Blame it on the...

My original plan was to write a post tonight on some of the small projects I've been working on around the house.

However, I always want to be honest on this blog.  I don't want to pretend.  That would be too exhausting, and I just don't have the desire or the energy to fake something that isn't there.  

So, truth be told: The house is a mess, and I didn't touch one of the those projects today.

In less than 24 hours the yellow bungalow went from clean and presentable, to an utter disaster.  

I could blame it on Boston

and the fact that he was dropped off at 8 this morning; spiraling two already naughty dogs into shear chaos for the next two hours.  (Remember Boston?  He is at fault for my love for big dogs. I think it's his eyes, I just get lost in them.  They cut me deep I tell ya.)

I could blame it on the fact that at 9:45 Dexter ate Nancy's (our physical therapist) sunglasses.

I could blame it on the fact that at 10am all three dogs escaped the house and I spent the next 15 minutes running around our street chasing and screaming at my three unruly canine children while my kind neighbors assisted me in corralling them home.

Meanwhile, my human child sat screaming in the living room, not understanding why mommy dashed out of the house like a mad woman.

I could blame it on the fact that we then took a four hour tour through our town running errand after errand. (With a pit stop lunch with a good friend and fattening food, of course.)

Today, I could come up with countless reasons why my house looks as awful as it does.  

But the reality is, it just wasn't a priority today.

When I got home my body, my mind, and more importantly my boy needed to rest.  I called the man of the house and warned him what to expect when he got home.  Put the little guy in his crib for a well needed nap, crawled under the covers of my own bed, and we both slept.  

We slept because sleep can be healing.  It can calm an endless running mind, it soothes overworked muscles, and washes away the stresses of the day. 

An hour later we woke refreshed, and ready to play.  So play we did.  

Tonight, I go to bed thankful.

Thankful for friends with dogs, especially for Boston.

Thankful for understanding therapists who love my kid and forgive my dogs.

Thankful for neighbors who have grown a deaf hear to the constant barking, and a blind eye to the sometimes marking of the front lawns.

Thankful for a reliable car to take me around town and a boy that held in the tears until we were five minutes from home.

Thankful for the solace and comfort of beds and cribs to recuperate in.

Thankful for a hardworking husband who loves me despite my inner messy self, which I sometimes let roam free around our home.

Thankful that God doesn't inspect my house or my life with a white glove, but loves me where I'm at, and gently leads me where He wants me to be.

In the midst of chaos, what are you thankful for?

Have a good weekend,

Kristin

Break Over

So I've taken a break for the last two months to get a hang on the whole new-foster-mommy thing, and now I'm ready to share.

We've had so much fun with our little guy.  He seriously is the cutest thing ever, no really.  I'm not biased at all.  No really, I'm not. Fine...maybe a little.

We took family photos not that long ago, and it kills me to do this, but unfortunately I had to blur him out.

You seriously are missing out on the sweetest smile this side of....I honestly had no idea how that expression ends.

But the Hacker and I are smitten with this tough little guy.

It's been so fun learning what makes him laugh, how he likes to be held, and watching him grow.  

The little guy sleeps through the night now, and that means more sanity for me! 

And since the Hacker likes to be crazy, this week we added another touch of madness to the Zamora household.

And let me tell you, Toby, is madness.  He is not a lazy basset like the breed promises to be.  

The Hacker and I have been looking into getting another dog for Dexter, and have fell  in love with bassets.  Especially after spying on the Pioneer Woman's two hounds and getting a laugh in every now and then.  

So when this two year old popped up on Craigslist needing a home, the Hacker didn't hesitate.  

It was a little overwhelming in the beginning, the dogs' spontanteous wrestling matches, the whining, and tripping over a needy hound whom you can never escape from.  But we're getting used to him, and vice versa.

And while it is still a little crazy around here, the little guy is taking a nap, both dogs are passed out, and I had a craving to write.  So here I am.  I'm back.  

We have been continuing to work on the yellow bungalow through the madness:

• The Hacker is almost done making our dining room table. 
• He also started crown moulding in the nursery.
• The nursery is pretty much done, I just have to take pictures of it.
• The office is completed.
• It goes on and on...

