IMG_0840

Originally uploaded by Phisch

Boy, are we all tired! More photos here.

I got up really late. Please don’t ask me what time it was, the only sign was that the sun was glaring right at me. “Get up, lazy bones!” it seemed to be saying. It didn’t know that I was up really late finishing up some knitting, so I have an excuse.

Hubby made us all breakfast which was great. He’s been making eggs with bits of corn tortillas scrambled along with the cheese and I actually like them that way. Normally, I really, really don’t like eggs. But these were yummy!

We decided to go hiking around Town Lake instead of Barton Creek. It was pretty crowded, owing to the fact that we were hitting the tail end of the big triathlon of the year (a friend from church was in it). We were not taking part in the triathlon. Just in case you were wondering.

Our walk was wonderful. It wasn’t that hot at all and the crowds weren’t so bad that we were elbowing each other. J wasn’t too excited because he wanted to hike a different path. Eventually, he gave in and decided to enjoy himself. Sprocket was great, she was focused on the walk. I’m guessing this was due to the sheer number of people and dogs (too many to say hi to each one) and the large number of bicyclists (she’s really scared of those). Hubby threw her in the water twice to help her cool off and was paid with a scowl from a bystander. Oh well! She didn’t have a hot dog. Heh. J had gotten a blister so we had to head back. Hubby carried him half way back to the car on his shoulders. J didn’t like that to begin with, but it didn’t take him long to realize the benefits of that form of travel.

We went home then had lunch. After the food settled we went for a swim. Yep, “we”! I even went in (it took much prodding though). The kids had a blast. Never a question about that, though.

Hubby tried to fix the bbq but that thing decided to break on us. So steak was pan-fried but no less delicious. All in all a great day. We’re hoping most of our Saturdays this summer will be just as fun (and tiring)!

In spite of it all, and no doubt due to a prompting of the Holy Spirit, my NM apologized to me for taking so long with his work today. Awww! He also went through the process he planned to take with regards to his spelling words. He figures since we saw improvement last week, it stands to reason his method will help him with his spelling test again this week. Must make a mental note to remind him with some processes it’s two steps forward, one step back. Sometimes his expectations are pretty high and he’s easily crushed if he doesn’t meet them.

On the other hand, instead of going outside to kick the ball around while avoiding spelling (or math), NM decided to clean his room. I mean top-to-bottom clean and completely organized. He knows where every single one of his books is and has found that over half of his closet space is available. It’s amazing, I tell you! It looks gorgeous and he sure heard it from both of his parents.

J, today, made me beam. For some reason, this scripture has really stuck with him, verbatim:

“But I will send you the Comforter, the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about me.” Jn 15:26, New Living translation

He loves it! Normally he has to be prompted often but since yesterday, asked me if he could recite it all by himself without my help. On top of that, he put all of his shirts on hangers and put them in his closet. Did a little someone do some maturing, or what?

When he and I spent time at Barnes & Noble yesterday, I gave in and got him a little stuffed animal. I think we were both missing our mommy-and-me times at the bookstore, to be honest, so it was hard for me to resist. Well, he’s really attached to his baby llama and calls her Berry. I think it’s so cute that he has such a strong nurturing streak. He still wants to have a kitten or two (or ten). He would love it so much if he could cuddle Sprocket but she unfortunately doesn’t see him as her cuddler unless someone else is around to keep an eye on her.

Speaking of Sprocket: it’s really apparent that she’s a herder from nose to stub (sorry, she never had a tail). It took us a good long while, but we’ve come to realize that she calms down completely when the kids are put to bed. “Sheep are in their pens!” she must think, and she hardly moves at all when we go upstairs.

Dear Dog Whisperer, is this a dominance thing? Can you still call it a dominant behavior when the dog behaves according to the job they’ve been bred to do? And how do you get that to stop? It sure would be nice if we could play tag without her assuming that mom (it) is trying to corral the boys and she has to bark and nip at them to help me! If that behavior stopped I could overlook her getting aggressive with me when I’m outside or her trying to sneak stuffed animals out of J’s room!

