So this is what have I been doing with my life lately.....

So our favorite youngest daughter has been bugging us about a dog for awhile.  We had a chocolate lab for a number of years that we had to put to down about 4 years ago.  For about a year none of the kids were ready for another dog.  And then we were getting ready to make a move and I wasn't going to do that with a new dog at the house.  It has just been this Summer that I was willing to consider the possibility.

We decided to first start out by fostering some dogs to see what kind we would like next.  Said favorite youngest daughter lasted 3 days before she was "done".  Puppies are a pain and annoying she found out.

This was our first foster, Hawkeye, at 8 weeks.

He's one of 10 St. Bernard American Bulldog mix puppies.

He was so soft and fluffy and chewed on everything he wasn't supposed to.

We had him about a week and he got adopted. 

Everyone asks how we can foster and then give them to someone else.

Well, in Hawkeye's case I wasn't sure I wanted a dog that would end up being 100-150 lbs. when it was fully grown. I don't mind large dogs, but that is a little much.  I already have "big" kids.

But hey, we like them when they sleep, for sure.

After Hawkeye we got these 3 North Dakota rescue puppies.

Piper, the little brown one and her two sisters Xena and Gabby (red collar).

Piper went to another foster family after 2 days with us and they ended up keeping her.

In the foster world that is called a "foster failure", but a win for adoption. 

We had these two together for 2 weeks. We affectionately called them Thelma and Louise.

At times they were a little crazy together.

Last week our Gabby girl got adopted by a nice family.

She was quite happy to go with them and they were thrilled to add her to their family.

 And now we are down to Miss Xena the Warrior Princess.

She's definitely more princess than warrior.

 The kids have all liked her the best from the beginning.

We had a couple close adoption calls, then they changed their mind or picked a different puppy.

I keep telling the foster team leader that we are getting "out cuted" by the younger fluffier puppies.

(And with about 18 more puppies available in the next month or two that might continue happening.)

However, at this point we don't mind.

Xena is a lovely puppy and seems quite happy with us.

This weekend there is another adoption event...so fingers crossed.

If she doesn't get adopted soon we might have to seriously consider keeping her for ourselves.

Note:

I am a foster volunteer thru the Carver Scott Humane Society.  If you are local in those MN counties go check out what's available for adoption.

Alexander's T-shirt Quilt

Alexander is the son of my good friend Cindy.  I've known him since he was born. 

This Spring he graduated from high school.  I told him that if they wanted to pay for the materials I would put the time in and make him a t-shirt quilt for his graduation gift. 

Alexander was all over that. 

He is a funny kid.  He has Asperger's and is very OCD about some things.  It was difficult for him at first to go thru all his shirts and "give" them away, even though the majority of them didn't even fit him anymore. However, having them in a quilt will make both him and his mom happy (i.e. less shirts in his dresser drawers sitting there doing nothing).

I had him go thru his t-shirt stash with me and he showed me the ones that for SURE had to go in the quilt and then depending on how the size and design ended up we had another pile of shirts to add to as needed.  I didn't use up all the shirts he gave me, but we did use 24 of them.  Not everyone will have that many shirts but Alexander NEVER wears a solid t-shirt....NEVER.  It has to have some logo or something on it.

This is the first time I have put together a t-shirt quilt that didn't involve the majority to be school or sports themed shirts.  In fact, he only had one shirt that represents his school.  Instead, Alexander likes video games, goofy sayings, Star Wars, Pokémon, etc.  So I had to pull that all together in this quilt.

Here is the top all put together before sending it off for quilting.

He picked out his sashing/border fabric as well as the backing fabric.  He wanted to choose and not have me pick out something for him.  Fine with me.

I just heard back that the quilting is done and I should get it back next week.  I asked Lynn to quilt his name and graduation year on a blank block that I included in the quilt since he didn't have any shirts with his name.  I guess I need to go find some binding fabric to go with now that I know the quilt is coming back.

Details:

• Zelda and Gang fabric from JoAnn's.  Needed 6 yds. for the backing and it couldn't be matched perfectly.  I tried.  From a distance it will hardly be noticeable.

• Mario border fabric also from JoAnn's. Used about 1 1/2 yd. 
• 24 t-shirt fronts pieced together.
• T-shirt quilt ideas from Pinterest.

The other t-shirt quilts that we've put together.

Daughter #1 grad quilt

Harley Twins

Bria's grad quilt

Samuel's grad quilt

Madisson's grad quilt

Just because....

Once upon a time, when I was VERY young, I thought that being a photographer for National Geographic Magazine would've been the best job in the world.  I think the introvert in me would've loved that job.  But the homebody in me would probably have been done after awhile.  I sometimes feel like the Princess and the Pea--I want my bed and my pillow.

Did that photography dream become a reality? No.  Not even close.
I took one photography class in high school and majored in Zoology at BYU. 

However, every now and again I dabble.
Our yard backs up to a pond and so the #wildlifeinthesuburbs gets used on my Instagram quite often.

This guy was hiding under our firepit one morning when my son went to put it away. 
Since he was sitting so quietly and still I decided to take advantage of it.

FYI:  I think this is an American Toad

To dreams realized and unrealized!!
Enjoy your weekend everyone!!