Happy Days

Kristen flew back to California this morning but it was SO amazing to have her here this last week. I am sure she will never know how much I appreciated it and how happy I was to hang out with her. We didn't do a lot of the outings that we normally do because of the dog and it was quieter than our usual sibling spaz fest since we did not have the whole gang together but it is not often that I get to hang with one sibling at a time and just talk and catch up and all the normal every day stuff that we would do if we lived near each other. I loved it!

 I also realized what a good listener Kristen is. She actively listens to people when they talk to her. I noticed it when she would chat with me and when I would hear her on the phone with Val or her boyfriend. I would like to be a better listener. I always have so many words competing to get out of my mouth that I don't give other people the attention they deserve. I need to work on that.

She was also the perfect person to come out because she is the only one of us girls who likes dogs. She helped raise her roommates puppy and it was so nice to have someone to pass Bernie to, or to pass Chloe to so that I could do what I needed to do with Bernie. She thought Bernie was a super good dog and he attached to her right away. She agreed that Chloe has been really hard though, beating the dog, not listening, throwing tantrums. I really hope she adjusts soon.

But anyway, here is how our week played out.

Seth fell asleep on Sunday night before he was supposed to get Kristen so I decided to be brave and head to O'Hare and do it myself, at midnight. We did miss our on ramp on the way home and end up in downtown Chicago but luckily it was 1AM so I did not have to stress about traffic and we got a good laugh and a quick look at the city. We finally got back here at 2 and stayed up until 3 gabbing which marked the start of our week of sleep deprivation.

On Monday we went to breakfast and shopping and started our hardest puzzle yet. Pretty boring stuff to most people but I had fun, well until we watched that horrific Packers game. Since that last call has been replayed around the clock and created disgust all over the country, you can imagine that it really did not sit well here in WI. Even the kids in Alex's TKD class were irate and the whole class broke out in loud protest about it when Mr. Pettis brought it up. Yeah, we are not happy about it. At all!

Tuesday was more of the same I think, errands, hanging out, puzzling, puppy time, TKD.

On Wednesday I kept the kids home from school so they could get more Kristen time and now that Bernie loves his crate (gets in happily and even goes in with the door open and hangs out in there), we were able to sneak away for a little bit of fun. Of course, after each outing we would have to go back and hang with Bernie for a couple hours but we are getting used to that so it was no biggie. We started out with breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Next up was the Jerry Smith Pumpkin Farm that you see several times a year. Kristen had never been here in the fall and she loved the pumpkin patch. And then we watched Alyssa's ice skating lesson and then laced up and joined her for Open Skate time.

Why do people get red eye and dogs green? And why isn't there a green eye reduction feature on photobucket?

I know you have seen this pumpkin patch many times but I tried to get pics of the displays that were new this year.




Of course all us Potterheads had to pose by Hogwarts.



















When I took this pic of Al and Kris cuddling Alex asked Kristen if Niki (her boyfriend) was going to have a tantrum when he saw it. Ha.ha! Alex LOOOVES Kristen. He was trying to convince her to move to WI because "we talk better here" and because, "it's the dairy state and don't you like cheese?" He even admitted  his feelings when we were talking about someone who used to have a crush on her he chimed up with, "I've got a crush on Kristen." He just said it all matter of fact like everyone had a crush on Kristen or something. Oh wait, most people do.


Picking out our pumpkins while enjoying hot cider, cookies and caramel apples.





Alyssa showed off a few of her skills. You probably can't tell but she is moving backwards in this one.



Chloe opted not to be in the post skating locker shot and did this instead.

On Thursday Bernie had to go to the vet, which was so much easier with Kristen there to hold him in the car and I did not cry to the vet or even ask any questions. How's that for progress? Bernie has gained 2 pounds and as usual every new person to see him at the vet's, or anywhere else, stops to tell me that he is the cutest dog ever. He now has all the immunizations that he needs to start puppy school so once we decide on a trainer we will start that fun little adventure. Have I told you that he is also basically potty trained? The crate accidents stopped 3 weeks ago and he goes to the back door when he needs out but of course we still need to be watching and get him out in a hurry since holding it is not his specialty yet. He did go 9 days accident free and then had one the other day but he was by the back door when it happened so I am guessing that was our fault. After the vet's we did more of the same, chatting and puzzling and skipped TKD that night to have dinner at Texas Roadhouse and carve pumpkins. A month early but we were feeling the spirit of fall and just had to create that memory before Kristen left.



Okay, we (Kristen) actually only carved one pumpkin but we also hollowed another so we could try to stuff Bernie in it. We tried to lure him in with chicken.

But mostly had to hold him inside.

Even with Kristen's hands in the pic I think this is darn cute but we really wanted one with him cooperating.

So we tried again last night when Seth was home to help






And then finally got this...of course my camera was not focused or ready so it is blurred but we called it good enough. I like the one with Kristen's arms in it better and if I knew how to photoshop I am sure I could crop them out but you get the idea.

Kristen's boyfriend is liberal so Seth was messing with him by taking pics of Kristen with his guns and then went and got me and Kris matching Romney/Ryan shirts and bumper stickers to mess with him some more. I also sent him some USC colored tic tacs since he went to UCLA so I hope he is a good sport because this is just our way of saying welcome to the family and Niki, I hear we both sort our Skittles and favor the green ones so we do have something in common and can bond over that next time we see each other. Oh, and I am not a gun fan either.


And here is our puzzle. This one was so weird that some edge looking pieces were actually middle pieces and vice versa.  We decided that this puzzle would decide the election and that if we finished it Team Romney/Ryan would win. Who do I need to send this picture to to ensure that that happens?


It was great week! I am so sad that it is over and so happy that I can now store it in my memory jar. Thank you, thank you, thank you Kris! LOVE YOU!!!