Puppy Update!

Can it get any cuter? This is how they sleep. They are constantly curled up together. Today they played and played in the laundry room. I took them outside but they were not as crazy out the grass and the cement. Both of them got their first taste of puppy food (canned) and they loved it! Could not get enough! They play and tumble and and fuss and have great fun.

Call in the Pros

This oriental rug was purchased when we lived on Guam from 1976 to 1980. It is made in China and very soft. It has been in our living room, dining room, and is currently residing in our bed room. Since we have wood floors, it is a great asset and accent. This was, however, an afterthought - we put the rug in the room after we moved in and had done all the painting. We chose a beautiful green for the bedroom walls that does not go with the rug (refer to picture on right). So now begins the great debate - what color do we choose? Don and I have made at least 3 trips to the paint stores (we cannot even stick with one store) and brought home a variety of colors, some of which have already been painted over by other colors. Please understand that the example in the picture is just one of many similar places on the bedroom wall. It is really quite disturbing.

Why are we doing this? I really have no idea since we have in our very own family an Interior Designer. I know this because I helped pay for the undergraduate degree and the Master's Degree. And she has earned her NCIDQ. In a moment of clarity (which was hard to find considering the rather catastrophic bedroom walls), I called said family member and asked her to please pick a paint color - any color - and I will paint the walls no questions asked. I hope she comes very soon. Post painting pictures will be posted - later.

Games at Whit's End

This weeks game is called the Grocery Game! It might be hard to identify everything in the picture that was purchased at Kroger - so here goes: 1 package chicken thighs, 2 cans Hormel white chicken in water, cherries, green beans, watermelon, tomatoes, Boston lettuce, 1 case water (Aquafina), Tide 100 oz., and 2 Ocello sponges. All of this should have cost $54.99. Instead it cost $31.74. I can live with that savings!

So how do you play the Grocery Game? I learned from a friend at work who conducted a class. It takes a little work and a little time; the savings are well worth it. There is a website that is worth a preview look: www.thegrocerygame.com. For more information, please e-mail me. I would be happy to write you back or get one-on-one or do a class. It is great fun, and I am able to pass along savings or food items that I have gotten for next to nothing to the children.

You can go home again!

Today we went home. Sort of. We visited the house where I grew up in Dallas. Mother and Daddy bought the house around 1953 or 1954. We sold it to some friends, Mike and Cindy on the right in the picture, in 1990. They have now sold the house and are moving two streets north. As with so many homes in the north Dallas area, the house will be torn down to make way for a McMansion - hopefully a pretty one!

Above: Chris, Catherine, me and Don, Cindy and Mike

So we walked through the house, reminisced, laughed, and told stories. Current owner Mike has been in and out of the house since he was in 8th grade as his parent's lived behind Mother and Daddy. So between us, we have 54 years of history. Mike and Cindy made very few changes to the house. I have a couple of pictures to post (that are in Chris' camera) of the original (1949) pink tile bathroom! We joke that it finally came back in style. It was great fun to walk back through history. We are amazed that a builder can take this home and tear it down, yet understand the costs involved in restoration and updating. Mike and Cindy are saving the beautiful metal plaque with the address on it (just between me and Don) to give to the new owners of the new house.

More Baby Pictures

Here are some more pictures of our cuties! We took them outside for a little fun in the sun. Not that they can see anything yet. . .

They each weight in at 10 oz. today.

Wind and Rain

"Climb up my rain barrel; slide down my cellar door. And we'll be jolly friends, forevermore!" Child's nursery song

We are in our second day of high wind. There is no point in picking up the patio furniture until this is over - it will just blow over again. It has also turned rather warm - and there has been no rain for several days.

About a month ago, Don and I decided to try a rain barrel for our new back yard landscaping. After all, it is going to get even hotter and drier and we wanted to water our plants even after the City of McKinney told us to stop watering. Hence the rain barrel. Don ordered one from a website, one with scratches 'cause we didn't care. The first rain filled it up! So he ordered another one and linked them together. We now have 105 gallons of rain water ready - or we will when it rains again. WOW! While we are not exactly the "green homeowners of the year", we are trying to do a little. They are sort of hidden at the end of the patio. It is great fun to fill up the watering can and give the flowers a drink of harvested rainwater. We feel so very earth friendly!