Monday, September 11, 2017

Finding his way home!!! Huck's Journey!









How he came back in our life:

If you are friends with me on Facebook you have probably seen this whole journey come to life. It was a shocking event, and we really didn't expect it to happen to us ever. We were middle of getting ready to move when an email in my old email account caught my eye.

My old inbox is generally full of spam I swim through and delete, you know the account you simply use when needing an email for something to get a coupon etc..Well one of the Subject lines read We have Huck.

Huck? I haven't seen that name in 5 years, could this be actually a legit email or a weird coincidence? So I opened it up with major curiosity!! And there he was his handsome albeit graying little face.

I was shocked and immediately had Dustin come look, my baby was in a shelter in Texas :(













How we were separated from Huck:

In 2012 we were all gears ahead to move to Germany from Hawaii, I was 36 week pregnant with our first daughter, but our doctor told us we were good to fly. So we had our whole house already on its way across country, and we sitting in a hotel with just our suitcases and our pup!! He had his dr certificate, and kennel all labeled and ready. That is when it happened, we got the call from the airline that our flight had gotten pushed back. We were taking a civilian flight stateside, and there were no pet spots. They gave us the option to wait a week and get a pet flight. But my doctor said, you go now or you are staying here to have that baby.

I was so heart broken, it was either fly to Germany with Dustin and have our first baby together, but leave Huck in Hawaii or stay in Hawaii alone with none of our stuff so we could keep Huck!!

Obviously the choice had to be made and I wasn't going to have and raise a baby alone for the hardest first weeks, without any of our stuff. I cried all night knowing we were going to have find my  battle buddy a new home right as we were leaving the island. We found a family willing to take him, and said a teary-eyed goodbye as we drove away from him in a gas station parking lot.

Heart Broken doesn't describe it, I can remember how emotional and sad I was. But we made out trip and the family never contacted us again.



Five years Later:

After the initial shock of reading the email had worn off. I wrote them back saying we indeed did know that sweet pup they had in their custody. Dustin looked up the family we had given him to see where they were and if they were aware that Huck was in the shelter. (How after 5 years and a flight stateside does one not change the registration on the Chip to their contact information?)

They had moved to Colorado, he had gotten out before they moved, and they couldn't find him. So they moved and from the lack of interest when mentioned to them, weren't' concerned about getting him back.

So I asked Dustin what he thought about trying to bring him home so he could live out the last of his life with us! I was so excited and Surprised when he said Okay lets do it.

So we took to social media to see if we knew anyone near where he was to make his trip home possible!! We were soon connected with this amazing guy Anthony!! He works with two different programs that helps find foster families, re-homing babies and apparently reuniting long lost family members!! Without all his help it wouldn't have ever been possible.







His Journey Home:

After finding Anthony, he helped guide us through the process with the shelter to allow him to be picked up and taken from the kennel with Anthony. It was so much easier than expected and since we technically gave him up to the shelter he was cleared to be released to Anthony. From there he was taken to an amazing boarding kennel in El Paso. Howl-a-Day Inn!! The amazing staff were delighted to spend time with our well mannered pup!! He was so loved, she couldn't even bare to charge us for his near 2 week stay!! We are overly thankful for her kindness.

This was when we met Ron, he is the kind soul willing to do all the crazy running around it takes to prepare a dog for a cross-country flight. He took him to the vet, picked up his kennel, took him to the airline, and even gave him some love the day before his flight.

We hit our only major snag when the first airline out of El Paso decided to refund our money as it was too hot to fly him and they didn't have a/c cargo. However we were able to find him another flight with a cheaper airline for just a few days later.

Finally he was homeward bound!! We were so excited to know he was going to be home. The kids could hardly wait to meet him.







Now:

It has been nearly a week since he came home to us!! We are overjoyed everyday to have his calm and happy spirit in our house. His tail never stops wagging and he loves nothing more than to find a nice warm sunny spot and relax all day!! He and his new sister Shade are getting along pretty well, she is a bit jealous of having to share mom's attention but most the time they just mind each others space. I think his big mellow calm personality is exactly what our high wired, and anxious little girl needs in her life.

We are blessed beyond blessed to have him back in our lives!


Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Potty Training Chronicles: The Boys turn.

Oh yes the long awaited potty training journey continues. Only this time it with Darren. He is starting much older than his sister did. Partially because if you read the blogs about our journey with her you will see we started too early, but also partially because I didn't want to. I told myself he wasn't ready, or we are moving around too much etc...But here we are finally settling into our new home, and final home for the foreseeable future. There is no more excuses. He has to start sometime, and I would be THRILLED if we got this done before he turns 3, which is just around the corner.

So let the torture begin.

