Last night was the first night in a LoooonnnnGGG time that Eric and I actually got to relax, watch TV and chill for the night. The last couple of weeks have been nuts for us. I think I finally realized I don’t like nuts living.

It all started with the first foster dog we had and dealing with her over night. Although Mindy, the dog, was a sweetie she just didn’t work out in our house. So after getting that taken care of, the scrapbook store I am the webmaster for called and needed someone to take the Friday and Saturday night shifts the last weekend of October since they’d be in Washington for the Scrapbook Convention. I said I would since this year I wasn’t going with my mother-in-law. So I worked 6pm-1am last Friday and Saturday night, and spent Sunday bulk cooking. Oh, and Sunday was got another foster dog, Shelby.

So this week was spent dealing with work, a foster dog that wasn’t house broken and our crazy schedule. Friday I took Baylee to the Vet because she had a runny nose. Well, I found out she was sick with the flu. Great, the foster dog got her sick. That was the breaking straw for Eric and I both. We decided that Saturday, when she went to PetSmart to be potentially adopted, she wasn’t coming back to our house because she got Baylee sick and we hadn’t seen the cats at all since she came to the house.

Saturday Eric drove while I sat in the back seat with Shelby on the ride to PetSmart. Greg was nice enough to follow us and take Eric back home. We had to get Shelby there this way because she’s a clinger and would have tried to sit in my lap all the way to PetSmart which could have potentially lead an accident. So there I was from 11am-2pm with Shelby. This one woman was very interested in adopting her but later I found out that the rescue group doesn’t do same day adoptions so Shelby wasn’t going home with anyone that day. It was almost 2 pm and I left the dog with the group telling them again that the dog couldn’t come back to our house. They tried to guilt me into taking her back with me but I told them know. I don’t appreciate it when people try to guilt me. I did this group a favor.

I do have to say that the Rescue organization I attempted to help and be a part of really surprised me. They don’t take the dogs to a vet before they go to a foster home, they just make sure they’ve gotten shots. They just called me, told me where to meet them and then dumped a dog with me. No support whatsoever. I mean if it was my organization I would provide potential fosters with tips/hints and support. I’d counsel them to discuss what’s really entailed in being a foster. I would provide the foster with a leash and a collar, I’d make sure the dog didn’t have fleas and tell them which vet to see if the dog is sick. Not this group.. I got nothing which surprised me for an organization that’s supposed to love dogs.

So the rest of Saturday was spent grocery shopping for the “once a week cooking” and working at SBA.

Sunday I made Jayambalya for the football party and Ginness brownies and did the cooking for the week. What’s cool is now, we’ve got all our meals for the month done..This week’s menu is :
-Pesto Chicken Pizza
-Mexican Lassagna
-Paypaya Chicken Quesidillas
-Chicken/Mushroom/Tomato fritatta
-Macadamia nut crusted chicken

It’s pretty cool to know that the dinners are done for the month, except for Thanksgiving which we’ll be having out at Bruce and Kathy’s.

I got to watch my best friends little boy tonight, Ethan. He’s so cute. He’s a few months younger than Miles. I picked up Ethan at about 6pm and drove him to my house. I don’t know why it is but it always seems easier to watch kids in your own house. We hung out for a while and then Ethan, Eric, Baylee and I went down the street to the park. Ethan has such a great time down there. It’s only about two blocks away and a perfect little park. Ethan slid down the curvy slide and everything. He and I had a great time playing. He loves the Wizard of Oz right now so we’d walk around the outer part of the playground and he’s sing “off to see the bizzard”? What a cutie. We walked over to Greg and Hollie’s to see them and for Ethan and Miles to meet. Miles didn’t handle it very well for a while he was so upset I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know if we should stay or go. I felt so helpless. Ethan just sat in my lap and wasn’t sure about this new person that was so upset. Eventually the boys started playing with cars and had a great time. They both did such a good job of sharing and playing together. I felt terrible because the plan was that Eric and I were going to take Miles with us for a while so Greg and Hollie could get some rest and Ethan and Miles could play. It didn’t work out that way, we ended up at Greg and Hollies for about an hour. The boys had a good time though and that’s what matters. After we left, Ethan and I sat on the couch and read for a while before Ross and Jo came to get him. I can’t wait until July when we have Ethan for 10 days. I know that sounds crazy but I think it’s going to be a great time too.

