Weekend Love: Beach, pool, boating, and some golf!

This weekend was one of those great weekends where we packed it full of fun things, but also got time to rest and clean the house a bit.  Saturday was FULL of water play and awesome!  We started the day with a meet up with our friends K and T at the beach!  The four of us gals had a blast playing in the sand and water!  The weather was perfect and company even better!

Carmen then passed out on the way home and took a nice 2 hour nap and then was ready to head to her Papa's house for more water fun!  She swam with her daddy and had too much fun being silly!  We then went on a fun boat ride, but no pictures because I am too nervous to bring my iPhone with us.  She had a blast on the boat and said hi and bye to other boaters and liked to make noises as we sped through the water.  After all the fun water play, she had dinner and cuddled with her Papa and her dollies.

Sunday morning, Special K, Carmen and I headed to Walmart to pick up her first set of golf clubs.  Special K had seen them there for around $5!  It was worth every penny!  Watching the two of them play with these clubs, was priceless!  It was another warm day but we chose a park by the water so there was a nice breeze!

I took the following video and all I can say is could this be any cuter?

And how cute is this!  I could just follow her all day. :)

After the lesson, we sat on the sidewalk and ate snack with the squirrels and birds.  We kept the animals away from Carmen, but Special K couldn't help but try to feed the squirrels out of his hands.  He did get a little snip from the squirrel!  

 On our way home after her golf lesson, she fell asleep and took a 3 hour nap!  The rest of the afternoon was spent coloring, running around the house, and watching Despicable Me or ilo and itch.

We ended the weekend with a Google+ hangout with CGR's Grandma Shari while we ate dinner.    As I said, the weekend was full of awesome but relaxing.  I felt refreshed going into my work week, which is always a great thing!

Happy Weekending!

A Foggy...then Rainy Dogs on Thursday!

Happy DOT!! Don't forget to go over and check out this week's DOT post! It is a very informative post!

Today has been a very strange weather day for Florida. I don't think I can recall it ever being this foggy here. This was what my view was this morning.
...and then this is my view from my office window this afternoon.
I love when it rains but the fog is strange!

So, I was trying to figure out what to post for my DOT post and I remember that last time I took Jackjack and Abby to Manda's to swim I took VIDEO!! It was POURING down rain but neither of them cared! Usually Jackjack won't go out in the rain but check him out!!

Please ignore us talking. haha :)

and of course another.

Hope you enjoyed the video! It's crazy to think of how Jackjack used to be when he got into pools and now he just jumps right in after Abby!

Happy Dogs on Thursday!!

Natalie

Not forgotten!

Ok...I swear this blog has not been forgotten! I think I need to start posting more often! It's not like I don't have plenty to share with you guys!

First off we'll start with a cute video of the pups. :) Just because well...they are so CUTE!!



This is part of our routine to go outside. Can you tell Jackjack is feeling GREAT?

Well...there has been lots of knitting....and a little spinning but mostly knitting. First off here is a gift I've been knitting for someone. They are these awesome mitts! You can either use them as finger less mitts or fold over the top and use as mittens! The pattern is the iphone mitts by Julie Ridl. This first pair was done using some NH Knitting Mama Franconia yarn in that Auntie Colorway. This is a Superwash Merino, Cashmere, Nylon base and I love it! These are so comfy and warm.

The color is really a bit more lilac in real life but I'm not a photography genius...I only wish I was. :)

The 2nd pair I'm working on for myself is using some Shelby B's Designs yarn in the Lilly Potter colorway. I'm actually using a similar yarn base called Supreme Sock from Shelby's that is the SW Merino, Cashmere, Nylon. Love these colors and it's knitting up very nicely!

I don't have any spinning pictures but I'll get some soon. I spun up some lovely merino but next up on my wheel is the cormo roving I bought at SAFF! I can't wait!

I'm still considering the Blog365 starting on Dec 1st. :) So...you may get to see and read a lot more from me soon.

Happy Tuesday!!

Heading to SAFF on Thursday!!

Sorry for the lack of posts but I have been preparing for my SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair) trip this weekend. Monica, Angela, and I are leaving as early as we can on Thursday...let's just say I plan to leave my house at 6am. :) We are all very excited! I can't wait to inhale all those fibery fumes and meet new people!

Friday I will be wandering around all day looking at fun stuff. I am volunteering at the Fleece Show and Sale for a couple hours around lunch but otherwise my plan is to check out all the vendors! Friday night there is a Fiber In at the Holiday Inn across from the airport from 8pm-10pm...there are door prizes including some donated by me. I am donating a set of Barknknit stitch markers and a Dog Tag.

