Animal House...

This weekend all the animals in our house got a treat... even some that don't live IN our house.

First I started with the critters outside of the house... the birds.  This is an interest inspired by my Grandmother. She always had multiple bird feeders outside her home. She would spend hours on her porch watching all of the different birds enjoy her bird feeders. She could tell you the types of birds and their habits. Her interest in birds eventually caught my Mom and she continued the tradition. Then for Christmas last year, my parents gave me a pole for my backyard. Since then I have enjoyed having lots of bird visiting my backyard.

So, I got two new bird feeders and a bunch of seed.

Next the dogs got a little TLC. First we took them to PetsMart to get their nails trimmed. The trimming part isn't all that exciting for them... but the car ride and walking through the store is so much fun!!

 Once we were home, Brad gave them both much-needed baths. Chey is not a bath fan but she always feels SO good when it is done and is so happy. Samson doesn't put up much of a fight in the tub but becomes a wild dog when running around enjoying the clean feeling! This process isn't all just for them... not only do we get soft, good smelling dogs out of the deal, but the whole process usually wipes them out! So, our house is usually peaceful for a while post-bath.

Finally, the cats got an upgrade on their seating around the house. Having a proper area to sleep and lounge is a must for a happy cat. Taking advantage of the built-in cat entertainment that the bird feeders provide, the cats now have a cozy bed in front of that window in the kitchen. We have had this seating for a while, however, Zoe is known for stretching too far and toppling the bed over, launching her into the windowsill or on the floor. Although we get a giggle, it can be quite startling for her when napping. So, I added a platform under the bed that is attached to the window with suction cups... much more secure.

It is a popular window because of the bird feeder.

New suction cup seat - no more toppling Zoe.

Gypsy approved!

 The cats also got a new window perch in the living room. They had a plastic cat tower there for while but it was always intended to be temporary. It wasn't very stable and our larger cat Gypsy couldn't quite fit. So, this one is more stable and roomier. This one is nice because it hides behind our room divider so they can be out of the way and nap without interruption. Zoe, broke it in for us right away...

Zoe approved!

So, we have lot of happy animals around us. They are a big part of our family and deserve TLC too. Of course, Gypsy quickly reminded us... you can give them the best and a pile of freshly washed and folded laundry will still win...

Dads & Dogs...

Father's Day weekend, Brad and I headed down to Boerne to spend time with his family. We always enjoy our time there and the dogs love it because they get to run around on their land. 

In addition to it being Father's Day, it was also Berges Fest time in Boerne. Every little German town in Texas has a festival for something... and Boerne is no exception! So, we headed to downtown Boerne to enjoy the event. There was music ranging from local country artists to traditional German music. The food had a range too... from the normal festival fare of funnel cakes and turkey legs to yummy crepes and German Bratwurst with Sauerkraut. There were fun attractions including a carnival, wheelbarrow races and an egg toss.

We roamed around for a while, enjoying some food and seeing what we could see. However, we stayed close to the main tent because we were there to see the main attraction. That's right folks, I couldn't wait to see ... the Dachshund Races!!! We met up with my brother-in-law Doug and my niece, Irina for the event. Irina and I got great seats at the finish line. We settled in to cheer on the Wiener dogs! And they were SO CUTE!!! It is hard work to sprint when you are only a couple of inches from the ground!

  

Getting ready!

All lined up!

 

There were 5 rounds with 5 dogs in each race. One dog owner held them at the starting line while another family member sat at the finish line calling them with treats, toys, whatever they could use! Everyone cheered and laughed as the dogs ran in chaotic fashion. Some of them were so ready to race, their owners had to hold them back. Others got confused when they were released and made a u-turn back to the starting line. Others would run with no direction whatsoever, so they would cross the finish line - but on the opposite side from where they started. 

And... go!!

Look at the lower left-hand corner... see the arms with the pink shirt taking a picture? That is me - so you can see that Irina and I had great seats!

