There’s a new little man in the house.

It’s only been 5 days but I’m convinced he’s the perfect puppy.

House trained in 5 minutes.

Mellow, patient, gentle.

Sleeps through the night.

Not crazy about baths.

But they are necessary when one rolls around under a plum tree.

Scared of stairs.

Really, more like a stuffed animal than a live dog.

With a great bill of health from the vet.

He makes birthday party dreams come true.

Birthday girl is counting down the days.

He loves car rides.

And snuggling.

Which is good because he doesn’t really have a choice.

He’s already a pro at making new friends.

And chewing on blocks.

And has effortlessly settled into our hearts and our home.

He’s got big paws to fill.

And I think he’ll do just fine.

I write so I don’t forget.

But sometimes I forget to write.

Or I don’t want to write.

Or I have so much going on I feel like there is no time to write.

Or I blame my growing belly.  Which, to be honest, isn’t helping.

But I continually decide that I don’t want to forget more than I don’t want to write.

So hi.

I’m 26 weeks and 4 days pregnant.

I’m beginning to waddle.

A foot has been lodged in my belly button intermittently since Monday.

School is winding down and summer is upon us.

Today, I wonder if Kayla will be in therapy because I didn’t chaperone her field trip to the Lawrence Hall of Science.

But there’s the waddle.

And the bus ride.

And an OB appointment.

Our May days have been filled with much.

Giants games.

Dave has a habit of listening to the radio call home run playback that he can barely hear over the roar of the live crowd and I think it’s such strange behavior.

Isn’t that why we’re AT the game?  To listen to the LIVE crowd?

Call me crazy.

Tea parties with Grandmums.

Also an excuse to put her candy in fancy dishes.

And to eat all her candy.

Daily denial of new app requests.

“It’s only point nine nine, mama.”

Mother’s Day Lunch.

They’ve been watching lots of Lady and the Tramp lately.

Ashlyn is still learning the concept and thought it was a day for me to serve her.

“Please get me juice… because it’s Mutha’s Day!!”

Yeah.

NO.

I told her it was Father’s Day instead.

Ultrasounds.

Hi baby girl.

You have a cute nose.

Birthday thank you notes.

Written all her own.

They took 12 days and we still have four to write but we won’t mention that part.

Cindy, Abby, Madison and Scottsdale Ware’s, we’re working on them.

Promise.

Tree climbing at Nan and Pops.

Most likely for the last time.

They sold it.

We cried.

But the new house has a pool.

So, that pretty much trumps any sentimental value.

And makes us get over things quickly.

Like five minutes.

After school Slurpies.

One for her, one for Kayla.

Or both for her.

Golfing for a good cause.

Or riding in a cart and eating lots of good food for a good cause.

What?

The waddle.

Independent breakfast prep.

Fresh fruit salad and all.

I love nine.

Creative writing.

Jesus, a frog and a beaver.

I love six, too.

Also?

We put a deposit down on a puppy last week.

Just in case having a new human baby is too easy.

A male Goldendoodle named Lincoln is coming home next Sunday.

Kayla’s 10th birthday present.

But we’re kind of just saying that to get out of a big party.

And because I’m desperate to avoid another heart-wrenching, no-luck Saturday at the SPCA.

I mean.

Why not?

Not much going on around here.

It was a…

teacher appreciating,

flagpole assisting,

African appareling,

speech perfecting,

shelf clearing,

catch-up lunching
(I missed him),

eyeglass repairing,

Mother’s Day gifting
(I have no idea what’s she’s talking about),

church key grabbing,

salad bar for dinner

kind of day.

You know.

Most of my days are like this one.

Uneventful.

Routine.

I rarely write about them.

But I know I want to remember them.

I will miss this routine one day.

Like morning music with my Kindergartner.

I want to remember the way sweet Vidal always saves her place marker under the piano.

And excitedly sets it down next to his when we walk in the room.

I want to remember Teacher Karen’s passion for teaching beautiful sounds to deaf children.

I want to remember the few minutes I take most mornings parked in the Starbucks parking lot.

Catching up on emails.

Reading blogs I love.

Texting and/or chatting with friends.

I want to remember Hope’s first Marrieds group.

And all the little, behind-the-scenes church details I know I’ll soon forget.

Or may no longer be responsible for.

I want to remember her minimum day, pick-up smile.

And her school stories.

Today a caterpillar escaped the class terrarium and tried to spin a cocoon in McKayla’s desk.

Ms. Schlecht saved the day, scooping it up with a Post-It note.

The piles and piles.

And piles of laundry.

Even those.

I want to remember.

I want to remember the fact that Ashlyn is insisting we name her little sister Taffeta.

And her scowl when I tell her no.

And that she takes her pants off when it gets hot outside.

I want to remember the joy I felt when we our very first baby gift arrived for our littlest baby girl.

By friends that know us well.

And love us better.

I want to remember tonight’s dinner out.

And playing Go Fish with sugar packets.

While another read her animal encyclopedia.

And the fact that Wreck-It Ralph joined us.

I want to remember the way she reads.

Slow, careful.

Her fingers tracing every word.

I know that soon this will change.

And she’ll read faster.

Life moves so quickly.

Even the slow days.

And I want to remember.

