Dog-Gone Crazy

As many of you know, we Dudleys have typically been categorized as 'cat people'. Most times, I think folks are either cat people or dog people - not both. While we've always had at least one cat, we also had two dogs a few years ago... they were cute and all that, but our kids were too little to appreciate them, we were too busy to deal with them, and in the end - we gave them to better homes. We've since reverted to cats only.

Now that we've moved, we've been entertaining the idea of getting some outdoor animals - sheep, cows, chickens... something. The kids have also been begging for an indoor cat. Well, Ben will have none of that, so he suggested an outdoor dog. Hmmm .... I wasn't so sure. He said we'd get a big kennel outside and train it, etc etc. We started talking it over as a family, and it seemed like everyone was interested in having a dog again.

Well it just so happened that a few days later, a free dog came available in town. It was 1/2 border collie (what I wanted) and half lab. (Funny thing is, that's the 2 breeds we used to have - a border and a lab). Freaky! Anyway, this pup needed a home, he was cute and he was free - so we took him home.

Here he is: TIPPY

Cute huh?

BUT, since we don't yet have an outdoor kennel, and it's been below zero, we set up a kennel INSIDE. Yeah. We've had him almost six days so far. He's only had a couple accidents, which isn't too bad, but the howling at 4am to go outside is about to drive me INSANE. Every morning, when I hear the whining, I can't help but think, "what were we thinking?!?!?!". Ugh. But then there are moments like today when I see Jake and Tippy sitting side by side at the glass door watching our crazy cats out on the deck, and Jake giggling while slinging an arm around Tippy like old pals. Haha. For being deathly afraid of most dogs, Jacob sure loves Tippy.

DDS

I'm grouchy today. Real grouchy. And I was grouchy when I went to bed last night too - fuming in fact. "Why?" you might ask?

All because of this:Yep. The Nintendo DS.

Our kids had been begging for one of these brain-sucking contraptions for many years now. We often heard the whine of "everyone has one" from the boys (and they were right), but we stood firm and repeatedly denied their requests to join the DS club. Then Christmas came, and they finally each got one. They were delighted! Ben and I exchanged unsure glances as they tore into the packaging with glee.

Of course, we let them play the DS's a LOT Christmas day. They wanted to try out all the games, learn how to use them and so on. Normally, I would never allow such a stretch, but hey - It was Christmas! I knew that Will had a particular affinity for video games, more-so than Charlie, as he has a tendency to 'zone out' in front of the Wii, become argumentative during and after play, and always choose gaming first to any other kind of activity. It's for these very reasons that video games are limited, and we started the kids on a program to 'earn' Wii time. They play it very infrequently, and they have to do a lot of work to earn up the play time. While I had my concerns about Will owning a DS, I figured if we put limits on when and where he can and cannot play it, we'd be good.

Easier said than done.

After a week or so of the DS's being in our house, I made the following rule: absolutely no playing the DS inside of this house without permission. Play em on the bus, or in the car, but not here, unless I say so. Simple enough, right? *Right*. I don't know how many times I've caught those two camping out in closet or under a blanket secretly playing the DS (or DDS as I've come to refer to it - damn DS), causing me to blow up.

It's no surprise that Charlie is behind on his book goal, and Will has stopped reading chapter books before bed. He'd rather read the instruction manual to a DDS game over and over than a regular book. I can't even fake interest when he wants to talk to me about a new level or something he figured out in a game... the mere mention of the DDS brings me to the brink of boiling over. Agh! Oh, and have I mentioned they fight constantly with each other over the DDS's? I've taken them away, and the day they get em back, it's the same crap over and over. Seriously, I can't take it.

Last night, the kids wanted to sleep up in the bonus room. I agreed, since they don't get to very often and they think it's fun. I read a couple chapters of Harry Potter to them aloud and sent them up to bed, and for once they were eager to comply. I heard whispers coming from above for quite a while, but that was okay, since it was still before their regular bedtime. I settled into reading my own book in my room, directly below them. At about 9:15pm, well after they should be snoozing, I heard louder whispering coming from above... huh? I tiptoed up the stairwell to listen in on what they were doing... you guessed it. Grrr! Quick as a fox I jetted in the room, flipped on the lights and ambushed that little party. Blood officially boiling.

I of course confiscated the evil DDS's and hid them.

I'm not sure when they'll be getting them back - if ever.

I hate the D@!%$& DS!!!

Making Memories

It's been six months now that we've lived in our new house. The tail end of summer was exciting with all the 'newness', and the kids seemed generally very happy to be here. Then school started. It wasn't until they made their debut at a new school with new kids, new teachers and a new bus route, that the new house didn't seem so cool anymore. Daily at dinner we heard them complain about missing their old school and friends.

Daily complaints turned into weekly. Now they complain maybe monthly. The tough part of the transition is (I think) finally over, except for occasional lamenting and pouting about a certain person or feature being missed. Last week the item was the OLD house. Yup. Will, for several days, was sadly reciting all the things he misses about our old house and how he wishes we never moved. We kept challenging him with questions like, "you miss sharing a room with Charlie?", YEP... "you miss that tiny living room?", YEP... "you miss the ONE bathroom we all had to share?", YEP... okay, this was getting nowhere.

