Top Stories.....

I am excited to give you an update of the latest happenings.

Lots to keep up with,

here are the highlights worth noting....

First, 

yesterday while Ryker was mowing the backyard lawn,

he witnessed this dove being struck from the sky by a hawk.

He called Ethan outside and they decided to tame it, 

and keep it for a pet

until it's wing is healed enough for it to fly away again.

They named it Riplakish.

This little guy has been quite the spectacle.

As far as I could tell, 

he was not going to make it through the first night.

With all the kid handling, and "seeing if it could walk yet",

eat spinach, watch them play Skyrim,

hang around while they ate pizza, and so on.

At one point the boys and their friends took their money,

hopped on their bikes and went to purchase a large bag of birdseed

from Walgreens

(after looking up what doves eat on the internet).

I will say that Riplakish is loved by all,

(not me really....because it pops a whole lot)

he is admired by the young and old alike.

This morning M called us all into the boys room.....

we ran in.

Riplakish was perched up on the edge of his basket.

It was a happy celebration.

Our wild dove has survived one night.

Next, 

I finally made it to the temple again.

It was good to be back.

Colleen Johnson and I drove out together.....

that really sweetened the deal for me.

We had a chance to catch up with each other a bit.

The three hour round trip drive seemed to go by in a flash....

I didn't mind it at all.

Unfortunately the only picture documentation I have is that of our 

froyos cups.

 YUM!

 I keep forgetting to tell you about the best, coolest garage sale trade

I made with Tina a few months ago.

I finally got a radio for our kitchen!!!

Whooohooo!

I love this boom box so much!

Tina was selling this for $8 

(is she insane?....it is probably worth like $25....don't tell her I said that)

anyway, 

her son William got interested in our GeoSafari electronic game.

Voila! 

The trade was made.

I can, and do listen to lots of cds.

Picture in your mind,

 books on cd while doing baking, cleaning, etc.

Also.....I am smartening up listening to talk radio.

It is kind of fun being able to hold a conversation about what is 

happening around the world with politics and so forth.

I'm cluing in people!!!

This past Thursday 

I got home from my shift at Our Club and noticed the

house was sweltering.....it was 81 degrees and rising.

I checked the air handler in the garage,

the air conditioning unit out side,

both were pumping and seemed to be working normally....

the problem, was that no cool air,

actually no air at all,

 was coming out of any of the vents.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

I texted K.

Left a phone message.

He happened to be out of the country at the moment...

I waited around for a bit....

like 10 minutes.

Let the house get up to 84.

I turned everything off, worried that I was going to burn up a unit.

Then I made the dreaded call to Air and Heat, inc.

They sent a rep over a few hours later.

Um....

this is what he found.

Horrendously clogged filters.

All three of our in door filters were jam packed with shiz.

Yes, this is very embarrassing.

As well as pathetically expensive....$89 for him to spray off our filters.

(jerk)

.....sorry, but I couldn't stand the sight of this guy 

once he told me the price for his "cleaning" services.

Well, lesson learned.

You to can learn, once again, from our mistakes....

GO NOW AND CHECK YOUR FILTERS.

gooooooooo....don't delay!

Ryker had his first Deacon's quorum presidency meeting here this evening.

He made up agendas and so forth.

I heard them in planning and making assignments, etc.

Once the serious tasking was done,

Ryker "taught" Henry and Aaron how to make his world famous

Chili dip.

2 cans Hormel, 1 cube of cream cheese

The other boys committed the secret recipe to memory and each 

took turns stirring, until it bubbled throughout.

Then they ate and enjoyed.

Sure do love this little band of soldiers.

Ryker is so blessed to have these good buddies.

 Our kids were arguing today over lunch,

I decided to take away turning on sports for any reason

for the day.

I never want them to have it on,
on the Sabbath,

but I compromise as long as we get our scripture reading in,

Faith in God, Duty to God, and any other Sunday activities deemed

important, done first.

Today, like I said, there was no distraction.

Ryker baked,

Lawson read, 

E worked on his essays,

I taught M her high multiplication tables in 30 minutes with 

this beloved little program called 

"Times Tales"

I used this with all the boys while we were schooling at home

and became a fast fan.

(It is practically how I learned my 6's and up)

We had a blast.

She is a speedy learner.

I tested her twice afterwords.....her fastest time was 3.06

(ask me about this if you would like to make a copy of the program)

She also memorized the 8th article of faith for her primary assignment 

for next Sunday....

and after,

 I got to sneak off to write.....

also an acceptable Sabbath day activity : )

My point is....

it was such a wonderful, quite, enjoyable Sunday.

