Sun and fun

After Maizy met a new friend on Friday-- Peppe-- Pat's new teacup Chiquia we headed down to celebrate Mike C's birthday at the lake... after weeks of 90 plus degree weather we couldn't have asked for a better weekend.. mid 80's warm and bright but not suffocating.... lots of laughs while floating around the lake... we weren't sure how Maizy would take to the heat and the water but she hung in there like a champAnd because just lounging is never enough take a look at what Uncle Mike can do... yea he's got skills any 20 year old would love to possess....

There was a time that I thought that was something I would want to learn.... but now I am very content watching someone else getting dragged through the water.... as we all quickly learned the getting up in the air wasn't much of problem it was the landing that quickly reminded him that he wasn't 20 anymore... and meet Harley-- another new friend for Maizy... our biggest concern was weather Harley would sit on Maizy-- he's one biggggggggg golden... but lucky for Maizy he has the same temperament as Cooper.

And yes even with all the time in the water we did find time for restin' and relaxing and even a nap...

Items of note

• Maizy completed class number 2-- and this time she was alittle more inquisitive of the other puppies around her.. so much so that her teacher had to tell her it was not play time.... she did master Sit quickly... and since we really have no leash pulling issues we aced that part.. We will continue to do the lessons this week because while today she's got it I know that at any moment her being a puppy can overtake any learned behavior. The hardest part is the human learning factor... using the correct words for the correct situations... OFF instead of down... not saying sit but using the hand command and not saying NO but instead saying ehh ehh-- I do take issue with the whole coming home thing though... the teacher says you should teach your dog to sit calmly as you walk in the door.... seriously the only reason I want a dog is so I get the "Madison greeting" when I come home-- I want a wiggly butt and squeals of delight...


• Furbee and Mr. Wiggles still are not living in harmony... For whatever reason Mr. Wiggles runs and hides whenever Furbee is in the room. And then hisses growls and is obnoxious (all while hiding). I can't say that I have seen Furbee do anything wrong other than just follow Mr. Wiggles... but because of this Mr. Wiggles spends alot of time outside.. not wanting to come in... On the other hand Maizy seems to have won over Furbee and while there is still alittle hissing for the most part I think a nice friendship has formed.

• And Amanda has once again become the favored child this week in her fathers eyes.... We got happy mail yesterday from Virginia Tech.... Nothing makes a father happier than getting "his" deans list certificate
  not sure how she will continue to stay in Daddys good graces now that school is out.... but boy does he like having something to put on the refrigerator....
  

Sometimes it seems that the only thing that ever gets done but never really gets done is wedding planning... for an event that is 8-- hmm 7 months away it seems to take up alot of my thinking time.... of course it doesn't help that our newest employee at work is busy working on her daughters October wedding... or that my friend Leah is posting beautiful pictures on her blog of her recent wedding...
Been very busy working on wedding invitation designs... trying to find the perfect color... and yes thats important... just ask the bride... haha

Amanda did have a birthday

I totally forgot to share Amanda's birthday party pictures.... Corey did such a great job planning a surprise party for -- got her favorite gal pals to drive all the way to Gainsville to help celebrate her birthday---

oh course there was dancing involved....

And singing and of course cute puppies

Gardening gone to the dogs

So Maizy really like playing in the garden... at a frantic pace she races in and out of the flowers, giving no thought to what she is stepping on.... for the most part its kinda cute.. and it keeps her occupied while we are working in the yard... Madison used like like hanging in the garden too-- and bonnie has been known to each the petals off my flowers... but I think Maizy has taken playing in the garden to an all time new record... why romp or chomp when you can just climb right in the pot???

First day of school-- Maizy style

So Maizy completed her first Day of school... Puppy school that is... and we all survived... of course before leaving for school I asked Mike he wanted to go... his response was "Do I need to go?" hmmm no you don't need to... " Do you want me to go?" hmmm if you want to... so in reality I was thinking yea you need to go because what if I can't handle all these other dogs around my baby... and yes I want you to go incase Maizy decides to embarass me by attacking these dogs I need someone who knows she can be sweet.....

So we all head off to the local Petsmart... so far so good right? Happy little family.... now once we get there I was alittle apprehensive about actually taking Maizy and having all four paws on the floor but her teacher assured me she would get much more out of the class if she was infact on the floor.... (smile) so I put her down...

