Dogs.

If you are thinking of getting a dog, remember you could end up with one like our dog. She could get into EVERYTHING, bark all day long, steal your child's food or she could do this:


She broke out of her kennel this morning and chewed through the drywall in the guest bedroom, all before I even woke up.

She eventually started barking at 6:50am so I woke to this lovely surprise.

Kyle is gone till tonight, I don't know what I am going to do, but I really want to send her to the pound.

So I did a stupid thing!

Kyle, Lilian and I went out to Curtis, Michigan near Newberry to see Kyle's dad yesterday and in the rush to get out of the house I forgot the camera!

But! We had a blast! We went to Missy's lake house and swam and cooked out and just laid in the sun and it was lovely.

Julianne is coming home in one week and I'll remember to take lots of pictures if we go back to Curtis!

Loving life.

Life has been really great here for us on Green Garden Hill. Things are in full bloom so to speak.

Sunday Kyle, Lilian and I started some seeds in a "jiffy greenhouse" and yesterday we saw our first green little sprouts yesterday! We planted mint, lavender, chamomile, chives and peppers. I know we started a bit late, but we thought it would be something fun to try. I'm excited to see if we can actually grow anything. I've never really considered myself a green thumb and I don't think Kyle has either.

Sprouts!

Yesterday Kyle mentioned how it would be nice to have a tree swing in our yard, so we went outside and found a place for one. We chose a maple tree on our side yard. Then we went to the hardware store and picked up some rope and went to Grandpa Dave and Grandma Mary's and found a board that was perfect. Kyle used his chainsaw to cut it 28 inches, then we drilled holes in the board and Kyle climbed a tree to hang it.

It looks great! Not to mention it is a lot of fun!

Beautiful! We chose this adorable rope. So cute! Kyle's skillful knot tying came in handy here!

Kyle Left the extra rope up in the tree in case we ever need to lower it or whatever.

Lilian getting sprayed with water when she went to the sprinkler in the front yard.
Look at how beautiful the apple trees are! This one is right out our kitchen window.

A pretty butterfly.

Lovely!

PS:

The Mining Journal wrote about the PEOPLE magazine issue. Here is a link:

http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/528296.html?nav=5006

Breastfeeding Promotion Act

PLEASE HELP OUT: EMAIL BART STUPAK, ALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY :)



To all breastfeeding activists/lactivists/concerned citizens!

Rep. Carolyn Maloney is going to reintroduce the Breastfeeding Promotion Act to Congress in June. With a change in leadership in both Houses and a White House that is attuned to work/life balance issues, this year we need to push hard for passage! The Breastfeeding Promotion Act will:

* Add breastfeeding mothers as a protected class under the Civil Rights Act of 1964
* Provide incentives for employers to have private lactation areas for workers
* Create a performance standard for breastpump equipment
* Create tax deductions for pumping equipment

Rep. Maloney and other co-sponsors will hold a press conference on June 3rd at 11:30am on the Cannon Terrace at the Cannon Building on Capitol Hill. Once again we are gathering as large a presence as we can to attend the press conference in support of the bill.

Here is what we need from all who care about this issue:

We need you to contact your Rep. in the Congress (find him or her here http://www.house.gov/ ), this week, and ask them to sign on as a cosponsor of the Breastfeeding Promotion Act. The more cosponsors a bill has, the more attention and support it garners. We need all 435 Representatives to know how important this bill is to the 70% of mothers who work and may desire to breastfeed once they go back to work. So call AND email your Representative and ask to speak to a legislative aide today.

Here is Bart Stupak's web address:

http://www.house.gov/stupak/

PEOPLE Magazine Update and Pictures of Cuteness

So, word has it that the PEOPLE magazine issue featuring the Charles Moses story will be out THIS FRIDAY. I was told this time it is "for sure" but who knows. I really hope it is this week so I'm not telling you all wrong! Go get a copy!

Also, I will be 13 weeks pregnant tomorrow. So I think that means I am just about out of the first trimester. I am feeling alright, some days better than others. I am not as sick as I was with Lilian, thank goodness but I swear my hormones and emotions are a bit crazier. I don't have as much time to think about my pregnancy this time around either. With Lilian all I could think about was my pregnancy, this time I haven't been able to think about much at all!

It may be wishful thinking but I orderd Lilian some potty training pants online. I'd love it if I could get her at least PARTIALLY (at home during the day) potty trained before the next baby comes. She will be about 23 months so hopefully it's not wishful thinking. She likes to sit on the potty when I go in, but I can never get her diaper off fast enough. We shall see.

Lilian being just her normal cute self.

This was just after it rained the other day, but it's unfortunate I took this picture on this day, because the next morning the blossoms on the trees exploded! It looks beautiful now.

Here is another yard picture. I need to take one of the side yard soon because Kyle has been doing a lot of yard work and it is looking great.


This is Nina in her cast. She ended up having a broken foot from jumping out of the truck. That dog is HIGH maintenance.


Here is Lilian in wearing one sock, and one shoe over a sock-less foot. We just can't figure Lilian out! Most kids hate wearing shoes, but she isn't happy unless she is wearing hers which she endearingly calls her "roh rohs."

Kyle, Lilian and I drove up to the top of mount marquette yesterday to see how many of the trees have turned green again.

Aww Daddy loves Lilian. Except I was SCARED when I took this. Made me nervous.

Lilian was so tired on the way home yesterday! But so cute.