Beach pix--vol 2--the Battleship

Big Guns :)

All of us--don't I take great timed photos???

The four amigos--depending on their mood

G says it's a little bright out here

Dave in the battleship workshop--he was pretty impressed with the machinery and tools!

G is steering--watch out!

No S isn't strangling Dave--Dave is trying to do a pull-up with him on his back! yes--his shoulders hurt for the next few days, that's what 40 extra pounds does to you!


P.S.--fixed the video so now you guys can watch the dancing fun!

Beach pix--vol 1--Wyatt's birthday celebration

glum smile :)

action shot!

S and I (covert elephant climbing)

G wasn't much for pix this particular night

The elephant was jealous of W's quaffed mohawk

G did not agree to this picture--but since he was on the second level he dealt with it

Limbo putt-putt style! Course Aunt Leigh thought this was a great idea--until someone went face first into the turf

I would say Landon is on his crackberry--but it's an iphone--so I guess that makes it his crackphone? not as catchy

Oh man--i love this picture--come over to my house and we can practice a bit more Shannon--I got my own ddr set!

Shannon's debut in dancing games :)

Favorite recent photos

frustrated

UPDATE: 

1. vacuuming floor and then having your throat swell up because of the dust--sucky
2. pulling weeds in the garden until your hands are swollen--not a fun job
3. mowing the yard with a motor-less mower--hot & hard
4. re-mopping your floor because you jumped into the creek with your puppies after a hot days work--AWESOME!!! 
   

ah the blessing of having a cold creek to jump into whenever you need it, and pups that always make you smile :).  Thanks God for a hard days work.

as you all know, coming home from a vacation can be exhausting. The house is a wreck right now as no cleaning has been going on while the dogs were here this week being watched. Trying to clean it all up and I think our vacuum is making the house dirtier! We are replacing the flooring in the apartment next door which is costing us a lot, and everything just seems to be falling apart. Of course that is an exaggeration, but that's how it feels. I need a new vacuum, and possibly a new floor in our apartment as well. ~sigh~ Anyway--just needed to vent out some frustration at our little nagging things around the house. Hope your day is going well :).

p.s. Anyone got a vacuum that's cheap and works well???

my day out in London

Thursday afternoon Dave went back to Belfast to see his Grandparents. Helen, Sylvia, and Mervyn had dessert tastings and other wedding related things that day, so I decided to have a day out on my own in London. I had two major things I wanted to see, Westminister Abbey and King's Cross Station 9 3/4. These pictures are in reverse order of how I took them that day. I
--I was so excited to be here!!! But it took me a bit to find it--it wasn't really halfway between platforms 9 and 10 :)
--The famous guards
--half of the palace and fountain in front of it (taken with timer on camera)
--an odd bird I saw (look at his feet!)
--the only picture I was allowed to take inside Westminister Abbey--which was actually in the garden behind
--In front of Westminister Abbey (camera propped on my bag for the right angle)
--The front of Westminister Abbey
The back of Big Ben and the parliament buildings
--I didn't have any problem finding people to take pictures for me--It was quite nice traveling along through the city alone

in and outs :)

Well-we're in London! Our house sitter for the week e-mailed me these pix of Gertie from her phone. She got her new pink tag this week--cute huh? We have some pretty cute dogs I must say :).

Saturday is Helen's wedding and she seems to have it all together. We met her fiance yesterday, and he's pretty fun. Dave and he get along well--they give each other a lot of crap, but each seems to return it with as much gusto, so I guess it's ok, lol. Not sure what the plans are for today, but I'm sure Mervyn will inform us when he and Sylvia get back from town, lol.

Yesterday was extremely wet, so we hung around Helen's house, played Scrabble (i won), and had a nap here and there. Dave and I hadn't had a full night's sleep in two days, as we left for the airport 1:30 am on Monday morning and were on the plane Monday night. We did get 1st class on the way though, which was EXTREMELY nice and fun to enjoy together this time around.

Tomorrow Dave is heading back to Belfast for the day as his grandfather is not doing so well (please pray for him), and I will be staying here and sight seeing. I'm going to Westminister Abbey and Kings Cross Station. I've never been in Westminister Abbey, and am quite excited about it (as a lit. major for sure). Kings Cross Station is where Harry Potter gets on the train to Hogwarts, lol, and they actually have a platform 9 3/4 now as the books are so popular. There's even a trolley half-way through the wall there like they are passing through the barrier (you know what I mean if you've read the books). I can't wait to get my picture taken with it!

Well, that's all the info for now! I'm sure I'll have pictures to post soon. TTYL!

Gertie's first walk

The day we decided to keep Gertie, Erin had a bag of fun stuff for her to send home with us.  In the bag was this adorable pink harness, a leash, and puppy food.  It was a fun surprise.  

This evening Gertie, Sleepy, Dave and I went on a short walk.  There is a little loop near our house that is about 2 or 3 blocks long.  Gertie walked the whole way (except when a big dog scared her and she refused to walk for a minute or two)!  I was very impressed.  

She gets tired very easily and sleeps a lot of the time at the moment.  She and Sleepy have been sharing a bed at night (it is TOO cute), and I think this is helping her transition a bit more.  

With the help of our friends, Gertie has spent a lot of time out of doors, (they let her out during the day when we are working) and she is making a lot of progress with training to "go" outside.  We are thoroughly enjoying having a puppy again :).  I think Sleepy is a bit annoyed by her following him around constantly, but I'm sure he'll love her once she can play with him a bit more.  Well--that's all for now!

Pup's for sale!!!...or else we may end up w/ 2 dogs

UPDATE: Leigh and Dave are getting a new puppy tomorrow!!!! We're taking the girl and bringing her home around noon! Her names is Gertrude, but we'll probably call her Gertie for short.  So excited...and a little nervous. More detail, and I'm sure pix, soon!
These guys are pretty darn cute--sure you don't want a puppy? I'll bring it to ya!!! They'll be ready to be taken home--shots and all--next Saturday!
This one is a girl--we really love her!


the only boy!!!

another girl



The three individual pix are the ones left to adopt!!!

a few short thoughts

~you realize the value of a baby's smile when you meet one that does not have one--one who hasn't had enough touch, emotion, love, and care in its life to muster the energy to learn how to smile. The joy that comes from making a baby smile, coo, and giggle is amazing because you know it is a healthy thing. In that moment the baby feels well, comforted, and loved. Door of Hope is an amazing place. Babies come in weighing their birth weight or less at several months old and, in just a couple of months, grow strong and healthy in that loving environment. Every person that works or volunteers there must love and adore God and children--even the house keeper and the secretary. The smiles on those children's faces show how much they are loved and adored daily. Each child is held, smiled at, called by its name, cuddled, and cared for. Each child is celebrated, photographed, praised, and raised to love Jesus, even if they're not old enough to speak His name. I would gladly go back to love on those babies some more--and am already planning to next year. If anyone has a place in their heart for some place like this, I ask you to donate to them. They always need diapers (called Nappies over there), formula, baby food, and much more. If you were considering getting me something for my upcoming birthday, PLEASE send a donation to them instead. Their website is: http://www.holeinthewall.org.za And you can go to their "donation" tab to find out how to send them money from the USA. They are an amazing organization working to reach abandoned babies and their families for Christ. I can't think of a better place to send my money.

fun pix

So I know I haven't posted in ages (thanks for the reminder S), but I promise to catch you up on my feelings on my trip, etc, when I have time to sit and think about it. Here are a few pictures from G's game the other night that Dave and I went to watch. I love that they all get their names on the back of their shirts!
--an action shot of Coach Shaun :)