another weekend in the books

On Saturday I did one of my favorite things, in one of my favorite places. 

September, I think, is one of the best times to ride horse in ND.

While mom and I rode, Aaron spent time at my grandparents farm. He loves looking at old equipment and different tools so I think he had an enjoyable morning as well.

While in southeast ND we also attended the wedding of one of my best friends from high school. As we were sitting in the church, I thought, "where did the time go?" It seems like just yesterday Amy and I were in high school...

Anyways, now I think our weekends will kind of settle down. It feels like we've had something going on every weekend since...July?!

"Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat." - Laura Ingalls Wilder

The eviction was eminent. We love them but knew we did not want them in the house anymore. The smell downstairs and the hair around the house. The sitting on the table, the drinking out of our glasses, the licking my toothbrush...
Our two kitkits have a new home in our backyard. I really am impressed by my hubby's handiwork for our two cats. Eventually they'll be able to go in and out of the house via the cat door but for now they are locked inside. Ruger's future little place is beneath their "upstairs".

the dog/cat/garden house

looking out their window to the south

their upstairs, with the kitkit's looking downstairs

the downstairs - a piece of osb is currently blocking the cat door in this picture

TGIF

Thank Goodness It's Friday!

My desk at the school looks like someone threw up all over it.

And by that I mean threw up papers, sharpies, assessments, stickers, permission forms, unit file folders...

And then this afternoon while we were making scarecrows one little boy thought it would be fun to glue his shirt together. And then try to glue pieces of yarn to his upper lip.

Then, I came home from school, let Wylee out (our in-law's dog that we are baby sitting) and Ruger would NOT stop pestering the poor Bichon. Wylee finally figured out that to get away from our pup, he can fit through the small cat door in the garden shed. 

Our "little" 6 month old (6 months old tomorrow!) cannot squeeze in, no matter how hard he tries. First he'll try getting in with his head and right front foot, and then his head and left front foot, and then frustration kicks in and he just tries to push his way in. I can imagine Wylee in the shed, just out of reach of Rue, happily panting away.

maplewood state park

I love these mother-daughter horseback trips. 

Nothing quite like spending the day outside, with no bugs, and a temperature in the 70's.

Oh, and enjoying a big piece of pie at the Cornfield Cafe after!

By the way, did our trailer shrink?! We were just finishing up our lunch when we heard a loud diesel engine turning into the park. It wasn't long before we saw a big semi truck hauling a huge horse trailer and we thought for sure they would park at a campsite and stay awhile, but, they ended up pulling next to us, in the day parking! I had to snap picture. I find our trailer cute! :)

Just a quick note...

We are so excited to announce that at the end of May our fur baby will arrive! He (along with 3 other brothers and 6 sisters) was born yesterday. I've only been waiting for...1.5 years! I think I've got the name picked out, with the help of Aaron, but I'll let that be a surprise. :) The pictures below are the parents of our new little guy.
The breeder that we are getting him from is awesome at updating with pictures so as we get them, I'll be posting them!

Since I've started teaching I've found it hard to say no when a student of mine is selling something! So we've gotten girl scout cookies, a Christmas wreath, magazines, and most recently Texas Roadhouse buns. I was proud of myself, though, I did say no to Butter Braids!

But anyways, today I was flipping through the Horse & Rider magazine that just arrived and I found a section that made me grin. Mostly because it is so relatable considering one of the horses we have - Rio. The title of the page was "Yup, My Horse Spooked at..." and here were some of the replies...

- "An Insect. Sam jumped sideways at a barrel with a "what the heck was that?" look. Peering closer, I saw a ladybug walking across the barrel's top."

- "Urine. It was a puddle of my mare's own pee, which she'd put there a minute earlier."

- "A Tiny Flag. My mare spooked at an American flag in a flowerpot."

- "A 'Pop'. After a relaxing ride, Dusty abruptly passed gas, scaring himself silly and almost jumping out from under me."

- "His Own Face. Mickey, my laid-back Appaloosa gelding, spooked at his own reflection in the water tank."

