Puppy love

We have been discussing getting a dog in our house for about 8 years. Well, they have have been discussing and I have been saying a big fat NO.  At first my reason was that we didn't have a fenced in yard, now we do. Then I spent years enduring difficult pregnancies and I said that it wasn't the right time. Everyone respected that one.
Alex was born in 2006 and I had my hands full, no time for a puppy I screamed! and they all agreed. That one really bought me some time. Now my excuses are getting lame..... the last one was 'I love my hard wood floors'.

Now my youngest is speaking ( thanks speech therapy!) He is able to cast his vote. I am seriously out numbered.

Its not that I don't like dogs. I do. I pet a pup at every opportunity. So for the last 6 months I have really been examining my fear of owning my very own pooch. Maybe its because everyone in the house is finally house broken and as much as everyone is promising that they will walk, feed, pet and pick up poop, I know that the responsibility will ultimately fall on me.

I have little No experience with dogs at all. So, in my true fashion I am busy reading up on different breeds, studying their size and temperament. God forbid I should do something on a whim or be unprepared!  Here's my other problem : my husband and I don't even agree on what kind of dog. What is it with guys they have to have the biggest dog in the world? Bigger isn't always necessarily better people!  I have to say that some good things come in small packages. Having said that I am not looking for a purse puppy either.

I have come to some conclusions though. I will rescue rather than buy. Some friends have shared some great rescue sites with me - thank you!. My ideal dog would be small to mid size, great with kids, low energy (yes, I did just admit that I want a lazy dog), short hair (less grooming) and of course ......cute.

I just loved the little puppy that I saw in the pet store. A mix of an English bulldog and beagle. So, all you dog lovers and experts out there please help me. What should I get, where should I get him and then the biggest question of all...... what shall I call him?

My new obsession

I have to admit, I avoided it for years but I have been bitten, completely smitten and totally obsessed with the Twilight saga. It was not easy to avoid as the whole world seemed to be 'team Edward' or 'team Jacob'. I was happy to ignore the whole craze and thought that it was a tween fad that would soon pass. Ooooohhhhh how wrong was I?

Vampire movies and books were the furthest  thing away from my cup of tea. I picked up the Twilight book a couple of summers ago and I must have read the first chapter at least 6 times. I kept putting it down and just couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. I had lugged that door stopper of a book all the way to Europe and back and still, it stay unread and there it sat, on my night stand for over a year.

Eclipse, the 3rd installment arrived in theaters. I would never have gone to see it , except my group of au pairs wanted to and honestly, I was looking forward to sitting in a dark air conditioned room, eating candy and having no one talking to me. It sounded like bliss! What a perfect evening! and I didn't care what was playing.

So, I left the theater intrigued. Yes, I had started the saga backwards but at least I had started it. Within 72 hours I had watched the first one lets underestimate and say at least 4 times. According to my husband he was tortured by being forced into watching it and then continued to ruin it for me by asking stupid questions like: why doesn't Edward sleep in a coffin? why are these vampires out during the day time? Is that dude really that good looking? Why does Bella's dad allow her to speak to him that way?  I laughed at the last question because obviously my husband is not prepared for our daughter to become a teenager, and if he thinks he's been tortured now, well then, just wait!

I then ordered the second one 'New Moon'  and figured I would enjoy the film more watching it with my daughter than husband - totally right choice.

I took the kids to the pool at the weekend in the blistering heat. Sure I put sunscreen on them and there I sat, in the pool with the book. Three hours later I hadn't moved, the kids were starving and begging to go home and I was a lovely shade of RED. Caution: twilight is bad for your health!

My obsession hit an all time high when I took the kids to see Toy story 3 and then tried to sneak them into Eclipse, just for a peek. My daughter freaked out and gave me a lecture on how it was illegal and ....... get this....... breaking a commandment. I should have felt proud, instead I all I felt was disappointment :(

I was very sure of my team choice until I finished the book yesterday. Yes I read the book in 4 days :)
Help!!!  I was so sure that Jacob was the man! (or boy) but now I am not so sure. Usually I know what I want. How can I not have this locked down?

Help me figure it out. Please convince me to be on a team.... leave your comments

My Preemie baby

I decided not to write today but instead to share the video that I made over 3 years ago to celebrate Alex's 1st birthday. Turn the sound up. This was the song I sang to him when he was a baby. (poor kid, have you heard me sing???) Be warned though. I cry every time I hear this song!

 

Am I smarter than a 5th grader?

So last week was the 4th of July. The day Americans celebrate their Independence and I love to celebrate with my family. There is nothing better than hot dogs, burgers, melted marsh mellows and warm evenings filled with fireworks, friends and family. By next year I will be an American. I am finally becoming a citizen.

Earlier this week I went for my biometrics. Basically that means I was fingerprinted and had my mug shot taken. Wow, finger printing has come a long way. The last time I had it done they rolled my fingers along a black ink pad and onto cards now its all done on a huge scanner and it was over in seconds with clean hands intact.

As part of my naturalization I have to take a test. The first will be an English test and honestly, I don't think I'll have a problem with that unless they ask me to spell the words : colour or neighbourhood. I am pretty sure I will pass the English test with flying colors (see I can spell like an American). However, the one thing that scares me is the 100 questions on history and government.  The officer will pick 10 random questions from the list and you must answer at least 6 right in order to become an American citizen.

I looked through the booklet they gave me and honestly without studying I could answer at least 80% or 90%  right but knowing my luck I'll get the tough ones so I will study.  I wonder if regular American people would know the answers to some of these questions because have you ever seen Jay Leno's segment called Jay walking???  Jay goes to an Ivy league college and asks "who is the vice president?" and no one seems to know or even worse, he'll show them a photo of Obama and someone will proudly announce " I know who that guy is! Its Will Smith". I of course am rolling around laughing, its pretty entertaining but I cringe because I'm sure their parents are mortified.

So, I'm wondering.... am I smarter than a 5th grader?  I guess I'll find out by October. Are you smarter than a 5th grader? Take the test below and be honest when you leave me a comment on your score :)

http://constitutioncenter.org/naturalization-test/index.php