The Dog Days of Summer

We got a D-O-G:  Meet Rocky.  He's our 10 month old bulldog/pit bull mix.  Sounds mean, right?  His original name was Sparticus, but the girls couldn't say it right ("Barky-sis... Sparky-tits... Carby-stuck... what's his name?") so we told them they could rename him.  "Rocky" was the best of the choices they came up with (Rainbow, Shadow, Brownie white socks, and Bubby were the other gems they were deciding between.  Joel and I had to convince them that Rocky fit him best).  

Our previous super awesome bulldog Beau who we loved to pieces died a few years ago from parvo (JoLynn still prays for Heavenly Father to take care of Beau while he's in heaven) and we've been wanting to get another dog ever since, so when our friend mentioned that she was giving her dog away, we asked if he could come stay with us for a few days to see how he fit in with the fam.  That was about 3 weeks ago, so I guess that means we're keeping him.

I was a little nervous at first because pit bulls have such a bad rap, but he has been so gentle and submissive with the girls and is really obedient.  And I have loved having a mean-looking dog to run with in the mornings (but don't tell anyone that he's really just a big baby - he's got a reputation to protect!).  We run 3-4 miles every day and I'm hoping to have him up to 6 miles by November for the Turkey Trot (btw, who's up for running it with me?  Anyone?... Buler?  Buler?).

Shae loves him like crazy!  She will spend all day out on the porch (beads of sweat dripping down her face) feeding him (and herself - gross!) dog food, one piece at a time.  She'll pull at his ears and lay on him and laugh her head off while he just lays there and ignores her.  Hailey and JoLynn have been so good at making sure he's fed and his poop is cleaned up every day.  
Hope you like your new home Sparky-tits, I mean Rocky!   

Cha, cha, cha!

Shae turned 2 last week.  I can't believe our little Pioneer Day baby is 2 yrs old!  She has been making us sing "Happy Birthday to You" every night before bed for the last few weeks and she insists on inserting the "cha, cha, cha!" after every line of the song.  Goofy kid!  Her silky, angel-hair mullet is slowly growing out, so now she has wings on the sides of her head.  She is SO busy all the time and loves to make us laugh.  I love you so much my sweet Shae bird! 

Oh, She is my dear my darling one,

with eyes so sparkling, full of fun!

No other, no other could match the likes of Her.

Oh, She is my dear my darling one,

my smiling and beguiling one,

I love the ground she walks upon

my darling, sweet Shae bird. 

Camping

Our ward camp out was last weekend.  Since Joel couldn't get off work until late Friday night, I decided I was brave enough to take the girls up by myself on Thursday.  It was a little bit crazy, but oh so fun!  These girls LOVE camping!  It RAINED like a beast, but when it's Summer in AZ, I guess you'll do anything to escape the heat.  There was a pond near by with millions of frogs that kept the kids entertained for hours on end.  While I was cooking dinner, one of my elder daughters who will remain nameless was supposed to be babysitting Shae when she wandered into the firepit and started screaming, but no burns were to be found - fhew!  Then Shae tripped and smashed her eye into a camping chair, after which JoLynn got stung by a bee.  But other than that, we made it back home safely with some fun memories.

Meet "Sunshine" the frog

Poor, tender-hearted JoLynn was so upset when she realized 

that we weren't going to be taking the frogs home with us.  I told her I was going to take them back to the pond right before we left, when she lowered her eyes to the ground and said in a forlorn voice, 

"No mom........ I'll do it."

My tough little campers taking cover while we waited out the rain.  

It was so relaxing listening to it pound the outside of the tent (really, it was!)

"Is it done raining, yet?"

"We NEVER want to go home!"

We wish to welcome YOU to Munchkin Land!

Hailey got to be in the Queen Creek Community Theater production of Wizard of Oz in June.  She played the all-important roll of Munchkin Citizen.  She was awesome!!!  She danced and sang like it was nobody's business and was so animated on stage.  It was a super fun production and the colors and costumes were so cute!  She really loved going to all the practices and keeps saying she wishes she could do it again.

JoLynn wanted to be in it too and was so sad to find out it was only for kids 7 and older.  But she was a great Munchkin groupie and cheered her sister on.

I wish we would have gotten a picture of the Lollipop Guild - they were hilarious!

Thanks to all the family and friends who came to support her!

Adventures with Shae

This was the day before I left for YW camp:

Peach Pickin'

We heard about a FREE peach pickin' day at Schnepf Farms, so we loaded up boxes and boxes of scrumptious FREE peaches and we (I) made LOADS of Peach-Raspberry jam, and then canned the rest. 

Yo, that's good stuff! 

Family Fun

In June, our long lost cousins (Joel's sister and her family) came all the way from Indiana for a visit.  It was SSSSOOOOO fun to see them again and let the kids play.  We miss you guys!!!

(p.s. the quality of this picture stinks - did anyone get a clearer picture that you want to send me?)

These guys are at the age where Bunny Ears is the funniest thing in the world.  

They were crackin me up!

Bustin' out the gun show! And more bunny ears.