First we should go back to where we walk into the classroom.... I quickly surveyed our competition whoops I mean our fellow students... alittle teacup terrier... another pug (black) and beagle, two shitzu's and two Mastiffs......insert record scratching sound here.... MASTIFFS-- just in case you are not familar with a Mastiff... please see picture

yea... now to be accurate all the dogs in class are about 3 1/2- 4 months old... so these mastiffs are puppies too... and not full grown like the picture... but they are almost Cooper size... whoaaaaaaa--- but being the good mother I put my puppy down... because well because I was told to... and being the fiesty toe chewing, big dog loving puggy she is-- what does she do? she promptly hides behind/under the little classroom stools... and shakes uncontrollably... Mike and I look at each other and frankly laugh out loud... this was not the response we expected from our little Maizy-- afterall just last weekend she was hanging with the big boys...

and despite Bonnie showing her biggirl teeth every day she always goes back for more...

Her teacher assures us that coming to puppy class will be her favorite day of the week... and that her classmates will become her pack... her family... but for the hour we were in class we literally had to peel her away from the wall... she did eventually participate but with fear in her eyes....

I guess we will see what happens next week... for now we do our homework every day.... Maizy look at me..... ohh yea and there are treats involved...

I can't help but think this is not the first shy child I have raised... who behaved like a wild woman at home and hide under my skirt in the real world.....and she turned out ok right????

Its been a long week... and its only Thursday.
Did I mention our TV went out?? one step forward and two steps back....Mike and I moved a tiny tv into the family room its almost comical to sit infront of it and try and watch tv...

Miss Maizy got her last shot yesterday... rabies... and we even got her a county tag.. I know I know... look at us conforming-- but the tag is so big and she is so little I just couldn't put it on her.

Christopher had another interview this week... unfortunately they don't pay well enough.. so he will keep up the drugery of sending out resumes... the perfect job is out there...

I got a load of pictures printed and they are still sitting on the counter in the box waiting for me to sit still long enough to look at them.... sad I know...

Did I mention how darn tired I am? and funny that always seems to coincide with the house being a disaster... I think I need a vacation just to put things back in order... either that or a cleaning fairy...
Counting down the days til sleepin day...hmmm I forgot we don't do that anymore since Maizy can't read a clock...

What did you do this weekend?

Seriously this was one exhausting weekend... But we got sooo much done! Friday night Corey threw Amanda a surprise birthday party! And arranged to have her best girlfriends from college come visit for the night! Besides lots of eating, drinking and dancing he even made sure they could have a slumber party when the night was over... He apparently arranged for them to take over his room for the night while he bunked on the couch.. such a good guy! and he was so nervous all week that he wouldn't be able to pull it off!

But the weekend only got better from there! Amanda and Corey had their engagement pictures early Saturday morning at Meadowlark Gardens. (Keeping our fingers crossed that the photographer caught how cute the two of them really are!) and then it was time for Amanda and I to go to the bridal store one final time.... and this time was the charm! This was the third time she had tried on "her" dress and it truly was her dress this time!!! after some serious measurements the dress has been ordered... and to top it off her measurements were seriously down from the last time the measured her which always makes a bride happy-- all those long hours in the gym and dieting are paying off way more in inches then they are in pounds! and that is what counts right?

And when your totally exhausted that's the best time to swing by a church right???? Friday Mike had run by our local church (Woodbine Baptist Church) to pick up wedding info... and you know Mike-- he ended up speaking with Pastor Gene and getting the whole tour-- so it became clear pretty quick that we needed to see for ourselves---- Its days like that when you know there is a higher power looking over you-- Amanda fell in love with the church and the pastor! He was just as excited as we were about the wedding and we knew right then and there it was meant to be. Its so easy to get lost in the wedding planning--- but we have been trying so hard to keep personal connections our focus.. so there is meaning behind the madness-- Woodbine fits that bill-- Amanda went to preschool there-- yes it was a long time ago-- but it was an important part of growing up... she met one her bestest buddies there --Robert-- who even took her to homecoming senior year... and with Corey's Uncle Wayne officiating the service it ties it all up nicely in a bow...

Stained glass-- wooden pews-- exposed beams-- LARGE alter-- balcony seating-- little white church with a steeple--- Check check check... its perfect!!

So what have you scrapbooked lately?

I am embarrassed to say how long its been since I have played with my paper and glue... between weddings and puppies there doesn't seem to be alot of me time.. but tonight it was come hell or highwater the glue was coming out!! And I present alittle circa 2006 fun... My girl Madison while vacationing without her mom...

smile

Its not easy taking pictures... some say children are the worst... but hmmm families might rank right up there.... Everybody smile!

Look at me!

