Fun Lunch Date with April!

    Just wanted to post this memory because man...this is the hardest I've laughed in MONTHS!!!  I have known April J. for 10+ years.  I have taught all 4 of her kids AND her husband piano (and still teach her 3 girls).  Even when they moved to Michigan for two years, we FaceTimed lessons every week until they moved back.  So we have a long history and she is one of my dearest friends.

    This past week, we went to lunch at Morenos (we both LOVE their salsa and shrimp toro tacos).  While we were at lunch, April received a text from a man at a Home Depot in Mesa who had just received permission to sell her the floor model of a Halloween decoration.  (I was the one who told her to check out the Home Depot Halloween decor this year because it was pretty cool). The decoration is a $300 12 foot skeleton.  They have been SOLD OUT EVERYWHERE!!!  There is even a FB page dedicated to people trying to find these skeletons to buy and how they set them up in their yards.  People have driven hours and hours to find these things.  So April of course asks me, "Should I do this?"  And my answer is, "YES!!!  MOST DEFINITELY."  So off she drove to Mesa to pick up the skeleton (which she ended up getting a 20% discount on because there was no box so it really was a steal--they are currently selling on Ebay for $1800!)  She texted me asking if she could "hide" the skeleton in my garage over night until she could break the news to her hubby.  Once again, I answered, "YES!!! MOST DEFINITELY!"  So here we are "hiding the body."  

    She broke the news to her husband and all was good.  Her girls were SOO DANG EXCITED and they picked him up promptly the next day.

    So let this be a cautionary tale to all husbands who let their wives hang out with me...my answer to anything having to do with Halloween (and puppies) will ALWAYS be "YES!!! YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD!"  You have been warned...😂👻💀🐶

Ethan off to BYU-Idaho!!!

     Well, the day finally came.  Another kid has left home😢😢😢. And it was almost offensive how EXCITED he was about it😉. It hurts this mama heart more than I can express but truth be told...I am REALLY excited for him too.  He's off to find out who he really is and I can't wait to see what he does.

    My dad made the road trip with us.  We took 2 cars and 2 days to drive up to Rexburg and then hung out for a couple days.  

    Before he left, we had to do ONE MORE HOLDING LOLA pic.  This was such a fun impromptu idea I had from a baby puppy pic we first took.

 

    We got him all moved into his apartment and met most his roommates.  They are all a bit older than him but seemed really cool.  Ethan ended up not having a roommate in his room--last minute change of plans or something💁--so it looks like he has a room all to himself this semester (great for Max if he flies out to visit).

    We took a little trip out to see the famous Teton Mountain Range.  We drove out to the Grand Targhee Resort which actually took us into Wyoming.  It was breath-taking.  They had a ski lift up the mountain which we of course jumped right on.  W.O.W.

    We said our goodbyes Saturday night and left our Ethan in Rexburg.  We stayed the night in Idaho Falls and were up bright and early to make the long 14 hour drive home.  Great road trip--we hit Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.  Crazy proud of my two grown kids.  There is no place I would rather either of them be right now in their lives--not even home.  Spread your wings baby boy.  Love you to the moon and back.

First Day of School 2020!

 OH HOLY MOLY!!!  It's been a year!  SOOO excited to have my kids back to IN PERSON school after the Eternal Spring of 2020.  So thankful for these schools moving forward and getting us back to life--it's not the popular thing to do right now but that's a whole other blog post that I'm NOT gonna do:)

YAY FOR HERITAGE ACADEMY!!! Back to school Wednesday, Sept. 9th:

Lola Visits Xander

     Probably my most favorite litter of all time was the litter I had last November/December--my reindeer litter.  I just LOVED every single one of these 11 puppies.  I kept Lola and when I went to the shelter to pick her up after her surgery, I met the nicest couple who was at the shelter picking out their pup.  (They are HUGE donors to the shelter so they had first pick--they initially asked to see my pup but was quickly told that she was unavailable:). So they had narrowed down to 3 other pups and they had them in all one room.  I walked in to get my pup and I was introduced to this couple as the foster mom.  They had a hundred and one questions for me instantly so I stayed and helped them narrow their choice down to "Donner," the beautiful chocolate lab with the blue eyes.  Well, this same couple already had a trip planned to Canada over Christmas and they once again sought me out--getting my personal info from the shelter after I said it was okay--and asked if I would keep their pup while they were gone.  Of course I did and a great friendship has developed since then.  We send each other texts/pictures/updates regularly.  

    We decided to get these two together again.  So Lola, Tatum, and I loaded up to go to Tempe to visit Xander and his family.  WOW...this dog is living in style!  He lives in this super posh condo right on Tempe Townlake.  He goes to "doggie day care" 3 days a week so that his owners can have time to pursue their hobbies--painting and marathon running.  We got there and met Barry at their complex, we parked in the underground garage and then hopped on the elevator--Lola's first elevator ride:)--which opened up right into their condo.  The two were SOOO excited to see each other.  It was instant connection and sibling love again.  

    After lots of wrestling, we headed down to the lake for them to play in the water.  Lola actually jumped right in!!!  I could't believe it!  All of the training (maybe torture?) that my boys did this summer worked!!!  She loved the water and was showing Xander a few tricks!  

My dog has a crooked tongue...

    We had a great time and had two REALLY TIRED pups afterwards.  I'm so glad that I am able to keep up with a few of these sweet pups I took off the Reservation almost a year ago.  Makes my heart happy:)