Ty's new room

Tyler's NEW room...from his eye to yours....enjoy the perspective!

my OH my Mary!

Mary Mary quite contrary second verse same as the first!

Things just keep showing up in my garden. Every week there is a new color a new delicacy, a new burst of North Dakota to entice us to come outside and ENJOY!

This week there are even MORE things I need help to identify. There are blue, orange, white, purple, red and yellow things popping up everywhere! I’m going to need a horticulture class just to keep up with all the naming games!

Same verse same as the first post, if you know the name of these, can you email me? I’m in need of some serious googling!

1. Hydrangea

2. Hosta

3. ?Flower

4. Blue Clips Bellflower

5. Gaillardia, Dazzler

6. Roses!

7. ?Flower

8. ???

9. ???

Please help stop the madness and fill in the gaps of our horticulture knowledge!

Mom's MiniVan Games

For those of you who travel with kids to far-away family.  This post is for you!

Our local Fargo paper had an article with games in it that kids could play while traveling in the car.  They sighted a website as their source, so being the nosy-mom-blogger that I am, I hopped on my laptop and went to it.

http://www.momsminian.com

It's CHUCK FULL of all kinds of fun and interesting things for kids to do.  Granted not all kids are into every activity, but there are so many to choose from, surely even the pickiest down-turned mouth youngster would like at least one of them!

Just thought I'd share....ENJOY!

Impressively Simple Move

I have finally finished the NEW studio...take a peek!

NEW IMPRESSIVELY SIMPLE DESIGN STUDIO

Inspiring!

Mini mi's

Have you ever created a ‘mi’?
It’s a wii version of yourself to play the games with!
The boys and Mom and Dad had a BLAST creating wii’s this week.
Brandon and Tyler created my Mom and Dad’s wii’s then my parents turned around and created wii’s of my aunt and uncle. It was hilarious to watch them put new noses on and different eyeglasses and hairstyles...what a hoot!

(Aunt Judy ^)

(Uncle Chuck ^)

Good News The Furnature is ORDERED!

The Good news is that I finally for once in my life got to order furniture. I'm really excited about what I found:

















Of course these are NOT the upholstery colors, but the bad news is
It will take over 3 months to get it!
zso for now....card table and chairs will just have to do! :) I'm STILL WAY HAPPY!

Garden Faries

I went outside the other day to check on Tyler. He was supposed to be raking the cottonwood leaves as a form of ‘behavior modification’ for pounding on his brother. Needless to say it didn’t work very well, because when I went out there he was enamored by the cottonwood trees. Just standing there with his rake with a ‘la la’ look on his face just watching the cottonwoods shed ever so gently down. So I startled him with:

Mom: TYLER!
Tyler: Uh, What?
Mom: Whatcha doin?
Tyler: I’m watchin the fairies!
Mom: What?
Tyler: I’m watchin the little floatie things, they look like garden fairies!
Mom: Oh, whatcha supposed to be doin?
Tyler: .....rakin
Mom: Yep, maybe you can ask the fairies to help!
Tyler: Yeah right!


he he he,,,,,,I’m such a cruel mother!
He dutifully raked up all the leaves, and low and behold 24 more hours of peace with his brother....Now if only the leaves needed raking EVERY day~!

luv you TY!

Project Runway and Owls

Project Runway and Owls

Whoops we did it again!
Hancock Fabric called just as we were moving from Rochester and said that they had a quilt show coming up. They wanted me to do some more quilts to show as examples of their fabric. I went WHAT, YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING, right?
Dutifully, I called my Mom who would be helping me move and unpack and she, OUT OF HER MIND, said SURE!
So, the day I’m leaving for North Dakota I run over to the store and they give me Project Runway fabric and Owl fabric to do some quilts with from the ‘Me and My Sister’ quilt book.


WoW, talk about a whirl wind. We landed in North Dakota, unloaded the car and WHAMO, we were quilting and waiting for the moving truck to arrive. Ya know, it’s kind of fun doing examples for the store because they challenge me to use fabrics I wouldn’t normally quilt with and patterns that are simple. The project runway one was fun because I actually WATCH project runway on Bravo! The backing fabric has all the shows slogans like Heidi’s “Your in, or your out!” and mentor designer’s, “Make it work” and “Carry On.” Too Funny!

The second quilt was a baby/toddler quilt with the cutest owls on it. That was a BEAR to do with dozens and dozens of tiny little pinwheels to sew, but with my mom’s help it was much MORE fun than sewing alone. Go Mom, Go Mom!

You’ll have to take a field trip to Hancock fabrics to see our handiwork in person. They are DONE and should be up!

Better Luck Next Time Cole

Today's Forecast:
Hi 72 F
Lo 64 F
T-Storms Likely, Some Strong

Weather REPORT:
Severe weather continues to move through the area this evening. We've had a morning filled with severe thunderstorm warnings, and this afternoon and evening, tornado warnings. Many reports have come in on tornado touchdowns, large hail, very damaging winds and torrential rains. Flash flooding is becoming a concern over some of the areas that have continuously seen the heavier storms.