The best moment of the whole race was when it was won by an unlikely contender. Before the start had been called, a couple of dogs got into a little fight. They separated them but when they were released to race, they did what any good dog would do... resumed the fight! With that distraction going on, most of the other dogs didn't know what to do so no one raced. Then one Dachshund just started meandering his way down - oblivious to the race. He stopped and sniffed a few things and he looked around, all while heading towards the finish line. Soon the crowd began to realize that he could win it while the other dogs were distracted and we started to cheer for him. At that very moment, he stopped and peed on the tent pole. The crowd went wild with laughter and cheers, routing for him to get to the finish line. You know what? He did ... so he won the race by just taking a leisurely walk! It was hysterical!!

"I think I can, I think I can!!"

 After the races, we visited and Irina enjoyed some cotton candy. 

The girls...

Irina showing off her cotton candy tongue!

With plans made to meet up for dinner later for an early Father's Day celebration, we headed home. It was a great afternoon! We enjoyed a nice family dinner at Outback that night. The next morning we went to church, had lunch and then headed home.

Exhausted dogs on the ride home.

Setting the Stage...

Over the course of several weekends in May and June, we were working at the church. Our friend, Laura had volunteered to build the stage for Vacation Bible School and she "volunteered" us too. It was more like she told us we were going to help, but we love Laura, so were we happy to do it!! We called Laura and I "The Design Team" and Brad was "The Construction Team". So, in other words, Laura and I came up with the ideas, would make them and Brad helped build and secure them!

The theme for this year's VBS was Amazing Wonders Aviation...

 

So, we were tasked with building an avaition-themed stage - but not all at once. In order to help generate interest and enrollment, we were to incorporate elements over several Sundays. It was fun to watch the stage change each week and it also allowed us to break up the work. This was a good thing... because every Saturday we met turned into a full workday! 

The first Saturday I could be there, so Laura and Brad enlisted the help of another friend, Sara. They put up the first piece... a great plane coming in for its landing!!

The next Saturday, Brad, Laura and I installed a couple of new pieces... a flight tower and a Jet Piano! The pictures really don't do the flight tower justice... that thing was HUGE!! It was well over 16 feet tall, had several pieces to it and was a beast to get up.

 

Brad doing his Engineer thing...

Laura hanging clouds...

The Jet Piano was something I came up with... literally in my dreams. As soon as Laura asked us to be part of this, I envisioned the piano as a jet plane. I struggled with the execution though. Then one day Brad mentioned using a cone as its nose and as I laid in bed one night, it came to me. I was very happy with how it turned out.

The final Saturday, we added a runway and a hangar area.

The hangar area was completed with some AWESOME props... real flight suits and helmets. These were borrowed from my father-in-law and a family friend. These were the real deal and completed the area perfectly. 

Each Saturday we were exhausted but it was fun to sit in church the next day and see our handy work.

Finished stage!

Our Assistant Music Minister, Aimee, sent me a picture of the stage in use during VBS and I have to say, I think it looks great!!!

We made a great team - each bringing different talents to the creation process and had a lot of fun at the same time. It was a nice way of contributing since none of us could actually take part in the week of VBS.

Mr. T...

I got a sad email from Jason... he had to put sweet Tucker to sleep today. 

Tucker was the first dog I ever owned. When Jason and I adopted him from a shelter, he was a sad , skinny dog with heavy heartworms. He had been rescued by that shelter from a kill facility because his "time was up" there. I will never forget the minute Jason attached the leash on Tucker's collar to go home with us, Tucker perked up and walked us to our car. From that day on, his personality came out.

 

 

He made me laugh and smile with his funny expressions and antics. He loved peanut butter and going for walks so he could sniff everything he passed - he had an excellent Hound nose. He howled like any good Beagle would and snored with the best of them.  

 

He also frustrated me and scared me too when he would get out and go on sometime dangerous walks alone. For a while I worked at an office in the Hill Country and I took him to work with me. He usually slept all day under my desk. However, there were a few times that he would be outside and get out of the fenced area. Soon a full-on search party would be launched... only to find him hanging out at the local BBQ joint hoping for some scraps. He had followed his Hound nose. The miracle was that he crossed a very busy 4 lane highway to get there. God loved that little dog - that is the only way I can explain how he made that trip... more than once.

In the past few years, Tucker had fought Diabetes. He had been getting daily insulin injections and lost most of his sight. Recently his health had declined and Jason had to make a hard decision. My heart is sad both for Tucker and for Jason. I have been in this position before and know how hard this is. Everyone that met Tucker loved him. He was a patient, gentle soul that just wanted to be loved. And he was very loved... 

