Still Growing

Glamour Shots

Getting Big

Tired out

You think he knows he's cute?

Puppy McGee, after an exciting visit from Paige and Katie

Puppy Pictures

Our first litter arrived Tuesday 1/21/09. Dixie ended up with 13 puppies in all, 5 silver, 8 charcoal, 5 males, 8 females.

Time Flies

The Fields Girls

Barrett Michael Christmas 2008

August? Was August really the last time I blogged??

How sad, how embarrassing, how, how....how real life.

We've had a lot of real life happen in the last 6(gulp) months. We went from a one to two income family. I began teaching fifth grade at Griffin Elementary in October. I absolutely love it! I love the school, I love the grade, I love the kids, I love my team. Ok, I'm gushing. I'll stop now. It's just that those of you who know me know I was somewhat hesitant at the thought of re-entering the classroom.

Barrett is in daycare full time and Bobby and I both agree that it has been good for him. Tonight he recited the Three Little Pigs to me before bedtime. It was so unbelievably cute!

Prescott is in eighth grade and is fast approaching 14. I guess there's no turning back from having a teenager in the house now.

Patty is in sixth grade this year and is active i a 4H chapter her mother has started. She still loves to read and is as sweet as ever.

Bobby is still a fence guy I picked up one weekend during a golf tournament. Boy, one day can change your life. I think I love him more every day.

We are expecting puppies next week and praying for a healthy litter and mother. Hopefully we will still have buyers, what with the economy turned the way it has. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about having a houseful of growing, gangly silver and charcoal labs that I can't sell to anyone and am too stubborn to give away. We're all excited and I am just a touch of scared #@$less. When we decided to take on this little adventure back in December Bobby thought he could arrange his schedule so that he could work from home most days in the first week or two to look after mama and babies since I would be working all day. We didn't want to risk losing any pups to hypothermia since they are so susceptible to in in the first days and weeks. WELL, not kidding, Bobby has a convention....in Las Vegas....right in the middle of our window of 1/21. (Good thing I love him more every day.)

Away we go...

Our plane left at 7 am meaning we had to leave the house at 4:30 am. This was the kids' first time flying and to say they were excited would be an understatement. Bobby and I joined in the giddiness when we were bumped up to first class --for free--. (a first for both of us.) So, not only are the kids in the air but they are riding in style. Away we go! Patty soon decides shedoes not like this whole flying thing and wants off....now. The whole thing feels like a roller coaster and shes does not like roller coasters. Those of you who know Patty know how easy going and sweet she is, how much like Nanny Plaster she is. We all know what a strong spine Nanny can have when she makes up her mind. Turns out Patty inherited that too. She told her father in no uncertain terms that she would NOT be flying back and we could all find another way to get home. (I still grin uncontrolably when I think of her saying those words and watching Bobby's face) She finally relaxed with the help of some medication prescribed for her migraines that is actually designed for motion sickness. (thank you Donna for sending that along!!!). I am so proud to say that she did not use any on the way back and made it through the return flight like a rock star.

Fun in the Cozumel Sun

We had so much fun on vacation. The kids really loved it and want to go back soon. Maybe a different hotel though. We've definitely set the bar high for next year. These are some pictures of the beaches in Cozumel. I always feel like I do nothing but take pictures during the vacation then wonder why I didn't take more once I get home to look at them. The kids in th following pictures belong to the friends we met that I introduce below. This trip was a lot of fun for me because of all of the nice people we met. Not only did we get to know the people in the following pictures, we also met some of the locals. Hopefully I can do another entry just on them!

Reggae Bar

Very cool open air bar on the southern tip of the island. Supposedly they have the best fried fish in Cozumel.

Decorated with t-shirts from former patrons. (Bobby made me take this)

Ok, I know this is a picture of a dog, but he's the bar dog. On top of that...check out the face. 1/2 black, 1/2 white straight down the middle. He was too lazy to keep his head up long enough for me to get a better picture.

Our Austin friends, Vicki and Bill. They just got married at the resort. The kid behind Vicki was waiting tables and doing a really good job at it.

The wild side of Cozumel

We rented a jeep and drove around the island on Sunday with our Austin friends. See the picture below. The sea side pictures are from the eastern side of Cozumel that's not buffered by Mexico. The undertow and force of the water is unbelievable. Most of this side is empty. The beach that is swimmable (not covered with rocks) is used by the locals. We found one lagoon area that was a lot of fun. Bobby and the kids jumped off a rock into the water after watching a few cozumelenos do it first.

Chankanaab

Chankanaab is a national park in mexico with a protected coral reef and "replicas" of mayan ruins. The real things were too far away. Notice the iguana behind Patty's head on the wall. They're everywhere! We spent the day with another family we met at the resort who happened to be from Austin. Along the reef the park has placed several cannons and a statue of Jesus. Pres was so into it that he dove down twenty feet and touched one of the cannons. We saw angelfish, stingrays and crab. Patty caught a sea urchin in a coke bottle. We snorkeled and sat around in the shade. What a great day.