Horses and their personalities can be so funny. Makes me miss my boy, Tobey, and his side kick Rio. Looking forward to summer and horseback riding!

building my immunity

I had just finished brushing my teeth and was crawling into bed when Aaron looked over at me, with a puzzled expression, and asked "what's that noise?" I froze, listening, and sure enough, there was a slight scraping/tinkling sound. I quickly turned on my phone's flashlight and scanned the room, not catching anything. I then scanned the bathroom and that's when I saw her, the culprit. Thea was sitting contentedly on the vanity, licking ferociously at my just used tooth brush.
"Oh that's a little bit nasty," Aaron commented before I yelled "THEA!"
She quickly hopped down and scurried out of our room. We're not sure if that was the first time she has done that but we are kind of guessing it's not. I guess some extra cat germs are good for immunity, right?
**Extension to this post: Last night Aaron gave me the last Oreo. I put it on my night stand because I wasn't really hungry for it. Well, just now I decided to head in there to eat it - my mouth watering slightly because I haven't had breakfast yet and that chocolate cream filled cookie would really taste good. This, below, is what I find. Thanks, cats. {I guess to look on the bright side, the cats prevented me from eating chocolate for breakfast..!}

A few posts back I made the announcements that a German Shepherd puppy would be joining our family this spring! I found out today it may be sooner than we expected. A litter is due in February, which means the puppy would be making its appearance in our home in March. (If all goes as planned.)
I've missed having a dog around - and I am getting so excited! Here are the parents!

On a side note, I rearranged our furniture again today. There's just something about rearranged furniture that makes the room seem fresh and clean. (Maybe because I was able to clean behind the piano for the first time since it was moved in. Yikes!)
Aaron had weekend duty at the plant, so I appreciated the fact that our flooring is old, and I was able to heave and ho the piano around on my own without worrying too much about scratching the floor.

So for my family, that I wish could just drop in for the afternoon to see it, here is the arrangement for the month of December!

life lately

It must be the weekend - I have time to blog!

One thing I've learned since I started teaching is even when you aren't there (as in your classroom with your kids) your mind is pretty much always there. I couldn't fall asleep the other night because I was thinking of one of my boys and why it's just not clicking with him. Aaron told me, "just shut your brain off for the night!" I wish I could! Now, as I sit here on Saturday and take a deep breath because there is no school on Monday and Tuesday (hooray!), I'm thinking about a few bulletin boards I can switch up and what in the world I can do with that ugly corner by the sink.

Aside from that, currently:
+ I am looking forward to a visit from my mom and step-dad this Saturday/Sunday/Monday!
+ Christmas music is being played in full force now. (Well, when hubby's not around. Did you know he doesn't care much for Christmas music?)
+ I still wish it would snow...and it looks like my wish might come true! Some winter weather is supposed to be hitting this Sunday night. Maybe my parents will get snowed in here?! ;)
+ Right before the picture below was taken, G&T were running full speed from one end of our house to the other. Why are cats so weird sometimes? I walked out of our bedroom to find the rugs in our living room all pushed up against the wall. Apparently the rugs help slow their speed and prevent them from running into the wall/piano. Anyways, here's a picture of our felines, exhausted from their strenuous exercise.

Kiah

miciaha

With the announcement yesterday of our arriving puppy in the spring, I can't help but think back to my puppy I got summer of my freshman year in high school.

Kizer will always hold that special place in my heart that I don't think can ever be replaced. 

As a puppy, we carried her around the house like a baby. She was just too much of a darling not to!

I attended dog obedience with her, and even showed her in the Sportsman's Show at the Fargo Dome. She did pretty good! 

I've thought about bringing her here and not getting a puppy quite yet. But then she's always been a house dog in the winters and I would feel bad moving her out to a kennel. Aaron doesn't want a house dog. 

I also know she has a wonderful life in the country with Kolby at my parents'. She can go swimming in the lake (she loves swimming), spend time down at the barn scavenging through the horse pasture, go for walks with mom, and chase chipmunks. (Sorry Will!)

Lastly, even though I love her so dearly much, Aaron doesn't have that attachment. I would like a dog that could be "ours" and not just "mine". 

So Miciaha, if you could read, know that you could never, ever be replaced and I will always look forward to coming "home" and being greeted by your wagging tail and lip that smiles when you get excited! 

have you heard?

Aaron and I are excited to announce some news! 

Our family will be expanding by one this spring of 2015. 

We will be parents to a fur baby boy - in particular a German Shepherd puppy!

The little guy will be coming from a breeder in western North Dakota sometime in April-May.

And you can be sure this blog (and instagram and facebook) will explode with pictures of him!

{We kept a plant alive...so now we're trying for a puppy...and then after that...ha! jk}

maplewood state park

My August 6th was spent riding horse with my mom in the hills and trees of Maplewood State Park. Besides the fact that I could barely get my foot up into the stirrup {uff}, it was a great day!

 A few months back I remember having a conversation with my eldest sister about when you're not able to do something for awhile, it makes you appreciate it even more when you are able to do it again. She was talking about when she was pregnant with her son and not able to run - but - I could say the same for horseback riding. 