 

My debut...

Since we first started attending our church last year, I have been actively involved in the Choir. I look forward to singing every Sunday and the weekly rehearsals. Last month I decided to audition for the Praise/Worship Team. I have sung in church choirs before but I have never done anything like this before!! I mulled it over for a LONG time before actually making the decision to audition. 

I was absolutely terrified the day of my audition. We had to come prepared with a solo, be able to sing a song we were sent to learn and then we had to do some sight-reading and scales. All of this was done for the Music Minister and the Asst. Choir Director. I worked really hard on my solo and was pleased with it. I sang "Blessed Redeemer" by Casting Crowns. Let me It is WAY harder to sing in front of just two people that with a choir and a bunch of people in the audience!! WHEW!!! 

Well, apparently I did well because about a week later, I got the call that I got the position! So, I am officially the newest Soprano on the team. We rotate so I will sing with the Choir every week, but only on the Praise Team once or twice a month. 

So, it finally came last Sunday... my debut. I was so nervous I was downing Alka-Seltzer. It was much harder than I expected and I made a lot of rookie mistakes. The first service was a little rough but by the time the second service came around, I had worked out most of the nerves and I was able to enjoy myself. By the time is was all said and done, I loved it!!!

Brad was able to snap a couple "paparazzi" pictures on my phone. They aren't the greatest, but you get the point. (The stage is decorated for VBS, hence the clouds - more on that in another post.)

Cinco de Married...

Last month, Brad and I flew to Georgia to attend my cousin Matthew's wedding. As with most family gathering around a wedding, the time was much too short but it was a nice weekend.

We flew into Atlanta the Thursday before the wedding and my parents picked us up at the airport. We spent the night in a motel and then got up the next morning and drove a couple of hours to Augusta. We had some time to kill before the Rehearsal Dinner and lucky for us, our hotel was on a waterfront and they offer boat tours! We enjoyed cruising up and down the river listening to the tour guide. The river serves as the border between Georgia and South Carolina and has many historical ties.

Waiting for the boat to leave.

The rehearsal dinner was at a very pretty place called The Lodge on Heath. It was a wonderful night with family we don't get to see very often and we got to meet the other star of the weekend... Matthew's fiancee Rhende! She is a beautiful young lady and a perfect match for my sweet cousin. They met while both on a medical mission trip to Trinidad (he was a medical student at the time and she was a nursing student). After a wonderful dinner and lots of speeches in honor of the couple (including one I did at the spur of the moment), we called it a night... and I didn't get a single picture. :o(

The next day Brad and my Dad went to hang with the boys at a Guy's Luncheon. Mom and I went to get pedicures and had a relaxing lunch. Then it was wedding time!!!

The only picture of the three of us... and it isn't very good. :o(

The ceremony was beautiful and so personal to Matthew and Rhende - including a hymn playing during the pre-service music in honor of our Grandmother. Everything was obviously carefully planned out and it was a wonderful service.

The reception was held in downtown Augusta at a place called the Marbury Center which is a converted firehouse - very cool! In a true expression of their sense of humor, the Bridal Party made their entrance wearing Sombreros, mustaches and shaking maracas... the did get married on Cinco de Mayo after all!

 

It was a fun night. And yes, that is me on the dance floor doing the Cuban Shuffle!

The next morning all of the family (except the newly married couple) had breakfast at the hotel. It was a nice last chance to see everyone before we all went our separate ways again. Then we made the journey home. 

I am so excited for Matthew and Rhende as they begin this new chapter of their lives. And they aren't messing around... the week after their wedding, Matthew graduated from medical school, then they went on their honeymoon to Jamaica and now they have just moved to Cleveland, Ohio so that Matthew can begin working at The Cleveland Clinic! And, just official today, Rhende got a job in the NICU a The Cleveland Clinic. Whew! So many changes but they have such a love for one another, a strong faith in God and youth on their side- they are going to change the world together!!

Here are a few of the beautiful professional pictures from the wedding...

Before the ceremony -Rhende could see Matthew, but he couldn't look!

Handsome Groom. My Uncle Brad is just to the left of Matthew and my cousin Austin is just to the right.