March 31st celebrated Scotty’s birthday! He turned 11. Wow I can’t believe he is 11 already! Where did the time go? We gave him puppy ice cream his favorite flavor peanut butter. Also Tex got some it was his first time. He was actually slower than Scotty to eat it. That was surprising. Cute pics of our fur baby!
Christmas actually was fun this year! I was dreading Christmas this year and probably every year. I was happy how it went and I think it is because the kids are older. Bree got a lot of adult presents this year. It was funny how excited she was to get such presents. We got her a sewing kit and funny later my mom told me she got her a sewing machine so it was fitting.
I made beard hats for everyone, just for fun! It was really long process to get them all done on time and I even was doing them in the last minutes before we left to go to my parent’s house but I made it.
The pics turned out great!
We all look so silly and I love it! I made them all packer colors expect Andy as he likes the Bangles.
Christmas Day Jeff made chicken dumpling soup and my parents and Adam came over for some time. Mom, Adam and I played games while Jeff and dad visited. It was a great time. Adam stayed the night.
We watched Die Hard. Have to every year. We think it’s a badass Christmas movie. Then Adam and I watched the new Halloween together. Something funny on Wednesday I woke up super early and went to Walmart at six a.m. Best after Christmas sales. It was crazy Walmart opened up at six and it was packed! I was surprised but I got some good deals and things for Christmas next year.
Later on Wednesday we all went to my Aunt Kathy’s house. Jeff made chili and it was yummy like always. We brought Tex and it wasn’t a good time. Tex peed in their house and I felt really bad about it even though they said it happens and weren’t mad. But I still felt bad that it happened.
My Aunt has a black lab who didn’t like Tex too much. Which she said was strange he was acting that way because her dog is a submissive to other dogs. I could tell Tex didn’t want to be there as he kept hiding underneath my chair. We stayed for a couple of hours and was relieved to leave. Usually visiting isn’t bad but with Tex, I kept worrying about him going potty in their house and how much he didn’t like being there. On the way home he was so tired!
This next picture is so funny! Every time I look at it, I can’t stop laughing. It’s like he is trying to tell me to leave him alone so he can sleep. ROFL!
All in all it was a good Christmas fun. Tomorrow Adam goes back home but first we all are having breakfast together.
Well the adopting thing changed. We were going to go with Adoption Choice Inc. But then we thought they were the only first one we talk too. Also there has to be a cheaper way to adopt $20,000 is steep price. So we been shopping around, doesn’t that sound funny. Anyway after looking at a ton of agencies Jeff found Lutheran Counseling & Family Services. This agency is the furthest away from us as they are in Milwaukee. However their cost is almost six thousand dollars less, as they are non profit. However this one is a religious affiliate however we don’t have to be Lutheran so that is good. We do have raise the child learning and understanding God. Yes we can do that! As Jeff and I believe in God. I would love to teach our child about God.
On Thursday next week we will be doing a phone conversation or meeting I suppose with someone there. I am interested what they have to say and answer our questions.
Next week is going to be crazy week. Monday normal, Tuesday through Wednesday April, Thursday talk to lady about adoption and then go out to lunch, Friday possibly have dinner with some of Jeff’s co-workers, Saturday game night at Chrissy’s house because Adam will be here and then Sunday relax! Then it will be Christmas.
On Saturday we did popcorn balls and this is was the biggest get together for them. Here is who came: Me and Jeff, Chrissy and family, Corey and family, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Dave, Aunt Sue and Uncle Dan and the big surprise my cousin Erich. Erich lives in Oklahoma and he happened to visit his parents the weekend of popcorn balls. It was good to see him. Family trivia Erich and I were born on the same day March 17th. Lol!
It was so much fun to hangout and make popcorn balls!
Huge life decision has been made! We have decided where to adopt. We are going with Adoption Choice Inc. Last Tuesday we went to an 2 hour information meeting. We got a folder stuff with information. With having all the info we decided on the private adoption but will take siblings.
The costs is what kills us, it’s going to be about $20,000. So I am going to put my writing chops to the test and enter as many as I can contests with stories and poems on the internet. We are also going to be doing fundraising in person and online. I am also going to be selling all my creations. I think that all will help.