Lastly, 

Yesterday M, Claire, Izzy and I got to attend one of their 

little friends baptisms.  

It was wonderful.

McCauley will be eight next month....

a little hard to believe.... the last baptism for our family.

One of my favorite parts of the service was when 

Brother Wilson got up to give his talk on the Holy Ghost, 

he invited three people to come up and share how they 

personally felt the Holy Ghost.

Since all of us feel it so differently,

he thought it would be good for Hailey to hear from a few different 

sources on what it might be like for her.

Her sister said that she felt safe and protected, like nothing could hurt her.

Sister Wilson, talked about how she noticed that she usually needed to get her mind right

before she could really feel the spirit.

That if she was busy, or upset and running around,

she knew she may not be in tune enough to hear, or feel the spirit.

This reminded me why I love Sundays so much.

It is my time to slow down.

notice.

listen.

feel.

It makes me realize why it is so important to meet regularly...

it is so easy to get caught up in our everyday living.

I forget to seek out and invite the spirit.

I loved Brother Wilson's description of an experience from his mission

when he felt the Holy Ghost especially strong.

He demonstrated how it felt like someone had peeled back his scalp

and literally poured sunshine into his head.

It sounds funny...

but I believe when he says he will never forget it.

It got me thinking about how I feel the Holy Ghost.

Even during the baptism yesterday,

I distinctly remember the exact moment I first felt the spirit

whoosh in...

when Brother Tucker invited the missionaries to share their testimonies.

Even before they opened their mouths to speak the spirit was present for me.

When I feel the spirit I feel Home.

I feel so comfortable, I want to settle in and stay forever.

The feeling is nothing short of delicious.

I want more.

I do not want it to leave.

.....ever.

What about you?

August 8th, and there they go.....

It's that time of year again.

FB is flooded with back to school pictures.

I guess us moms are all the same.

We all think it is such a big deal that our kids are heading off to school again.

It is.

HUGE.

The first day is always so surreal.

I have so much I have been letting go,

waiting until the kids are back in school....

(floor mopping being one of them).

that when they finally do walk out the door, 

I feel like I am in a 

dumb stupor.

I can't get my mind around what I am supposed to be doing.

...........

I did remember at the last minute that I upgraded from school store chair,

to secretary at Ryker's school. 

I managed to change out of my work out 

gear (too bad), and make it on time to our two hour meeting.

(hope I made the right choice!)

(it was really only 2 hours because we had to go to the bank to make some 

school account switches, etc.)

I also knew I wanted to get a post off on my blog.

Priorities!!

It is 12:25 already.....make that 1:00 now.....!

Geeeezzz.

The time is slipping away.

First, 

We said good bye to Cookie and Challemander last night.

Our friends the Quigleys are back in town.

(They were recently featured in the local paper also.....famous!)

I actually got up and turned to go let her out this morning,

caught myself before opening the boys door.

She was a fun little addition for 40 some odd days.

Cookie is a sweet and lovable dog.....

character and charm to spare.

But truly I am

happy she is back home with her family where she belongs.

....she might be missed just a little.

Saying good bye.

 McCauley wanted special hair for the first day of school....

I totally agreed.

I love these sleep in rollers so much!

 I made sure the kids started off with only the best in sugared cereal.

Come on....it's the first day!

It is supposed to be a party!!....right?

 Quality lunch fixins below
....practically the only thing salvageable
from our recent freezer disaster were the several boxes of
Uncrustables I had purchased.

I rode with Lawson (6th grade) and McCauley (2nd) who leave first at 7:50.

I was anxious to meet the new cross walk helpers.

We have been so spoiled over the past several years to have the kindest

most loving couple you would ever meet.

They finally retired.

Very sad.

The new ones seem ok at first meeting.

We will see as the year progresses.

I remember having mean cross walk people a few times.

It makes a difference I think.

Ethan is in 10th grade.

I have not seen him in jeans forever!

I was happily surprised when I saw he was wearing a pair today.

I liked it.

He seemed chipper and happy to be heading off.

He even turned to give me a picture....hmmmm.

He usually walks the half mile or so to school, 

 he did as well today.

 Ryker (8th) is the last.

This kid was pumped and ready to go....

he didn't say so,

but I could tell.

He didn't leave until 9:10.