I can't wait to share all of it with you. So stay tuned, no really.  I will be back tomrrow. 

Changes.....

eh-hum, Hi Dexter.  wake up, we have something to tell you.

Since we got you in January, you have been loved, spoiled, and have been king of the home when we're at work.  

This may be changing at the beginning of August.  There may be little babies that need a home for a while staying with us.   Now I know this may interrupt your two naps during the day, but we hope you will be able to adjust.  We expect you to roll with the punches when your nap is interrupted.  We'll leave Lady and the Tramp on today to help you understand what changes we're talking about.  It will explain to you your role in all of this.  

Now don't worry, you wont have to take care of them all by yourself.  I'm going to be home with the babies too.  I promise to do my best not to cramp your style. I can't speak for the little peanuts that may come through the yellow bungalow.  

It may be hard, but please understand.  We're really excited about this new chapter of our lives.  Foster care isn't something we ever thought we wanted to do.  But here we are, four years of marriage and can't wait to take on this wild ride.  

This doesn't mean we love you any less.  You're still our regal and stoic pup.

now get off the couch

we love you,

Kristin (and the Hacker too)

Dexter and the Dog Park

Dexter has gone to the Simi Valley dog park three times, now.

He let us come along for the ride.  

We thought he would enjoying being around species of his own kind, considering he loves hanging out with his good friend Boston.

Have I ever told you about Boston? He is our dear, dear friends' 7 year old pup. He is smelly and sweet. And the best quality about him is that he always lays on my feet whenever they're cold.

Dex and Boston became friends when our friends babysat him while we were in Hawaii.

While at the dog park, the two stayed close together at first.

Then Dexter found dogs that looked like him.

And made friends with some who didn't.

All in all he just loves being around so many tail-waggin', tongue slobberin' pooches.

There are times that Dexter could care less that we're there.  He just wants to sniff, run, graze on some grass and be around his newly made pals.

However, after a good 10-15 minutes, he stops, pulls his head up from the grass, and looks all around the park.  Almost as if he's lost.  

That's when the Hacker whistles and Dex races towards his best friend.  

He's becoming more and more loyal every day.  And we love it.

a brown spotted lawn

Something has happened to our backyard.  

We have slowly been witnessing the demise of our green mini (and I mean mini) lawn.  It went from lush and green, to a brown polka-dotted canvas for Dexter to continue his "art."  We are in need of a change!  

The Hacker has done some research, and we are now looking into four options.  We may even combine two of them.  Who knows?  There are no rules here to say we can't.

1.  Spray the brown spots with a solution that will recover the brown spots and make them green. 

However, the Hacker's research has shown that this spray will make our spots go from dead brown to blinding neon green.

2. There is a supplement that will balance out Dexter's pH levels.  This way his waste isn't so lethal to our grass. 

I am a little nervous about this one.  I don't want it to cause liver damage in the poor pooch.

See what I mean?  Just look at that pathetic face?

3.  A peeing repellent that will, hopefully, guide Dexter to a particular area on the lawn to pee on.  That way he pees in one spot, and one spot only.  

I think I could live with one small brown spot.  Just not 30 of them.

4.  A peeing brick.  The goal here, is that Dexter will only pee on a particular brick.  Knowing our crazy dog, he'll pee on the brick, as well as everywhere else. 

These are the choices that we have.  In the next couple of weeks, we hope to have found a solution, and post a different, brighter looking lawn.

Just like the pre-Dex days.

until then,

Kristin

Dexter

We started our New Year off with a new addition to the yellow bungalow. 

We adopted a dog.

His name is Dexter.

He just turned one, so he is still very much, a puppy.
We found him on Craigslist for $100. He needed a home and we needed a dog.

Dexter is an American Golden Retreiver.  It didn't matter to us what kind of predigree our dog was, but we love this pup.  

He doesn't bark, or growl.  He plays, constantly.  And when he isn't playing, he's eating or dreaming about the next time he can play. 

We need to get him fixed. Seriously, for the sake of all women who enter our home, he needs to be fixed.  

But for now we are just getting him used to his new parents, and enjoying him.

He's helping us keep one of our New Year's resolutions: Go for an hour walk, every night.
Thanks, Dexter.

We love you,
Kristin