Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

Sherman Boof Soost July 1995 to August 31,2009

When Chris and I were in college, he told me he wanted a puppy. A beagle, cuz they have energy.

Little did I know how much energy!!! Even in his last days when he couldn't get around so well he kept pacing the house and trying to go up and down the stairs. He just would not sit still!!

I took a trip to the place where he was born and looked at the two or three litters of beagle pups they had and was impressed. Two weeks later, without telling Chris where we were going, we went to go pick him out. It was a tough decision, but Sherman was the one.

When we brought him home he was so small that he could not go up the stairs by himself and when we went for walks he could only go short distances. However, that doesn't mean that he couldn't run fast or came when you called him. Often times we would have to open a car door and say "let's go for a ride" to get hold of him.

He attended many a college party and fit right in!!

Always finding trouble, he never changed a bit in his 14 years. Chris even gave him a beer on his last night.

Sherman was my first baby. Anytime we would travel we would have to pack his leash, his food, his toys and of course his sweaters.

Sherman had many fears. Lighting/thunder, cameras, cats (except Shadow), dogs smaller than him (but not great danes or rotwielers),guns, water and a huge case of seperation anxiety. However, that last one got him in the water a few times and here he is on the knee board. Wherever Chris is Sherman is not far behind.

He would never just sit to be petted, but always by your head, or in your face. This is the same couch he kept running on when he called 911 and the cops actually showed up at our door! Lets not foreget all the wierd stuff he ate-- and I don't mean the chewing of the wallpaper, the leather, the coffee table or my contacts when he was a pup in the chewing stage. But the fake snow he would lick off the windows at christmas time or the shaving razors in the bathroom or the christmas lights we put up. If anyone prepared us to child proof our home--it was him!!

Sherman was a little wierd at times like the way he would stare at me when I would wash the dishes. But he was great company when Chris would go hunting or when we were moving. With the exception of the last couple years, he always slept in our bed and while at times he may have kept my feet warm, he was a bed hog for being so little. He did prefer to have his head on the pillow and covered with the blankets.

He held a large spot in our hearts. Our house will not feel the same without him. My pictures are old, but he had been with us so long. We only moved to places where he could live and probably wouldn't have met many of our friends without him.

If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good. (Dr. Seuss)

What have we been doing anyway? Its all or nothing. Last week we started soccer practice--sort of. I attempted to schedule Zoey's practice right after Isaac's. However, I did not receive the phone call--just got the message to go to Sunflower at 5. Well the message meant Sunflower School, not Sunflower Park (where we had practice in the spring). So we missed it. Zoey's practice I kept very short and sweet with no practices this week. I am going to be happy if a 4 year-old can start and stop the ball all by him/herself without using hands or tears. Good or bad, that is my goal as coach.

On Sunday we started up Church again. That makes it sound like it was closed, but it may just as well have been since we haven't been going most of the summer. I have to get the kids signed up for Sunday School. Hopefully they still have it. My church likes Wednesday Education Time (known as WET) and most kids go to that. So many in fact that Isaac and Zoey were not only in the same class on Sundays, but were often just brought in with the older kids, so it was just one class of about 8 kids. They kept up pretty good with the older kids, so it wasn't too bad. After church we went horseback riding. Zoey LOVES animals and I think it is good for both my kids to understand such powerful animals. They both had such a great time, it was hard to get them off to go home. I think Zoey rode every horse J.O. had! She did fall off once (from the short horse), but was excited to ride by herself with no one holding the lead rope. I even rode Strawberry for a while! I was nervous getting on, but felt better the longer I was on her. I still have not rode a horse in a gallop yet, not THAT comfy. I am still lucky if I can drive a horse. If I kick you --you should go. If I pull on you --you should stop. If I pull hard straight back--you should go in reverse. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. Zoey must have gotten the animal bug in her from my Dad cuz she seems to be a natural. Isaac rides like me-- a little nervous and its hard to find the go button.

Monday I worked all day, but we did get to have the Solem's over for a sleep over. They stayed for most of the day on Tuesday. We had fun painting, playing at the park and running through the sprinklers. Plus they had fun just playing school with supplies that Isaac had brought home from school last year. Wednesdays are slow days for me, so I stayed home with the kids on a beautiful summer day. It was nice to just hang out, play, whatever. The sun was shiny:) And then of course today---we got a tire swing. The kids played on that for hours. Our back yard looks like a regular park. I really hope the kids think so too.

I was pretty bummed today. I had a really good athletic training deal lined up or almost lined up anyway with the college, but it fell through. My competition could provide services for free and I can't work for free:( Lots of opportunities still there, but I was super hoping this was going to work out. Apparently it wasn't as good as whatever is coming up.

Just pray for a tough hide and a tender heart. ~Ruth Graham

Last year at this time, we had just closed on our house and I was getting Isaac enrolled in Kindergarten. About a week or two ahead of that we were living in a camper during 110 degree weather. Oh, the fun times. I am totally used to the weather we had last year and am totally thrown off that we can't even hit 70 degrees in the middle of August! What do I do with that? I am not going to be sitting around in my swimsuit!