I walked out with him and got a few good bye photos.

I love how they all have their new clothing on.

I think they each got four or five new shirts, new undies, some socks.

M purchase one extra shirt with her own money and has been soooooo

excited to be able to wear her new fashionable shirts.

I remember getting lots and lots of new clothes.

Our kids are not so lucky (or spoiled),
mostly just got what they really needed.

That doesn't mean I don't want to get them more....
(I half way bet I want it more than they do!)

I just know I shouldn't, because they have enough, 

I think it would take away from some of the specialness of it all.

Love these guys so much.

I hope this year is rewarding and magical.

Is that asking too much?

There is so much potential for a wonderful experience....

but also potential for things to go in another direction.

We just get to wait and see....

and hope

and pray.

I started on some of my projects.

I found the purple button I have been missing in my scary makeup 

drawer.....gonna get that sewed on.

Then I plan to get on to the removal of the green crayon smears in about 

thirty spots on the office floor.

Then I am going to try and fix a favorite shoe that recently came apart,

then mop,

then bake bread,

then make cookies to welcome the kids home.....

and prepare to devour every detail 

of their one and only first day of school for this year.

Sooooo excited! 

One bigger project I have on my mind for ASAP,

is to create a new blog page.

I finally dared to remove our family photo from the top of this blog.

I did it in hopes that it would let me change it to a new one....

no way.

It appears, like it has been telling me all along,

that I am out of space for this one.

So, time to start over.

I have got to research and find out how to make this guy into a 

book to keep.

.......see.......

another project I will have more time to tackle.

FREE Freezer to a Responsible home.

For the past two days I have noticed a different 

smell in our garage.

I noted it in my mind yesterday,

and this afternoon I verbalized it out loud as we were 

all coming in after running around getting a few last minute 

school supplies and what not.

I said,

something smells very wrong in here.

It is different....rotten, animalish.

Ryker said, probably a dead lizard or something.

yes.....my thoughts exactly.

I came inside and started tiding this and that.

Put on a little light jazz while Kev and the boys started the grill.

Ryker comes in shortly after with a crazed grin on his face.

What?

I know what that smell is in the garage.

What?!!!!

My heart plumets.

I run outside and open the freezer.

EVERYTHING HAS THAWED.

Everything is dripping.

Ice cream tubs are bloated.

Every shelf was jam packed with food.

Goooooood food, bagged veggies,

roasts, chicken, tons of butter that I have been collecting package by

package, making our stash grow and swell.

Everything was saturated in stinking pheasant blood!

I cried my eyes out.

I ranted and raved.

I threw crap everywhere.

I insulted every member of my family on several occasions.

I am in mourning and will remain so for many days....I suspect.

I am morning for the loss of money.

I am morning for the horrible waste and irresponsible loss.

I am so disappointed.

WHY CAN SOMEONE NOT PLUG THE FREEZER BACK IN?

WHY?

why can't we use a fraction of our brains and plug the 

brown plug back in?

This is NOT the first time this has happened.

We are freaking idiots.

We can no longer justify having an extra 

"out in the garage freezer".

it is NOT a money saver for this family.

The freezer will be on the curb.

Come and get it if you have a responsible family that

  chooses 

to use their brains.

ps - I know I am just as much to blame if not more.

I am probably more mad at myself then anyone else.

Sorry to vent on the blog.....

I do feel a little better.

Once Upon a Time.....Long, Long ago....

19 years ago to be precise...


There was a stinkin hot boy....

he was in search of a spicy soul mate to wed for eternity.

(I love this picture of Kev....OOOOOOWeeeeeeMaMa!
Picture this rascal in high school!)

He dated and got to know many giddy girls...

but none up to par, or up to his high standards.

To his dismay, 

they were always lacking in one area or another.....

so he continued to search 

high and low.

(Can. You. Believe. These? LOVE em.)

In another place, 

a lovely maiden was being raised up.

She to had dreams of one day marring her true love.

She tested and tried and attempted to find 

the one she could not 

live with out....

only to be disappointed time after time.

(I have been waiting to use some of these classics for a long time in a post.

Finally!

Can't believe I figured out how to use our scanner!!!)

At last the stars aligned,

and the time was right for the two to meet.

They came face to face in Provo, Utah,

while the young lady was wearing a polyester jumper skirt,

tan nylons, maroon bow tie, 

topped off with her plastic name tag, Melissa,

 they felt the 

first spark of attraction.

