Apparently I'm into Bird Identification Now

Apparently I'm into Bird Identification Now

April 29, 2025

Last week we had yet another major flash flooding event for our area. It rivaled the 2016 flood. School should have been delayed, but we trudged out to work in enough water to swim in. I took the truck and it still took about an hour and a half before I was able to find a path.  

It was definitely a "thank goodness we are piers" kind of day. That's  statement you won't hear me say often. 

I swear, what did we do over the weekend? Not much. Or at least very little evidence of it. We went to Kidstrong, and Elliot twisted my arm to go to Elevation Station. 

Harrison really surprised me. With all his sensory troubles, what he precieves as high or big can cause a strong reaction. We've hoped and prayed for years that he would grow out of some of these things as he aged. Saturday I saw another little glimpse of growing out of sensory issues, he went down the giant slide at the jump park. Y'all it is giant, floor to ceiling high, and you fly through the air for a good bit before touching the ground. He has initially said he wouldn't do it, but snuck up there twice and told me about it after. I was so proud of him. 

Meanwhile in the land of goldendoodle puppies who still haven't figured out their names... Honey is wearing Dill down. He will play with her all day long, but she's teaching him to be cuddly. She has slowly snuggled in to being this close. Sunday I almost saw spooning, it was the shape with no touching! She's definitely working on him, he's crawled in our laps to cuddle and that didn't happen before. 

I'll be standing outside to make sure kids don't get in our yard this weekend. 

After three days of trying to identify the sound of the babies in this next... the bird in our backyard is a Mississippi Kite. I've never seen once before, and the babies sound like dog squeaky toys. It took this one landing in another tree so I could get a good look, but I think we've got two families of them in the backyard. 

Last but not least, I got a good laugh as I was working on my HEAR Journal for discipleship group this weekend. Elliot opened a window and gave me his entire business plan for opening a jump park that is entirely free. 

This is the chid that asks for everything and has heard "Mama isn't paying for that" a lot at this point in his little life. 

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Catching Up & Lake Fausse Point Camping

Catching Up & Lake Fausse Point Camping

April 25, 2025

I went on Spring Break, and so did the blog. Here's what's been up as of late. 

First off, I started working out early in the morning before work. I never wanted to before, simply because I'd wake up Jeremy. He's been up working out more the last year, so I've been sneaking in our bathroom (which has ample space) and working out in the very dim light. 

I'm really loving it becuase it allows me to work out fasted, which I've rarely been able to do. Plus I get it knocked off my list. Now, I haven't done this every morning. Only when I wake up early, and generally I get up 20-30 minutes before my alarm clock. For a bit I thought about setting an alarm, but ultimately decided not to. I'll work out in the afternoons on the days I just needed more sleep, and I'll work out in the morning on my early bird days.  

Laura got married at the beginning of the month. It was nice catching up with a few cousins and my great aunt. The boys surprised me by how much fun they had. 

Elliot danced the night away, requested songs, and shocked me when he even danced with Laura. I think he was just impressed with a bride lol! The next day he told me that if his Aunt Laura wanted to rent that venue and get a DJ again he would go. 

For Spring Break we went on our annual quick tent campig trip. The week before Easter is always cool enough that equipment is minimal. We only load the tent box and kitchen box and head out. Zero tarps, no AC. 

The inside of tent is always completely set up. Since the kids have grown, we've let them share the double air mattress and gotten outselves a king. I had to do some rearranging this year to accomodate two dog kennels. But we all fit perfect. 

The kids have gotten to such a good camping age. Especailly with Elliot being 6 this year, we've espcaed the fear of kids disappearing and getting lost. Everyone is able to stay in the set paramaters and follow the rules. Hey, we are on 8 years of tent camping with only Jeremy ever getting poison ivy. 

I was especially impressed with the dogs this year. We take Dill when we have a cabin, but this was the first trip having a dog with us. I've mainly avoided it since the longer trips include up going somewhere without the dog. He will howl and carry on for no reason, and I had a feeling that the tent would be a absolute scene if that dog started howling while we were kayaking. With only hiking this time, the dogs came... and they did amazing. I only got up at 5am to take them to the bathroom and they slept again until 7. 

