Skits is sitting on the back of one of the couches staring out the window.  As we all predicted he would today.  He is lonely and depressed.  Waiting.  Waiting for two girls to come home and play.  He’s been with them all summer you see.  If I were a dog…I’d be doing the same thing.  I feel the same way on the inside.  I just can’t get away with acting like that!  Muahahahah!

So let it begin.  Activities and homework and activities…wait I already said that.  Gone are the lazy days of summer.  Gosh.  School starts early around here.  Sigh.  I sure miss ‘em!  Yes even when they fight!  Even then.

I’ve told you before that when I get out the camera to take photos of the dogs Skits poses and Baxter runs away.  It makes me laugh.  You might wonder why I have more photos on my blog…cute photos anyway…of Skits and why I have layouts, and the kids do too, of Skits and not Baxter.  Same reason.  Better photos cause he poses.

The other evening Corey and the kids went outside to play catch in the front yard.  We have a window seat in the formal living room that the dogs like to perch in and watch the goings-on in the front yard.  I found the dogs perched there watching.  I grabbed my camera to capture it.  As soon as I returned Baxter ran away.  Skits turned and literally “posed”.  Here he is…

I think the girls were inspired when they saw this layout…

Because they both wanted to scrapbook and when I asked them what they wanted to scrap about they both said, “Skits!”

It could be because he is on our minds a lot because on Friday he got “fixed” and he was gone all day.  We sure did miss him and realized just how much he “entertains” us.  Even Baxter was depressed.  We all piled in the car late Friday afternoon to go get him…yes, even Baxter!

I’m writing this on Saturday and he is doing well but he is sore and stiff.  Poor dogger!  We love him so muchly!  We have to help him go up and down the stairs to get outside to the yard to go potty.  He is not so keen on doing stairs yet.  He is lying low and we are trying to get the kiddos to back off and let him be.  It’s hard cause we just want to smother him with love.  He is such an awesome dog! ;D

Here are the girls’ layouts…again, I helped Laney a little more than Ava.  I did both their extractions.  They chose all their elements and put them where they wanted.  The photos are their own.  All elements (except that moon) and paper are mine! ;D

Anyway…on to the layouts! Laney’s…

And Ava’s…

…the photos from our home fireworks show.  I love that we can buy fireworks here in Colorado.  In Maine we were lucky if we got a box of sparklers for the 4th. ;D  We got a large pack of fireworks on sale this year and there were a ton inside.  You know its pretty good when the neighbors come out and watch.

Having fun playing with long exposure time.  I told the girls to not move…but move the sparklers.  So much fun to do this!!!!

I’m so thankful I have Corey who will light these things.  Cause even tho I will participate…I hate lighting them.  I especially hate the loud ones and I hate those freakin popper ones…the little white ones that you just throw at the ground and they snap really loudly.  The girls just LOVE THEM…even tho they are the most simple things on earth and Corey will do all those nice loud ones with them.  When they come out…I disappear inside.  Thank goodness for a fun Dad! ;D

After almost a year…my Kia is finally fixed and running again.  Oh man is it ever nice not to be doing the one car thing!  Why so long you ask?  Well it needed a new engine…and they aren’t cheap!  Don’t ever buy a Kia.  Just sayin’.

So we drove my little suv over to Roxborough State Park today and went hiking.  So when I say back to normal I mean we are starting to do more and more outdoor adventures like we used to…before I got sick.  And it feels so good…AFTERWARD.  During we have to listen to the girls complain how horrible their lives are and they can’t take one more step.  Then when we get home they are like, “That was the best day ever!”  They make me laugh!  They were saying how much they have to write about over summer break when they go back to school.  In an hour they will be saying how bored they are.  Oh, to be a kid!

Two weekends ago we took the doggers to another dog park.  This one is further away…but…it is off leash and in the mountains! ;D  So we took the 45 minute drive to investigate.  Yeah.  It rocked.  It has fenced in areas so you can rest easy about your dog running off.  But.  It also has just regular hiking paths in the woods and if your dog is under voice command…which our are thank goodness!…then you can be on the trails with them off leash.  Oh man was it ever fun and nice.  We got a little hiking in…and didn’t have dogs on leashes…which really rocks!  Yes.  I said rocks more than once…but it DID!

Skits is total outdoors dog.  I mean he is anyway…he loves going outside all the time…even in the snow and rain.  But he was like all over the woods and hiking and climbing rocks and doing crazy stuff.  Following the kids everywhere…even up big rocks!  He is a wild man! ;D  And very entertaining!

Oh yeah.  In other “Skits news”…he caught a bird the other night.  He came up to the back door and “presented” it to us (like cats do).  He was like, “LOOK what I got!”  He’s moved on from snakes cause he has killed all of them in our yard.  He is crazy! ;D

And here’s a layout I did of some photos of Ava on our hike…

I have been working.  The problem is…I can’t really show you because I’m not done and the product isn’t released yet.  Sometimes that is frustrating.  Having the kids home from school is definitely throwing a different element in the mix.  So I work and we go to the pool and relax and we do it all over again.  So far it is working.  I think I like relaxing by the pool the best. ;D

A layout I have been working on with products soon to be released…;D

And then just some pictures from recent days…

Monday we did a little of everything.  I’m feeling it now.  I mean…I’m feeling better overall…but apparently I can do too much.  I guess I wore myself out.  We biked 4 miles, went to the pool and then took the dogs for a walk.  Then I took the girls to the pool yesterday.  I got too much sun and a sunburn.  I’m wiped out.  But so so glad to be able to be doing things! ;D

First.  If you came to my blog yesterday or earlier today you may have seen my post (that I have since deleted) about my new store at Digi ScrapBook Mania.  Well.  I messed up.  So it will not be opening until next Monday.  Stay tuned! ;D

Second.  We made our debut at the pool this season yesterday.  It wasn’t the warmest of days…but we were tired of the constant nagging from the girls.  So we went. ;D  Our new pool has a diving board and two slides!  What fun!

Yesterday we were involved in a car accident.  Someone rear-ended us on our way home from church.  I’m very thankful we drive a Volvo.  Very safe cars!  We are all ok…just fyi.  I think Ava has the worst of it.  She has a pretty bad headache and a goose egg on her head.  We are watching her.  In any case…the funny story…and yes I am trying to put one out of this because right now this is our only working car…thank goodness it is still drive-able…the funny story is that as we were sitting there I took out my phone to take a photo of the girls and Laney shrieked, “MOM!  Why are you taking a picture of this horrible time in our lives!!!!!” Which was my first thought exactly!  But after…ehem almost (whisper just for you Jeni) dieing…I was thinking why don’t I take pictures of everything…including the bad???? ;D

I also have a new product in the store.  It is a doodle pack called Little Sweeties.

I hope you have a GREAT Monday!