Madison-- Jealous??? Maizy got herself a fineeeee looking ladybug harness...

table update

So in between other things last weekend Mike sanded the dining room table-- and gave it a heavy coat of Teak oil. This table was a formal table in my parents house for years and then came to my house where it became the only dining table we had... so it has seen its share of everyday meal, science fair projects, easter egg dying and few games of beer pong too. Needless to say it was looking overloved-- I didn't want Mike to sand it down too far as I kinda like the history that the scratches tell... but I did want a more uniform color... Its perfect... ready for a few more years of family meals and yes even a few more projects.

I need a wife

So after loosing a handbook that goes with Mikes Grill after having it on the desk, Spending way too much time going through the filing cabinet thinking that maybe I put it back, loosing an expense check only to find it the next day on my desk at work I have come to the realization that I could use a wife... you know that perfect someone who always knows where I left stuff... that files the stuff away properly and just gets the jobs done that no one else thinks about. I spend way too much time doing the mundane and there never seems to be time to do what I really want to be doing....

I bet there are people you could hire to do the job of a wife... seriously people who excel at keeping track of every detail or everything you own... and I bet they could clean and do laundry too. Not a job that I can imagine anyone would want.... but I just know someone out there must be doing it...

BBQ

Had a great family BBQ -- but I am beginning to think there is a jinx on... right after dinner it rained again-- you know the kind Thunder-- lightening the skys opening up.. alittle reminiscent of my birthday-- although this time without the zoo ( dogs).

Steps

Guess who learned to go up the stairs?? Yup this little bit of sweetness followed me up the stairs last night... our life as we know it is now officially over! The good news? she hasn't attempted the going down... but its all a matter of time.
Despite our stern words that the cats are not play toys Maizy has a great affection for them both and has found that those tails waiving in the wind are just too much fun to ignore... And Miss Bonnies Tail?? try as she may Bonnie is not going to let her get near it. Bonnies stern bark is enough for Maizy to back off for just enough time for Bonnie to turn her big ol self around and show Maizy who the boss is....
Today our mission is to go sign up for much needed puppy classes.... and get the basement organized with all the new additions to the house (aka Christophers household goods).

Its a blur I think I want to remember

The last five days are a blur-- and it wasn't until I got home and uploaded my pictures did I realize the rollercoaster ride it has been. By the time I got home last night I had forgotten that we had spent the 4th of July down at the lake together with friends.

And for the most part I thought I would be ok with not remembering most of the last few days. I have wonderful family memories to rely on but when I looked at my photos I realized there were definitely moments that I don't want to forget. Meeting Leela-- Is this not the most beautiful baby you have ever seen? And like all Jackson women when shes happy she's really happy and when shes not..... Well she is a Jackson girl.

And then when we were all so tired and probably should have gone back to the hotel to eat and nap Mike insisted that we all go up to Uncle Jacks farm-- Nothing funnier than seeing a caravan of 6 cars driving up the side of the mountain!! and of course there were a few U-turns involved-- we always travel in style.

And when 19 people descend upon your home the best thing to do is keep them outside! Pam had mentioned a hike earlier in the day-- and she quickly convinced us all once we saw the breathtaking scenery-- She led us all up the mountain to a beautiful pond. . Even Maizy made it... running the whole way... those little legs moving faster than we knew were possible.
(my favorite picture-- we are a force)

I can't imagine spending the last few days with anyone other than our family. Say what you will-- when people talk about good folks these are the people they are talking about.

Phil

If you could put in a special order for a Father-in-law, this is the man you would request.

Funny - Check

Always got a story to tell- Check

Always there to help...day or night--Check

Knows every driving short cut-- Check

Always up for an adventure--Check

You might want to touch me

I have this long list of blogs that I read every morning-- cup of coffee and a few blogs... it is a nice way to start the day... sure there are probably more important things I should be reading...the washington post... the New York Times... but nooo I like my blogs and seriously if there is anything important happening in the world one of those blogs will probably have it on there anyway....

And the thing about alot of these blogs they are written to pimp their business or their advertisers so many times they have give aways.. And as the sucker that I am I always throw my name in the hat.... well yesterday I found out that I had WON on the Wedding Chic's blog.

And today I find out that I won on Kelli Crowe's Blog

So I am thinking today might be the day for me to buy a lottery ticket!!! or place a bet somewhere!! I am feeling LUCKYYYYYY!!!

Its 3am what are you doing?

So I got exactly one hour and 10 minutes of sleep... Despite keeping Maizy up and playing until 10pm she has decided that she is not sleepy... Definatly not being the nice puppy who sleeps on a

dime. Instead she is being a terror... a wide awake terror... I orgininally sat here at the computer to review her return policy ... but I suppose puppies like children are non returnable. So for now I keep telling myself that sleep is under-rated...