Our new dog, Goliath

I tried to get a better picture of Goliath to show how big he is.  Someone dropped him off or he got lost, we are not sure which and he came to live with us.  We tried to get him to go away but he wanted to stay.  We sprayed him with water and the other dogs attacked him repeatedly but he is so big that he turns his back and they can't approach him.  We didn't take him to a  shelter because I confess, I like him.  He is playful, loves to play tug of war or fetch, is obedient and a great watch dog.  He also eats as much as a small horse!

Here are a few more angles-

 

   He looks like part black lab and I think maybe a mastiff (not sure) but he probably weighs 110+ pounds!  I know I can't come close to lifting him.

One other tidbit - Shelly has been after Nathan to spike his hair since he came to live with us and so he showered the other night and spiked it for a picture.  So, here is one for you, Shelly.

Last week at the Villages

 

We spent last week at a Silverleaf Resort called the Villages an hour east of Dallas.  It is buildt along  the side of Lake Palestine and is among tall, tall pine trees and plenty of blue sky.  It was hot but the water park is enclosed and we had a wonderful time and yes, Glenn does have a hat and long sleeve shirt on But he didn't get sunburned!  We had a great time and was very waterlogged by the time we left at 5:00 pm.   We did absolutely everything that was to be done at this resort and now, of course Nathan is saying he is bored and there is nothing to do on the farm!  By the way, we have been home less than an hour.

Come enjoy our pictures and share a week with us.

One of the cool slides and a rope to pull!

 

 

From up above the whole children's play area.

 

 

 

Two of the indoor water slides and Mandy coming out of one.

Mandy loved the wave pool and spent most of her time there.

And if you think we might have only gone swimming we:

played miniature golf-

played ping pong -

 

 

 

 

 

 

played and fed the wild cats.  They weren't that wild and this picture is Nathan's first attempt at using my camera - I think he did a great job!

We also played together -

 

As you can tell we did all kinds of things.  When we were going to Church on Sunday we spotted a restaurant that we like and went back on Tuesday and ate there.  This is a guessing game but for one family that reads this - they will know where we were.  It is a chain restaurant and we have eaten yummy food with them before.

 

So, where are we?

 

 

 

 

I hope ya'll had a great week - we sure did!  Love to all.

Bonnets, caps and baby dolls

Hi.  I have been busily cutting out and making the boys caps and the girls bonnets and baby bonnets.  I know I still have a lot to do but thought I would send  some pictures of what the headgear will look like.  The other clothing comes next.

                                             Mandy and her bonnet

The bonnet for the babies. It is adjustable in the back to fit different head sizes.

Nathan in his "newsie" cap. It isn't a real good shot but he loves the cap. 

Just for those that were wondering our cats are growing!  Shelly and family have decided to take Pumpkin and Emma.  Becca fell in love with Pumpkin the minute she saw her as a newborn kitten and she named her and Shelly likes Emma. Emma is the prettiest and I think will be a beautiful cat when she grows up.  Here are a couple of pictures of our cats.

Here is Sarah (in the back), Emma ( in the front) and I think Snick (Glenn named her) in the middle.  In the picture below Snick was sound asleep with her arms in the air!  Have a great night.

We were glad that Daddy was back

 

and had a lot of fun this weekend.  Daddy trips was successful but tiring and he was very glad to be home and the kids were ecstatic to see him.   They tickled and laughed and had a great time.

 

We also set up a little swimming pool in the back yard and the kids had so much fun.  It looks like it will be a wet summer! 

What else do you do with a throw thing but put it on your head?

Then we went to look at a tractor.  Yes, Daddy is looking at tractors again.  I wouldn't mind if he would just buy one!  After stopping by McDonalds to have a potty stop and grab a drink we went to Saddle Creek and went swimming in a real pool.  After last years swimming lessons we still can't swim a stroke and are uncomfortable enough to still need floaties.

 

   Mandy and her dolphin   

 

 

 

 

 

  Nathan and his Daddy playing in the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great weekend.  We also are working on the garden and I've starting harvesting wonderful tomatoes, some squash, cucumbers, and green beans.  We also had our porch worked on and repainted.  It looks great.  When I get everything put back together I'll take a picture.

I am in awe

of the incredible human spirit especially Nathan's.  He is having a problem with shoes now.  His left foot has grown and is a size 1 while his right foot isn't.  To begin horse back riding the teacher said he needed something with a heel preferably a boot.  We searched and finally found him a pair of Ropers but he can't keep the right one on.  Boots need toes to stay on and so we have found a different pair of shoes kind of like work shoes.  On Monday before we bought the work shoes he was driven to wear the boots but they kept slipping off but he kept at it.

When we were searching for his  work shoes we were also looking for a bathing suit and as we looked at the bathing suits  they had shirts and a pair of flip flops attached.  I tried to warn him without being brutal that the flip flops wouldn't stay on.  He was just as adamant that he wanted them.  So, we bought him the suit and he came home and put the flip flops on.  He does it - he keeps that flip flop on some howand I bow to his incredible strength of character that he never gives up and some times I feel like crying.

Mandy and Nathan's Visit with Shelly's Family

Mandy and Nathan got to stay with me, Shelly, while Mama (the Normal poster to this blog) spent time with her Mama, my Grannie.
Here are some pictures from our fun visit!

