Dog Training 101

Here Scooter is learning to come when she is called. As you can see, she has flunked her first training class.

The faces of Scoots

No, please don't scold me..I didn't do it.
Anything? Food? Toys? Love?...

Come closer...I want to smell you...

Luke Daniel

Finally I got to hold and smooch my little nephew, Luke Daniel. He's so adorable...He likes to dance like his aunt Natty...Here he's doing a jig to an Irish tune....Watch and giggle

Family Time

Last week was kind of like the calm before the storm. By "storm" I mean the new turn my life has taken, from which I have a bit of "whiplash," metaphorically speaking. In a period of about 3 weeks, I went from being done with school to starting a masters. Anyway, before all that started we went to see our Pagel family up in Iowa. Burr. Chill. It was pretty cold.

So, yes we got a dog. I had been persuasively encouraging Ryan how cool it would be if we had a dog...I didn't really think he'd catch on, but all of a sudden we found ourselves lookin for puppies on the internet! As my mom would say, I guess I "put a bee in his bonnet." :)

Allison came over and helped me give Scooter a bath...we had fun hanging out...us girls had to stick together! (Scooter included).

I think Ryan had been storing up most of his competitive energy to spend at home playing Settlers with the boys. I'll have to learn I guess. I had fun just spending time with the fam...great conversations and stories with Kim and Sharon, lunch with Loretta, ice cream with the boys, helping out with Jason's apt, singing with Jon, (as well as throwing snow in his face after he pushed me), watching Cars with Josh, and of course, giving hugs to everyone!

Ryan told me one morning after he woke up (at 11:00)..."I like coming home...it's just relaxing and I don't have to do anything." I agreed. Except, oh wait...I asked for a dog and now I'm getting up early to take her out in the sub-freezing weather and trying to watch her like a hawk because she's not fully housebroken! I guess I got what I asked for. I'm just preparing myself for motherhood. :)
It was pretty awesome. Sharon kept us supplied with whatever we wanted in the kitchen and it just felt like home.

Red Rovin' Rough Ridin' Rootin' Tootin' Boot Scootin' lil Hot Dog

Meet Scooter Pagel! She's the latest addition to our family. She's quick, curious, fearless, and hopelessly devoted to ME! We got her here in Iowa, so she's enjoyed meeting all the boys and Sharon. She's eleven months old and still very puppyish...Here are a few pics Kim took.