Watch Me Grow: 13 Weeks

I can't believe Rory is already 13 weeks!  She is 18 pounds and she is getting really tall.  She is such a good puppy.  I finally feel like she has caught on to the potty training gig.  She has only had one accident in the last week and a half and it was more our fault because we weren't able to get her outside quickly enough after she had been in the house for a while.  She goes to the door sometimes or comes and gets our attention now whenever she needs to go out.  

Besides her mastered tricks of sit & lay down we also taught her how to shake.  It is seriously the cutest thing ever.  I'm in the process of teaching her to roll over.  She's almost gotten that one but she doesn't do it every time without some help yet.  She is still way playful, loves playing fetch, going on walks, and napping on the couch by us. 

-Kami 

Spring

Spring has never really been one of my favorite seasons, I'm more of a fall & winter person.  I actually kind of dread Spring and think of it as wet, muddy, and often cold.  Not quite cold enough for coats but still not warm enough for jackets.  I find it a little irritating I can never get a happy medium.  
Although this Spring I can't help but notice how pretty everything is.  There are blossoms everywhere and the grass is so green!  At least there is some beauty that makes up for the rainy muddy mess. 

It's a good thing it's so pretty, otherwise trying to raise a new puppy in this rain & mud would really have an influence on my mood.  If I concentrate on the beauty it seems a bit easier to stay cheerful.

-Kami

Watch Me Grow: 12 Weeks

At twelve weeks Rory is still growing like a weed.  She is getting really good at playing fetch.  She is doing fairly well at potty training, accidents are getting fewer and fewer.  She is very friendly and loves people, especially kids.  Whenever she sees people or kids she wags her tail so hard her whole body shakes back and forth.  She's also starting to really like her walks.  Now that she's three months old we can take her on fifteen minute walks.  She's catching on really quickly to heeling and staying right by us.  We're pretty lucky we have such a sweet, smart puppy.

-Kami

Bryce's 23rd

We celebrated Bryce's 23rd birthday with dinner, a movie, and then dessert & presents.  For dinner I cooked salmon, a rice pilaf, and asparagus.  Bryce chose Iron Man 3 for the movie and we loooved it.  It was really good.  Bryce's dessert was a giant cheesecake from Costco, his favorite.  Half of it went in the freezer and we've still been eating it all week long.  His birthday presents were a new fishing reel, fishing line, and waders.  It was a fun birthday celebration with just the two of us (I guess 3 if you count Rory during dessert and presents).

-Kami

Happy Birthday Bryce!

It is this cute boy's 23rd birthday.  Bryce has finally been alive as long as I have and we will be the same age until October 31.  Goodness I am so grateful for him.  He is so good to me.  He is my rock, my comic relief, and my very best friend. I can't remember what my life was like before him and as cliche as it is to say, I don't know what I would do without him.    

I love you Bryce.

Happy 23rd Birthday! 

-Kami

Watch Me Grow: 11 Weeks

Rory is now eleven weeks.  I can't believe how fast she is growing.  It's like she doubles in size every night.  She is doing pretty good on her training.  She is now learning to fetch and she has caught on really quickly.  She just has a hard time dropping the toy once she brings it back to you.  She usually tries to get you to play tug-o-war instead of dropping the toy.  She has regressed a little on potty training and has had a few accidents this past week.  I've been kind of frustrated about it but I don't think it's that she doesn't know she is supposed to go outside, I think it's more like she's testing us and her boundaries.  We are being stricter and taking her out as much as possible so hopefully she'll learn she can't get away with it.  We still love her though, even though she is frequently testing our patience :)

-Kami

Mother's Day Series: Mom

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. 

-Abraham Lincoln

The final post of my mother's day series is about my very own angel mother, Julie Mecham.  It is completely true that everything I am and hope to be I owe to her.  I don't even know where to begin.  My mother is quiet, kind, selfless, forgiving, and extraordinarily loving.  She is also an incredible listener, as you can imagine, having raised two chatty daughters.    

My mother has three children; my older sister Laci, me, and my younger brother Rhett.  We were all three extremely close in age.  First she had Laci, followed by me sixteen months later, and finally Rhett eighteen months after that.  For many years she consistently had two children in diapers at once.

I know having three children so close in age was not an easy feat.  She did an incredibly difficult job with patience, love, and kindness but that isn't to say we didn't all get our fair share of the wrath of the wooden spoon.

  Some of my favorite memories with my mom are when she would take me shopping.  Laci and Rhett both hated shopping but I always loved to go with her.  I didn't care whether we were shopping for groceries, clothes, or cleaning products I was always elated when I got to go with her.  We had our little tradition of stopping to fill up the car with gas then get a drink and a treat for the road.  Then on the drive and during the whole trip I got valuable one on one time with her.  I learned so much from her on those little shopping trips.  I watched her make weekly menus on a budget, and then shop for the best deals for the needed grocery items.  I watched her prioritize the items that were needed most and always, always put the needs of the rest of her family before her own.  I asked her millions of questions and received her paramount advice on everything.

I have always had an extremely close relationship with my mom.  I've known I could go to her with any problem or issue I ever faced.  She has always been my biggest supporter whether it was in singing taking me to voice lessons every week, in school going to parent teacher conferences and endlessly encouraging my schoolwork, or even in my personal life helping me make the best choices.  

I find it so comforting to know that I'll be able to go to my mom for advice when I have my own children.  I know she will be there for me whenever I need her.  She will be the best grandma and I can't wait for my children to know her.

I love you mom.

Happy Mother's Day!

-Kami