grand plans

I had these magnificent "spring cleaning plans" for Spring Break

We were going to keep our normal go to bed and get up for school schedule. Then every day we would work on a spring cleaning project until lunch. Then eat lunch and head out every afternoon for a fun excursion!

This was the plan - exactly as I had it on the ipod:

Big projects

Wash walls
Shampoo carpets
Organize summer clothes
Scrub bathrooms
Purge toys
dusting

REWARDS
Nickel games
Library & ice cream
Swimming
Dollar movies
Roller skating

SCHEDULE
Breakfast at 7
Dressed and at work by 8
Clean until 12
Lunch & leave

All of these plans were derailed by this

So we missed out on most of the cleaning I had planned. I did get them to kind of wash the walls and I did manage to organize clothes and scrub the bathrooms (alone) after the puppy came home. But I am sad that my carpets didn't get shampoo'd - but that would be a silly project to do with a new dog in the house.

I do plan on renting a heavy duty machine as soon as house training is set in stone. - I am a little (read alot) embarrassed at how disgusting our carpet is. Now that we have a dog I wonder if people think the stains are dog related -- they are not. I have the bad habit of letting my kids have the bad habit of eating on the carpet (I pick my battles) - so our over 10 year old bottom of the line builder carpet is nasty.

Maybe when we are debt free it will be a purchase to save for - new flooring...

and a new dishwasher

and a blentec blender

and a suburban

and Kyle wants a shotgun...

enough with the wants - we are close to being debt free (except not really because we have a huge student loan that we are putting in baby step 6)

anyway I digress.. Since we didn't do our Fun activities over spring break we did take the kids rollerskating this past Saturday - want to return to your childhood for a moment - literally this place has to be exactly like it was in 1982 -

Thunderbird Skate Rink in Plano:

do not be overly impressed with Maiya's mad skills there - she ditched the skates and came out in socks.

Ella LOVED it there and skated her little heart out - everyone else started to ditch us - Kyle wiped out big time, Benjamin fell and commando crawled to the exit and decided the arcade even without money was more fun, Cora liked skating on the carpet and Sarah thought it was better to let me embarrass myself alone.

even though this is a crappy blurry pic - it cracks me up - I love how all the kids like to stop and entertain PJ throughout the day - its like he's on a little cruise in life with unlimited cheesy shows.

And on to the little dude really running the show right now:

Hickory, (at Allen Dog Park)

Hickory is a good puppy. Hickory is a good puppy. Hickory is a good puppy.

There I said it three times.

He has come out of his shell - he made quick work of beating out the baby gates and he dug up two squares of my garden.

BUT... He is a lot of fun - there haven't been too many accidents and for the most part chews on his toys - and the laundry basket but that is ok.

He is sleeping with me and Kyle and he does sleep through the night. I keep him with me everywhere during the day - I think training is a lot better if they are very socialized puppies. This means he even comes in the bathroom with me when I shower and yesterday he started to poop ... I stopped him and ran him to the backyard completely naked and dripping wet. I hoped all my neighbors were at work.

We have been to Allen leash free dog park many, many times. Its funny how getting a new dog is kind of like a new baby - everyone thinks they can give you all this unsolicited advice.

What are you feeding him?

oh don't give him that its baaaaddd

Are you crating him?

you better crate him

or

oh nooooo don't crate him its cruel

is he neutered?

who is your vet?

you just have to drive all the way to X you won't regret it....

it gets annoying - but the kids and hickory love it there!

Its been the first thing Benjamin asks when he gets off the bus:

"Are we going to the dog park"