She was the welcoming hostess at a fine 

establishment called, 

"Chuck-A-Rama"...

The boy, Kevin, was in town visiting his parents,

taking a short break from crop dusting 

in Jigger, Louisiana.

The three stopped in after purchasing tires 

at Sam's Club.

They were famished, 

and had a buffet on their mind.

Kevin had a rugged look about him.

He had an old brown leather jacket on, 

with a ratty baseball cap on his tousled hair.

Melissa found this look very appealing...

Eye contact was made as she accepted the father's 

money and invited them to enjoy their meal.

Through out the evening,

there were other brief encounters.

A stolen glance now and then wiping down a table,

and again as she walked across the buffet area at 

closing time to get her self an end of shift 

refreshment.

Her favorite, never would she tire of the soft serve

vanilla ice cream, over piping hot rice pudding.

To this day she still craves the desert combo...

sometimes she would mix it up and 

add the bread pudding.

This night, when Melissa went to stand in line to

get her reward for working so tirelessly,

she was trembling,

once she was in line, this strapping young man

came and stood right behind her in line,

also holding his bowl,

looking for refreshment, same as her.

She was skittish.

Didn't know where to look, or how to stand,

or where to put her hands.

They shook as she pulled the lever to 

guide the soft serve ice cream into the tiny plastic 

dish.

(normally Melissa never stopped with one dish,

but tonight, 

a tiny helping would be all she desired)

Once she finished her uncomfortable 

dishing up, she tried to walk back to the front desk to 

hide and eat her desert in privacy and

try to regain composure of her 

senses.

Chuck-A-Rama was closed for the night.

The time came for the trio to stop feasting.

They got up and left.

As they were walking out, 

the boy turned back and waved and smiled and

wished Melissa a good evening.

She waved, 

and he was gone.

After they had driven off one of Melissa's

work mates came to chat with her at the front desk

where she was tiding up.

The other girl was a pretty red headed waitress with 

long wavy hair, she asked Melissa if she had 

noticed the good looking young man that had been 

sitting in her section.

Yes, she'd seen him.

The waitress went on and on about 

how attractive she thought the boy had been.

Shortly after the waitress had gone back to her work,

there came a knock on the locked glass door.

Melissa went to open it, and was happily

surprised to find the boy there.

He stuttered and stammered around,

and finally asked if she would like to 

go out with him some time.

YES.

That was the beginning. 

  

Married in the SLC Temple on July 28, 1993

Kev's parents from the story.

Our Beautiful family.

I love our life Kev.

So glad you came back.

Happy Anniversary!

Getting you up to date.....

Wow!
Time does fly...
(and so do my friends and I...well sort of...but not really)
I am very far behind with my posts.
A few fun things have happened that I have not posted about,
so before I loose the details I want to lock down forever,
I thought I better kick it into high gear and do a catch up post.

First, Vanessa turned 40!!
Whooohooo!
Tina turned 38??
Waaaaaa, gaaa, gaaaa, goooo, gooo...little baby infant.
There are better years to come my young friend.
Barb turned maybe 42?
(Actually 41!!!..thx B)
and she is rockin it!
with all the B-days as of late....
we had some celebrating to do!!

One of V's biggest dreams, that we were all aware of
is to go sky diving.
We thought it would be so out of this world to take her
for her 40th B-day...
and make it all a SURPRISE!!
(we are big into surprises).
So Tina worked and coordinated with V's hubby and we
were getting all pumped and stoked for this mega event.
I was to be her jump mate since I had been before and was the only one that
wanted to.

Anyway......long story short,
it didn't end up that we were able to go because Nate really did not
feel good about it.
We respected his wishes and feelings and begrudgingly moved on
to plan B - 1 day before the big event.
Plan B was for all of us to go to IFLY in Orlando and do the
flying simulator.
Nate gifted this to all of us which was very generous.

So that is what we did.

Here is a little photo recap of the event:
This is V, she went first.
Always the exceptional student.
Ready to learn and follow instructions.
Good job V....
(she made it look fairly easy).

Then there was me.

I too felt ready to learn....

I also felt maybe a little cocky and over confident.

Maybe having done the real thing 

I thought I knew it all.

yeah, yeah, yeah....I got this little buddy.

He (our instructor) had already kind of gotten mad at me

as we were getting our "uniforms" on....

kinda got a power trip attitude.

It was unsettling...so I did want to do a perfect job on my flight.

Well, my dreams quickly went down the toilet.

