Do you ever have those moments when you are trying to get a good photo of your pet and he/she just won't cooperate with you? Such was the case last evening, when I was trying to get a pic of Hunter all groomed up. Of course it didn't help that hubby was not here to take the photo while I teased him with a tidbit. So, his ears are a bit shorter in the hopes that he will get less mats and he looks so nice and clean. It would seem that we are on baby watch and are expecting our daughter to have the baby this weekend sometime. We will take the other children and won't actually know what the sex is until the children have been to the hospital to meet their new sibling. This was there choice-no facetime or text or calls; they want to be able to go and meet the newest addition in person; which is all very sweet except that we have to wait until after they've met our newest grandchild, so that we can meet him or her. Bets are still on as to whether Carrie will have a boy or girl; I'll just be happy when they are home and resting. Today is also our towns massive garage sale and although I won't be out first thing this morning, I will be going out Saturday with Kam. I also start a short summer bible study today with a small group; I'm excited to spend time with the gals and study the Word. I hope you have a wonderful Friday and awesome weekend!
Joy comes in the morning(no this is not the girls name)just reminded me of an old song.
Anxiously awaiting,
Noreen & Hunter

Thankful Thursday

I can't believe it is already after noon!  I want to thank all of you who lifted up my sil, concerning her surgery.  Susan is much more than just a sister in law, she is a best friend, encourager, and the epitome of love, hospitality and graciousness.  When I heard that she was "having a minor procedure" done, I was concerned; you see she has diabetes and that always complicates health issues.  Her minor procedure was having a stint put in one of the arteries of her heart.  These days, we have known lots of folks that have had this procedure and while it isn't as difficult as it once was, it is still serious.  I am thankful to say that although she had two stints put in, she was released yesterday late afternoon and is home doing well.  I told her that our family just needs and loves her too much; she must take care of herself. 
This morning hubby and I dropped Hunter off at the groomers and then headed to DMV again; we went yesterday morning and didn't have all the paper work to register the Highlander. When we went back yesterday afternoon, the line was so long we knew we'd be waiting over two hours, so decided go back today.  Unfortunately, we still didn't have all the paperwork and have to wait ten days to get the title to our new vehicle.  Since we had our morning free, we headed to the grocery store to stock up-my pantry looked bare. I also tend to stock up during these months of tornado season and needed a few more items.  We got the call that our pup was done and oh how handsome he looks-in fact, he'll be on FB tonight.  So today, we are giving thanks for all the blessings in our lives-family and talented/gifted surgeons who take care of health problems, a loyal and adorable pup, the blessings of nice weather with no tornadoes and for life.  Live it to its fullest.
Hugs to you,
Noreen & Hunter

Outdoor Wednesday

Good Morning to you~It's a new day filled with endless possibilities and hope. Prayers going up for those in Kansas that were impacted by the tornado yesterday. Our sky is dark this morning; we were awakened to thunder and hard rain and I'm wondering if we are going to be able to walk in a bit. Hubby took this photo on his I-Phone and it was so clear and pretty but here it looks like our weather this morning.  I hope you have a great day and seize the moment.
 My dear sil is having surgery this morning and just want her to know that we all need her so very much and love her beyond words. Get better quickly, sister of my heart.
Blessings, Noreen & Hunter

