the garden, the dog & the brother...

i was super busy this last week (working doubles at the spa) and my computer died... well really it was my charging cord so i couldn't even use my laptop, but i ordered one on ebay, got it a couple days ago and now i''m trying to get all caught up on my blogging.

::

the garden is growing ever so lovely this year. my sunflowers and zinnias have even sprouted! woot! i simply cannot wait till there are blooms!!

the oak trees have new growth too... fantastic!

if you recall... last spring/summer we started the backyard renovation project. it was all going along splendidly until dad switched jobs and i got a job, then the work came to a halt. it still looked so so much better than it used to, but there was still a long way to go. we had always planned on planting roses along the back wall... and i finally got it done last week! they are little bushes... and they don't look super stunning as of today, but i have faith that they will grow and be big happy rose bushes!

::

chowder had his first visit to the vet today... he weighs 5.4 pounds and is a spunky healthy little puppy (who does not like shots, but let's be honest here... who does?) everybody at the vet thought he was adorable and they loved his name :)

he is doing really well, he's getting bigger and sleeping better (we're only getting up 2 or 3 times a night now. haha)... he loves playing outside. and he has this funny run- he definitely veers to the left... is that a puppy thing? i bet it is... and it's adorable. the other night i walked down the hall to check on my puppy and i looked in austin's room and this is what i saw...

it made me smile. i'm glad that we got chowder. we all love him... and he is spoiled. he and austin play a lot.... tino will take chowder outside on the grass and they just play and play and play... it's pretty dang funny!

austin was trying to get out of the picture for this one.... he looks like a dork, and chowder looks like a dork... and it makes me laugh! :) :) 

::

once upon a time (like... seriously, months and months ago i had found an etsy store that sold personalized dog tags. i knew that when i got a puppy i wanted one of those tags... so when i was thinking seriously about getting chowder i knew that i had to have one of those tags... and so i bought one last week and it came today. i am so absolutely thrilled with the way it came out! it is so perfect! if youre interested, i purchased the tag from the copper poppy. chowder isn't quite used to wearing his collar yet, we are working on that. so the picture is just his collar and tag on his blanket... it's not on him. haha...

goose eggs and miscellaneous macros...

so... dad & tino went home teaching last week... and one of the couples that they teach gave them goose eggs to take home. have you ever seen a goose egg? they're kinda huge. also... these are unfertilized (we won't be finding a little gosling in there... hopefully). they will just make a giant omelet. haha... anyway. they're pretty cool...

 

::

also... i just have to tell you how much i love my little camera. it takes some killer awesome macro shots. or maybe I'M just that killer awesome. just sayin :)

the bridal shower....

once upon a time, nicole thought it would be really cool to get married. well... seeing as i got the much coveted maid-of-honor position, it was my job to throw her a bridal shower. 

the theme? love birds. 

the decor? fantastic. 

the food? delicious. 

the stress? a smidge. 

the favors? adorable.

the flowers? beautiful.

the guests? delightful. 

the outcome? a-freaking-mazing!! 

congrats to nicoley! :) 

i hope everybody had a lovely time! i sure did!!

the puppy...

chowder is doing really good... we're still getting up a few times a night, but overall i think he's starting to like it here. he's getting more comfortable here too... he knows where my bedroom is and likes to sleep under my bed. yup. i think i'll keep him around for awhile more :)

just today he's started digging... 

i can't decide if it's a cute thing or not.

hayley has learned how to tickle... 

she tickled granny, papa, me, chowder & everyone else! haha

march 15...

yesterday was dad's birthday. we had cake and ice cream on sunday and then opened presents yesterday. 

hayley and papa blowing out birthday candles :)

i sure love my dad. he's the greatest. 

::

yesterday was also chowder's first bath.

he didn't like it much. haha...

more chowder...

alrighty. so i did it. i purchased extra storage space for my picassa web album. has anybody else had to do that? just curious. whatev. i blog enough. it's worth it! :)

::

me & chowder...

hayley is actually surprisingly good with chowder- and chowder is really good with hayley (he came from a family with 4 young kids). at least now hayley will know what's like to have a dog (since adrian won't ever get any sort of pet, haha). 

 grandpa is really excited to have another dog. even now and then he would ask my mom "can i get a dog?" and he would say it with the exact intonation of a little kid. i can already tell they're gonna be cuddle buddies. 

::

yesterday was my day off... chowder and i got a bit done. we even got the garden planted (just zucchini, summer & spaghetti squash this year). i've got myself a gardening buddy! :)

i think he's getting more comfortable. we were playing this morning and he was doing some little play growl and barking at his toys. he makes me smile. now he's sleeping again... and he's yipping at something in his dreams. i wonder what he's thinking about.
i sure love this little puppy.

:) haha...

[ps... those pictures from the last post were curtesy of zac baker photography :) ]

my new boy...

i've been begging the parentals for a dog for awhile.... one of my best friends (tristan) knew a guy whose dog just had 2 puppies. i totally called dibs on one... hoping to convince mom & dad to let us get one. well, somehow it worked. don't ask me how cause i'm fairly certain i could never duplicate the results. today, mason and i drove up to thatcher (to tristan's friends house) to pick up this adorable (and free) 6 week old terrier/chihuahua mix. he's pretty much the most adorable thing ever. he's a super calm puppy and i already love him to pieces. i'm anxious to have a new dog... i haven't had a new puppy since shoosh (and actually, he's been gone 3 years from tomorrow. wow!) and i definitely didn't do any of the training. but this new puppy is all mine... and i couldn't be more excited! i hardly slept a wink last night i was so anxious! and i have no idea what to expect tonight. but... without further adieu, i introduce you to (drum roll, please) ... chowder!!  "he's my friend"
 

so... apparently that's all i can download... i've used up by quota of space. hmm... does that mean i start a new blog or something? sheesh. what the junk, welp... it doesn't matter - i have a puppy!! i'm going to bed. i'll try to figure this out tomorrow.

i'm loving me some chowder! :) :)