Plum Spring Beret

Originally uploaded by Phisch

~ I have completed another hat and went on to another. I also finished the back of a sweater today and hope to cast on for the front right and left sides. Last time, I did them separately and I think I got two different gauges. Doing the sleeves at the same time did help, so I’m guessing it will help with the fronts, too.

~ I love being productive in this way. It’s so gratifying to have a finished product that you can hold. Digital stuff is fine and dandy, but I think my SIL is right, I tend to be more kinesthetic.

~ NM’s team won yesterday, 5 to 1! I was thinking at first that it helped that the wind was in their favor and maybe that worked for the first goal. But, really, the boys were in top form, working really hard at team play. They were rewarded with a great score and the first win of the season! So far: one lost, one won.

~ Our caterpillars are huge. I mean, huge in comparison to their original 1mm x 1 cm size. They’re now around 2.5mm x 3.5-4cm in size (just guesstimating…I’m not about to open up the container to look). It looks as if all five of the little guys made it and are growing faster than the proverbial weeds. Last Wednesday, it looked as if they trippled their size between when we checked them at breakfast then again at dinner time. J is wondering when the baby butterflies will grow up. The time when they sit in their pupae will get him really impatient!

~ Yes, my hubby made it home just fine on Friday night. On the trip to London when he had to sit in the worst seat—back row, between two other passengers, noisiest section—because he gave his up so a dad could sit with his son. This time, he got an entire row to himself so in spite of the -96F temps outside radiating cold inside, he slept with his three pillows and three blankets. He didn’t get to do much sightseeing though. He had planned for that on Sunday when he arrived but the hotel didn’t have him set up for early check in. By the time he made it to his room, he’d lost his steam. The rest of his days and nights were taken up by work and after-work functions. He did take the time for a few pictures, though. I’ll link to them when he lets me know what they are.

~ Due to jet lag, we missed out on the pot luck at church as well as the Zilker Kite Festival today. I did think that would be the case so I’m only somewhat disappointed. It is so bright and sunny but that’s deceiving…the wind is very chilly! These last few days have reminded me much more of SoCalif winter Santa Ana winds. Not fun!

~ After last Thursday’s knitting time when JC so generously pulled out her espresso maker and B so kindly made us all some cappuccinos, I got out our espresso maker and hubby made me some. Unfortunately, after at least seven years of being in storage, the gaskets in the machine have gotten bad and it leaks steam. I’m going to see if the cause is water deposits. I might run it with vinegar instead of water and see if that helps. What little we did get out of it tasted good, though.

~ I’ve been walking with a circular needle draped around my neck. It’s writing like this that’s really going to get this blog readership. Oh yeahhhh.

~ So, our pastor has been going through the book of Ephesians on Sunday mornings. I’ve been through that book a total of three times in different women’s groups (not counting the time I joined a women’s group nearing the end of the study or the “big church” study). I do love that book, it’s very RICH (get it? only if you’ve gone through it). However, I have never done an in-depth study of chapter five. Sad, isn’t it? That’s the “rubber meets the road” chapter for me since it deals heavily with both parenting and wife-ing. But for some reason I got sick or my kids did or something would prevent me from being at church for that one. This time, when we get closer, I’m going to make sure I’m prayed up.

~ NM gets to start a new math book soon! Wow. I think we’ll try drills for a bit for math facts first.

~ Sprocket is going on 9 months old! It shows. Since hubby has been gone, she’s mama’s girl and more importantly, she’s bonded with the boys. They have spent a couple of nights chasing each other back and forth (she’s eased up on how strongly she nips them). When I had the boys clean their rooms and shut their doors (keeps from distraction), she laid in front of their doors, patiently waiting for them to be done so they could play. Their play time does more to wear her—and the boys—out than a long walk!

Knitting mojo has disappeared. I tried to bring it back with another project but I left the needle hanging off my desk and puppeh chewed it into many little pieces. And then the mojo left me again.

Speaking of puppeh, the dog is firmly mama’s girl. I’ve said it before. I started watching Cesar Milan: the Dog Whisperer today. I wonder how much of what he says works. I do his “tsk” and tap at the dog but she bites back. I guess I have to do it more? Do it differently?