We are only on day 3 as I write this blog. It feels like we have been doing it for a month already. It is seriously such a pain, those people who wrote the books about being potty trained in 3 days must be the best ever. I swear my kid spends the vast majority of his day propped up on his potty chair. He has the holding his pee power of a super human. Then the second you are not paying attention to him for even a moment, he goes in another room and pees. WHAT IS THIS???

We have tried naked, underwear, outside. I have yet to see him actually pee. Only when he is alone and being sneaky. Haha we have a long journey ahead of us I can tell he won't be the potty training prodigy.

Yesterday, he found the candy I didn't know he knew where it was. And when I went up stairs to reply to an email really quick came down to him in the corner most the m&m's gone and he had peed himself. I don't get it, this job is seriously to torture parents. I should really just be teaching him how to change his own diaper, and he can wear them as long as he likes!!! He will eventually not want to!

On a cool note he stayed dry for nap yesterday, and over night today! So I know he can!!! Just to get him to figure out that it is okay to pee on the potty!!! Come on potty training faeries make this happen!!!

Monday, September 4, 2017

1st Day of Kindergarten Interview

My sweet girl is already a Kindergartner, some days I am in shock and think how is this possible other days I wish she was graduating!!! Awwww parenting!

But alas she is in Kindergarten this year and she loves it so far. We did this interview on her first day but I am just now posting it can't wait to see what she says each year!!

How old are you? 5

What is your favorite show right now? Strawberry Shortcake

What is something you like to do? Make crafts

What is something you are good at? Writing in the lines

If you could pick another name what would it be? Kaysa

Favorite colors? Turquoise and Pink

Favorite toys? My little ponies

What do you want to be when you grow up? A Chef

What do you like to take to bed with you? Monkey

What is your favorite book right now? Huck Runs Amuck

What is your favorite movie? Cinderella

What is your favorite season? Winter

What is your favorite food? Strawberries

What is your favorite Animal? Baby horse

What is your favorite sport? Soccer

Who is your best friend? Colbey

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

Where is the coolest place you went this year? The Beach




Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Healthy Banana Bread

Yummy!! As many of you know I have transitioned to mostly clean eating with that I have reduced how much sugar I eat!! It has really been easy since we were for the most part clean eaters as it was!! I just have learned more portions and I am slowly ditching processed food, and certainly reducing how often we eat fast-food (which is great for our wallet too).

Basically everything on the outside of your store is free game. Produce, Meats, Dairy. There is a lot inside the aisles that work great too!! Favorites of ours are whole wheat flours, quinoa, beans, frozen fruit and veggies (no sugar or sauces added). Etc...If you want help making the transition feel free to comment your questions and I will write another article on it! I have also started doing a little meal planning and prepping to help me keep to my portions and be less likely to want to go out and get junk food.

So back to the point of this blog. The kids and I were wanting something sort of sweet, but super tasty!! So we found this recipe for Healthy Banana Bread and its AMAZING!! So I thought I would share!!! No white sugar added, honey instead. And Greek yogurt replaces milk!! As well as we used whole wheat flour!! Looks and tastes just as amazing!!


healthy Moist Banana Bread
Photo and recipe from: http://gimmedelicious.com/2017/01/11/healthy-moist-banana-bread/ 


Healthy Banana Bread

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 55 mins Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• ½ cup melted coconut oil (or olive oil)
• ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
• ¼ cup milk or Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3 medium bananas)
• 1¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
 • 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped walnuts, raisins), optional

 Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, honey, milk and vanilla for 2 minutes. Stir in the bananas, flour mixture and chocolate chips (or any other add ins of choice.
4. Pour batter into greased pan, sprinkle with some more cinnamon, raw sugar, or banana slices (optional) Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes, slice and enjoy!

I only share with you awesome new recipes that make it into my personal recipe book!! Something I will keep with me until I am old, and pass on to Kyra!!


Friday, July 21, 2017

Swampdog's Baseball, Fayetteville NC

So no summer is complete without going to at least one baseball game. And we were excited to finally find a day this summer where our schedule wasn't jam packed and we could fit in a game!

The Swampdog's are our local baseball team. They have a small stadium across town, so we loaded up and we were off!!

























Even as a really small league, they were so much fun to watch play, and they interacted with the crowd non-stop we were never bored!!

The kids loved watching the mascot and his silliness! We almost got hit by a couple balls even being behind the net!

Dustin was so excited to find out we had gone on Nerd Night, and was able to answer a couple of the questions right, winning himself a cute statue of the mascot!

And the kids and I shook our groove thing during the dance contest, and won a free meal at Bonefish Grill!

Over all everyone had a blast, we stuck it out until 10 pm the end of the 8th, before the kids were getting too tired and we headed home.

After an exciting 11 to 0 game up until that point!!

Also fun fact, Babe Ruth gained his nick name "Babe" and hit his first home-run RIGHT HERE IN FAYETTEVILLE!!!