Happy Tuesday friends~I hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend!  Ours was good, but Sunday was definitely different and a little bit stressful; however I prefer to think about the positive and fun things we did.  We had lots of fun family time; games and dessert and then yesterday lunch at our oldest girls house with everyone.  Hubby and I also went on a six mile bike ride last evening-it was good to get back into the swing of it. 
Unfortunately, Sunday was not a good day with other dogs; in fact, as we walked by a neighbor's house whose dog was off lead and without its owner around-well he(a 90 lb Labradoodle)ran out and knocked me to the ground and attacked Hunter.  Thankfully, hubby was with us and was able to pull the dog off of Hunter and help me up.  The dog normally wears an electronic collar which controls him but the owner had left it off of him after they went running.   We did talk with the owner immediately afterwards and they also came over yesterday to apologize and make sure we were o.k. I'm thankful there were no broken bones and that Hunter had no visible injuries. 
This is the third time that Hunter has been gone after by a big dog; no wonder he doesn't like dogs that are bigger than he is. The one thing I will say about Hunter and Bichons in general is that they are not fighters.  Hunter has never even tried to defend himself when other dogs are biting him.  His trainer has also said there is not a mean bone in this little dog-for that I am thankful.  Later that day we went to some friends home for dinner and their was a visiting dog, that Hunter met a year ago, who kept being aggressive with Hunter.  Finally, I said this is enough and took Hunter home.  Our friends have a new puppy and this was a celebration for them but I knew I would never relax if I was worrying about my pup.  After I brought him home, I went back and had a relaxing evening. I also wondered if Hunter wasn't giving off some scent of fear from his earlier incident.  I will say that the experience on Sunday has definitely impacted me by making me more aware of other dogs-even in yards.  I don't want to be fearful at all but I also don't want to be around dogs that are not contained. 
So we've gone on our walk and now I'm going to get out and do some yard work. 
How about you-did you have a fun weekend?  I'd love to hear about it.
Joy to you today!
Noreen & Hunter

For all those who so bravely have given their lives defending our liberties and our country, We salute you and say Thank You.  To all those currently serving in the armed forces for our freedom, we honor you today. 

My New Ride

 

Hi friends, I missed posting yesterday because we got caught up running errands and ended up at a local Toyota dealership. This was totally unplanned, at least to me; hubby wanted to check out some of the features on a Highlander. Before we knew it, we found this one; it had been owned by one of the CSU coaches and traded in. Due to the fact that it was previously owned, we got an extended warranty on it, which is better than the new car warranty. It only has 4,000 miles on it; so after some negotiations, we drove away with it. I'm thinking it will last us as long as our last two cars have. We have given my Maxima to one son-in-law and eventually when hubby finds the car he wants, our grandsons will get our Explorer. So today we are applying a leather protector on the interior. I can say it rides and drives like a dream!
The rest of the weekend will be pretty relaxed, maybe a family bbq.  I hope you are enjoying a long weekend with nice weather.  I'm sorry if I didn't get by your place yesterday to say hi.
Hugs,  Noreen & Hunter

A Smile For You

 

With all the devastation that Oklahoma has experienced this week, I felt that it would be a good thing to try to bring you a smile or something cute each day. Yesterday afternoon, this baby bunny decided to have his dinner in our yard. We often get bunnies running through; Hunter loves to give chase and has gotten pretty close at times. I'm not quite sure what he would do if he got really close to one; doubt he would try to hurt it, I think the chase is what is fun. However, yesterday when I spotted this little guy and was able to get up close and personal without him taking off, I was really concerned. He let me get about six photos and then Hunter joined us. The bunny ran and I thought for sure that he would make it under the fence; he didn't-just sat among some vines and watched Hunter look for him. I took Hunter inside, to avoid any serious problems, and the bunny just hung out eating grass. As much as I love seeing a bunny or two in the yard, I do worry that they might get hurt or that Hunter might get scratched.
My dear hubby got home last evening and let me tell you it is so good to have him back!!! He always has such fun on his annual golf trip but I sure miss him when he's gone.
It is cold and dreary here today, so I think we will be running errands and just catching up on household chores.
Prayers still going up for those impacted this week.
Until tomorrow,
Noreen & Hunter

Meeting Bentley

 

Our dear friends, Dick and Rita, lost their dear old Cairn in November. They are snowbirds and decided to wait to get a puppy until this spring when they were back home. I got a text yesterday showing their new puppy, Bentley, an 8 week old Cairn Terrier; they had picked him up out of state and were back at home. Of course, Hunter wanted him to come over right away-he was so excited to meet a new friend, especially one that will be his size. Here he is; isn't he just adorable.

