Saturday, July 31, 2010

sigh...

Erich gave me a look when he saw my first oscar post...the one that says "really,dear?"

Yes really. Because I'm tired of reading blogs that talk all about their adorable children. I don't begrudge you your children. It's just depressing. I want something cute to take care of and photograph and adore. So if you don't like my excessive photo adoration of my dog, then go somewhere else. Because there is so much more to come.

this one's for you, Harry





I think he likes it. :-)

And here is some evidence for you, Kari, that yes, Oscar is in fact real, because I haven't the slightest idea how to photoshop Erich into my blog. Also you know it is real because he is checking his phone while I'm telling him to stand by the dog.

michelangelo's got nothing on me

I had my foot there first, I swear.



I love my dog!

Meet Oscar!

He's here! Well, actually, he's been here for a week, but it has been so fast I haven't had a chance to post any pictures yet. I think most people who read this have already seen Mr. Oscar in real life, but still...he's taking a nap next to me on the couch, so I figured this was as good a time as any.


This is actually a different napping picture, but cute nonetheless. He looks bigger here than he really is, only 18 pounds. A bit skinny for a beagle, but the vet said he could gain a pound and he'd be fine. Apparently most dogs are overweight, just like most of us. There is a tupperware cup in the fridge with steak gristle scraps that Erich saved for him that should be up to the task. He gets a good cup of kibble every day, plus snacks. I am not concerned he'll be underweight for long.

He's keeping me pretty busy. And he's a little sweetheart. Hasn't barked once yet. Peanut!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

the wolf river

Rafting was awesome! It totally makes up for the fact that I am terrible at skiing. We went down the Wolf River yesterday at Big Smokey Falls.

I don't have any pictures because I didn't bring a camera on the raft. Good thing, because it would have been gone. After the second or third rapid Erich (sitting behind me) says, 'look sweetie' and I glance to my right just in time to see our turkey sandwhiches floating down the river. Then my apple, and my water canteen. Jerky sticks abound inside our raft. They had been tucked away in a cooler than didn't stay closed well. I thought it might be a problem but it was all we had to use in the house. Lunch down!

Fortunately, however, our friends shared their food with us and I managed to keep myself inside the raft, despite my slowly deflating seat (I discovered a leak roughly the same time I waved goodbye to my lunch.) Don't worry, it was localized to my seat. This meant, however, that I was practically squatting towards the end. No matter, though, it was still so much fun!

Also Erich jumped off a cliff at a calm swimming area, but I couldn't find a picture of it. Aieee. He's good, but I don't want him to do it again. Which of course means he insists on doing it again. Next trip: only bring things we can strap down, and some kind of waterproof camera because the view is too good to pass up.

Wordpress will be posting photos from this weekend in the next week. Tell me is you see us!

Puppy update: Nina is gone! She's been scooped up, I assume, by some loving family moving faster than us. Bye Nina!

Mom recommends a german shorthair. Look at those paws!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

drumroll, please!

Today, we are going rafting down the Wolf River. I am excited. Erich promises I won't fall out and hit my head on a rock.

More importantly, however... WE ARE GETTING A PUPPY! Some contestants:
Nina (scooped up already!)
Wilma Wilma is a little older but I like her. I tend to like dogs with some beagle in them.
Angel
Jodi

Also a three-legged dog named bandit. Who has trouble controlling his poo.

Not sure when we will bring one home, right now we're still just researching and learning what kind of dog would fit us. Erich wants "a new one" but I wouldn't mind an older dog with the right disposition. We'll see! Yay!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

pilates

Yesterday for teacher training we went to a pilates class to see the teaching style of the other chick I'm training with. She's already been teaching for several years. I loved it! I got a great workout without feeling like I was totally exhausted afterwards.

Through my very very very basic study of anatomy I have realized in the last couple weeks that I really need to start strengthening my abs if I want to strengthen my back and decrease my back pain in the long run. Posture and alignment were first, now muscle strength and toning. Enter pilates. I have tended to avoid pilates classes because they are so hard! Because I have no ab strength. See how this works?

So, it is core yoga or pilates once a week from here out. Mary Kay (my teacher) has a wicked core yoga class wednesday nights that works my butt off. This should be a good start.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

summer days

I love weekends, this time of year, this kind of day. Waking up to a dozen different projects, all of which I'm excited about. Loving being in our bright sunshine-y new living room, looking forward to re-moving into all the rooms in our house.



Weeding the garden and finding our first cucumber curly-q's, hidden blossoms, and our first teeny-tiny toms!






Staying up until 2:30 last night working on my first official sewing project with my new machine (purchased six months ago, played with a bit, and then distracted from for a while). Pics to come when it is finished!

Ahhh.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

things i want to do

Things I want to do or learn how to do:

Throw pottery
Decorate cakes (competently)
Knit/crochet things I can actually wear
Photography and old-fashioned film developing
Learn more spanish
Raise chickens
Sew things I can actually use/wear
Paint - things, pictures, whatever
Learn beginning ballet for adults
little kid astronomy - find stars, planets, eclipses with a telescope and stay up late looking at them drinking apple cider from a thermos. Apple cider is required.
go sledding
go to the beach
massage therapy?
Homeschool my children
count cards. just because.
ballroom dancing, but only with Erich
become debt-free
TEACH YOGA - working on it!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

mmmmmm weeds

Today I made myself a green smoothie with spinach and mixed greens from my garden. It tasted super spinach-y. I said so several times. Then I got kind of sick.

Nothing like accidentally giving yourself a (mild!) case of food poisoning by eating weeds that look like your salad greens. Dammit.

Needless to say the garden is fully weeded now.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

My favorite way to wake up in the morning is to peruse some lovely blogs and slowly drink a carafe of coffee. I haven't done this is for a long time, opting instead to gulp down some espresso and run out of the house. All my favorite blogs are basically hippie mom blogs who write about their adorable and (of course) incredibly brilliant children and all the cool hippie mom stuff they like to do. Trying to crochet a little hat was fun before, it seemed preparatory for all the joy that was yet to come. Now it just seems sad. Needless to say that 2 minutes alone with one of these now is enough to trash my mood, and my friends have been set aside along with what Erich calls 'The Baby Channel' (TLC and DISNEY) from which I have been strictly banned from watching.

I also learned the hard way that doing the random "next blog" dealie is also a bad idea. So that's out. Which leaves me reliant on links from blogs of people I already know. I went through a number today and found some really great, insightful, progressive, inquisitive blogs. I enjoy reading them, and then go back to my blog to talk about something banal safe. Not for lack of mental capacity, but lack of stamina. The issues of the day are so important, but I can't seem to find room for them in my brain anymore. Heartbreak is an inconsiderate and greedy resident. I wonder if this is why so many people are so disconnected.