Things have been busy. They always are. Chris took the kids camping on his days off and they had a good time. Missed most of the rain. I took the family out to the movies on Saturday (as Chris had to work on his birthday and wasn't sure if he would want or have time to go out). We went to Harry Potter and we all really liked it. Sunday, I did decide to have some of Chris's friends over. We had a good time, but I am really out of practice having people over. We never had people over in MT due to an incredible lack of space not to mention that when we first got up there, we didn't know anyone. By the time we had space and friends--I decided to move. So it has been a while, but all worked out.

The pre-K soccer coach for Zoey's team backed out. The rec center looked at the roster and saw my name and I was the first to be called. I really don't mind doing it at all, but me? a coach? of anything? I don't know how that's going to go. I just hope they don't plan on me doing it forever, cuz they keep saying "once you start, you don't get out." This is a one time thing.

I almost forgot--our back yard is now actually fun enough for the kids to want to play out there. Our sandbox still doesn't have any sand, but the climbing dome is up, we have a new to us swing set and a net has been put up for yard games, like badmitton. The kids love it and I love watching them. The kids are actually doing well with badmitton. We haven't tried the volleyball yet. We got some ring toss going too.

Still knitting, still massaging, and still telling the kids to stop fighting! Yada Yada Yada.

Family, family and a little more family.....

I was a little slow to get these on the blog and most are the same ones that I put on Face Book.
Justin and Alison dancing it up. Me and my brother John. That IS him with a smile, in case you couldn't tell.

Jim and Dianne

Jenny and John. Ben and Bill seemed to escape my camera most of the night.

Isaac and Zoey had a great time dancing!

Naomi and me.

Jim and Amanda during the Father Daughter dance.

Dixie, Me, Miriam, Miranda and Alison

Me, Tina and Kari

All my Aunts and Uncles on the Rogne side of the family.

Ray, Miriam, Bob, Dixie, Denny, Bruce, Barry and Jim. I still think they should have stood in order.

Family with all the extras.

All my cousins (minus 3)

Bill, Ben, Me, John, Zoey and Isaac

Newly weds!

Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed. ~Robert Gallagher

Yesterday Zoey says "Mom, quit feeding Isaac."

"What honey? Why would I do that?"

"So I can grow bigger than him."

Isaac is such a boy and taking after his father. Last night when I put him to bed he kept saying "Mom, mom, mom, mom" "What?" "Hi. Mom, mom, mom mom." "What?" "Hi." and he would have just kept going if I had let him. He has been so great lately. He is just so much fun to be around!

I do think, however, that it may be a sign that it is time for school to start, cuz my kids have been fighting like cats and dogs. This is not a usual occurrence for them, but I think separating them for a little while during the day would at least stop them from arguing during that time. Dontcha think?

No road is long with good company. ~Turkish Proverb

Looking back, this summer has been quite busy with T-ball, gymnastics, kids camp and two trips to Minnesota. Yet I totally feel that the summer has flown by and that I got absolutely nothing done. I want more summer. More hot days. More lemonade outside while watching the kids play. More bike rides, more days at the lake and more days to camp and spend in the mountains. The kids start school in just a couple of short weeks and with such a cool, wet summer so far it just doesn't seem time. Apparently as I write this I am OK with overindulgence which usually is not the case.

I spent another quick trip in Minnesota to go to Mandy's wedding. It was a great trip!! I can't believe how many people I saw, how many people I hadn't seen in years! The wedding was beautiful and the ceremony even went off without a hitch. I danced all night. Not only did I get to pretend I knew how to dance to Thriller, but I even danced with my brother once! It was a time for pictures as all of my mom's siblings/ spouses were around at one time and all except three cousins! Unfortunately I had to work on Monday and didn't get to stay for all of the festivities at The Farm which would have been totally fabulous!! Instead, I drove home with some pretty tired campers, (one of which cried most of the way home). I have been pretending that my kids don't need naps, cuz they are getting a little older and I had to have the talk from Isaac's teacher when he was four. But really---Zoey should never be without one no matter what SHE thinks! But back to the car ride I traveled with: pillow, blanket, magnadoodles, colorbooks/colors, books, CD of their favorite songs and a stuffed animal. We have not traveled with DVD players for about a year now and we do well:)

Today was beautifully warm and sunny, so I took the kids swimming at the City Pool. Its free and great! We followed it up with birthday shopping for Chris and then attending a birthday party at the City Park for Kinley's 5th birthday. It was a great evening for pizza and pinatas at the park!

Can't wait to post pictures.

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains! ~John Muir

A million pics. I took 80 over the weekend so I hope these are ok. Isaac had a great time playing tball this season. He played most possitions. I still think it is funny that you have to tell them when to run, you can't get the NEXT batter out that kind of stuff.

Isaac still has his bottom tooth here and being goofy as usual.

It was chilly and rainy on Friday, so we made sugar cookies. Butterflies, flowers, fish, elk, easter bunnies and even a couple of snowmen were decorated. We may have been a little messy.

We had sweet corn on Friday night and one bite was all it took to give Isaac a matching hole on the bottom.

We spent Saturday at Devil's Tower. A day is always good climbing around there. Isaac hid behind a rock to scare us. Well he jumped right back out yelling "snake, snake" it was pretty good. There was a snake. Not sure what kind it was, but I guess they have them there to keep out the rattlers.

Even Grandma climbed on the rocks.