This and That

   

Glenn took off for Germany on Friday morning to attend a class in Waldorf.  He wasn't too happy to go all that way over there to attend a three day class but what can you do!

It has reached high temperatures again.  The car was really dirty and so we went into Magnolia and went to the car wash and vacuumed the car out.  It really needed it!  We came back home and I cleaned the windows and mirrors and inside and then Mandy and Nathan put on their bathing suits and "washed the car".  I think more got on them than the car but they had a great time.

 

We are really washing here

 

 

 

Let's spray each other!

 

We have new baby birds and no, I am not taking care of them.  We actually have 3 barn swallow nests - up from 1 last year.  Here are a few pictures.

 

A barn swallow uses mud and straw to make the nest.  It takes so long that they use it year after year.      These babies are hungry all of the time.  I am very glad I am not a Mother Bird!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kathie made Mandy a new dress and Mandy was so excited to wear it!

I had an interesting

experience yesterday.  We were very busy yesterday as I took Nathan to a Psychologist down in Memorial and then  I after I picked up Mandy we went to find some boots for Nathan for horse riding.  Anyway, after piano we decided to go to Gramma Terri's a new pizza place in Magnolia for dinner.  It sits next to the rail road tracks.

As we waited for our food I received the overwhelming feeling that something is going to happen.  I have no idea what but it was a strong impression.  As I sat there I could feel a train coming, and hear a train coming but didn't know what direction it was coming from until it passed the restaurant and that is how the feeling was.

For some people that know me well, I do get impressions and they usually help me prepare.  I don't usually know what I am preparing for but emotionally it gets me on the right track.

Don't know what's coming but it feels big. 

Lessons

Nathan has started taking horse back riding lessons.  He is doing well and today I finally remembered my camera.  Although Mandy is too short to take lessons the teacher is going out of her way to show Mandy how to be around a horse and Mandy is enjoying watching Nathan.  I hope next year she will have grown enough to start as I think she would enjoy lessons and it would be very good for her.

 

  Nathan leading the horse into the corral and doing exercises on the horses back.

 

 

 

 

 

Learning to sit properly.

I said I would take some more pictures of the ducks and so here are all four of them peacefully swimming along and our two dogs, Blackie and Spot trying to see if they could get a duck or two.

                The ducks swimming along and Spot watching.

        Blackie and Spot hoping for a chance at a duck dinner!

Success

We have had another nice weekend and some of the prettiest weather I have experienced in Houston.  We were successful in bringing the ducks to the pond, finally!  They had fully feathered out and were big and so we decided we would try again.  We put the ducks in the carrier and carried them to the pond.  We released them and Ducky Wucky was way to interested.  He came over and started to grab the ducks and Glenn headed back to the house to get his rifle.  He had decided that 3 ducks were better than 1 duck.  While he was gone I splashed the water with a oar and shouted and Ducky decided to stay put.  He swam over to the other side of the pond and went to sleep.  We waited around 30 minutes and then had to go as we were going to dinner and then the adult session of Stake Conference.

We checked last night and they were still alive and this morning all four ducks are swimming around the pond like friends.  Yeah!  It was actually ideal with the blue sky and the water and the four ducks swimming in a row.  I will have to go take another picture but will post a couple here.

                     Here comes Ducky!         

On Friday, we had a baseball party for the end of the season and the boys received trophy's and we had pizza (I fixed me a sandwich) and cup cakes and played a family baseball game.  It was fun to watch all of the Dads playing against the kids.  It seems so strange to be going backwards in time.  We have already done the baseball. soccer, cup cakes, etc.  and to do it the second time is a little odd.

 

 

 

Go Glenn, Go!

 

 

Mandy driving a tractor

 

 

 

 

Line up for pizza

 

 

Nathan's teammates, coach and trophy's

 

Nathan played his last game on Saturday for this season and did well.  He was up at bat three times during the game and he scored once, got a hit and brought a runner home and loaded the bases on the third time.  At the Y the kids only get 5 runs before they call it a inning so that the other team can't just run away with the game.  He also made the play of the game (my opinion but the coaches said it also).  He was playing 2nd base and stopped a hit, caught it and tagged the runner to be out!  That may not seem to others much but most of the kids have a hard time throwing the ball let alone catching it.

 

We had Stake conference this morning and had some good speakers.  I liked one analogy.  The Patriarch told about a woman that had saved for years because she wanted to go on a cruise.  The day finally came and she started her vacation of a lifetime.  She quickly made friends with another older woman and they enjoyed the cruise together.  The friend noticed that the woman would go to her cabin each time they were to have a meal.  Finally, on the last day she asked her new friend what was going on.  The first woman said, I'm so sorry to have left you to eat alone but you see I only had enough money to buy a ticket and didn't have money enough to buy the food.  Her friend told her the meals were part of the ticket and she was so sorry that she hadn't been able to join her for the food and the flowers and  that she could have eaten with the Captain if she had wanted to.  How many of us don't realize all that we can have if we but ask?

Happy Birthday to me!  Everyone thank you for all of the cards, gifts and well wishes.  Cyndi and family - I loved the song!  It was the high light of my day.