birthdays and puppies....life is good.

Mali has a new baby.....she does look like a stuffed animal...

Camille has grown out of this toy a bit, so Elliot has dibs on it....that is what I THINK her name is ....the kids can't agree, and I gave the pup to Charlotte Claire for her birthday, and she named her....

Mali gave her a bath tonight...

She likes the frisbee....

Chew. That should be her name, Chewy!! She DOES look like Chewbacca!

We had a pretty big birthday party here this afternoon evening. I picked 9 kids up from school, 3 of mine, and 6 friends.....they played, they ate, we had burgers and hotdogs, sausage, macaroni salad, fruit, baked beans, chips, and of course cake. Mirielle made two sheet cakes yesterday, and I made some buttercream frosting today...and spent a ridiculous amount of time decorating them...they were pretty, and pretty good. And now are mostly gone. My brother, my sister, my sister-in-law, and several of my nieces and one nephew came over, in addition to the little friends. I don't know if they came to see me, or the puppy.

Jon was thrilled with all his gifts...he said, "Aunt Kim must know I stay up 'til midnight everynight in case the power goes out, that's why she got me a flashlight..." he got a few dollars, some trucks, a bubblemaking gun, a Police Chase board game, and some snacks....

I always feel sorry for the non-birthday kids when it is present opening time...I did have some gift bags with a few candies for the little ones to take home...

And, after I drove some children home, I finally sat down, but Ms. Puppy was still wide awake and full of energy, and so were Camille and Charlotte Claire....and Jon was just so into his presents....we finally got the kids in bed....and I checked my email: Jack was finally caught!!! I am so glad.....the previous owner, Jeff said that after spending lots of time and $ on spotlights, binoculars, and people to help him, he spotted him in an old dog bed he had planted.....what Jeff did was go lie right down on the ground, and Jack came to him and licked his face. He got hold of him, brought him home, and said he was quite stinky and wild. To make a long story short, Jeff feels better to keep Jack at least until he calms down, and I told him I honestly did not want him back, because I would always worry he would run again. I think he will understand. Jeff is a very kind and Godfearing man....so anyway, Jack's things will be returned in the morning, and Jack will stay with Jeff. I am glad now that we said yes to this new puppy....although I have wished otherwise several times....puppy housebreaking is awful. Worse than potty-training a child.....our house has a front door with seven stairs down, or the deck door with a whole flight of stairs...I have run down those stairs with her so many times in the last few days...everytime she squats, I say, NO, and take her outside to the edge of the yard, and tell her "Potty!".....it is time-consuming, and doesn't seem to be working yet, although she has not pooped in her yet. Last night we locked her in the downstairs bathroom for the night, and she peed on the newspaper we laid down, and did not poop until I brought her outside....I am thinking of putting some newspapers down near the door, and bringing her there, but then I will just have to train her out of that sometime down the road.....

Today, I sent Mirielle to Walmart with my credit card for puppy chow and a new crate, which is a humane way to say: cage. It is a huge cage. She is in there right now, whining her cute little butt off, and I am ignoring her. I just hope she doesn't get too loud, the kids are sleeping down the hall with their door open....at least she is confined, and cannot chew up the furniture and poop anywhere...

Well, I need some sleep....I had a horrid headache last night, that only diminished slightly after three ibuprofen and an Excedrin. Not all at the same time....but it kept me away for hours....and today was as busy as they come......although I did sit in the sun while the kids played in the dreaded dirty sandbox, and the puppy frolicked around the yard....all work and no play make mom a dull girl...