I was NOT what I would call a good flyer in the air tube.

At first it was all fun and games,

I saw my friends all lined up out side the glass smiling and waving,

I wanted to give them a good show,

I gave some waves and a little swim effect and so forth.

Next thing I know the instructor is right in my face

holding vigorous signs and making all these serious

motions and disciplinary moves to me.

It caught me off guard, 

 I quickly tried to re-group and do better.

Toooooooo late.

When my turn was over our serious instructor came out and gave

our whole group a lecture on WHAT NOT TO DO!

Our group included six other strangers as well.

Man.

I felt like a major idiot. 

 This is Skinny Sonia.
She was the complete pro and good listener and got several
thumbs up.

 This is smilely gus Tina.
She was all, tra la la la laaaaaaa.
Seemed to have no trouble.
Until the last flight when she felt like she wanted to vomit and pass out.
But up until that point.
Super Excellent performance.

 This is show off Barb.
Barb seems to always be a natural at
EVERYTHING.
Pole dancing, fake flying.....can't think of anything else we have
done right now but trust me.
All Natural Superstar.
He was flashing her advanced signals that we didn't even learn.
Letting her go up super high,
and do
down low hover circles, clapping, giving the A-OK every few seconds.
Ok, ok...we get it.
Instructors pet.
Whatever.

 Christi also was an exceptional flyer straight out of the shoot.
Confident.
Good form.
Chin up, arched back, bent legs, but not too bent.

I will tell you this left me feeling VERY pressured.
I was soooo scared and nervous for my second flight.
I wanted to do my best.

I was still under par, but there was no goofing off.
I learned my lesson,
this young fella does not take kindly to having fun.

The thing that really got me...was at the end when our 

"Professor of Un-Flying"

was handing out our "Certified Certificates" 

everyone got full marks but me....

oh yeah, and Vanessa!

What is his deal with ladies with red hair?

If it had just been me not graduating fake flying that would have been

one thing....but V to??!!!

It was her BIRTHDAY dude!

What is your hang up?

Anyway.....

Here we are after, at the Yummy italian restaurante ..
What is it??....Buca Di Beppo?
We got to eat in the kitchen and see all the going ons...
plus be a spectacle as diners came through on their tour.
The meal was fabulous,
the chocolate cake WAS the best....just like Barb promised.
I was dared to lick the plate....
heck yes!
Why wouldn't I??
....the dare just made it possible for me to make my
wish come true w/out being disgusting.
We all ended up taking a $9 piece of cake home for our
"family".
....we really did share the slices.
Kevin thought he was in heaven.

The personalized dolls Amy helped me put together for V and T
turned out to be a wonderful hit.
Very fun and special to celebrate these lovely ladies.
We laughed and remembered, and talked about all the little
details on their dolls.

It was a very fun filled day.
...............

Cookie is still here.
This is a little tribute video for V's family to enjoy if they want to.
I am sure they are needing a little Cookie action right about now.

Cute Cooks.

How's Cooks?

Our family is watching our friends dog while they are on 

vacation until the first part of August sometime.

The kids have done this on several occasions for them,

only this time it is different because instead of riding their bikes to 

their home a few times a day and letting Cookie out, 

feeding, wrestling and playing with her,

and then riding back home.....

she is with us full time as a house guest.

It did take some convincing on my part....

maybe a little begging on my friend's part.

It took a practice run to prove it would work with no trouble at all.

I think we have had Cookie for a week or two....

the days are a blur.

V texted me late last night....

"How's Cooks?"

I made the mistake....at least it seems like a mistake now....

of running late with Christi and Barb last night.

When I went to bed I could not keep my eyes open for another second if

I'd had the gumption to try,

but now at 2:00am, I can no longer sleep.

Thought I would get up and answer V's text with a post.

Just some things that came to my mind after seeing her text

as I was laying in bed,

enough that I decided I could write an entire article on.

Cookie is doing pretty well, thanks for asking.

She did get into trouble a few times yesterday when she kept 

licking Tina's feet while I was trying to do her lashes on the couch.

Eventually Cooks stopped doing what was not wanted and 

fell asleep, which T really liked, because she was cold

and Cookies body was warm against the bottom of her feet.

I eventually got T a blanket as well once I clued in.

(left side getting beefy first)

We originally took Cookie under the pretense that she

is getting too old and feeble to stay alone.

Her eyesight is failing and her hearing has gone to pot.

Poor thing.

How could we not take her in?

