Sunday, March 31, 2013

Ainsley: week 1

I find it hard to believe that Ainsley has only been here for a week.
Our house has never been cleaner.  Not tidy but clean.  I'm sure you can draw your own conclusions why.  Today alone I've steam cleaned twice.  That was not how I intended to spend my day.  
I will say that I have gotten more exercise in the past week than the past 3-6 months.  

Stats
10 weeks: 18 inches long, 12.4 pounds

Bonding with the kitty has gone smoothly.  Jack tends to let her know whose boss by biting her ear if she's too rough.  I have only heard one hiss and that was at the very first meeting.  Jack continues to come out and be around Ainsley so I'm assuming that he's OK with the current arrangements.



Jack is very patient and tends to warn with his evil eye stare.

I've tried to take lots of pictures but this is what I deal with...

She's always says she's sorry.

We think she's a keeper.  She's a good little puppy.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

City Egg Hunt

The city egg hunt...lots of kids, lots of eggs, a couple of big prizes.



We have done this egg hunt 3 years now.  2 of the 3 years Sydney or Scott has been a big winner.  Those are some pretty slim odds.  This year Scott found the winning slip of paper not in an egg but laying on the ground.  Somebody must of stepped on the winning egg, opening the egg and releasing the paper just at the right moment for Scott to run by and pick it up.  I'm actually surprised he picked it up!  

Volcano Eggs

To dye our eggs this year we used baking soda paint.
1.  Paint the egg.

2.  Drop it in vinegar to make the volcano egg.

  3.  Let them dry.

4.  Play with the leftover paint and vinegar!

Ainsley

We caved...
 

Ainsley was found at Pet Co on Saturday.  Second Chance Pets was the shelter/foster there that day, looking to adopt her.

 Ainsley is 9 weeks old.  She's half German Shepard and half Golden Retriever.  Yes, she'll be big.  She is my exercise program.  Who needs a gym when you have a big dog that needs exercise, right?!

She plays hard and sleeps hard.

Sydney set up shop.  She has got this dog thing covered.

Jack is hesitant but I think they will bond just fine.  She is very sweet, calm and lovable.


Her name when we got her was Sheba.  It didn't fit her personality but Sydney insists on keeping it around so she is named Ainsley Sheba Maier.  

Scott was even motivated enough to write.  

Packing

Sydney wanted to get a head start on packing for our trip to Indiana over spring break a couple of weeks ago.  Since she tends to wear the same thing every week I told her she could pack 2 pairs of pj's and 4 pairs of underwear.  I can definitely say that she is a neater packer than me.

Green Eggs and Ham

I guess the perk of being a teacher's child is that you get to try out some of the activities intended for the class.  For Dr. Seuss's birthday I made my class green eggs.

A slight pause...should I?

Open wide!

Just kidding!

Let me smell them first.

 Thumbs up! 

Field Trip

A few weeks ago Sydney went on her first solo field trip.
I was a bit teary eyed watching her get on the bus for her trip to the Museum of Natural History.
She agreed to wear the school shirt for the trip as long as she could also wear a skirt.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Bits and Pieces

Thanks to an older brother learning to read, Sydney is beginning to pick up bits and pieces.  If you ask her to read to you this is her go to book.  


I took this picture at the beginning of February when one night she just started reading the book.  We were impressed.  Once Scott realized what was going on he grabbed the nearest book to show that he can read too.  He does not want to be outdone by his little sister.  

Do you remember Scott lining up race cars?  Well apparently both my children have this bug.  


Night dancing is all the rage in the Maier house.  Well night dancing by Sydney, 

spot light by Scott and audience by mom and dad.


Opening Day

Opening day of baseball season is here.
Pictures at 7:40am.
Parade and medals for Slug Fest at 10:00am.
First game at 1:00pm.

Slug Fest is a contest they had a couple of weeks ago.  I have not been the past 2 years because it has happened to fall on Scott's birthday party day both years.  I'm told they hit 10 balls and get points for each hit based on distance and whatever else.

Today at the medal ceremony Scott got first place!!  He also got the medal for most consistent hitter!!
Way to go Scott!

This year he is number 3.

The "ready" stance.