Beau's Big Breakthrough!!

Yes, that is Beau, and yes, he's swimming!! (and enjoying it without looking like he's going to die!) Sure sure, you're probably thinking, "so what, Weims are practically water dogs - they have webbed feet, who cares if he's swimming." WELL, Beau is (dare I say was) afraid of the water. Hoses, puddles, lakes, showers, faucets, you name it! Not only that, but until a few months ago he didn't even know how to swim...AT ALL! It's been a very slow work in progress! Today since it was really hot Tim and I took the dogs down to the beach in hopes of cooling off! Cort was of course all about it and swam like a crazy fish. We had low expectations for Beau BUT after some coaxing with food and seeing Tim, Cort and I all out in the water, in he came! We tried without the life jacket first but the bottom "dropped out" and his feet couldn't touch anymore he kind of panicked and went back in. So we popped on his vest and next thing we knew he was playing fetch with a toy and swimming all around, no food required! Compared to his usual reactions around water, today was HUGE!!! I have a hunch it'll still take some work to get him in each time we go, but hopefully over the next few weeks he'll get better and better!

Mitchell's Motivation

Whelp, I've jumped back into training for another half marathon...I don't actually have a race in mind, but being on a training regiment is never a bad idea. Anyway, I'm starting from scratch and today I was due for a 4-miler. What better motivation than to run 4 miles to the best ice cream store in Cleveland!! Cort and I ran and met my mom, Tim and Megan and about 30 miniature baseball players exactly 4.2 miles away!! Cort and I shared some much deserved mango sorbet and brought back some extras for Beau and some Strawberry ice cream for my dad - YUM!! Next on the schedule for tonight is the deer stakeout on the back porch! I'll let you know how we do!

Oh Mr. Moon

It's cloudy, so you can't really tell, but if you would have spent an hour or two in this house today you'd have no question...it's a full moon tonight! Starting at 4:30 this morning Thing 1 and Thing 2 were BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS! Tim took them for a long, hard bike ride pretty much first thing (well 8:00, so not really first thing for them) this morning and it didn't do a whole lot to curb the insanity. After witnessing their inability to stand, sit or lay still I deemed it necessary for my patience and their lives to take them for and unprecedented second bike ride around 7:30pm. The way they each ran, you wouldn't have known they'd done the same thing 12 hours earlier! While they still had plenty of energy to hunt after they got home, the second attempt seemed to tone them down a couple notches. They are finally asleep as I type - hopefully they stay that way for the WHOLE night. UHG! I don't know what it was about this one, but I hope this doesn't become some sort of full moon ritual! I won't be able to take it!!!

"Ok Cort"

Photo credit: Lady/Karen from the Block/Mom

This...is not what I was expecting at 6:45 this morning when I uttered those two little words. Before I knew it, the little devil was perched on my head!! He apparently had a better vantage point of the backyard from up there. It wasn't overly uncomfortable UNTIL his quick exit to go hunt...OUCH! Just another day!

A Day with the Minnies!

Today I went to Fremont to lend a hand, spend time with and take pictures of my little nephews and niece! (Niece #1; AKA Kate, didn't stay with grandma and pap this time) We had a fun day playing with the kids. They're all growing so fast!! Days like today make me really happy that I'm home for the summer!! I took a TON of pictures...feel free to pop on over to Picasa to check them out!

Pet Therapy?

Granny got her shot in her eye today so I went to be her helper for the afternoon. I beat her back from the appointment and the first thing she asked when she arrived home with my Aunt Ann was where the dogs were! Silly me for not bringing the crazy beasts over to greet the visually impaired grandma upon her return from having a needle put in her eye!!

After a couple of hours, since she was still feeling well, and still requesting them, I went home and brought Beau and Cort over to visit her. Other than a little piddle puddle incident on the dining room floor, they were very good, had a lovely visit and helped her feel better!

Bachelorette

A month to go and Kristin and her girls all invaded Put-In-Bay for a weekend of fun, friends and lots of peni. (Yes, that's what's on Kristin's glasses...) Mom and I went up for the afternoon today and had fun at the nearly catastrophic, but overall delicious cookout (can you say grill fire) in the island college town known as the Island Club. We parted ways with the gussied up girls at the ferry dock as they were about to head out "downtown", but not before a few pictures - one of course being with her mom and soon-to-be mother-in-law. I can only imagine what kind of hooliganism they partook in as the night wore on.