 

Bentley may be small but boy is he fast! Trying to get good photos of him playing with Hunter was just about impossible. He has a typical little Terrier personality and was raised around dogs of all sizes, so didn't hesitate to get in and play with Hunter. Hunter was so taken by him and we can tell they will have a great time together; we also plan to exchange dog sitting and have lots of play dates.

 

 

I think he is just so flippin cute!!!! When I was in high school, my sister bought me a Cairn(we were told it was pure bred but it was a mix); Aristotle was the best possible dog for me and so any Cairn has a special place in my heart.

 

After play time was over, Dick and Rita and their new boy headed for home. I had to get one shot of Rita with him; both of them are over the moon about this new little guy. We all are-what can I say.

This brought some sunshine into our lives, in spite of the fact that all of us are still heartbroken about Oklahoma.  Thoughts and prayers continue to go up for everyone.
Hugs,  Noreen & Hunter

 

Good Morning to you! I imagine everyone across our country is watching the national news, to see the latest news on Oklahoma. The prayers of many are going up. Having gone through a tornado here, the year we moved our family to this area, I know the devastation that Moore is facing. Our tornado was only an EF-3 but also spanned a mile wide; thankfully only one life was lost. Every spring I now take food and water supplies downstairs to the basement. I am so thankful we have basements here.  I always watch the sky when we get hail and thunder; there is an eery green glow, that once you've seen it, you'll never forget it.
Hubby got this photo a couple of weeks ago; we love it when the Pelicans are back. This year is the first year, since our tornado, that we've had as many Pelicans as before. They are beautiful birds; we are always sad to see them leave. Blessings on your day!
Noreen & Hunter

Morning Friends,  I hope you had a fabulous weekend; I did.  Friday night a group of ladies from our church went to a local art store that holds classes for groups and you come away with a painting.
First off, I was so hesitant to go; you see I am a quilter and can't draw to save my life.  I've tried painting a couple of times in the past and it was a disaster.  I also did some tole painting when my girls were in high school but that is the extent of my experience.  My painting turned out fine but the whole evening was such fun with friends.
On Saturday my sweet man left, with two friends, for a golf tournament out of state. This is his annual tournament; the time when something usually goes wrong here at home. The first year we were here, the tornado hit our town; he was driving home when it happened.  Each year holds something different for me.  So far, this year has been smooth, but I did come down with a sore throat and stuffy nose on Sat.; this means that I'm taking it really easy.  I am walking but not bike riding; pretty much just taking it really slow.  Today I'm joining five friends for crafts; we mainly just gab and catch up. I also have to go across the street and take care of two cats whose owner is away with my man.  This may be the reason I've had a sore throat and stuffy nose-I'm so very allergic to cats.  Hubby volunteered me, what's a girl to do?
I hope you have a great Monday!!!!
Blessings, Noreen

Nesting Owls

Yesterday we were able to get some photos of a Mama Owl and her two owlet. We just learned of these and they are getting quite big. Our neighbor told us that they are supposed to fly in two days or so. It was such a treat to see them. We were across the street and did not disturb them; I am thankful for a great telephoto. Here is the Mama.

 

The babies were harder to get a good shot of.

 

 

 

Any Mama would be proud of this youngin.

 

I would have loved to have seen them last week, but I'm thankful we were able to see them yesterday. I guess it is pretty rare to see them nesting at all; it is the first time I've seen an Owl in this area and to see it with the two owlets was exciting.
Today is our neighbors garage sale and we've already sold one bigger item-yippee! I think you have to have a gift to be successful at selling; I've never had any luck at our family sales, so hopefully all our items will be sold today.
Have a wonderful day and weekend friends; hubby will leave tomorrow and I will hit Whole Foods.
Hugs, Noreen & Hunter

Thankful Thursday

As always, I am pausing to count my many blessings today. I hope you've made it a habit too; if not daily, then take one day per week to acknowledge how blessed you are. I know many are struggling, but it could always be worse! Yesterday was a grand day; of course it started with a nice walk, then hubby and I took things down that we were donating to the garage sale and I began gathering the items I wished to sell. It does feel good to clear out some clutter and items that I have had for many many years. By mid morning, we had errands to run and while we were out hubby stopped off at the bike store. You see, my mountain bike is approximately 20 yrs old and although still in good shape, it needs a tune up. Each spring I have issues with it and due to the fact that the bar(it is a woman's bike)is high, it is getting more difficult for me to get off of. Last week I saw a bike at Costco that was just what I was hoping for-something nice without a high bar and reasonably priced. So yesterday, we found a bike that met all my criteria and it was very reasonably priced plus at a good store too, which offers free tune-ups etc. Here it is~I Love It and am so thankful for it.

