Liberty 8th grade production of "After Hours."  She hit every line perfectly and her comedic timing was terrific.  Here she is in her role as a mannequin who comes to life..."after hours."

It was a great role for her.  Who knew she could stand still for so long?

Meanwhile...there's Molly.  I realize that Timmy doesn't have quite the joy on his face in this picture that he had when he first got the puppy, but I assure you, he loves her dearly...

She just has a little problem....

...with biting.  Any advice is welcome.

All in all, she's doing great.  Well,...pretty good.  You know...I think we're making progress....

.Oh....and we had a baby!!!!

...just for four beautiful days.....she was (and still is, I am sure) the sweetest, smiliest little bundle.  We all loved her to pieces...

I mean everybody got in on the fun....

...except Molly.  She didn't think too much of the competition!  Don't let the hang dog face fool you....she got her revenge.  More on that tomorrow!

No Trouble At All

Puppies are all just sweetness and light.

At least ours is....

She's already just about perfectly trained...

with nary a bad habit to speak of.

She hates the stairs...absolutely terrified of them in fact....won't go near them at all...so no worries there!

and as for boots, hats, gloves, zippers and scarves....

...she's completely unaware that they exist.

Chewing never enters her mind...

....and she's absolutely respectful of people's property...

I'm not sure she even has teeth.....ouch!....

and I can't remember the last time I had to tell her "no!"

Puppy perfection is so exhausting!

The Big Reveal! New Year's 2010!

You may (or may not) have noticed that my posting has been a little...nonexistant the last few weeks.  Well, we had Christmas, which needs no explanation, and then getting unpacked and all, and then for the past week...what I am about to reveal....

If you are familiar with our family history, the following may surprise you...or distress you...or delight you....it just depends.

But first for the setup...New Year's Morning...

take a look at these faces!:

The "I really think you've lost your mind" face.

The "You've got to be kidding me face."

I like this one the best....no I don't....I like the next one the best!

 Here's my favorite!

 Hilarious! 

 Lily and Timmy were both looking at the SAME thing!

HERE SHE IS! 

Spontaneous hugs all around!

Lily's still not sure if she's happy or sad in this picture...but she never passes by an opportunity for a big hug!  Timmy, however...is without a doubt....

....the happiest...

....little boy....

....on earth....

Meet Molly.

She was seven weeks old and joined our family on

New Year's Day,...

...and she's all he ever wanted...

....and MORE!

and now she just wet on the rug, so I have to go.

Bye.

Christmas Shenanigans

It was a one night Christmas prep extravaganza...

...lots of lovin' and huggin'...Zach especially appreciated all that...

This here is a sugar cookie decorating assembly line...

...concentration is the name of the game...check out the roofs of our lovely gingerbread houses...they were our best ever!

I love it when tall teenage boys join the fun...makes it feel like something special.  You can always get little kids to jump in...but if you can get a teen boy involved...you can lay  your head on your pillow that night and know you've accomplished a lot.

Every cookie is special.  Personally designed and hand made....

mmmmmm....

...just for you to break your teeth on....

...daughter says..."I don't know if that cookie can hold any more sprinkles, Lily."

"Oh it can...it can..."

Another family tradition is that Tim lifts the kids to put ornaments up high on the tree....

It has its funnier moments... (this would be the "shenanigans" part!)

..awwww....

...and traditions are traditions...no matter if she is over 5'7" and still growing...

"No....problem...."

Lily was our digger for treasures.

And Timmy was our memory keeper.

And Zach would like you to know that his ornament was the highest.  So he wins.

"What's that?  Where's who?  Andrew?"

Oh he was there.

AP US History...or Christmas Tree Decorating... I find history fascinating too, Andrew.

(Hey, at least he studied on the couch NEXT to us.)

Merry Christmas!