we interrupt this regularly scheduled program...

We got a new puppy!  Call us crazy I know!  I'm not sure how we got to this place again.  We were being nostalgic about getting Sadie around Valentines Day back in 2003, when suddenly......

Piper 7 weeks old - riding home in Kirby's hands

Now, let me just tell you what it's like to have a new puppy in the house.  Basically, it's like having a new baby.  That's all there is to it!  The good part about a new baby is that a baby wears a diaper.  The good part about a new puppy is that she can sleep in a crate while you go out.  But so many other things are just the same!  Our nights have been quite different to say the least.  One night she cried from about 2:30 until morning.  Then I put the call out for help to facebook friends.  Great ideas came pouring in.  The next night we didn't let her cry at all.  She was just too young for that technique.  When she woke up I would take her outside to potty and then I would let her play while I caught up with some DVR'd TV shows!  She seemed to only have an ON and OFF switch early in the week.  As the week progressed, she would even allow me to put her in her crate awake and I would play some Ellie Holcomb music to calm her down.  It was magical, it worked!  Last night we even put her in her crate awake and she settled right down.  But the real shocker was that she slept until almost 6 in the morning!  I think we are getting this sleep thing down!  Praise the Lord!  Today I decided to work on the potty training.  I had a small collar but not small enough.  So, I used my jewelry tools to punch three more holes.  We don't have a leash for her yet so I am using some pretty ribbon (that is what crafters do!)  She stays tethered near me while I work.  (btw, this is me working ) This is supposed to keep her from accidents.  She likes the area around her clean.  That's the idea anyway.  We shall see.  So for now, our regularly scheduled program has most certainly been interrupted with patience and love for this most adorable little pup named Piper!

Piper 8 weeks old - learning the art of tethering

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

I just finished my 'February' book of the month.  I know, unbelievable, it's still early in the month!  I figure I need some quick reads early in the year so I can get ahead.
I didn't pick The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe just because it was short though.  Our family went to the third movie in the Chronicles of Narnia series over Christmas and I fell in love with Narnia all over again.  When I saw that Holli's books were still on the book shelf, I decided to read them.

There is so much underlying Biblical meaning.  Aslan, The White Witch and her tempting Turkish Delight and forever winter, and the 4 Pevensie children referred to as sons of Adam and daughters of Eve.  Was it C.S. Lewis's intention or was I looking for it and wanted to find it?
Either way, I looked, I found and I loved the read!
On to Prince Caspian.....

Inventory Celebration!

 I just finished my it's by design inventory.  Now we are one step closer to getting ready for tax time.  That is always a big weight lifted off of my shoulders.  Today while I finished up, I watched this weeks episode of Parenthood.  I LOVE that show!  It just may be my all around favorite TV show this season.  It's about, as you can probably guess, the dynamics of family.  I love that you get to see it from all sides, the kids, the young parents, the struggles of being a teenager and the struggles of parenting, all the way to the grandparents who are still parents too!  You ever think of that?  Just because you become a grandparent doesn't mean you don't stop being a parent.  I love how everyone learns from each other on this show and it's not easy.  It pretty much always chokes me up.  This episode ended with a song called Next Time by a guy named Meredith Bragg.  I couldn't find it available yet on itunes.  It looks like it will be coming out later this year.  So for now, click here to listen and enjoy.

Next Time by Meredith Bragg