The Animal Odd Couple

A friend emailed this to me and I thought it was the sweetest thing. If you are an animal lover like I am you really have to watch this! Even if you don't care for animals it is a nice story:-)

I tried to upload the file to play on my blog but it won't work-sorry-you'll have to take the time to click on the link below to watch it! It's only two minutes long though! Enjoy!




Animal Odd Couple Video

A day in the life of Me.....

4 AM-Wake up to very painful gallbladder pains-Try to sleep in rocking chair
6 AM-Not in any pain but not sleeping either! Go back to tossing in bed
8 AM-Get up to start the day-feed dogs, medicate dogs, clean ferret litter box, let dogs out, let dogs in-why do I have pets again?!
8:30 AM-Make pancakes
9 AM-Do dishes; clean up kitchen
9:30 AM-Get us all dressed
10AM to11 AM-Help Elise with homework and try to keep Joseph distracted with his own 'homework'-which he did very well! He had to write the number 1 and color a matching page that he did with little help from me!
11:30-Put dogs in crates and try to get everyone out the door to go Target to pick up valentine cards/candy for Elise's kindergarten party
12:00-Feed us all lunch-quickly!
12:30-Pick up neighbor child and take her and Elise to school
12:45-2:00-Fill up van with gas, grocery shopping with very pregnant belly and a busy four year old Joey
2 PM -Unload and put away groceries
2:30 PM -Pick up stuff, start dishwasher, look up an old receipt for name/# for tile, let dogs out/in again
3:30PM-Elise comes home-go thru school paperwork, get snacks for kids
4:00PM-Shampoo carpets while getting kids to do their chores
5:30PM-Start dinner, feed dogs, crate Little dog 'Irma' so she doesn't wet in the house
6:30PM-Feeding time :-)
7:00PM-Help Elise write on Valentine cards, get pj's on kids, put Joey to bed
8:00 PM- Put Elise to bed
8:15 PM-Watch recorded 'Office' while folding laundry
10:00 PM-Let dogs out/in, medicate dogs-why have pets? Get ready for bed & try to read a bit of book club book
10:30 Pm Good night! I hope......

Now-I know this is a boring day to all the readers out there but it is a typical day for me. I think I need a raise!

Baby Update

Well, I went back to the ultrasound specialist and the doctor this week to check up on the baby. The right kidney is still 15cm which is good in a way because it hasn't grown more but there is more fluid buildup inside the kidney. The specialist's opinion is that most likely the baby will need some sort of intervention by a urologist after he is born. We will have an ultrasound done on him before he leaves the hospital and then Dr Berry will consult with some doctors at Primary Childrens Hospital. Some some info on the baby's condition if you are interested:

What is Hydronephrosis?

Hydronephrosis is dilation or stretching of the area of kidneys where urine collects that can occur when there is an obstruction of urine flow somewhere along the urinary tract, most often in the upper section. Normally, urine flows from the kidneys down through the ureters and into the bladder. But, if there is some kind of a blockage that prevents urine from draining properly into the bladder or out of the bladder, the kidney overfills with urine and hydronephrosis occurs. The blockage may be partial, letting urine pass, but at a slower rate and with increased pressure. According to the measurements the baby is wieghing about 5 1/2 pounds now. I am hoping that I will continue to only have 6poundish babies. So mamybe he will come in four weeks or less :) One can dream... I am just happy knowing that the rest of him is healthy and this is a problem that will most likely correct itself. I can't wait to have him here! Now for a name....

Almost a year....

A friend of mine pointed out that it has nearly been a year since my last post and that I should post on the same day again. That would be funny but I was also ashamed that it has been so long. I really enjoy snooping around and reading everyone's posts but maybe you all would like to know what I have been up to!

A brief summary for now and then I will try my best to post more often-you haven't heard that before!

Matt and I went to Mexico for our ten year wedding anniversary in October. It was so nice to get away for a few days-just the two of us. The sea of cortez is beautiful although I can't say much for the rest of the scenery in Puerto Penasco-all sand and no plants! It was very warm too which I love. Matt ran his first triathlon while we were down there. He did great! Now he wants me to run with him in the next one!

I am also about 8 months pregnant with our third child. He is a boy and for names we are trying to decide on Ian-my vote- or Henry-Matt's vote. He has also has a blocked kidney that we have been watching closely with a specialist. Most of the time the kidney will unblock itself once the baby is a few weeks old. The doctors will continue to watch it after he is born and if there isn't any improvement then surgery will be the next step. Other than that he is healthy. I have gained the most I have ever gained in a pregnancy- I won't tell how much either! I will be much happier with the baby in my arms! Like how the kids shoved balloons under their shirts to make fun of me?! This is how we looked coming out of my last doctor's appointment! Glad they have a sense of humor :)

Elise started kindergarten this past year. She has a hate/love relationship with it. She can read small words though which she is excited with herself over. Still a drama queen but ever so cute:)

Joseph is turning four tomorrow. He is the next Dennis the Menace...Like to lock the animals up in small 'things', creates and builds obsticle courses, loves loves loves anything that has wheels and moves. Busy and smart kid. He is not too far behind learning whatever Elise is learning in school. He enjoys helping her with her homework. He must have got his Daddy's smarts!

Don't want to bore you all too much so I will say 'ta ta' for now. Check back sooner than a year and I promise to have something more to say!

Always Playing Catch Up!