We (I) am not completely heartless when it comes to animals.

She can certainly while away her time on a little blankie in the corner

while you are away for the rest of the summer.

It is the least we can do for her in her last hours.

What up DOG?

Our experience is that her eyesight and hearing are both

as keen as any we have ever encountered.

Try tiptoeing into the kitchen to sneak a drink,

or cracking open the fridge for a tiny refreshment of some sort,

eeeek open a wrapper of any kind and Cookie will spring

from a dead sleep on the couch and come sprinting into the 

kitchen to beg like her life depended on it.

No lie.

No exaggeration.

Point in case, the begging, with Lawson eating his quesadilla below.

Cookie can stare at you with her "bad" eyes until the cows come home.

She will never give up on anything she has her heart set on.

She is the most determined dog I have ever had the opportunity of knowing.

(more on that later).

She is the perfect example of enduring to the end.

 However,

one thing I need to mention, 

we have promised NOT TO FEED HER HUMAN FOOD.

Period.

Dot.

We gave our word COOKIE....what don't you understand about that?

We are people of integrity.

Your family trusts our family.

We C A N N O T give you any food.

Please believe us.

The thing I don't get is how any living thing can survive on one serving 

of food per day?

That is what our instructions are.

One scoop of food in the a.m. per day.

Done.

We weren't given a "scoop" so I have to eyeball into her bowl

what I think a scoop would be.

I say I, because it is me who feeds her every day at 6:00am when she

claws her way out of the boys room and comes to ours.
who wouldn't?

She must be starving!!!

I get up and take her out.

She comes back in jumping and pouncing on her aged legs 

sooooooooooo filled with anticipation for her one chance to chew 

for the day.

I pour, practically on her head,

 and she eats it all in maybe two minutes....

maybe.

I know that eating makes dogs bowels get stimulated,

so then I take her out and wait for her to "go" again,

she always does like clockwork.

(If it is an early morning workout day, she just comes out when I walk in the door.)

Cookie has US on a leash.

Make no mistake in thinking we are in charge around here.

She had an accident in the boys room the 2nd or 3rd night she was with us.

This has instilled deep set fears in everyone in the household,

so that anytime Cookie is up and walking, we think maybe she needs to "go out".

So anyone by her will take her out.

You can't just open the door because she will not go out alone,

no way....you have to go together.

We know (have been told) she only needs to go out like three times per day,

but here I know she goes out no less than 10,

she may only go like 4 drops of urine....but she goes.

It is also the very last thing the boys do at night before going to sleep....

not to bed,

but to sleep.

They are driving me crazy getting out the slider door,

walking with Cookie through the maze of the playroom,

opening up the slider to the back yard,

calling for Cookie,

slamming, then locking the doors again,

and so forth....all in the wee hours of the night....after 11:00

on most nights,

cuz it is summer and they can do what they want in their room.

I have had to make some amendments to this as of late.

Cookie likes to be in on the action.

I think she thinks she is a person.

One night, this past Friday in fact,

we got our usual pizza and a movie going.

We knew it may bum Cookie out for a little while, cuz we would 

need to put her in another room while we ate our pizza.

We always lay a big blanket out on the floor and chow down 

on our pizza as we take in a video.

Well, not possible with Cookies obsession with food

and humans.

We had tucked her away in the boy's room.

Well, that was a NO GO for Cookie.

She screamed and cried and carried on like no infant I have 

ever heard in my life.

She would not give up her desire to be out "with the family"

in the thick of things.

She was not about to be alone for any amount of time.

Finally, I was like guys forget it.

Get the pizza on the table,

we have to let her out here.

I don't know if her little old heart can take it.

So out she came,

I swear I could hear her catch her breath a few times like kids do 

after a tantrum,

do you know what I mean?

Can you say GASY?  

Gas fest U.S.A.

Gastrointestinal-itis?

Cookie has gas AT ALL TIMES.

Rich, deep, hearty, pungent, permeating unavoidable gas.

I don't get it.

So yeah V, I think Cookie is doing pretty well.

It is the fish I worry about.

I asked Vanessa if tap water is ok to use to change the water....

she said yes, they use tap water,

but don't worry about it until they get home unless the water looks

really bad.

?

For real?

um....are all those bubbles normal?

I don't think so.

Don't fish run out of oxygen at some point in their water?

I don't know much about fish....

hence why we don't have any,

but I'd say this water is looks fairly used.

The kids will change it tomorrow.

See you in several weeks buddy!