Today was Cole's Canine Good Citizen test.

Outside

In the pouring rain

With no treats or incentives for him

Then the thunder came

Then the lightning came

Michelle:  Can we move this test to somewhere inside?

AKC Proctor:  No, I do all my tests outside.

Michelle:  In the Rain?

AKC Proctor:  We are under a shelter.

Michelle:  Did you see the lightening?

(THUNDER BOOOOOOOM)

Michelle:  Now?

AKC Proctor:  No, We have already begun the test, it has to be completed in one session.

Michelle: (Gulp) Ok

Cole: (cowering from the thunder)  Whimper.

Michelle:  Perhaps we'll try again in Fargo.

AKC Proctor:  That is always an option.

Michelle:  Thank you for your time.

(exit stage left at a RUN to the car before the next lightning bolt!)

So sorry COLE!

Not only did I make him lie down in the flooding-wet grass for the test (per the Proctors prompting), but then it starting pouring rain on us.  We moved to the park shelter (which a graduation party had just ended in) and Cole couldn't resist the 1000's of tiny candy sprinkles all over the ground from their cupcakes.  Well, then the thunder and lightening came and I knew I couldn't ask any more of the poor dog.  I called off the test and chose not to traumatize him any more and just try and take it in Fargo after we get settled in.  

I got home, I dried him from head to toe, then I gave him an extra special dinner with treats mixed in.  He had endured a great deal today!  We played tug of war, then fetch with his favorite squeaky-toy and he happily laid at my feet and fell fast asleep after the last throw as I rubbed his ears.

WHAT a day!  Whew!

Better luck NEXT time Cole!

See you Later

The fact that we are leaving soon is starting to set in.  At first I said good-bye to everyone, and now I just can't bear it anymore, I have to say see-you-later.

The tears have found me as I continue to write 'see-ya' notes to everyone.  I didn't realize how much I had touched people's lives until all these stories started to pour out in the last week.  Emails from friends, well wishes from family, letters from jewelry clients, hugs and phone-calls, parties and visits....I'm overwhelmed with the outpouring of support for our next-phase in life.

I love you all and say a tear-filled thank YOU for all of your kindness and well wishes!  I will miss you all, and hope dearly that you will take us up on our offer to visit!

CAREFUL Cole!

Today was a BIG day for Cole.  After our Classroom Therapy Dog training lesson we went on a field trip to practice "careful".  Hmmm, not even my children have THIS one down!

First we went through an obstacle course set up at the church.  There were 1/2 dozen padded chairs with 1-2 feet GLASS vases placed on them.  If the dog even touched the padded chair, the vase would fall off balance and break on the ceramic floor.

NERVOUS?!  HECK YEah!

Allison the instructor had us use our body language (tiny dainty slow steps) and our voice, c--a---r---e---f---u---l to coax the dog to synchronize with us and pick up on what we wanted them to do.  She also said for us to dispel our fears that something would happen and just picture what we DID want to happen.  

Ya know what, a clumsy 8 month old puppy Cole and a 3 year old HUGE Belgian did just fine and had NO problems with the course.  Miracle I say!

Next it was on to Ashley Furniture store to practice 'say hello' (shake), 'leave it', and more 'careful's.   The employees loved the diversion to a slow day, and the dogs got great practice weaving in and out of furniture placements, glass vases, rocking chairs, and SO many other breakables!  Several customers watched us intently as we worked with the dogs, and we just explained what we were doing and what the dogs would be used for in the future.  It was fun to hear positive feedback to our adventure!

Next was Hobby Lobby.  We got very odd looks as we weaved in and out of the china and breakables.  Each dog took his turn and did remarkably! Several customers looked and stared, some even stopped to ask if they could pet the dogs. We took a break from 'weaving' and the dogs ate up all the attention. 

Lastly we wondered down to the UPS store.  There was a little 2 year old boy with his Dad in the store.  Cole LOVES little kids and came up and just sat while he was petted,  leaning just slightly into the boy so that the little boy could wrap his arms around him.  After the boy gave him a parting bye bye we pulled back and did a little show for him.  It was just hilarious to watch the delight in the little boys face as Cole did his 'highfives', 'shakes', and 'twirls'.  

Finally it was time, and we did one final trick, "wave bye bye".  The little boy squealed in delight and for the first time I actually GOT what it meant to be a therapy dog team. 

We've been training for weeks in our little classroom with a few visitors, but very little people-interaction.  Today was the first day we actively practiced their people skills in a formal setting.  Now don't get me wrong, every visitor to our house gets a highfive and a doggie handshake with a little petting mixed in for good measure, but to see complete strangers light up at the sight of a therapy dog was something all-together different.

I simply can't wait to begin our therapy dog visits to the nursing homes and hospitals.  After today I have no doubt that Cole will bring much joy to many new people!  He's already such a joy for us, and I am delighted to share that joy with others!

Stay tuned, I hope to get some video of him in action.  

He looks so CUTE in his formal 'working dog' vest!