You can see a bit of our bare bones "not in the summer" camping set up. Our kitchen tub lives on one side of the picnic table, and the ice chest on the other. I use a griddle to cook and take out our coffee pot in the morning. We have a big outdoor run that stays in front of the tent to cut down on anything coming in. And you can't see it, but the tent box is behind the tent. We always book an RV site so the water and electrical hookups. 

I could have taken out our hammock and didn't, the trees were close enough. Actually now, I regret not doing it... but we were on constant puppy duty. 

After lots of smores and forgetting the good bug spray, we came home and needed a nap. The dogs were so tired that Dill even let Honey cuddle this close to him. 

I ended the break with never getting to any of the holiday chores I needed to accomplish, but I planted our summer vegetables. Honey is having to learn that none of this is her business and she should pretend they aren't outside. She doesn't, and dug up a pot of basil. Thankfully they all survived. 

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We Shoud Just Call Her Hot Honey

We Shoud Just Call Her Hot Honey

April 3, 2025

I'm that mother where when I'm asked for the overpriced jumbo sized bag of candy in the checkout, I can easily say no. 

It turns out though, when Elliot starting making puppy demands, put a note on the fridge saying we had 3 days to produce a puppy, and continue to talk about it... I gave in a got a puppy. 

I'm not joking, I think he was about to extort us for a puppy. That 3 days note was omnious. 🤣

 

Honestly, this is a phase of life where we probably needed the humor a puppy brings. Even Dill needed it. We also have the time since Elliot is now 6 and everyone sleeps through the night and can fx their own snack. 

So we got this pup. I was certain I wanted a dog the same size as Dill, and it had to be a nonshedding breed. Jeremy has always wanted a Golden Retriever, but they are a shedding nightmare. We hit in the middle and got a mini Golden Doodle. A few friends of ours had gotten theirs from the same lady, so we went for it. Honey should be the same size as our cockapoo when she's grown. 

This is Elliot on the second day at home. He was complaining that his arms hurt. I had to tell him several times he could in fact put her down. She was so calm and sweet at first, so she was carried. Now she's gotten comfortabe and is super silly. The girl runs at light speed and is always up to something. 

Then she will need a rest and Elliot is all about her again. The poor child isn't a fan of that alligator puppy phase. 

Luckily she got the memo that she is Elliot's dog. She follows him everywhere. 

I really wish I had photos of what Dill has been doing, but it wouldn't translate well. Whenever Honey gets really excited and yapping around the house, he grabs her ball, squeaks it at her and takes off running. He will turn to make sure she's still following, and keep running until she calms down. 

It took him a day or two to figure out that a puppy is more tolerable when they're tired, and he's doing his part to keep her that way. 

I've even caught him dropping her ball to get her attention on it. 

In her other terrorist acts, Dill was asleep on the floor next to her (she was appearing sweet) and she hopped up when his eyes were closed and barked. It scared the mess out of him and I had to "protect" him from the puppy. He just had this look of "Why is she acting so crazy this late in the evening." His game of wearing her out started after this event. 

There's even a touch of attitude in that fluffy cottonball. We had her in a pin while we were eating dinner the other night, she was whinning for a few minutes, and we suddenly heard awful growling. I guess Honey decided she was done and went from sad to angry (hot headed Honey), and made sure we knew it. All four of us were cracking up. 

Of course, my mom manipulation has been to get Elliot to read to the dog every night to practice his sight word flash cards and read a level reader. Harrison isn't a part of the targeted reading practice, he just likes to read to her and changes whatever character he's reading to her name. I got a good chuckle when I heard the book "Goatilocks" being read with Honey as the main character. 

I'm of course back at puppy training, and I really hope she is a agreeable as Dill was. He was really a breeze to train. 

I broke down this time and got a Snuggle Puppy for the crate, I had debated for Dill and didn't. If you are on the fence, get it. They've got cheaper knock offs on Amazon. She has been sleeping through the night so well and isn't a problem to kennel at all. Poor Dill howled and cried at night for ages, I think I've heard her twice this week and that was on night one. 

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