Thursday, July 30, 2009
First day in Lewiston
We were all out of bed by 8am. After breakfast the kids & I changed our clothes & headed to the trail behind the house. It goes to the lake at the bottom of the hill. We walked along the lake to another trail that leads uphill to my sister-in-laws cabin. We walked passed the cabin down another trail that leads to Oak Lake. Oak Lake is a nice quiet lake with a few cabins & a nice private beach which we have access to. Since it was only about 9:30am I didn't expect the kids would have wanted to go swimming since it wasn't very warm & we didn't have our suits on. As soon as the dog saw the water he ran right in & of course the kids wanted to get wet too. The boys took their shoes & socks off to wade in the water while I rolled Gen's jeans up. By the time Gen made it in the water the boys were up to their waists in the water so now Gen wanted her jeans rolled up further. That was going to be impossible so, what the heck, it was 9:30 & no one else was here so I told the boys to just take off their shirts & I let Gen take off her jeans & jump in too. For a good 45 minutes the kids jumped around & played in the water with the dog. They were having so much fun & had me laughing so hard. I just love how something like jumping in the water with their clothes on made them so happy! Unfortunately the battery on my camera died before I could even get one picture. I was able to use the camera on my phone but I'm not sure how to upload them to the blog yet. The kids got tired & it was time for the long walk back to the house. One problem though, Gen's jeans were so wet I could not get them back on her! Through the woods we went, Gen - without pants! She didn't seem to care one bit. She just treked along picking up rocks along the way for her rock pile she started the last time we were here. To be continued.....
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Back in Lewiston
So Bob & I decided to make a spontanious decision & head back up to Lewiston for a few days. we just arrived about an hour ago. everyone is in bed already, Bob, Genesis, Bobby, Joey, Jordan (our nephew), Bob's parents (Pierette & Bob) and the dogs, Lukas & Zack. I thought I'd start a book tonight & then decided to see if I could get on the blog with my phone & it worked! So far anyways. I'm not going to say much tonight because it would be a shame to write a lot only to not be able to post it! So, here goes.........I'll hit OK & see if it works!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
So much to do, so little time.....
I truly miss my blogs. :( On the lighter side, I've been really busy with the family and work and it's all fun! :) Monday will be the first real day off since returning from vacation like 3 1/2 weeks ago! All I have left to do is finish Kamp K9 (kids graduate tomorrow) and Joey has a soccer tournament starting bright and early Saturday morning and, of course, I've volunteered to work concessions while Joey is not playing, both for Saturday and Sunday......UGGGGG. I have a problem saying no sometimes. It'll be fun socializing with all the other mom's there and everyone knows how I love to talk.
I have sooooooo many pictures to post. I have to get on Smilebox and create a few slide shows. I have pics from our vacation in Lewiston, from work at the MCJJC, and Kamp K9. Kamp K9 is a summer camp for kids ages 10-15. We teach them as much as we can cram in a week about dogs and other animals and bring dogs from a local rescue and teach the kids how to train. Basically the same stuff I do regularly except these kids are not in a detention center or EI School. The camp is advertised in the paper and anyone can come. It's a whole lot of fun but lots of work sometimes. This week it has rained three out of four of the days so far. One exciting thing about it this year is I brought all three kids with me! They have all done great. Genesis is a pro already since she has gone to work with me at the EI School and could already show anyone a thing or two about training a dog. She even surprises me at times!
Joey is the perfect age for the camp, 11. He has made a few new friends, some annoy him, some he likes. He's a huge animal lover, like his mom, and has done a wonderful job with his dog Reno. Bobby, my little perfectionist, has struggled a little. Training a dog requires a whole lot of patience, which Bobby does not have. BUT, I have finally seen, from a parents point of view, what this kind of thing can do for a child. He has been amazed by the fact that if he just keeps trying, he can actually get the dog to listen to him and even do tricks. It has been a HUGE self confidence booster for him. He has had his moments but just grins from ear to ear and literally jumps with joy when he's accomplished something with Sparky. Sparky, by the way, is a Pit Bull/Black Lab mix so you can understand how powerful this dog is, and to be able to figure out how to get this big scary looking dog to do what you tell him to, and have loads of fun doing it, is quite an accomplishment. Sparky is a great dog, so happy and lovable.
Gen has been working with Piccolo, a Pug/Beagle mix, so just her size and strength! Piccolo ended up at the rescue because both of his owners were recently deployed to Iraq and no one would take their dog. :( Piccolo did need some training though and will easily find a new home now.
