Settling In...

Not quite a month after closing on the house and it feels like we are definitely starting to settle in and establish our routines. Pretty much from the minute we moved in, it felt like home. Although it feels a bit overwhelming at times to think of how much we want to do to make it completely ours, I also want to enjoy the process of making it our home.

The dogs acclimated extremely well and it is evident that they love their new home and especially love going for walks. Vistancia provides a welcome environment for the pups with a great trail system and plenty of open desert for exploring. If all goes well, we try and take them for a walk every morning and sometimes again in the evening. D takes Sam and Bangara and I take Baxter and Sierra. (I swear Sierra needs Ritalin, though - she suffers from an acute case of ADHD!) Sierra and Baxter practically choke themselves through the first part of the walk, but eventually settle in (and tire out!). D has done a great job with the bigger boys and we've even gotten to the point where we can let go of their leashes around the corner and they run to the house by themselves. This is a HUGE change for them!

We still have some work to do on releasing some of Baxter's and Bangara's negative energy and territorialism, however. The other morning some guy was walking his dogs down the sidewalk behind our house and neither Baxter nor Bangara were too happy about it. Their aggression toward those dogs spilled over and they ended up having a bit of a tussle. Needless to say, Baxter wore the wounds from that little encounter with a little bite on his chin. Probably wouldn't have been that big of a deal, however, it was in a spot where it was tough to stop the bleeding. Mix that with him being all white and a chronic licker... next thing you know, he looked like the canine version of Steven King's Carrie. Sierra, being the girl/mom that she is, laid worried outside Baxter's crate, even bringing over her "baby" for him. She is the sweetest little girl.

Brandy is now settling in as well in her new location - Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. It is so awesome to be able to have full cell phone and email contact and I love getting all of the updates on her class. She is the only girl in her class and is kick butt (of course!). I can't wait to see her again, although it is crazy to think the next time won't be until Christmas. This will be the first birthday of hers that I won't be spending the day with her. :-(

Today is a big day for Brooke - we are going to get her senior pictures done. Although, she only wants the picture for her yearbook done right now and we'll do the rest of her photos after she gets her braces off. Seems impossible that my baby is graduating. Where did the years go? It seems like just yesterday they were babies.

More later.... gotta run!