Newest Addition...

Our journey to a dog started a long time ago.  

It started with an agreement and a puppy jar.

Yes, I was finally ready to get a dog.

They had all been waiting for me.

Well, over the year that little jar filled up.

Every coin and bill they had was stuffed into the jar.

They kept filling the jar, counting it up, 

and tucking it into our secret spot.

They filled that jar many many times, and raised 257 dollars.

Then, we waited for a dog to steal our hearts.

Saturday night I made a call to an add on Facebook:

Golden Retriever Puppies

Two hours later we were sitting in a kitchen, with new friends, cuddling their adorable puppies.

And one stole our hearts.

Completely stole our hearts.

So we left that night, blessed by Maria and Carl, with a puppy.

Now he was our puppy.

Bullet Doyle.

Now he's just one of us.

And when Bullet wants to go for a walk we all go for a walk.

When Bullet wants to stop,

we all stop.

When Bullet is tired,

everyone is tired.

He is one smart dog.

He knows how to magically make little boys 

want their picture taken.

Well, except for  one little boy in the back row who is sad cause HE wanted to hold the puppy.

Bullet already knows where the 

best seat in the house is to get a free snack.

And he knows he is completely loved.

Welcome home Bullet.

He Will Survive!

When Rocco was just 2 days old,

I set him on the couch for a minute.  

I turned around and Bo was in the middle of the family room holding him as high as he could, by his ankles.

I don't think I ever ran faster in my life.

I'm pretty sure this was taken that very same day.

Today, Kit came in the room carrying Blue.

It was actually kinda cute.

I was like,

"Kit!  You are not suppose to pick up Blue! 

But here, let me take your picture." 

(mom of the year)

So, I helped him set Blue down and I went to get my camera. 

Then when I was all ready I said, 

"Okay Kit, pick him up gently and I'll take you picture."

I was holding the shutter down waiting for an adorable picture, 

and I captured this:

"Oh no! Oh no!

Set him down, Set him down baby."

Opps.

Here, let me help you:

"There....now we got it."

Can you see why I needed a picture? 

"Okay,  now remember Kit,  no more holding Blue."

The Golden Day

Here in Minnesota, it was a gem of a day,

so right after school, I kicked them out to play.

The boys were surprised to see me tag along,

but I had a mission I'd been planning all day long.

I sent them to gather the tallest sticks they could find.

Then we tied them at the top,

 with a little ball of twine.

With a stretch and a flap,

and some tying here & there,

The boys watched their tee-pee rise high into the air.

Well thankfully for you, my little poem is done,

but for those little boys their adventures had only begun.

I wish you could have heard their giggles & their conversations.  

They were so busy building, exploring & protecting.  

And when the "men" went off to build a bridge across the creek, Mama & her babies held down the fort.

And just when I thought they couldn't get any cuter...

...I raised my camera to take a picture from further away and 

caught the sweetest moment:

So many moments today my heart just burst with love.

I dreaded the sun setting on this golden day,

but then the flashlights went on 

& the giggles spilled into the night.

And when I stuffed them into bed 

I wanted to put it all here so I never forget.

Ever.

Getting Ready...

     I hate getting ready for the first day of school because it means summer is over & that it's time for me to send them off to school, so I always put it off until the very last week.  I don't buy a single supply or uniform until Monday before school starts.  And by then...it's rough.  The stores are cleaned out and I have to run all over town collecting the goodies we need.

This year my friend Beth sent the HUGEST box of school supplies!

She's an honorary auntie to my kids.  

She loves them & they love her.

She made my job soooooo easy!

All that was left was backpacks & tennis shoes.

Annie had been dreaming of this one all summer:

And I had my heart set on this one for the boys:

Can't you picture it with my boy's names on there?

Cute City!!!

My problem is that the particular boy who 

I picked it out for didn't like it.  

He said it wasn't cool enough.  

He said it wasn't cool like this one:

I'm not even kidding.

He wanted it so bad!

Not happening.

I mean the name of it is "Hairball Backpack".

Every time we'd go to Target he would run to it.

It took me awhile to get him to stop making googoo eyes at the kitties. Then, I finally had to explain to him that between the rainbows, bows, and hearts he might get teased, 

and then he might not want to carry it. 

( I didn't even mention the kitties in the pink glasses cause he loved them so)

So, he showed me his 2nd choice.

No.

Poor Kid.

In the end (after 3 stores) 

we finally had to order one off the internet 

to find one he loved.

(I'm a big believer in love your backpack.)

Even though I'm not crazy about their backpacks, 

they are, and everyone is happy.

School starts tomorrow and although we avoided "Hairball" teasing...I can't promise the same for the folders they picked out.

Bless their hearts.

(Please if you see my boys...don't mention the kitty backpack

...I don't ever want them to be embarrassed by what I post.)