Happy Graduation!

Brian's Graduation Gift:

The Volvo V50... nice

blue = new car, red = old car

I get the feeling we are going to be one of those Volvo families.

Luckily for me, Brian seems to think I will get to drive it around most of the time. Woo hoo! I'll have to drive the pup, run errands, and run kids around (someday), so I guess it makes sense. I'm not complaining!

We definitely need to say a big THANK YOU! to the Saponases. I don't know where we would be without their love, support and generosity. I am really a lucky lucky wife to have such great in-laws.

Portland says thank you too!

Bugggggs

So before I came here, I asked everyone who had ever had Southern experience to tell me about the bugs, because I wanted to be mentally prepared. Most people said something about cockroaches or about mosquitoes, but that it wasn't anything to be too wary of. Well this is neither a cockroach or a mosquito (though I have bites up both arms from taking the pup out at night).

EWWWWWW! How many legs do you need, really?

Luckily brian was there to dispose of it. A three foot metal ruler, then a handful of paper towls, put inside a paper bag, and the creature was disposed of.

Other than the bugs, Portland seems to keep us on our toes. What a handful! She definatly loves to play, to herd, and to chew! I just keep reminding myself that all puppies do.

2008_07_29 Portland

Couches and puppies

We have a couch!! Our things FINALLY came a few days ago, and I am happy to say our couch made the trip. I never thought I would miss sitting on a couch, let alone our current couch, but I did. After a few weeks of only sitting on beds, in cars, on an air mattress, on the floor and on our new dinning room chairs... I really missed my couch.

I missed our other stuff too: tv, dvds, cooking stuff, alarm clocks, towls, pillows, lots of stuff. But it was worth it! We are here, our stuff is here, and our pup is here. I can't complain.

Things are going well with Portland. She of course is a trouble maker, but we seem to be making progress with her. She has come to accumulate quite a few nicknames, depending on what she has done:

Chewy (Chewbacca)= relentlessly chewing on anything she sees

Rat or Brat = just stole a sock from the laundry

Velociraptor = just bit brian's nose, again

Monkey or Stinky = just farted, again

Missy, Little Miss, or Doodle Bug = caught doing something bad, but looks too cute to be mad at
Lovey = looks cute when sleeping or tired

Despite all those, she really is good, and really is smart. Too smart, but luckily very motivated by food. She can sit, stay (sorta), down, leave it, and come to her name with a treat in your hand, and 40% with out a treat. If she was caught chewing on something we can't move, like the carpet, or corners, she will take one of her chewy toys over to the crime scene and pretend to chew on her toy while she sneaks in carpet chews

Brian also wants me to mention that we made the most amazing fries today, thank you scott for the deep-fryer. We are probably going to buy more potatoes tonight and make more fries for tomorrow.

She always looks like a goof ball when I take her picture!

No matter which tenticle she gets the other 7 still seem to bop her on her nose

More Portland!

We have a new video of her with an ice cube in her mouth, and a few pictures of her in a ridiculous sleeping position. Enjoy!

Bedtime Strategies

Day 1 Bedtime Strategy- This did not prove tiring enough.

Day 2 Bedtime Strategy- This approach worked much better.

I don't know what the extra clicks and bangs are in both movies. We just used the video setting on our point-and-shoot, so it isn't that high quality or anything.

Savannah to Portland

Well here she is! Welcome Portland!
Yes our super secret name, that we came up with long before we even knew she was born, was Portland. We thought it was only fitting to have a geographical name in honor of our beloved Jorjah (whom I think was named for the state Georgia where Scott was born, but I could be wrong). We couldn't really come up with some crazy spelling though, so it is just Portland (but I say it "Portlinn!" because it is easier and cutie).

She is definitely a handful. Not that I didn't believe I'd be in for some work. But when Jeanne told brian "Your in for a long night," I really did think that it could possibly be that long! Turns out, you have to expel as much or more energy than the pup you are trying to tire out so she will sleep well. The second night was easier though- I caught onto the play hard before you sleep trick.

She looks innocent now, but five minutes later she stole my "thank you" notes and ran with them!

Smart girl! She knows her name and not to get on the bed! We are still working on "hurry-ups" but we are getting really close.

Proud daddy!

She rode on my lap most of the way home, we didn't have the heart to use the crate.

Savannah to Portland Photo Album

I can't wait for Saturday!

We'll get her Saturday morning!

Can anyone guess what our new pupper's name is?

Hint: it is a location.

All American

It has been a long time since Brian and I did any real celebrating of Independence Day. We either have not been in the same city, or just end up driving around watching other's fireworks. But this year we went for the all American approach: Baseball and fireworks. We got some Braves t-shirts, got hot dogs, did the "Everybody clap your hands" cheer, and of course the"Tomahawk Chop!" We are official Braves fans.

It was actually really fun. Baseball is much more interesting when you get to see it live. I still think it is a little boring on TV, but at least I know some of their names now. My favorite part was of course when someone hit a home run, but my second favorite part was watching them line the field. They are so precise, and they do some of it by hand!

Afterwards they had an all American fireworks show sorta coordinated with some all American music. And all I can say is: I am proud to be an American, because at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, and gave their life for me. And I'll proudly stand up next to you and defend her still today, there ain't no doubt, I love this land.

Brian loves that song. ;-) I actually do like it, and sang my heart out along with the rest of crowd! I however didn't sing along with the other country songs they played.

Braves shirt = Braves fan
It is my first pro sports team shirt, maybe if Brian would have got me one sooner I would have been more willing to watch more sports on tv, but maybe not.

This is the biggest flag I've ever seen!

Didn't they do a good job lining the field?? It is so precise!

You can check out more photos on our Picasa Web album!

Fourth of July!!!

Home sweet home

We walk in the front on the ground level, but on the backside our balcony is on the second level.

We'll put everything together later, for now I'm just glad to have a home!

The view from out balcony! Georgia is so pretty!

Well, we've been in georgia for a few days and are loving it. Everyone told me that the humidity would kill me, but since I am a cold natured person, I find that the humidity allows me to go anywhere in short sleeves and capris. I'm sure that when the humidity does go over 50% it will be harder to handle, but with air conditioning it isn't too bad- just a shock when you go outside.

We are still living out of our suitcases for the next week or so, but we have checked into our apartment and been hanging out there a bit. We went shopping at West Elm my new favorite furniture store, and got a new desk, dinning table and chairs! Our last apartment didn't really have space for any sort of extra table to eat on, so we just ate at the coffee table. I think owning a real dinning room table is a sign of maturity, luckily ours won't get here for a few weeks, they didn't have any in-store.

I'm in a Georgia State of Mind

Well on June 26th the packers came and boxed up nearly all our posessions, on the 27th they loaded everything into the truck, and on the 28th Brian and I flew to Georgia!!

Who knew we had sooo much crap!

This is all I have left in this world! Or at least for a week or two it is.