And what of a herding dog’s instincts? I remember from training our other dog that you walk and ignore the dog and make them pay attention to you by virtue of the length of the leash and your stride. But if a herding dog is kicked, the instict is to bite back the herded. Maybe the issue is still one of dominance and alpha position.

I caught hubby’s flu but I’m fighting it.

J caught it, I think, but he has tummy troubles. NM had tummy troubles today and he’s had a runny nose for a while. The nose thing could be because of going to bed with wet hair two nights in a row.

I won’t be going to bible study tomorrow night. It’s too easy to catch this bug.

The house ought to be decorated for Fall but I’m at a loss where to start. At our California house, we were decorated in Late Toddler style. Now we have slowly but surely adopted a “Who is the Lazy Librarian?” motif what with all the books piled all over. However:

Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading,
to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs,
is good for him. ~ Richard McKenna

Books do furnish a room. ~ Anthony Powell

Did I mention that J is reading? Yup! He’s reading three letter words with “a” and “i” in the middle. We’ll be working on the other three vowels soon, and he’s starting to catch on to Dolch words. “No” seems to be his favorite.

NM is back to spelling. We put it on hiatus for a good, long while and then he began to ask for it a while ago. We were working at writing a bit here and there and he really learned to miss it. I am going to try and figure out a way to remind him of spelling rules to be applied to phonetics because he still has trouble distinguishing between vowel sounds. It’s frustrating because as soon as he sees it on paper, he knows what he wrote is wrong. It’s hard but the Lord is going to use it to better him (or I).

Last Friday, during the homeschool group’s park day, they held a clothing/books/toys swap. I did get rid of quite a few clothes of mine and J’s that were no longer worn or were too small but still servicable. I found a denim button down shirt that I will cut up for fabric. I also got J a few books at NM a Star Wars book.

In spite of colds bothering them, the boys are so good about their studies lately. We’ve re-started our habit of daily writing down our prayer requests. Perhaps making them concrete like that helps. They have two consistent requests: that they finish quickly and that they have good attitudes. I ask that for myself, too, and make sure they know I do.

Town Lake Trail View

More photos here for you to oggle.

“Labors” of course, being an exaggeration at least for the adults. The boys and the dog? They were tired. No, make that one boy and the dog. NM says he wasn’t tired but was bored.

We tried to make it out by 9 am before it got too hot and we were only a half hour late and it wasn’t so bad. J was tired so he was dragging his feet (he was up late last night). Sprocket was beside herself and couldn’t get in the truck fast enough. At some point on the way there, she managed to find a playing card to chew on. The card did something to her and she started getting upset and barking at it, refusing to go anywhere near it! I wish I knew what that  something was so I could figure out how to keep her from biting my ankles without resorting to a leash!

Well, the walk was fun as usual and we got the usual number of folks commenting on how cute our dog was. It’s just like the vet said, we’d get lots of people asking what sort of breed she is, where did we get her, how old is she, etc. But you know what? At some point we met a 6-week old malamute. That dog had cute in spades. I used to think golden retriever puppies were the cutest but I think the malamute beats it. The people who owned that puppy also had a small dog that kept barking at Sprocket. It turns out she only wanted to meet her.

On the way back, we hear a gaggle of geese causing a ruckus on Barton Creek. I guess they were upset at the kayakers. Those guys can get territorial and I imagine they were upset that the place they picked to hang out was overrun with—gasp!—other things in the water. One goose decided to break from the rest of the crowd. No doubt the local waterfowl know about the kids that hang out and feed the birds. Well, this particular goose decided if the food wasn’t forthcoming, he was going to seek it out so he went hiking on the trail, too. Or, as one little girl I overheard put it, “Mommy, it’s jogging!” Hehe. I got it on video. I even got a couple of folks who tried to catch it and convince it to go back in the water.

The boys and the dog were spent after that and the two youngest members of our crew spent a long time napping.