Tomorrow is Kamp K9 graduation. The kids get to show off their new skills to their parents but then have to say goodbye to a new found friend. It's always hard to watch the kids say goodbye to their dog. I always cry through almost the whole graduation and for about an hour afterwards, then again on my way home, and then later on that evening. Some tears of sadness for the kids but more tears of joy for all the great things the kids have done, and then there's that awful thought of never seeing those kids and dogs again. We get so close during these camps and classes.
This time it will be MY kids graduating and saying good-bye to their new found friend. Oh my, I have no idea how I'll handle this!
I should get going to bed now. If I can't sleep, which is a good possibility, always happens before graduation, I'll be back to work on some Smileboxes!
I have sooooooo many pictures to post. I have to get on Smilebox and create a few slide shows. I have pics from our vacation in Lewiston, from work at the MCJJC, and Kamp K9. Kamp K9 is a summer camp for kids ages 10-15. We teach them as much as we can cram in a week about dogs and other animals and bring dogs from a local rescue and teach the kids how to train. Basically the same stuff I do regularly except these kids are not in a detention center or EI School. The camp is advertised in the paper and anyone can come. It's a whole lot of fun but lots of work sometimes. This week it has rained three out of four of the days so far. One exciting thing about it this year is I brought all three kids with me! They have all done great. Genesis is a pro already since she has gone to work with me at the EI School and could already show anyone a thing or two about training a dog. She even surprises me at times!
Joey is the perfect age for the camp, 11. He has made a few new friends, some annoy him, some he likes. He's a huge animal lover, like his mom, and has done a wonderful job with his dog Reno. Bobby, my little perfectionist, has struggled a little. Training a dog requires a whole lot of patience, which Bobby does not have. BUT, I have finally seen, from a parents point of view, what this kind of thing can do for a child. He has been amazed by the fact that if he just keeps trying, he can actually get the dog to listen to him and even do tricks. It has been a HUGE self confidence booster for him. He has had his moments but just grins from ear to ear and literally jumps with joy when he's accomplished something with Sparky. Sparky, by the way, is a Pit Bull/Black Lab mix so you can understand how powerful this dog is, and to be able to figure out how to get this big scary looking dog to do what you tell him to, and have loads of fun doing it, is quite an accomplishment. Sparky is a great dog, so happy and lovable.
Gen has been working with Piccolo, a Pug/Beagle mix, so just her size and strength! Piccolo ended up at the rescue because both of his owners were recently deployed to Iraq and no one would take their dog. :( Piccolo did need some training though and will easily find a new home now.
Tomorrow is Kamp K9 graduation. The kids get to show off their new skills to their parents but then have to say goodbye to a new found friend. It's always hard to watch the kids say goodbye to their dog. I always cry through almost the whole graduation and for about an hour afterwards, then again on my way home, and then later on that evening. Some tears of sadness for the kids but more tears of joy for all the great things the kids have done, and then there's that awful thought of never seeing those kids and dogs again. We get so close during these camps and classes.
This time it will be MY kids graduating and saying good-bye to their new found friend. Oh my, I have no idea how I'll handle this!
I should get going to bed now. If I can't sleep, which is a good possibility, always happens before graduation, I'll be back to work on some Smileboxes!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
So it is now Wednesday, I think, and I still haven't caught up from vacation. I have so many great pictures to post and things to write about. Hopefully I'll get a chance before I forget anything!
Study group tonight. Work tomorrow. Shopping for family reunion on Friday. Family reunion on Saturday. Rest and relaxation Sunday. So, hopefully we'll be all updated sometime on Sunday.
Bye for now!
Study group tonight. Work tomorrow. Shopping for family reunion on Friday. Family reunion on Saturday. Rest and relaxation Sunday. So, hopefully we'll be all updated sometime on Sunday.
Bye for now!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
I haven't been able to write/blog due to work. The dogs at work had graduation yesterday and it took a whole lot of preparation (I will post info and pics on the blog site when I return from Lewiston)! I also hosted study group here at the house on Wednesday evening which meant I had to clean the house from top to bottom. I'm weird like that when people are coming over, every little finger print has to be erased and every little dog hair has to be vacuumed so you can imagine that kept me busy allllll day Wednesday.