Today Eric and I packed back up to head back to Portland. We’ve got friends coming into town tonight at 8pm. We had breakfast with mom and packed the dog and everything else, it wasn’t easy since I’d gotten boxes of pictures from grandma and mom. Eric and I decided to go home via Tri-cities. When we got to the cities we ended up going out through Richland because there was some construction on the blue bridge or something. We grabbed lunch, took the dog out for a walk, jumped in and were off again. The drive home was pretty uneventful, Eric drove again. This time I didn’t have to sit in the back with Baylee. I’d positioned her crate under her and a few pillows so that she could lay down and still see outside. She seemed to like that better. She’d even tap the window when she needed to go to the bathroom. Of course both times this happened on the way home there wasn’t a place close for her to go so we would panic and hope to find a place soon. We weren’t very good coming home. We got home unpacked and Baylee got to visit with her best friend next door, Duke. He’s a yellow lab and he and Baylee are the best of friends. When she escapes out the front door she runs next door to Dukes house. We got everything taken care of before our guests came. John and Brandi Wasnock finally made it down for a weekend. We didn’t do a whole lot that first night. I think we just hung out and went to bed eventually.

We left on Friday the 11th. I was so ready to go on vacation. I could hardly wait. I was throwing everything in the car and not caring too much. I just wanted to get out of dodge and do nothing. This was the first time we’d taken the dog, Baylee, on a long trip so I had to pack all of that stuff too, the crate, food, treats, play toys, etc. It made me remember all the times Mom, Josh and I would go to Yakima in the Rabbit and she’d have that thing packed tight. Eric was nice enough to drive the whole way toe Ellensburg. It was nice to not have to drive the long distance. I ended up sitting in the back with Baylee, half the time I would be sleeping and the other half I’d be reassuring Baylee that everything was OK. We only had to stop twice on the way to Ellensburg for her. She did so well. When we got to Ellensburg, Greg, Hollie, Miles, Eric’s Aunt Kathy and Gus were there as was Eric’s cousin, Brian. We had a nice BBQ dinner that night. I think it was the first time Greg, Hollie, Miles and Eric and I were all there at the same time. Maybe we’ll get lucky and be able to do the same for Christmas?

I feel GREAT! I’ve been on vacation since Wednesday and it’s been wonderful. I’ve gotten caught up on my sleep and feeling great! I got a call yesterday from Josh. It was the best! I miss my brother so much. I was so worried about him and hearing his voice on the phone made me feel so much better. We talked about how he was doing and what his plans were once the Marines let him go. He sounded in really good spirits and doing well. I guess he’s not in MHU any more but in a different place where they’re nicer to him. He can watch TV, play PS2 and do other things. I guess every day for a few hours he goes over and types papers for the DI. I didn’t realize how stressed I was about him until I got off the phone with him. I was overwhelmed with emotion and just cried. I wasn’t sad just relieved. The not knowing and everything was driving me crazy and being able to hear him on the phone was like a Godsend. I didn’t realize how stressed I was about the whole thing until last night. I feel like this HUGE weight has been lifted off me. I just can’t believe he won’t be home for another month. I guess that will be my birthday present from him. Him being home.

I haven’t done much today. Baylee woke up @ 6:30am wanting out to go to the bathroom. I really wish she’d learn how to sleep in, but I don’t think she’s got it in her. I’ve kept her up late and taken her outside right before we go to bed and yet she’s still up at 6:30 am. At least with having the backyard done I can throw her out there to go to the bathroom and throw myself on the couch and fall back asleep. She and I have been having fun, going on walks, sleeping and playing all vacation. The cats have been around too but they stay away a bit more. It was funny last night because Cynder was under the bed the other night and Baylee wanted to play and was crying until Cynder came out. Then they played. It’s so funny to see cats and a dog playing together. I don’t think Baylee has a clue that she’s not the girls.

I’m not sure what today holds. Maybe I’ll really relax and do much of nothing. Or maybe I’ll do something. I’ve been scanning my mom’s old pictures, maybe I’ll do that. I’ll be so happy when I get all the photos done and burned onto a CD. I didn’t realize though, how many pictures don’t have dates on them. I guess I’ll have quite a box to give mom to sort through. I think when I’ve got all the pictures and negative scanned I’ll start scrapbooking them or something. I haven’t decided.

OK, my stomach is growling. Time to each breakfast.