^_^

The day wasn’t over, of course. It’s Labor Day and I’m sure somewhere there’s a rule or something about eating ice cream on Labor Day. If there isn’t, I’m establishing it right now: you have to eat ice cream on Labor Day and it better be good ice cream.

We headed out to Amy’s Ice Creams and I have to tell you what we had because it was soooo good. J had the usual Mexican Vanilla, NM had sweet cream and Mexican Vanilla, I had biscotti and moccachino, hubby had a turtle which is Mexican Vanilla and Pecan Praline with fudge on top. So good! Mine even had those ice crystals that are a sign of home made. I love the stuff.

Right now, the boys are playing Castle Crashers on the Xbox. It’s actually kinda cute because the graphics are so different and the music is neat. “It’s so cute!” J says. Hubby wanted me to play but I am sitting this one out because NM’s at the age where he wants “my dad and I” kinds of activities. J is happy enough to watch them play which is really neat.

^_^

Did you have a nice labor day? I hope so!

MVI_7558

Originally uploaded by Phisch

Along with learning to master climbing up stairs, she’s climbing up furniture. In this case, it was by accident. Serves her right for trying to herd children who climb furniture!

Funny thing is, she absolutely refuses to go down. I think she has a fear of heights. The first time she went up the stairs, she stopped about three steps up and looked down and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to go up further.

Watch: in a while, I’ll probably post about the first time she jumps onto the bench at the dinner table to snag someone’s steak.

Lola or Grandpa or Nana, if you read this you can see more videos here.

NM is working on multiplication tables. The concept is solid in his mind but the facts are harder to master. I got a set of flash cards that we can work with and we’re starting with the obvious ones and we’ll just play War with the cards and slowly add ones he’s not familiar with and eventually it will work out. I do try to put myself in his shoes and remember how terrified I was of math at this point. He’s not terrified, just frustrated when the answers don’t come so quickly.

We’re not sure what we’re doing tomorrow. Hubby is going to the monthly men’s breakfast and I think we’ll drop him off instead of letting him take the car so that we can run errands. I’ve tried several times this week to go to the local yarn shop to see if I like a certain yarn but no luck. We also have to get NM’s bike tuned up (it may need a new inner tube, too) and then go to the hardware store to buy painter’s tape. Yep, nigh a year and still NM’s room isn’t started. I need to pick out a white that will look nice with his choice of blue lava from last year. I suspect he’ll still like it; it’s not that far from Adidas’ blue. I plan to paint the bottom half of the room that blue, the top and ceilings white and then have three blue stripes serve as a border, a la Adidas. I’ll look for soccer decals and blow up a photo of him in his uniform, maybe, to put on the walls. Then I told him we could try and collect flags from countries with FIFA teams.

And the weather? Too wonderful the last few days. We’ve had nice, warm rain and the boys played in it along with Sprocket. I had to buy her a new leash recently and life is back to normal for her (she’s more controlled with the leash, it’s like magic). I took video of NM walking her around the living room. He’s doing his best to be a part of her training and it’s so cute to watch him at work. Sprocket just follows along, looking up at him every once in a while, no doubt remembering that little bit of cheese that he gave her a few minutes before. He has such a sweet heart.

*sigh*

These moments won’t last and I am so frustrated by my lack of attention to them lately.

If interested, more photos here.

Busy Saturdays are the best because they make the weekends seem so much longer than they really are. Don’t you think?

This morning, the boys left me at church at the bright and early hour of 8 a.m. I volunteered to help make curtains to put up so that we can hide the supply cabinets on either side of the podium area (feels odd to call it a stage for some reason, though that is what it is). That was kind of fun and the breakfast taco and Krispy Kreme donut didn’t hurt. I remembered I don’t like Krispy Kreme coffee though. Technically, I don’t like KK coffee half an hour after brewing because just out of the machine it’s ok. That is a very short time period for “ok” though.

While I was gone, hubby took the boys and—for the first time evah—Sprocket for a hike at Town Lake/Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trails. Yay for second set of shots!* Apparently, she had a blast. She did have a hard time not chasing the boys and heeling but still did ok. Hubby told me she did bark at some dog for a reason that was apparent to no one but her (and maybe that dog).

