Sarah loves her cousin Alli, and she is so good with Sarah. Alli played with Sarah for a while on Saturday night - you can see in Sarah's face how much fun she's having!


Last night after we put Sarah down, Alli came over so Jon and I could head to Starbucks to celebrate my birthday. What a treat!

So words do not do justice to the insanity at times of having 5 dogs and 2 cats. This morning, while filling 4 water bowls for Mattie and the 4 remaining pups, twice in a 8 second span, the same cat scared me so bad that I spilled water. I'm terrified of coming across a snake, so all the cats have to do is move when I'm not expecting it and I'll jump in total fear/shock (granted we have seen 2 snakes and the people who lived here last year had a COPPER HEAD NEST). Fear is merited! Almost daily as I brave the bushes to turn on the hose to water the garden, 1 of the cats will jump in a seeming attempt to make me scream. This morning, after filling all the bowls, I headed down to the kennel to let the pups out to enjoy a day of wrestling and destroying our back yard with Mama Mattie. On opening the kennel gate, the puppies go absolutely nuts all trying to out do the other to get the closest to you. Over the past weeks, they've caused Jon do to a face plant with Sarah on his back and made me do a front somersault down the hill. Words really do no just to it! While we've loved the pups, we can't wait for Toby & Elizabeth to come get theirs this week and for Em & Josh to get theirs in 2 weeks! Then we'll drive Gyp to Maine when we go ... coming home to only 2 dogs and 2 cats!

One more topic change ... our garden of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans, soy beans, rosemary, mint, basil, thyme, parsley, and sage seems to be growing and surviving. I love having a garden, but by no means am I a "gardener." (just look at my yard to tell you that!) I'm learning though!