 

What I like is that it is called a hybrid-a cross between a mountain bike and a cruiser. We do enough dirt paths that I needed the tough tires and you will notice that the bar is low; it is called an cross-through, I think. I was so excited; hadn't planned on getting it yesterday at all. My sweet man knew I needed a new bike now. WE got home and had lunch and then he went to the golf course; what did I do-you got it, I went on a 4 mile bike ride. It was beautiful out and I just wanted to use it right away; seems the rain was coming. I am hoping to ride at least four miles, minimum, daily plus walking. When I am riding with hubby we will probably do the ride to our town lake, which works out to 8 miles.  Two years ago,you may remember, we rode a lot-in fact for the month of June and July rode a minimum of 90 miles.  That is our goal for this year; my bike will make it much easier-that is once I get my "bike butt"(which is getting used to the seat when riding so much). 
I am so thankful to be able to ride distances and the ability to get back into shape.  My honey will be away for a couple of days and I get to start juicing again and just eating salads-yippee! I always feel better when I juice, but for some reason during the winter, it just doesn't sound appealing. In case you are wondering, I juice with fresh veges and fruits: spinach, kale, beets, cucumber, celery, carrots, peppers and lots of strawberries or apples and ginger root.  I especially like kale because it helps detox your liver.  I found out years ago, I have a "fatty liver" and so try to juice to have it regenerate.  I think most of America has this condition, due to our poor and processed diets; at least that is what I have heard over the years. 
I am thankful for warmer weather and also for a wonderful camera-which we are going to use this morning to take some photos of two baby owls.  I am thankful for family and friends and health.
Hope you have a joyous day.
Noreen & Hunter

Papa & Nana at Elitch

It's outdoor Wednesday today and I hope you are able to get outside. I will be taking Hunter on a walk shortly and then hubby and I plan to finish cleaning our garage. My bff here is having a garage sale on Friday so I am donating some things to her daughter; which means that we have to have organize all that I'm giving them. I will also be selling some things, which I need to price today. I never have much luck with garage sales but maybe this is my year.

Papa and I will our littlest grandson; he is such a cutie and we loved our time holding him on Friday.

My girl and I; I have the best daughters in the whole world. I am blessed beyond measure by them and the relationship we share. I hope you have a wonderful day!
Joy to you!
Noreen & Hunter

Happy Tuesday to you~I promised photos of our day at Elitch Gardens on Friday.

The childrens area was great for young and early elementary age children.

Little Miss D was fighting allergies or a cold; she did have fun regardless.

Miss A enjoying the rides; she has grown so much, no longer a toddler but an active 3 yr old.

Miss S, the perfect big sister and Miss A; they rode many rides together.

The weather was perfect; after we left the thunder started and the rain was so heavy. So glad we weren't caught out in it.

This fun day brought back memories of an earlier time in our lives~when we homeschooled, the end of the year was always marked by going to Marine World/Six Flags for a day. Of course, our girls were older than Kim's children; we had a great time at our local amusement park on Friday and this nana even went on a small roller-coaster. I hope you have a great day and get to be outside for a little while. Yesterday I not only took Hunter on a walk but also went on a 4 mile bike ride and then a walk around the block in the evening.  We will be going on a walk shortly and  I hope to at least go on a bike ride this afternoon.
Joy to you!
Noreen & Hunter

A Wonderful Surprise

Morning Friends~I hope you had a wonderful weekend and a very special Mother's Day. I was so glad to see that many friends posted that this can be a hard holiday for some, but if you've ever loved a child you knew or if you have fur-babies, you are definitely a Mother.
Saturday afternoon when I got the mail, I was so surprised to see an envelope from a dear blogging friend. Imagine how excited I was to open it and see this beautiful photo card from Val. Val used to live in the Islands and on our last trip, she alerted me to a beach that was home to a baby Monk Seal and its Mama. The card reminded me of Hawaii so much; but what I found inside was a beautiful hand made necklace. What Val didn't know is that I've always collected sea glass when at the ocean and seeing it in this necklace, made my heart sing.