Well, again I have let too much time pass between posts. Someday I hope to be able to be a regular at this! I was in Idaho last week to help take care off Matt's 98 year old grandma. I enjoy visiting with her-such stories! Plus she is fun-she lies to exercise, eat, and laugh. Things that I enjoy too. She will be 99 this year in June- I think. She will surely make it too 100!


Here are some pictures of my kids entertaining themselves. Our TV finally gave up the ghost- I think it is about 15+ years old. I have actually enjoyed not having to tell the kids to turn off the television and go play. They just go and play now! So- the ferret loves to pop balloons and Elise thought it would be fun to blow up a bunch of balloons and let the ferret have a hay day with all of them! It was fun entertainment!



When I got back from Idaho I inherited an additional three dogs to my house. My brother and sister can no longer keep their dogs so now I have them. I think that my sister will be able to take her boston terrier back in a few months but as for the other two I need help finding them a home! If anyone out there wants one or knows someone who might PLEASE let me know. I am on the verge of disliking pets! YIKES! so-the pit bull is an un-neutered female. She is surprisingly tolerant of other dogs-not at all aggressive over food or toys. She is great with my kids-they love to pull her tail and she just plays along with them. The best part is that she is already house trained and obedience trained. What a find!

The other dog is a bloodhound. Very adorable but needs work. I would be happy to pay for half of the $100 obedience class to whomever takes him. He is not neutered but it has already been payed for- I will probably take him in this week to have the deed done! He is pretty mellow but has no manners! He needs to be house broken, learn come,s it , stay, etc. We have been working on the crate training the last few days and it has helped with his barking issues. He is very smart and quick to learn and wants to please.


Well- now you all know what I have been up too. I will try to post again soon!

January gone...

It is hard to believe that I am half way through February already! Although with each passing month we get closer to spring and warm weather. With the last few days being in the 50s I have been planning a landscape for my backyard-yearning for spring to come. I like the outline I have laid out. A few flowing shrubs and a couple of fruit trees should be all I need to buy. Then I am going to lay landscape rock tiles down through half my backyard to make a walking path to the back half. Then a couple of benches on the walking path with our fire pit at the end of the path and that should complete the backyard. I hope to get it done this summer but I am not sure I'll have the funds for all the plants I want to get!

Which brings me to one of my new year resolutions. To keep a budget! I used to be good at following one when Matt was in school but then he graduated and we bought a house and our income increased quite a bit. Suddenly I thought we were made of money! Now, two years later I have got us into serious credit card debt with nothing to show for it. I am determined to get it paid off by the summer so I am going back to work at the vet clinic a couple days a week as well as continuing to drive the horse carriages around salt lake city. My mom has generously agreed to babysit the kids while I work my long 10 hour days at the vet. I just have not been taking care of our finances like I used to and now I have to pay the price! But I will be free again by the fall!

I visited my sister in michigan last month. It has been nearly two years since I saw her last. We had a great time catching up. Her kids and my kids got along great. And her new baby is so adorable. Seeing and holding the baby made more baby hungry but taking care of 5 children all under the age of 5 and trying to keep up with the laundry and house cleaning was good birth control! So-who knows if I am really ready for another baby! Maybe I will stop at two! At the rate I am going however Joey will be in kindergarten before my next baby is born!

I also received some good mail from Jessie. A cute frame that is monogrammed with 'B' with hearts for valentine's as well as a heart wall hanging-very cute and some candy. Thank you Jessie! You are creative and a cherished friend.

Welcome Home

Surprisingly a small miracle has taken place at our house. I am sure you are all tired of hearing about my dogs but they are like my kids. I have nothing else to talk about except kids and animals! I will try to post about more intellectual topics in the future! Anyways-I had Bella given to e by a breeder for free which never happens. French bulldogs go for $3000 easy and so selling a pet the breeder could sell them at a reduced price of $1500 with no problem. So I assumed that if I ever wanted another frenchie I was doomed to pay full price. But my good friends at the vet clinic that I used to work at put in a good word for me with the frenchie breeders that come in and I amazingly scored another free frenchie! She is two years old and came from Russia-as did my other Frenchie. But she has seizures and has to be on two medications every day to prevent episodes. The breeder didn't want to breed her and have the puppies have this problem as well but didn't feel she could find a good permanent home for her that would maintain her meds and bloodwork. I am totally comfortable of the all the extras and now she has come to live with us. Her name is 'Stella' and is quite chubby. I've renamed her fatty bo blattey! She has had really no training at all and seems to not know her name. I feel sad for these poor dogs that belong to breeders because although their physical needs are usually well met their emotional needs are neglected. {Matt snickers as I write this} But dogs are very social animals and need that 'pack companionship'. Stella is just soaking up the attention she is getting. And I have no doubt that she will be in excellent shape within a few months going up and down the stairs, chasing chickens, ferret, and small children. not to mention Strider's playful energy levels. Now you all know my secret of how I stay skinny! Who needs a gym when who have a household like Dr. Doolittle! The breeder also brought down a littler of frenchie puppies for the vet to check. I knew it would be hard to see frenchies again but I broke down at the vet's. It was hard to see the big ears and hear unique snort. It was good and bad. It is good to have a snorty dog comfortably sleeping in my lap again though. Wish me luck in the training process because I do believe frenchie's are the dumbest and most stubborn dog to train but worth it in the end.

As to the ferret some have requested more pics of her. Here are some of her looking to be rescued and then sleeping safely in Oma's (grandma) lap. I have had to put a lock on Monkey's cage because Joey is getting to rough with her I am afraid that she will get
hurt. He was very upset about the new rule but I know it will be better for everyone!