10 (or maybe 13) photos taken on the 10th of the month.

What?  Sundays are full.

I don’t have much.

It’s abnormally cold.

And I’m doing laundry in the garage in a trench coat.

I’m really ready for sunshine and summer.

Lots going on around these parts.

Our carpet is being ripped up and the beautiful hardwood underneath that should have never been hidden is being refinished.

I cannot adequately express my elation over these interior design happenings.

We’re also having the Pergo in our kitchen replaced with tile.

10 x 20 camel colored in a sideways subway formation.

Dave is not so sure but I am joyous.

Kayla got purple glasses yesterday.

She can now “see her friends hair” which was clearly a crisis beforehand.

Ashlyn is reading.

Books about cats on mats.

With hats.

Exciting literature.

The church recently launched a few new small groups.

A women’s bi-weekly study and a once-a-month married group.

If you’re interested, “like” Hope’s Facebook Page for more details.

Dave is also scoping out a location for a mid-week service we’re hoping to start in the next few months.

Anyone have a spare warehouse they’re not using?

With heat?

That’d be great.

Thanks.

Happy weekend, friends.

Bundle up.

And GO Niners.

We’re alive.

Not as sad.

Kobi’s overpriced ashes are sealed in a cedar box on top of Kayla’s dresser.

She added an angel Squinkie on top.

I can’t decide if it’s cute or weird.

I’m going to go with cute.

But now that I type it, it sounds weird.

When Dave gets home we’ll bury him under the Japanese maple in our backyard.

She is doing well.

Sad that we couldn’t fix him.

“You guys fixed Grandmums, mom!”

(Grandmums had a knee replacement a few months ago).

But we’re all adjusting to the new dogless normal that is our house.

That will most likely only last through Spring.

Kayla is just not fully Kayla without a 4-legged creature by her side.

You may notice I haven’t mentioned Ashlyn’s reaction much.

There’s not much to say.

She whined for about five minutes and told me Kobi is with Mufasa now.

Also, she likes cats.

Dave (and team pictured above) is in New Jersey working with Samaritan’s Purse/Sandy Disaster Relief.

It’s been interesting to see pictures and hear stories.

I’m excited for them to come home and hear more.

We’ve been filling our rainy days with puppy play dates.

Little Miss Muffet reinactments at school.

Cutie Vidal has a huge crush on our girl.

He saves her carpet marker on the piano until he sees her walk in and sets it down next to his.

Avoiding floods at church.

And cousin birthday dinners at Red Robin.

Oh, also.

Pintertest Kitchen link up is THIS Thursday.

I’ve been drowning my pet loss sorrows in sweets.

You’ll hear all about them.

Kayla just left a panicky voicemail from the school office:

“There’s something wrong with my eyes.  I can’t see the board!!  I can’t even see my friends hair!!
So, I probably need some help seeing…  Love you.  Bye…”

And another one.  5 minutes later.

“My friend sat on my lunch.  Can you bring a new one?”

Yay!

Happy Monday.

So, today.

I have a sick little seal, hacking on the couch.

And another one at school stressing over a contraction spelling test.

“Mama, did you know that o’clock is short for ‘of the clock’?”

Girl needs to RELAX in the quiz department.

It’s raining outside.

Our front porch is about to collapse thanks to wood rot.

Our Christmas gift to each other is fixing it.

So I’m hoping it waits a few weeks.

I made these for dinner last night.

They were easy and good.

I just thought you should know.

Maybe you want to try them, too?

Mumford is on repeat.

Reliving a fun 48 hours Dave and I shared with friends in SoCal earlier this week.

Kid-less (thanks Grandma Cee Cee) and care free.

Times like these are good for this mama’s soul.

They help me remember who I am as a wife.

And friend.

I love my kids.

But I like selfish adventures, too.

 I’m guest posting

{here}

this morning.

My sweet friend Katy puts together an awesome holiday series that starts today.

With a Jello salad recipe that looks like raw ground beef but tastes heavenly.

I promise.

Also, a friendly reminder.

November Pintertest Kitchen link up is THIS Thursday.

I’ll be recapping the dips that helped the Giants win the World Series.

Be here or be square.

Lastly, I want to direct you to the Hope For Sudan blog.

A comprehensive recap of the trip.

Written by the men who went.

Amazing stuff.

Go.

Read.

See what God is doing.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Hello,

WORLD.

SERIES.

CHAMPIONS.

Kayla has the day off from school today.

Dave just took her to the pet store to buy a pair of goldfish.

K: (bats eyelashes) “Daddy! I know. Let’s get one orange and one black and name them Panda and Posey.”

Girl knows how to work a joyous situation.

I mean.

How do you say no to that?

We were up past bedtimes last night driving around the city.

Rally rags and signs out the car windows.

Mini-fireworks displays around the neighborhood.

Cheering with new friends as they poured out of the bars and restaurants downtown.

Ashlyn shouted, “The Giants did it!”

We’re picking her up from school today and driving up to the city as a family to welcome our team home.

Hopefully our new fish friends will still be alive when we come back.

I’m predicting Panda might eat Posey.

But we’ll see.

All I know is that it’s a fun time to be a Giants fan.

And I have 3.8 pounds to lose from dip intake.

Well done, boys.

You did it.