Reuben the Great

Man's Best Friend

This is Scout.

She has been our loyal companion and friend for the past 7 years.  She is a good dog.  The kids love her, and, so do we.  So, tonight, when someone (yours truly) opened the garage door to get something, returned to the house to put the kids down to bed & didn't realize that Scout was not back in the house with us 20 minutes later, a slight panic filled the air.

You see, normally, Scout just hangs around home.  But, since we have moved, she has been staying with Jeff & Chandra (bless them for being so nice!) so I wasn't so sure that Scout would stick close to their place.

We went out in the back & called her.  
No Scout.
We went out to the front & called her.
No Scout.
We got shoes on with our p.j's went out to the car & started driving around calling her.
No Scout.

At this point Larson is becoming very upset that we can't find Scout.  He's tearing up.
I am dying - how sad is a little boy crying over his lost dog?
He asks if dogs go to heaven.
Kill me.

We finish driving around the neighborhood, and park back in front of Jeff & Chandra's.
I unload the kids & as we are walking up the front walk we hear a collar jingling, and it's getting louder..
SCOUT!
She comes running across the neighbors yards towards us.

It could have been a movie clip.

Needless to say, I am SO happy that she's back.  And, as you can see from how Larson is sleeping tonight, so is he.

Christmas in 60 Seconds

Link

December 29th

Albertson's

Wolverine

slow day at work

Sweater Vest Part II....Identity Crisis

Am I a 12 year old kid with my Vision Gator skateboard and a Thrasher Magazine subscription or a suburban dad with 3 kids and a lab. Spam T-shirts or Sweater Vests? Who am I? My lawyer brother in law, who I consider to be an expert on sweater vests said that for beginners like me the sweater vest is appropriate on Christmas Eve and the Sunday of the Masters.

Dopey

Old School

Vest

All is Merry and Bright

Rhino

Family Night - Road Trip!

Family night turned into an all day affair today.  It started with Ryan's idea yesterday - he wanted to eat at Mazzio's Pizza, a pizza place that he remembers from when he lived in Oklahoma.  Turns out, we needed to go to Oklahoma in order to get it.

So, this morning, around 10:00, we got in the car to go get some lunch.  As we were driving, we thought, hey - - we are already in Oklahoma, may as well go just a little further and hit up the.....

It's a drive through animal safari.  So, we got our feed, loaded up in the front seat,

and off we went....

We had just gotten inside the gates when the animals noticed us.

Well, hello there!  Aren't you cute?

And you!  You look like a giant poodle!

You...you, sir, are giving me the creep out.

I will now roll up my window.  Thank you.

No feed for you.  We are moving on.

Ah - you look so soft, & those bottom teeth - what's not to love!?

Camels!  Fun

Well, hi there!

Yes, we have some food for you.  Just pose for a quick picture first, okay?

Oh, okay, we're taking too long?  The food, right...

Okay! Okay!  Please exit the vehicle Mr. Camel.

**confession - as I was taking this picture, I was also huddled in the far corner of the front seat of the Suburban, shouting "Drive! Ryan!Drive!", as I squeezed the kids so hard that Larson had to say to me "Mom, why are you choking me?"  Because Larson, if you hadn't noticed, there is a CAMEL IN OUR CAR!  Ryan told me I was over-reacting, and would probably scar our children for the rest of their lives**

Moving right along....

I wasn't the only one who got a little freaked out by Mr. Camel.  This is where Secily moved to after his departure from the front seat (this, of course had everything to do with Mr. Camel, and nothing to do with her panic-and-put-your-kids-in-a-choke-hold mother)

She was going to watch through the windows for awhile.

Oh, hello little Donkey.  You are cute, and not so intrusive.  You look just like the donkey in Shrek.  I'll roll down my window & give you some food....

You're welcome.

Oh boy, it's the ostrich.  How creepy are those necks!?  My window was (once again) rolled up.

Alright, on to some more lovable animals...the zebras!  Hello you two!

Look who got her courage back up and came to see the zebra!

We also saw buffalo, deer, antelope, white tiger (in a cage!), rhino's (also in a cage), warthogs, giraffes.  Such a fun time!

Side note:  Jane was in attendance today.  She actually rode in the front seat for a little while.  AFTER the camels.

Mazzio's Pizza

Went there for the first time in about 25 years today. Still great.

Ford Tough...Bruce Lee Edition

Thanksgiving In Ohio

Ah!  Christmas is this week, so I thought I'd better get my Thanksgiving post done.....

We went to Ohio.  I flew there by myself with all three kids.  I was a little nervous about it, but, it went great. Jane is a breeze (love her!) - and Larson & Secily are pretty much pro's by now - so it was smooth sailing.

We had a great time with the family (as usual).  We spent time outside

We dressed up for Thanksgiving & gobbled our way through the meal & some after dinner games

It even snowed the very next day!

It was a great holiday, even with the addition of Remo's German coat.

We have much to be thankful for.

Up

He's FIVE!

Larson turned five years old on Wednesday!  What a great day!
He went out for a special birthday lunch with Grandma & Grandpa.  Larson got to pick the restaurant, & I'll give you one guess as to where they went.....
As Ryan put it "of course he picked McDonald's, as any good, red-blooded American would do!"
There is nothing better than a happy meal when you are 5.

We had a family celebration with cake & presents.

I realized this year that Larson has much lower expectations than I do when it comes to the cake - a square cake + a couple action figures = one happy 5 year old!

Happy Birthday to my fun, kind, thoughtful, joyful, tenderhearted boy!  I love you!