School Update

Thank goodness for Christmas break! Reavis and I have been very busy with school this semester. We are both thankful that the semester is over. We will be back at it beginning in January. I will be graduating in May. It is nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The boys are all well. We haven't been doing a lot of training lately. Bradley has an eye injury we are trying to get healed up. Chester is going to have to go in and have a dental after the first of the year. Bentley has way to much energy as usual and Brady is still holding down the couch.

Work keeps John and I busy. Thanks John for all the extra you do while I am going through school. I am more grateful than you know. I truly do appreciate it.

Wow... where has the time gone?

Outside of going to school and working more than usual this has been a pretty productive summer. We managed to get some work done on the house that was badly needed. I don't think we even realized how much work the house really needed until we decided to get rid of the bushes that looked so bad out front. It progressed to, " You know we really need to paint the house." So we did then of course I couldn't leave it without any landscaping at all. So thanks Meghan for coming and helping me decide what to put in and helping us get it all planted. You Rock!

Spring semester I managed to pull off 4 classes while working full time One of those was an 8wk block class. I was definitely busy. I started bowling on a league just for fun though because I am not a good bowler. Yes, I know I really needed just one more thing to do because my schedule wasn't full enough. I even squeezed in an Emergency Telecommunicator Instructor course for work.

Summer school kicked my butt. I had forgotten how bad 8 week classes can be especially when you take two at one time. Algebra in itself is hard enough but then put a 4 hr science class on top of it. I made it through with an A in Algebra and a B in Environmental science so I wasn't to upset with myself.

I did manage to get a 2 day float trip in this summer. I got to spend some time with My brother and his family. It was good to get to see the nieces and nephews though they are really growing up to fast. I would like to do another trip like that some time in the future. The boys had a blast one in a canoe with me and one with my brother. The entire time we were floating they were shooting each other with water cannons. I sure loved getting to do that with them, heck I even got in on shooting the water cannons at the boys and of course my brother too.

I did have to for go pet therapy visits this summer because my seated math class interfered with our visits. Chester and I are back at visiting 4 days a month now. He really does love going and I had missed it more than I thought. I ordered card for us to give out on visits so I am excited to see them. April at U turn studios designed them and took the photos for us.

Oh I almost forgot, Gambler got a new back packing so there will be some hiking in our future. I can't wait and neither can Gambler. He stood like a perfect gentleman so I could try it on him and he was very excited to be wearing it. I think he was hoping we would go hiking that day.

School starts up again on Monday....

What to do with a Saturday off!!

I had a weekend off with good weather and I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I decided the best way to spend at least one of the days off...GO HIKING. I had a friend suggest a hike at Busiek State Park. I had never been there, it is a nice place to hike and you can definitely get a work out if you take the Silver trail. I took Gambler on the hike with me and he had a great time but I am sure he would have loved it more had it been longer. I am so glad that we all got to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine...what a wonderful day.

These photos are from last fall's SMDTC tracking trial. Yes you heard me correctly, tracking trial. Pam was kind enough to let the dogs swim after all the tracking was done. Bradley has always loved the water regardless of what time of year it is. Becky thanks for taking such great photos of him.

Back to school

Well if you hadn't guessed things have been busy. Reavis started college on August 2oth and so did I. Poor John isn't going to know what to do with 2 college students. I am trying to get back into the swing of making myself study and keep up with homework. It has been a long time since I have been a student. Reavis is liking school so far and is still working on a regular basis. I am taking Math, Philosophy, and Public Speaking. Taking 9 hrs and working full time is enough for me. One of my coworkers is taking 12 hrs and working full time. I am not sure that I could do that.

Bentley and I have missed our first novice class. I am hoping that we can make it Monday but I also have to take my car to the shop and have the inspection done so I can relicense. The joys or car ownership.

The Most Awesome Vaction Ever

Well it has been way to long since I posted. The first thing I want to tell you about is the amazing vacation that I took this summer. I went with some friends to the Havasupai Indian reservation in the base of the Grand Canyon. The scenery is truly beautiful, breath taking and worth every mile I walked to get to it. We drove from Missouri to Arizona in about 3 days. We stopped to see the Oklahoma City bombing memorial, that will truly humble you. It was very worth seeing, if you have an opportunity I highly recommend it.

We stopped at the painted desert and the petrified forest along the way. It was nice to get out and walk around a bit since we had spent so many hours in the car. The painted desert was beautiful but I am told by a gal that use to live there it is more beautiful after it has just rained. The petrified forest was something to see, you wouldn't believe all those trees turned to stone, amazing.

There there was the hike. It began at the Haluapi hilltop approximatley 10 miles from the campground. It is 8 miles from the hilltop to the indian village where you have to stop and check in. We all packed our gear, food, clothing and anything else we needed in our back packs and headed down the trail. The first 2 miles were downhill switchbacks, then 6 miles of river bed rocks and red sandy dirt. We made it to the village just when we were beginning to wonder if we would ever make it to the campground. There is a little restraunt in the village that we stopped and had a rootbeer before continuing on to the campground. Those last 2 miles were a killer, every muscle in my body hurt and my knees were screaming that they had enough. Just when I wasn't sure if I could make my feet move one in front of the other we saw the first waterfall. Oh yeah I can make it, this place is amazing. I think this trip we all found out what we were made of, it took us about 4.5 to 5 hrs to make it from the hilltop to the campground. The first thing we did was take a nap, and we deserved it. We stayed 3 nights here and are hoping to repeat this trip in a few years.

Here is the link to a slideshow of just some of the photos from the hiking trip.

http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p...t=b140abbe.pbw

Proud of my Graduate

Reavis graduated high school on May 17, 2009!! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. When John and I started dating Reavis was only 9 years old....by this fall he will be in college. Where does the time go? Reavis is growing into a fine young man and I am sure that will only continue. He participated in the A+ program and will be attending OTC this fall. For those of you who aren't familiar with A+ it means that his schooling at OTC is paid for and there will be no need for student loans. We will need to pay for his books.

He had his brother Nathan take his senior pictures. I am having a hard time picking the photos I would like to have, Nathan did a great job. I can't wait to look at them with John and decide which ones we would like to order.