I'm Lucy

My name is Lucy. I am a Cavachon. That's half King Charles Cavalier and half
Bichon Frise.
Some might call me a "designer dog".
I am.
I am a sweet puppy and I'm very comfortable with my family. I let the kids carry me around and dance with me.
I am a performer by nature. I like to walk and hop on my back legs, leap over hurdles and trot like a show dog.
I love to lay by Tim's shoulder on the top of the couch or in Mom's (Robin)lap.
I love Abby and Drew but I don't like other dogs. I don't trust them. They're usually bigger than me and they smell funny.
I am very vocal and very needy. I whine until somebody holds me. I really like
to be held.
My dog food isn't good enough for me. I turn my nose up and leave it in my dish until I am absolutely starving or until Abby can no longer resist staying away from my bowl.

My favorite toy is my bunny. I LOVE my bunny and I've had it since I was 8 weeks old.


It's fun when Abby pretends to kill me.


The kids like to pretend they've captured me and put me in a cage.
I go along with it.


I like to sit with my family at the table for meal time


And Gosh Darn, I was a cute puppy!

I'm Abby

My name is Abby. I am a Golden Retriever.
I am quite possibly the nicest animal that ever lived.
I have many interests. At the top of the list would be people.
No, maybe my tennis ball. Well.... it's a toss up.
I absolutely love food. In my dish, in the trash... it doesn't matter.
I really love my kids. I like to play in tunnels and tents with them.
I like to pretend that I'm a kid too. They sure make me feel like one!

I like to be the patient when we play "Vet"


I like to pretend to kill Lucy.


I really like my tennis ball


I really REALLY like my tennis ball


I have epilepsy :(
Did I mention that I LOVE my tennis ball??

The Waiting Game

Well, we are becoming pretty good at this game.
Right now we are waiting to find out if we got the house we have a bid on.
We are waiting to find out if Kayla has a spot at EduPrize for second grade.
We are waiting to see if indeed, this house we are currently renting will be foreclosed on.
You'd think all of these question marks would create one giant ball of stress.
But I'm finding that we Deans live pretty well in the unsettled zone.
It's kind of fun not having every step of your life planned out and set in stone.
We certainly hope that all will work out with the house and school but if it doesn't it's just a new adventure.
Homeschooling is so fun that it is going to be painful to let this chapter of our lives go. So if we have to look at another year or more of it I think we'll be pretty pleased anyway.
Right now the kids are enjoying book clubs, science club, lego days, park days, plays at the local theaters and lots and lots of good books.
They officially swam in the pool yesterday (it's still too cold for me).
So we are keeping busy while we continue to wait.

Daffodils from Grandma

Grandma Elephant brought some daffodils over for the kids on Friday to celebrate Spring. They were so excited for them to bloom.
They are beautiful!

What Collin and Kayla think of me

I saw this on Susan's blog and Facebook and decided to try it out this Sunday morning. Kayla's response to #1 was confirmed for me during this Q and A.

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
Collin: I love you
Kayla: You are very strange

2. What makes mom happy?
Collin: when I put Lucy's bark collar on
Kayla: When I don't act bad

3. What makes mom sad?
Collin: when I hit her
Kayla: The Plague episode of Little House on the Prairie

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Collin: when she tickles me
Kayla: when she pretends to be Princess Poopernickle

5. What did your mom like to do when she was a child?
Collin: play at parks
Kayla: play with Bruce

6. How old is your mom?
Collin:54
Kayla: 34

7. How tall is your mom?
Kayla: 43 inches
Collin: 8900 inches


8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
Collin: Harry Potter
Kayla: Little House on the Prairie

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Collin: go out
Kayla: pass out

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Collin: for being fat
Kayla: architectural knowledge

11. What is your mom really good at?
Collin: watching Harry Potter
Kayla: knowing body parts


12. What is your mom not very good at?
Collin: jumping off a scooter.
Kayla: origami

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Collin: photography
Kayla: photography

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Collin: pizza
Kayla: sushi

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Collin: swimming with us
Kayla: for telling us not to eat too much sugar

HBO Family

I'm addicted. WE'RE addicted.
We don't usually have movie channels with our cable,
but recently got a free 3 month trial with a channel
we purchased.
Quite by accident, we found HBO family channel.
It is beyond fabulous, and while I don't like my kids watching
TOO much TV, what they are getting now from their shows is just awesome.
"Crashbox" is an every day must in our house.
Check it out at http://www.hbofamily.com/programs/crashbox.html
I find myself stumped at some of the riddles and problems sometimes and
it is so wild to look at that Tim and I really enjoy it.
If you have HBO, check out the HBO family channel!

Lucy!

She has moved from the chair to the table to sit with the kids at breakfast now.
Of course I try to discourage this, but every time I turn around... there she is sitting in her strange little position... right in the middle of the kitchen table.

March in AZ

I feel like we went straight from winter to summer here in AZ.
We've been eating outdoors, wearing shorts and enjoying this beautiful weather.
The kids have been putting on their swimsuits, dangling their feet in the water... patiently waiting for the water to get a little warmer. (It would have to be a LOT warmer for me!)
Today they cleaned the pool with Tim "getting ready" to swim soon.