Our boys, Tobey and Rio, both have their little quirks. For some reason Tobey thinks he's a bloodhound. If I don't bring his head up, he'll keep his head down close to the ground, sniffing the trail the whole way. Today he also felt the need to not want to walk in the path but beside it. Oh well. And Rio, he can be as slow as molasses one minute and then get into his crow-hopping mood the next. Thankfully he wasn't in his little "mood" when mom's rein broke!

There was no bolting, no horse freak-outs while tied to the trailer, no waiting outside the trailer for 2.5 hours because a horse wouldn't load, no bucking, no leading a horse across mud because they wouldn't go themselves, no rolling... {yes, all this has happened before and more...}

It was just pleasurable, enjoying the scenery, horseback riding. Our two boys, Rio and Tobey, are keepers. 

Cat Toys...and What I've Learned

A few days after we picked up our then-kittens, I traveled to the local store and picked up some fun looking cat toys. I got a two pack of fabric mice that smelled like cat nip as well as a couple furry balls that supposedly prevented cat boredom. I was going to be the best cat mom ever.
When I got them home, I hurriedly ripped off the wrappers, threw them to George and Thea, and excitedly waited for them began their pouncing and playing.
They only reaction I got from them was a sniff and paw swat. Seriously? I thought to myself. I tried throwing the toys away from them, hoping they would run after them, but the cats just watched the toys with a look of boredom. Seriously? I could almost hear them saying to me.
Now, after seven months of being cat owners, here a few "toys" that they LOVE. Seriously, no need to go out and buy cat toys...the things at home work miraculously. Here are the top four cat toys in our house.

George's Morning

George's morning, if he could type...

Ferociously chased a red laser dot around the house,

tumbled, sprinted, jumped, and played with sis,

chewed on a phone charger cord,

jumped on the table - made mom yell and threaten to get the spray bottle,

sharpened my claws on the couch,

and was told we would be getting a new home soon. Sis would rather use the shower and floor as her bathroom location rather than the litter box. 

New home you may ask? At Grandma and Grandpa B's farm.

With trees to climb, mice to catch, dogs to tease, and hay to sleep in.

But now, I shall cuddle with mom and make it even harder for her to say g'bye to us.

End of May #2

Today I spent the afternoon kayaking. It felt awesome to work my arm muscles. It also was nice being able to kayak along at my own pace - taking in the scenery and getting my tan on!
When I arrived back at shore, the horses greeted me. I couldn't help splash around in the lake with them (or rather Toby, Rio's not as much of a fan of the water) for a bit.

End of May

I always feel more active when I'm at my parents in the country. 

I blame my inactivity at home to living in town. 

Goal #1: Don't use that as an excuse!

There are always lots more to take pictures of when I'm at my parents.

The dogs, horses, lake, flowers are sure good subjects to shoot!

Goal #2: Take more pictures. Become more of a photographer.

Everything has sure greened up since I was here last - definitely feels like summer!

Kiah & Kolby

My companions on this beautiful evening.

a con of owning cats

Three days ago our feline family members went to the vet to have surgery. Reason? So that this spring we would still have only two kitties and not 6...or 8...or 10....
They had to spend the night at the vet's, so two days ago when I came home, it was strange opening the basement door and not seeing two bubbly, happy, attention wanting kitties bounding up to greet me.
And as often as they have gotten on our nerves, Aaron and I found that we were missing them.
"I wonder how Georgie is doing," Aaron mentioned a few times as we were laying in bed. And then as I was leaving the school to pick them up, I got a call from Aaron, "Call me right after you pick the little bundles up." He told me.  I think my hubby is more attached to them than I am!
I picked them up on Thursday and when Aaron got home, I discovered he had stopped at the store and had bought 10 cans of cat food. He gave them one....and just because he felt bad they had had surgery, two hours later (against my suggestions) he gave them another.
We decided to allow them to sleep upstairs that night, because again, we felt bad they had surgery and downstairs we don't have a couch or chair for them to sleep on.
Bad Idea!
I opened our bedroom door the next morning and the nauseating smell of cat poo wafted into my nose. I followed the smell to none other than Aaron's spring coat. Needless to say, Aaron was not a happy camper when he discovered there was vomit and/or diarrhea on his good coat. As I was getting dressed, Aaron walked into the kitchen and I heard,
"GEORGE GIT OUT OF HERE! THEY POOPED IN THE KITCHEN!" He bellowed. I then heard him slam the door to downstairs and he came stomping into our bedroom.
"I can't handle this. I want to throw up. If this happens again we are getting rid of them." He threatened.
I think we both knew that was an empty threat. Through the good and the bad, I think the cats have a forever home with us.
Although the forever home may be in the garage come summer.