We were going to go with Bethany Christian Services however we didn’t meet the criteria. One of them was we had to be part of Christian church or community for a year. I think they should put that on their website. They say they accept everyone but that’s not true. I thought that was dumb. With Adoption Choice Inc they aren’t affiliate with any religious groups.
To be honest I am nervous and excited all at once. It’s such a huge life decision to make but I am happy to go this route then the alternative. This is what I want the most out of my life is to have child. No matter what this child or children will be ours.
Second class done. Of course Tex was being a total sweetie. They don’t see the sweetness turn demon. LOL!
He has sit, down but up not so much. I use up instead of stand. So need to work on that. He was pretty good at walking, still a working progress. This class we learned leave it which he knows but like everything else still working progress. The new command we are working on is stay. Here is getting better though.
Tex being a lab. Staring out the window which he can now do!
LOL! His back fur can’t keep up how fast he grows. He now weighs 32 pounds.
On Tuesday Jeff and I took Tex to his first puppy class. I had no idea what to expect.
It was fun and informative. My goal is to make Tex an obedient dog and I am willing to put the work in. I think the other people were a little intimidated with Tex because he was the only big puppy. Lol! All the other puppies are small dogs. OMG someone had a teddy bear Shih Tzu. It was adorable! The instructor told us to just let our dogs off the leash to let the puppies play together. The other puppies had no trouble to let Tex have it if he was getting to rough. Lol!
We learned sit/down/stand but for Tex it’s sit/down/up. She said to use words that he understands and not all dogs use the same words. Makes sense. Also we learned to make our puppies to not jump on us. Since Tex is going to be a big dog we don’t want him to hurt people. His word is off, he gets it! Tex has trouble with up but he gets sit and down. I think in time he will get it though.
It’s funny the instructor said that with Tex being a lab everything to him is a game. That’s true so it will be a little harder for us to train but it can be done. I believe her he is a smart puppy. Just have to keep working on it.
Then we put him on his leash and we walked around in the circle. I learned if they pull or go all over the place what to do. Tug and say “heel” he got that right away!
Tex is the only puppy in the class that still bites. She told us to put a very tiny bit of hot sauce on our hands when we know he is going to bite. So he knows not to bite. We haven’t done that yet since we do not have hot sauce but this weekend we will see if that helps. It sucks he is the only one because he is the oldest out of the whole class as well. He should have stopped by now. I hope this stops this. It isn’t as bad when he was younger but it is still a thing.
I am glad we are doing the classes so I can have to tools to make him a better behave puppy.
Jeff and I decided on something that is life changing.
Well we have been wanting to have a baby. But that hasn’t been happening and I went to the doctors etc. I shifted my view. Instead of trying to get pregnant we decided to go the other route. We decided we are going to adopt! I am excited!
We have been thinking about it for some time. A lot of my cousins are adopted and so if I have any questions I can ask my family. It takes some time to adopt as we have to go through classes and such, but it will be worth it. We decided we don’t have to have an infant. We are thinking two years of age or less and if they have sibling or they are a twin we would adopt them too. We will have to wait and see how it goes.
It’s exciting to finally get the option to expand our family.
I had a scary moment! This week our neighbor is having a garage built. So there is a lot of noise this week. Because of this I have to take the dogs out on the side of our house because they are scared of the workers. No big deal, as I have done it before.
WELL…..
I was taking out Tex first because he is a puppy who can’t hold it. I tell Scotty to stay and he has always! Not on Tuesday! He bolted out the door and ran down the street! I tried catching him but he was way to fast for me. I scared! Good thing Jeff just left for work and wasn’t far away. I called right away and he came back. I walked down the street and looked everywhere for him but couldn’t see him. PANIC!
Thankfully he ran down a street where we always go for a walk. There isn’t much traffic down that road. Jeff was able to find him before me. I walked so fast to catch up to them! Finally got to him and got him the car. Scotty has NEVER done that ever!
I am so happy he is home now and safe.
Cute pic of Scotty:
On Saturday we went to my Uncle’s farm to pick pumpkins! It was fun. Aunt Judy, Aunt Sue and Uncle Dan, my siblings and their families were there. We had lunch then picked out pumpkins. I can’t wait to carve them and eat the seeds.
