Summer pics...

Abby was obviously done taking pictures by this point...love it!

Alex climbing the rocks

Basement...

The basement is about 95% complete. We have lots of touch up painting to do as well as painting the doors. It is a great place and has the stamp of approval from Alex and Abby!

The day before the carpet was installed.

Awesome Doggie...

When I was pregnant with Alex I was unsure how Clyde would do being pushed down the totem pole a notch, but he has done awesome! I couldn't have asked for a better dog for the kids. They clearly love him and vice versa. LOVE this picture, you can see the smile on Clyde's face. Too cute!

Can't turn your back for a second...

When I went to take a shower today the kids were in the bathroom with me and then they disappeared and I figured (hoped) they went to the playroom to play with their toys. Instead, Alex climbed over the gate into the office to get the markers and this is what I came out to...nice! Luckily, they were washable markers.

Marker on Abby's back

On the floor

Cancer SUCKS!!

An update on Clyde...we went to the vet this past weekend and they took another set of x-rays that were sent to a radiologist and it has been confirmed that Clyde has a tumor. The vet says we have a month or two of him being with us so we will be sure to spoil him rotten (like he hasn't been spoiled the past 10 years of his life while I have had him).

I ask myself "why"; why do we get so attached; why do we love them so much; why, why why, and as Clyde looks at me he is sure to tell me with his sweet brown eyes the answers. The love he has given us (especially me) is the answer. Who knew that when I walked into Petsmart on February 3, 2001 I would have received the gift of love, the gift of responsibility, the gift of daily walks, the gift of having someone else sleep next to me when I was single, watch over me and protect me. He will surely be missed and a part of my heart will always be with him.

Fun week...

We have had a fun filled week already and it is only Tuesday! Yesterday we went to see the play Snow White at the Derby Dinner Playhouse and then in the afternoon we went to the pool. Today we went bowling with a group of friends. It was Abby and Alex's first time and they had a blast. We had the bumpers up and the ramp for the ball so it would catch enough speed to make it to the end of the lane. Abby won with 84 points, Alex came in with 79 points, pretty good for first timers. Abby waiting patiently for her turn...love the shoes!

Alex watchig his ball go down the lane

Alex was acting silly with the remote control to his fire truck

All smiles!

Abby LOVES bubbles

Clyde and Alex going for a walk

Big Boy Bike....

I had purchased a "big boy" bike for Alex this past Fall thinking he would be excited about it, but all it did was collect dust in our garage. He had no interest in it at all, and especially none in wearing a helmet, so we let it sit. Then Spring came along and he still had no interest in it since he was content to ride on his big wheel with the neighborhood kids. Well, this past weekend he looked at it and then asked me to put his helmet on and he was off like a rocket. I was amazed, we ended up going for a walk with Clyde around the entire block. He gets super excited when he goes "really fast" (which makes me nervous), but he loves it, and now rides everyday. He has fallen off a couple times but he gets right back up and keeps pedaling. Everybody always says to not push children into doing things, that they will get it on their own terms, and it is true, we now have a bike rider, and a (semi) potty trained one at that!

Abby laughing

This is Abby's favorite shirt because it has "circles" on it. She is just too darn smart, she is starting to learn shapes and colors and is doing impressively well. Over the past couple weeks her vocabulary has really blossomed, it is hard to believe she is going to be 2 in August!