 

 

It is hard to see its beauty but trust me, Val outdid herself making this for me! What is even more exciting to me is the fact that Val's hubby, a dentist, took over an office in Kapa'a-the area we stay in when we are in Kauai. Next spring when we are there, you know I'll be meeting Val and her girls-Gracie and Schatzie and hopefully spending time with them all. If you don't know Val, go by and say hi- you can find her here: http://mygirlzgotpaws.blogspot.com/     
Thank you Val for this thoughtful gift; I will wear it proudly and I am counting the months til we meet.
It is already very warm here; I took Hunter to the dog park and walked with friends and couldn't wait to get home and put on shorts.  I'm thinking about the weeding I need to do but it may have to wait until it cools down later today.
Have a blessed day!
Noreen & Hunter

Saturday Blessings to you friends~I missed visiting here yesterday; we had a very fun, full day at Elitch Gardens and I will post photos on Monday. Today, we've all ready gone on a 6 mile bike ride(which showed I was out of shape!)and I've taken Hunter on a walk. The weather is fabulous and I'm enjoying every bit of sunshine. I hope you have a glorious day and a wonderful weekend; especially all of you that are moms. Hugs,
Noreen & Hunter

Thankful Thursday

 

Good Morning Friends~I'm so thankful today: for life, grace, love, mercy and for all those special people in my life-including you! I am here to tell you that Hunter's annual appt. went really well yesterday; his vet was very understanding and actually said the "flu shot" is a "lifestyle choice", when I asked what that meant, she told me it is for those pups whose owners constantly travel and leave the dog at the kennel for long periods of time. As good as any kennel is, with the exception of Bert's and Miss Vickie's being over the top, it still isn't home and they can't possibly get the same care they do when they are home. I guess there are some owners that might not be true with, but you get my meaning. Hunter is at a perfect weight-12 lbs 3 oz. and all muscle. Aside from having to take blood for the heartworm test and to check his liver/kidney functions, receive a couple of shots-well he did fine. Scared but fine. I really like the vet; it is just that I think many folks would rather go back to a simpler days when animal care was more reasonable. Now, you all know how much we love our little Hunter, so don't misunderstand me. For many years, I wasn't able to afford dental or eye exams and to think of spending more money on our pets, than I do on myself, always made me shake my head.  We have always given our dogs the very best care; I just don't always think every new shot is needed. I'd say that many of you feel the same way. I am thankful that the appt. went so well and that Hunter is healthy.
The rest of our day yesterday was great; we headed up to the Rockies, shopping for some snowshoes for next year and looking for wildlife.  We didn't find any snowshoes that we were wanting to buy; in fact the used, really beat up ones that are rentals were $90.  I am glad we drove up though! We did some a few herds of Elk but didn't get any photos-sorry!  On the way home, it started to hail and by the time we got home it was raining hard. It rained all evening and it still cloudy today; I'll be walking in an hour so I hope the rain holds off.  I am meeting a close friend for lunch and then our daughter's crew will be here, while she goes to the dr.  Her hubby is busy all day so they will be staying for dinner-Tacos.  An easy way to feed kiddos that are going through a growth spurt. 
Tomorrow we are heading, if it isn't raining too much, to a amusement park in Denver with our other daughter's family.  I won't be riding on all rollercoasters but will be watching over the littlest ones.  It should be loads of fun!  I am so thankful that our daughters and their families live so close. I am thankful that hubby and I are able to be active in their lives.
I hope you have had a good week so far; just think it is almost over. 
Blessings, Noreen & Hunter