We steered the conversation into that of memories, and explained to him that it's the memories he is missing, not the things. I agree, I feel the same way sometimes - we have a lot of great memories of that little place. In fact, last week while we were sorting through old home videos to label, I even got the blues a little... missing our old place. Seeing our kids bathe in a make-shift tub in the basement while we remodeled the bathroom..., sledding around our little pasture..., Charlie crawling around on the old wood floor..., tons of stuff like that. I have to remind myself (and the kids) that we lived there for six years... not six months like this. Making memories takes time.

Thursday, while the boys were at school, Ben and I took Jacob outside late in the afternoon for some fresh air. He'd been sick and it was finally above zero (thirty!!!), so we seized the opportunity for outdoor adventure. Well, mostly walking back and forth in the driveway and playing with toys, but whatever. As I was standing near the shed, looking down across our yard and field, I noticed it was probably sloped just enough to make a decent sledding hill. I grabbed a sled and tried it. Hmmph. I got stuck. However, the snow was just crunchy enough that I could tell if I forced my way down a few times, it might turn into something good. Ben and I both repeatedly scooted down the hill and hoofed it back up MANY times until we had a pretty decently groomed little run.

When the kids got off the bus, they were pretty pumped when they saw their PARENTS out sledding! They grabbed some more sleds, and ya know what? They flew down the hill! With every run, the sleds were picking up more speed, and suddenly the barbed wire fence wayyyyy down at the end was becoming an issue. We all took turns going down, and sometimes racing each other down, but we could never really figure out who won because we all had to abandon ship before crashing into the fence. (I did crash into the fence one because of my failure to launch - luckily it was in a grassy section where the barbs were kind of covered!) The kids were doing a lot of laughing and screeching, and as I watched, I couldn't help but think to myself "we couldn't do this at our old place!" Memory filed.

YEeeeeh-Haw!

Last night we attended a bull riding competition. Like REAL bulls, real cowboys. Wow! Having never been to any form of rodeo event, I wasn't sure what to expect. Visions of Luke Perry filled my head (remember that movie?). I have to say I wasn't too disappointed in that department - check it out!

That there's 40 real cowboys lined up purty as a picture

When my step-sister called on Friday wondering if we wanted to join them at the rodeo, all I could say was HECK YA! Not only because it sounded fun, but also because I had a pair of double-cute cowboy boots sitting in my closet just beggin' to be worn. I was mighty sad I didn't have a hat to go with em, but not for long! When we arrived at the arena, we were bombarded with folks selling all kinds of western stuff, most importantly... COWBOY HATS!



And talk about action! I don't know how many times I gasped or clapped my hands over my mouth, thinking the rider was about to meet his maker (as he flew threw the air and landed with a THUD on the ground - sometimes under the bull), only to have him hop up and skee-daddle out of the way lickity split.

Here's a rider mid thud - see him back there?

And check this out. They had an event called mutton bustin', which is where little kids took a crack a riding a 'bull' aka SHEEP. It was HILARIOUS. Call it riding all day long, but it was more like little kids clinging to the back (or side) of a sheep and hanging on for dear life as it burned rubber towards the gate. We could not stop laughing. I also couldn't help but notice Will and Charlie's thoughtful gazes towards each other.. Hmmm in two hop skips and a jump, they could be over the neighbor's fence and mutton bustin' to their heart's delight in no time. Oh Boy.

Yeee Haw!

Boy, they dress up nice

On top of all the Christmas and crash craziness last month, we had a family wedding fast approaching in which all of our kids played some role. Jacob was the ring bearer, Charlie was a Peace Greeter, and Will was a Lector. I knew both Will and Charlie would do great - Jacob was the wild card.

Rehearsals went great the first time around. Jacob marched down the aisle holding hands with his two little cousins (omg cute), nice and slow... all the way to the end. whew! However, inbetween that and practicing again, he had a lot of down time in which to explore all the crevices of the church, run around like a crazy animal... AND perch repeatedly on his new favorite chair.

here is where most of the kids sat....

and then there was this guy...

On to the wedding...

I had serious concerns about getting Jacob into his pint-sized tuxedo, based on the wrestling match we had in the store when he was being sized for a coat. I couldn't even get a picture of him in the 70's beige coat with brown trim he sported for all of four seconds. Darn -it was funny. But wonders never cease, and Jacob cooperated fully in getting dressed and ready for the wedding.

All the boys completed their jobs beautifully. Jacob proudly escorted his little cousin down the aisle, Will delivered his reading like a pro and Charlie dutifully shook guest after guest's hand during the peace offering. And aside from Jacob loudly offering gum to every person within a ten foot radius during the ceremony - I'd say it all went GREAT. We all had a ton of fun at the reception and were bummed when it was time to head home. Cheers to a memorable and successful event!:-)

Congratulations Anna and Blake!