Only Zane

Zane and His Swollen Eyelid

I've written before about our crazy  amazing dog, Zane.  

He is  truly a dog that after he was born, God broke the mold.  

Seriously.  

I can imagine Him grabbing the mold, throwing it out over a very puffy cloud bank, and then looking at Saint Peter and Saint Francis and saying, "now that's going to be one heck of a dog."  

The mold wasn't broken because Zane isn't a good natured dog.  

He is an extremely loving, very devoted, yet extremely stubborn dog.  

Seriously, there aren't many people who could the daily grind with him.  However, Sir Stubborn is a great fit for our crazy clan and he fits right on in.  

After all, God broke the molds for us, too after we were born.  

Well, not mine, of course.                     

Only Zane:    

                             

1.  Can bend the metal on his crate with his nose.  Honest. It's bent upwards from his nose and paws working at the brace at the bottom of the kennel.  He started this trick many months ago.  We bend it down.  He bends it right back up so he has enough room to sleep with his paws through the bottom.

 
2.  Can chew a tiny, teeny hole in a "indestructible" very expensive dog toy and then work the stuffing out of the pin point sized hole.

3.  Can jump over the back seat and then sit like he was suppose to be in the middle seat next to LD and gives you a look like he is a neglected little guy.  Don't fall prey to those eyes.  He's good at flashing the "I'm so sad....I just love you."

4.  Can take the bark off a stick.  Nibble. By Nibble. By Nibble.  Seriously, he whittles his sticks.

5.  Can love his food one day and then decide that it just doesn't seem to be what he wants to eat for the next day.  

6.  Can escape out of the gates placed to keep him out of trouble upstairs, sneak himself upstairs in stealth mode, and return with a "treasure" out of the kids' rooms.

7.  Can have an ant bite him on the tongue.  Said ant dies.  Still firmly attached to his tongue.  At the very tip of his tongue.  So when he pants...the dead black ant moves like it is stuck in a wind storm.  

8.  Can be playing fetch and run back to me with his ball in his mouth, nubby wagging, and have an enormous swollen eyelid.  Seriously...in a spit second he was stung on the eyelid?  

Only Zane...

There can be Only One.

Thankfully, 

he's all 

ours.

Wordless Wednesday {Attack}

Coming home from school on a humid day led these two into a rousing water gun game.  

Attack & sip frozen lemonade. 

Repeat until soaked and your belly hurts from laughing too hard. 

Guess I'm getting a glimpse at what is in store this summer for our clan!

Whoosh.

August 2013

Whoosh.

Just like that LD's Kindergarten year is finished.  Today marked the last day of wearing her school uniform for the year.  Next week she only has two days and one of those is a field trip and the other is her *tear* graduation ceremony.  Please send tissues.  I'm fairly certain I will go through the supply that is stocked miles high on the shelves around here.

My baby.  My littlest treasure.   My littlest blessing.

June 2014

Whoosh.

Just like that we depart from one milestone and embark on a new journey...

I don't think I am ready.
However, I know she is more than ready!

Don't forget a Smile

Remember when you were little and you would have a frown on your face for no reason?  You could have been having the best day possible and you forgot to dress your face with a smile.  My mom used to say it took more muscles to frown than to smile.  She also would say frowning would cause wrinkles.  Needless to say, I spent a lot of time with a perm-a-grin smile pasted to my face so {gasp} I wouldn't have {gasp} wrinkles when I was {sigh} old.

It has been wicked crazy around our hale over the past two weeks.  I know what you're thinking...when is life not wicked cray-cray.  Add that to the endless things not shared by the previous generation when raising kids.

Band festival trip to Busch Gardens {chaperones are worth their weight in gold...I should be really, really rich!}, Memorial Day weekend,  field day at school {remember said comment about being rich?}, and my 40th birthday {What?  I'm 40...you mean 30, right!?!?}.  I'm finding that as I age it comes easier to smile.  A true, no kidding, I am just happy to witness the excitement around me kind of smile.  It's hard not to look over the two weeks and grin like a cheshire cat.

Seeing HS advance in his band and love of music brings back fond memories of my time in band.  I'm delighted that he has stuck with learning trumpet over the past two years. I keep telling him that band only gets better with each year.  It's worth the investment of his time to build his talent.

I am not going to lie...I was terrified when HS decided that he was up for riding the Mach Tower.  I have never been so relieved to see a ride end.  I'd say from this grin on his face that it was worth my terror and possible heart attack for his thrill of walking on the edge of insanity.  Speaking of which, chaperoning seven sixth and seventh grade boys is not for the faint of heart.  Trust me.

Wine tasting after exploring a strawberry festival for the day.  

Life is good.

Life is good.

Endless blue sky, green grassy mountain, and bright yellow flowers to pick.  

Move over Snow White...LD is taking your place.

One of the many benefits to living where we are...

Free military concerts at Wolf Trap.  

Pack a picnic, meet up with some friends, and let the 

music fill your soul.  Dancing is optional a must.

Taking in the beauty of the Shenandoah River for my 40th...

nothing beats spending time with my HH, kiddos, and parents in a really neat

cabin with conversation, s'mores, and celebration.  40 is the new 30.

Don't be afraid of turning 40.  Seriously.  I mean what I type.

Spending time with my parents, let alone just thinking about the next visit we'll share puts a huge smile on my face.  This is the first time since LD was born {yikes! Six years ago!} that we have been stationed on the same coast let alone in the same state.  

I had a grin from ear to ear watching these three begin my 40th festivities.  

Let's talk turkey...just watching them be together and love up the moments puts a smile on my face!

So, indeed...it's been a busy two weeks, but heck, I never forgot to smile.  Those potential frown lines won't be appearing on my face any time soon!  

Whatever you do today,

remember...

don't forget a smile!

Wordless Wednesday {Chill}

Time spent in a hammock on a Sunday afternoon...
priceless.

Time spent watching your dog roll in fresh cut grass from said hammock...
priceless.

Time spent listening to the sound of your children's laughter fill your ears...
priceless.

Time spent holding your favorite chilled beer while your husband discusses his hopes & dreams...
priceless.

My motto for the summer ahead...
take time to chill out in a brightly colored hammock as the late afternoon sun casts a warm glow on the world about me.

Chill.