And They Call It Puppy Love

When you make the decision to take on a new responsibility and add to your family it is so exciting. You're gettin a puppy!  You are just so in love with the idea that you can't see past the puppy dream.  This idea is so fully of happiness, cute little puppies.   Puppy kisses.  Puppy cries.  Puppy love.  All so wonderful.   Our puppy was not a planned puppy she was a" sometimes life gives you a surprise" kinda pup the best kind!!  We did not discuss it with The Boys in fact on Tuesday night I brought Cocoa home a little before 9:00pm (bedtime).  Surprise.  I've never heard The Boys so full of Thank Yous :)
Since the first day there has been some puppy drama, cries, accidents, but there has been love, responsibility, kisses and cuddles. She is so worth it~all of it.

Some people think I'm crazy.  Why a Jack Russel they are so hyper. I say why not.  My life is busy, sometimes it's filled with the best kind of organized chaos.  I say Cocoa will fit right in!!  She is doing a great job telling us when she needs to go out and The Boys are helping out with walks, feedings, and playtime.  Tyler even slept downstairs on the couch so Cocoa wouldn't cry.  She has to have someone in the same room with her or she starts to cry, and at bedtime Tyler gets upset when he hears Cocoas cries. She is a puppy so I have to go out with her in the middle of the night and I find myself in bed awake anticipating her cries. I go as fast as I can down the stairs so she doesn't wake anyone in the house.  She enjoys being outside, but she seems as equally excited to come back  in.  I love that !   Yes we have a puppy her name is Cocoa and we love her!!  I think she loves us too ♥ 

Snow Cones and Snoopy

We had a great time trying to stay cool today.  We made snow cones!!    It's amazing how much happiness can come from ice, syrup, and a fun cone shaped paper cup.  Faces light up.  Smiles get really big.  I must say this was great.  Thanks Carrie for this wonderful birthday present a few years back.  Great gift idea.  It keeps on giving even on the hottest of days :) 

I remember when I was 5 years old I had a Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine.  It was awesome!!! I loved that thing, but you had to work to make the snowcones.  You dropped the ice into an opening in the top and then took the piece with Snoopy on it and pushed the ice down.  There was a metal blade that you could reach in and touch.  You had to push down and crank the blade around to shave the ice.  It was so cool to watch the ice come out from the metal blade and the faster you crank the more ice.  It was always a competition to see who could crank the fastest, and make the most shaved ice.    It also had a snowman that you put the syrup into squeeze on top, and a little shovel to scoop out the ice.  We always used Kool-Aid for flavor.   The snow cone maker I have today is so easy to use.  You just drop ice in, push down the top and presto out comes  shaved ice.  And they have real cherry flavored snow cone syrup to top it off.  Although, I must say if I had a Snoopy Snowcone Machine we would be using it.   I was able to get some cute pictures of the snow cone making fun that I posted below.

It has been such a hot day!!  The a/c has been running all day and it's still warm in the house.  It was fun remembering what I enjoyed doing as a child to beat the heat and showing The Boys that you don't need to go to a fancy park or spend a lot of money.  Playing in a sprinkler, making homemade snow cones, and freezing some yogurt pops made for some happy kiddos.  Just like I remembered.

Firefly Where Are You?

Now that I know fireflies don't live in all other states they amaze me even more.  When we went to HH we went to visit our awesome family in North Carolina and learned that there are no fireflies.  None.    How can this be?  Something I just grew up with as part of my everynight during Summers in Ohio.  Sometimes I would put them in jars and leave them as a natural night light.  In awe of the light I would watch them glow and then set them free the next morning (although most would not fly away).  So tonight we went firefly hunting ...again because we must, it is now part of my everynight as an adult because I can.  It is a happy childhood memory that I have and I hope one day The Boys will have similar good memories.  The Boys love it and they will forever know how unique the firefly is.  I also really enjoy the fact that they call them fireflies.  I called them lightning bugs but firefly makes them sound special and they are!!

Balance

If there is one thing that I think is true it is everything needs balance.  A little bit of this and a little bit of that.  On the nights when I work I know I need some sleep even just 20 minutes to create some sort of balance.  I have 4 beautiful sons, 1 amazing husband and a 10 year old tuxedo kitty.  And everyday I must find balance.  In cooking to make sure everyone is happy at dinner time it takes balance.  Balance is needed when doing work around the house to make sure that the soccer clothes are clean and ready for game/practice days  and the lawn mowing days don't fall on a rainy day.  Balance is needed in relationships, careers and education.  Everyone needs a little bit of everything.  So I think that will be the focus.  A little bit of everything.  Stories from the mother of 4 boys, food favorites, shopping deals and steals and whatever creates balance for the day!