Who's happier?

Heather and Casey went on a little vacation and I was to help transport their schnauzers to the kennel. I went to their house and opened the kennel and the two dogs stayed in the kennel until I asked them to come out! They behaved really well and are mannered very mildly. I got them into the car, started it up and Heather called. I asked if we could keep the dogs instead of taking them to the kennel and here we are! Friday to Wednesday dog sitters.

Phoebe was excited as all get out when she returned home from school. Who is happier? Phoebe says she is, but Schneebar seems pretty doggone happy!

Renée loves to watch them walk around. The cats are interesting, but she wants to grab onto them. The dogs, though, she doesn't want to touch. They are for watching only.

We are also in the throws of teething big time; swollen gums, crankiness, pain, ice, lack of sleep. I can't wait for them to break the surface. It isn't "real" until you see the whites of those teeth!

Who knew baby toys could be so easy to make?

Give me a cream cheese container and a large lid to a jar and the latest, greatest toy is made!



After all of that fun noise, what could be better? Expressions of excitement!

Sister visit

What a whirlwind of fun!
Lori and her girls came to visit and we had a blast. She even introduced me to a new restaurant on the riverwalk downtown that won't break our bank: Casa Rio. I enjoyed my flour tacos and the guacamole was as it should be. Phoebe ordered tamales and they just weren't up to snuff. She started out with the first few bites enjoying them, but then told me they weren't like she wanted. I ate some and they were dry and bland. Come on! Tamale meat should be flavorful to combat the masa!
I hadn't been a big fan of the boat ride on the river, but I have changed my mind. Nothing like visitors to open your eyes to what is around! Next time we are taking in an IMAX or movie so we can get validation.
The girls were so much fun! We made I-spy bags. They picked out a thread color to embroider their names, made so many Perler bead things that there is finally a dent in the 11,000 bottle of beads, and entertained Renée. Phoebe was a marvel with them! She was so gracious and loving. It is a joy to see our children at their best and demonstrate such good qualities.
Their trip was short, but we are going to see them this summer! Perler Bead Action part deux coming soon!

Diaper Hunt #2

I had to go with #2 in the title. ;-)

So, while doing this hunt, I have found some very interesting products-some to buy and some that I will try to make.
There are also sites that offer extra winning options for doing things: post a comment, follow on Facebook or Twitter, post on your blog, etc. In hopes that you all will bear with me and maybe find a cool option for your diapering needs, I reference the Cute Caboose and FuzziBuns All-in-One diapers.
Now, I gotta say, those are some very cool diapers! I have visited over 70 sites and this is the first time that I actually looked at the details of these. Instead of a crazy snap design and/or hook-&-loop tape, it implements elastic with a buttoning system for altering the rise. Kind of like kids jeans now a days around the waist. Very interesting.
I like seeing this as it is a new twist on the "how do we alter the rise" problem. It makes me happy to see innovation. This is the same feeling I get when I bring home an Ikea product and marvel at the flat pack and assembly.

Hulu recommendation for Dollhouse on watch on Friday nights

Now, I don't watch this actually on Fridays since I don't really have the time to sit for one hour uninterrupted. So, I watch it on Hulu.com while locked in my small, special place without distraction: the tub. Maybe that is too much info. You get the idea.
The show? Dollhouse.
I wanted to watch it because I fell in love with Firefly/Serenity and wanted to get in on the ground floor with a Whedon-verse. Initially, I thought it was so cheesy. Come on, Dollhouse?!? What kind of show name is that? But it fits and it is that dichotomy of name to plot that is part of my facination. I am so hooked and this past episode where Alpha was exposed just did it! I was so glad I saw it on Hulu so I could pause and contemplate what had happened. I watched it over and over because it was so well played out. I even said out loud, "Well played, Mr. Whedon, well played."
You gotta check it out! Simply amazing!

Braille work-1/2 way through!

I have been taking the literary braille transcription course for certification. It is very interesting and combines so much of what I enjoy. Braille is somewhat like a puzzle, cryptogram, and logic problem. Texts that need graphics are what caught my eye initially as I can see a future working with tactile graphics and simplifying my process.
The course is 20 lessons with the 20th lesson actually being a 35-page manuscript that can have no more than 5 errors. It has to be perfect. I am more than half-way through the course and am beginning to think about what I am going to transcribe. Other transcribers have recommended I do something I would want to read over and over and over. So, I am torn. Do I do something that I love that I might hate when it is done, or do I do something mundane so I don't hate something I love?
I love Dune. Could I finally be cured of my Dune fascination?
Cayce in Pattern Recognition is fantastic. I don't want to relegate her to overkill.
Hitchhikers Guide-any one of them might make me loopy with all the dry humor.
Possibilities exist in Breaking Dawn, but that Jacob Black is annoying! Maybe the part when she crumbles granite.
Suggestions? Comments? Help & Assistance?