At close to lunch, they picked me up, we went home and all had lunch and well-deserved naps. Did I say nap? I crashed, dead to the world. Took forever to get up, but get up I did and we all got ready to go swimming. Yes, it was overcast but that’s ok, it was still hot enough to swim. Only we didn’t because the pool was closed again. Was it the bad bacteria from Houston? Was it the threatening cloud cover? Bah. That’s all they do is threaten. Lightning, thunder, grey clouds. But rain? I wish! These clouds lately are all threat and no follow through. No pool either way.

Zilker park again? Sure! I get to go this time. We went for a longer hike than the one they took this morning and the puppy did so well. The boys were a little cranky because they were hungry by now and the promise of a dinner at Chipotle was hard to wait for. Troopers that they are, they walked and it was for quite a while. Sprocket was going at it, too.

At the place we determined was our half way point, I stopped to take photos of a flock of swans that people were feeding. Nearby, we watched two canoes full of what can only be described at college students who have taken the liberty of imbibing in fluids that can affect one’s motor skills. One canoe had rammed another and the rammed was capsized. The rammers stayed to help their friends (with friends like these…yada, yada, yada).

As they got close, they asked me “does it look like we sprung a leak?” Just a little one. The smell of the special fluid was very present; I didn’t need to see the cans still floating in the water. College students, end of summer…fill in the blanks. NM wanted to know the why but J just watched curiously, perhaps knowing better than to ask or just worried that it could happen to him since we were just talking about maybe getting a kayak and doing the same thing. Only with out the part about falling in the water.

We had our dinner and went home. You know how we know that the puppy had fun? She cried when we took her out of the car. It could be that or that she really had to, you know, go, because she did only not in the car. When hubby tried to get her from outside where she was fast asleep to bring her in, she cried again as if to complain about having to get up (“c’mon, girl, it’s gonna rain buckets”).

^_^

So, the boys and I took Sprocket to the vet for her second set of shots. Again, she did very well in spite of being “more aware” of what’s going on as the vet put it. She got three shots and he forgot that he wasn’t supposed to give her topical anti-flea stuff so he had to wash it off. I commented on her biting and he said not to worry, that’s still just puppy stuff. I was glad the boys heard that because, as I told the vet, the biting was kind of hard for the boys to deal with. She’s mellowing out, though. He also mentioned that he thought our training collar (nylon kind, not a chain!) was a little early for her and he was surprised to hear that she took to it so well so soon. He said he hardly ever heard of a dog so young being completely leash trained. He was also surprised to see her sit so well and hear that she “goes” on command and—as long as hubby or I are around—will mostly go in our designated dog run. He said she has to be pretty smart and we like to think so, too. The vet was right about people stopping to look at her, too. We had someone ask if she were a corgi and went on to wax sentimental about one she saw at the pound way back when. Awww.

Sprocket smiles

A little update on the cute puppeh:

This little girl is smart as can be. We got her a training collar and it only took a couple of minutes to get her to do what she need to do (watch the person walking her and pay attention to their feet).

I took her for her first walk to the mailbox just now and had absolutely no problems with her. She is master of the heel command and never had to be taught not to walk ahead of me.

She is feisty and nippy, but I can tell she’s mellowing out, at least with me. She’s about 60% compliant when I tell her “no” if she nips at me. She’ll stop, look at me then lick my feet to see if that’s ok.

The neighborhood boy dogs love her. Besides Molly across the street, she’s the only girl and she loves to play. She doesn’t enjoy the amorous TJ’s overtures much, but she’ll just lay on the ground and keep her belly hidden in the grass when she’s done with him.

Sprocket gets her second set of shots on Friday. On Saturday morning, the boys will take her for a walk at Lake Lady Bird hike and bike trail. That will be hard; she’s a puppy and that place is usually full of dogs being walked. She will have to learn to resist the urge to say hi and play with everyone or they’ll never get anywhere.

She’s enjoying a soup bone with lots of meat on it as a treat for being so good on our walk. But she hates her kibble. We changed it to the Costco brand since it has no corn in it.