Saturday, Barknknit Podcast will be having a meet n greet. It will be held at 11am near the Sheep to Shawl event. Please come by and say Hi! I'd love to meet you all! There will also be goodie bags! Check out this video for a preview of the fun stuff.

Sunday, my goal is to pick up anything that I had not been able to purchase yet and see more vendors. Please feel free at anytime to stop me and say hello! I will have either my Barknknit T-shirt on or if I finish my red Corona! :)

I will be taking video and recording while at SAFF so go subscribe to the podcast to hear and see fun stuff!

Hope you have a great weekend...and please say a prayer and think good thoughts for a safe drive and fun weekend!

Dogs on Thursday!

For today's DOT post I wanted to share all the fun Swimming pictures and video I got of the pups this Sunday at Manda's Fiber Fun house!! Here are my crazy dogs in pictures! Yes, it is pouring down rain and neither one of them cared! Can I just say, when Jackjack first learned to swim he would never just jump in! He would only get in through the stairs. He's come a LONG way!! Enjoy!









So fun!! Here is the madness in video from my cellphone!

Hope you enjoyed the doggie swimming fun!! Don't forget to check out the other DOT posts!

Dogs on Thursday....more videos!

Ok...since I posted bad lighting video yesterday...I figured I'd take some better ones last night and I got some of Jackjack being Jackjack. :)

Abby and Frankie playing....a little too rough but I let them be for now.

And they continued....

What Jackjack does while they play.

And how cute is he?

Hope you enjoyed all the video. They are so cute and funny! When the playing gets out of hand I try to step in but mostly I let it be until it does.

Happy DOT and don't forget to go check out the article that Nichole posted. It's very informative!!

Dogs gone wild....for DOT!

Ok...so I figured I'd share this little naughty thing that Jackjack does and drives both Kenny and I crazy. But again he's so cute. :) First a little background, this happens EVERY time the neighbor dog Nikko is outside. Nikko is a sweet small white poof of a dog and is really no threat or ever has been to Jackjack. They have not yet met because well...I'm not ready. I think I will need to introduce them soon so we can get these barking sessions to stop but I only have met the neighbor girls, not the mother or any other adult. And I feel before I either grab their dog and introduce him to Jackjack or take Jackjack in their backyard, I think it would be best to talk to an adult and find out if the dog is neutered...which may be causeing all the barking. Since Jackjack always feels he needs to make sure the other un-neutered dogs know he's big and bad...no matter how small.

Just a quick note, Jackjack has never hurt any of these dogs that he barks at. He doesn't bite them but bark and run around them. :) Like he does in the video but closer and without the fence. :)

So, just so you know the sequence of events of how this starts, Kenny or I will let them out and 2 seconds later this begins....

After I took this video, I did what I normally do. I get Jackjack and make him sit next to the fence and calm down. He can look but no barking. SK doesn't do this but I feel he needs to learn to be calm around the dog on the other side. Trying to teach him there is another way. :)
He's so good when he just sits there and stays. :) After this was taken, we came inside so mom could go to work! OH and we had already been for a walk before all of this...you would think Jackjack would be a little tired. :)

And becaus she is cute and crazy! Here is Abby smelling the fence pole instead of coming inside. :) She is just too silly.

Hope everyone has a great DOT day! And don't forget to go check out our post this week and join our contest!

Happy Dogs on Thursday!

Dogs on Thursday

I can't believe it's Thursday already. This week has been a long one but has flown by. Work has been a bit stressful so I've been tired and getting in bed early all week but not able to sleep through the night. I've also been spending as much time on my spinning wheel as I can stay awake for. :)

Well...I just have one thing for you today. Videos!!!

Jackjack usually will let Abby have stuffed animals until one day he decides to do the following. I like to stay by him and make sure he doesn't eat any of it especially the leather on this armadillo.

And just one more. I took many videos of him doing this but will spare you.

And last..this is what Abby was doing while Jackjack was destroying army. :)

Hope you enjoyed a peak into my puppies lives today.

Things are going well with me. Last night's Obedience class was pretty good. We kept working on the formal finish. It's when Abby is sitting in front of me after a recall and I tell her to go around and she goes around and sits down in the heel position. She's getting better at this but I think I need more motivating treats for this one. We also did good on our sit stay!

We only had about 4 people in class this week, so we got to do more training and more talking too. The Intro to Agility class has been changed to Mondays and it's starting later in March so we have a couple more weeks before that begins which won't hurt. I want to find some instructions on how to build the jumps out of PVC so I can get her started on those sooner and be able to practice more.