Now we're finishing up the packing and will be off to Lewiston for the weekend. Bob's parents have a beautiful house up there and lots and lots of property for the kids to explore. I absolutely love that Joey and Bobby are at the age where I can let them go off and explore Nana and Napa's property, just like we did when we were little at Grandma and Grandpas! Although, I'd put money on it that we started our exploring at a much earlier age! Isn't it funny how things have changed? I was probably running along the rifle river and running through the forest when I was 5 maybe 6 years old, and TJ, Ben, and Andy, even younger than that! Mike was the oldest, four years older than me. I remember being chanced by a skunk once and Andy slipping off the cliff by the river, that was a scary one!!! TJ and I were able to pull him back up. I remember Joanna, Gabe, Bianca, Mariann, and Shane coming up too! Aunt Karen: remember the time I saw the HUGE Buck in the woods in the dark and no body believed me and then you saw him too and came back to the cottage and said "Did you guys see that HUGE Buck?! Thanks! Oh, and the blueberrys! Picking all the blueberrys for Grandmas pancakes. There's a big blueberry patch up in Lewiston too and I love taking the kids there for blueberrys, although usually we eat them all before making back to Nana's!
I think of Bobby, Joey, and my nephew Jordan doing that kind of stuff and I smile and think "Oh, how much fun for them" and then I think, "I should secretly follow them to make sure everything is OK!" ;)
Things will be a little different this year in Lewiston though. Bob's mother called the other night and apparently there is a Mama Bear and two cubs hanging out across the road so that definitely puts a damper on the boys exploring without us. :( We've heard rumors in the past of bear coming down that far but thought of them all to just be rumors, we'll now there are pictures and it's a neighbor who has them so we know for sure.
Then there's the porcupines. Zack (in-laws dog) was attacked, well Zack attacked, a porcupine a few weeks back and had to be rushed to an emergency vet in the middle of the night so, no night romping for Lukas this time. It could have happened to him before I guess, but now that I'm more aware of it, I'll be more careful!
Anyway, I have to get packing (I'm the packer, Bob's the loader, and un-loader, then I unpack and wash!). I will have some great pictures to post when we return.
Wishing everyone a wonderful July 4th! And a very Happy Birthday to Uncle Mark and cousin Andy!!!! (I haven't been sending cards this year due to finances, sorry, I am still thinking of both of you though!)
Thanks for reading !
Lisa and Family
Now we're finishing up the packing and will be off to Lewiston for the weekend. Bob's parents have a beautiful house up there and lots and lots of property for the kids to explore. I absolutely love that Joey and Bobby are at the age where I can let them go off and explore Nana and Napa's property, just like we did when we were little at Grandma and Grandpas! Although, I'd put money on it that we started our exploring at a much earlier age! Isn't it funny how things have changed? I was probably running along the rifle river and running through the forest when I was 5 maybe 6 years old, and TJ, Ben, and Andy, even younger than that! Mike was the oldest, four years older than me. I remember being chanced by a skunk once and Andy slipping off the cliff by the river, that was a scary one!!! TJ and I were able to pull him back up. I remember Joanna, Gabe, Bianca, Mariann, and Shane coming up too! Aunt Karen: remember the time I saw the HUGE Buck in the woods in the dark and no body believed me and then you saw him too and came back to the cottage and said "Did you guys see that HUGE Buck?! Thanks! Oh, and the blueberrys! Picking all the blueberrys for Grandmas pancakes. There's a big blueberry patch up in Lewiston too and I love taking the kids there for blueberrys, although usually we eat them all before making back to Nana's!
I think of Bobby, Joey, and my nephew Jordan doing that kind of stuff and I smile and think "Oh, how much fun for them" and then I think, "I should secretly follow them to make sure everything is OK!" ;)
Things will be a little different this year in Lewiston though. Bob's mother called the other night and apparently there is a Mama Bear and two cubs hanging out across the road so that definitely puts a damper on the boys exploring without us. :( We've heard rumors in the past of bear coming down that far but thought of them all to just be rumors, we'll now there are pictures and it's a neighbor who has them so we know for sure.
Then there's the porcupines. Zack (in-laws dog) was attacked, well Zack attacked, a porcupine a few weeks back and had to be rushed to an emergency vet in the middle of the night so, no night romping for Lukas this time. It could have happened to him before I guess, but now that I'm more aware of it, I'll be more careful!
Anyway, I have to get packing (I'm the packer, Bob's the loader, and un-loader, then I unpack and wash!). I will have some great pictures to post when we return.
Wishing everyone a wonderful July 4th! And a very Happy Birthday to Uncle Mark and cousin Andy!!!! (I haven't been sending cards this year due to finances, sorry, I am still thinking of both of you though!)
Thanks for reading !
Lisa and Family
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