This weekend should be fun. I planned a trip to an Alpaca farm that's inland. It's in Zephryhills which is about an hour away. My sister Fleas, her family and I are heading over there on Saturday afternoon. We'll take pictures to share! I love alpacas! I am hoping to come back with roving or a fleece.

Ok...off to work. Hope everyone has a great Dogs on Thursday! Give your pups some lovin from us and make sure to check out all the other DOT posts.

My Hope song!!

Ok...my sister CZbrats sent me to this video after I shared yesterday's. I think it's hilarious!! Check it out. This is a predictions and I think it's pretty spot on!

Awesome video!!!

I found this on Kris from SonnyandShear.com's blog The Knitting Wannabee. It was so great I had to post it on here. :)




Hope you liked it!!

Gnat

Wedding Wednesday!

It's my last day of vacation per say and I enjoyed it by watching a movie and knitting. I'm almost done with my sister's hat! YEAH!! It's gotten pretty chilly here and is supposed to get down to the 20s tonight. I might just freeze.

I watched a romantic movie, Pride and Prejudice which I just love. It's the new version even though I will always love the one with Colin Firth. Since it's Wedding Wednesday, I wanted to share one of my favorite parts in the movie.



I never get over him saying "You have bewitched me body and soul and I love...I love...I love you..." I love that part.

The last scene in the movie where she tells him only to call her Mrs. Darcy when he is utterly and completely deliriously happy is my other favorite. I am excited to become Mrs. Rush this year. I feel that it's going to be strange changing my name but I'm glad that it's Mrs. Rush that I will be changing to. I love Special K and being his wife makes me excited. :)

OK...enough gushy stuff. We are going to meet with my friend from the sports bar where we want to have the reception next week. Once we iron out those details I'll be calling my sister Cris to figure out the save the dates. I'm also picking up my dress this weekend....I'm excited but just have to figure out where to store it so Special K doesn't sneak a peak.

And speaking of dresses...check this one out. Don't they look like sock monkeys?? That is NOT what my dress looks like. :)

I hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year.

Wedding Wednesday and THE video!!!!

First off I'd like to say that my blog hasn't been on the top of my list this past week. I've been pretty busy with work, wedding, Special K, Christmas plans and knitting. I did sneak in a concert on Sunday night but I'll post the pictures later this week. :)

Ok...Wedding Plans. A lot has happened in a week. Friday night was my work Christmas party and Special K and I were speaking to a 4th grade teacher who also happens to work at a local sports bar. Special K, his father, step-mother, and I used to play trivia at this sports bar every Monday night. We still go but it's very rare and infrequent. It was also were Special K and I had our first real conversation. At the Christmas party, we were talking about wedding plans and how we are looking for a reception site. She mentioned how people have had their wedding ceremony and reception at the sports bar. It's a pretty big sports bar and she said the downstairs area would fit up to 300. That's way more that our guest list. I haven't gone by yet and look at the place in the perspective of having my wedding reception there but I plan to soon. The final decision won't be made until the new year though.

Another exciting thing is I found my wedding dress. :) I know to me it even seems to early but I just fell in love with the gorgeous dress I tried on this weekend and had to go back and put a deposit on it. I went to a wedding dress warehouse with my friend Camille. She was getting measured for her bridesmaids dress and I figured why not go with her if she's driving to Tampa anyway. It was the first one I tried on of many and I just had this silly little grin on my face every time I even thought about the dress. It's everything I want in a dress and more. It's strapless and has an A line skirt with a beautiful train. It has just the right amount of beading added to the right places. The color is diamond white and my sister Fleas says the dress matches my ring. I went home after I tried it on with Camille and talked to Special K, my dad, and my sisters. I decided to go back on Sunday and try it on again with some family with me. I put it on and I just grinned. So...there we go...the dress is done. I'm picking it up in less than a month and then will need to get it altered in the fall of next year.

Ok...now for the video of Special K asking me. For those of you who haven't followed along, he asked in front of his whole family at his grandparent's house in Weirton, WV. I had no idea but everyone else knew. He had emailed my father in October to ask my hand in marriage. This was one of the most amazing moments of my life. :) When I think of it...I GRIN!!!

Edit: I realized when I listen to this again that the song is too loud and you can't really hear what Special K says. I fixed that it now. :)



Hope you enjoyed Wedding Wednesday! Stay tuned for some knitting posts. :) I promise.