Jumperoos, Police Activity, and...a half marathon??

Hello All!

I really should just do a weekly recap since it turns out I don't have much time during the week to catch you up on all the fun, exciting things that go on...so here goes...

Last Saturday night we had QUITE an exciting night! Probably one of the most exciting since little man decided to make his entrance, but for completely different reasons...

It was about 10pm, Harrison was snoozing sweetly in his crib, and Adam and I had made a sizable dent in the second bottle of $3 wine from Fred Meyer (3 Blind Moose, if you're interested...it's not bad!).   All of a sudden, about 10 cop cars came screaming down the main road and side road of our house (see map below), lights blaring! Adam noticed it and said, "Hey!!! Check this out!!!!"

I thought this might be a little easier to understand...and please, I have enough on my plate now, I really don't have time to professionally "paint" maps/blueprints/etc. for all of you now that you've realized my talent in the computer generated mapping field... :)  Wait....you thought this was an aerial photograph??? :)

Because we were excited and curious as to what was going on, I grabbed Gracie in my arms and we went out on the deck to see what was happening.  A few seconds later, we heard, "GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!!!" So....yeah....it was getting kinda serious out there...

After a few minutes, we noticed a few of the cars slowly driving back down the side road with their spotlights scanning the field. We took that as our cue to get the heck back inside because obviously they were still in search of someone!! We scooted our butts inside and turned on all the lights to scare away any potential criminals from hiding in or near our house.  Adam grabbed some sort of dowel (which turned out to be a broken handle of a pair of hedge loppers) to ensure our safety.  I hopped on the computer and found a link to the Bellingham police scanner so we could be in the loop.  (In more disappointing news, the slight buzz we had going from that fine wine was completely gone).

Cave man style protection

For the next 3 hours, the police were still at the intersection, and we watched a few of them search the field and tree lines by our house on foot with flashlights. The scanner was really no help in informing us of the situation. Eventually, we decided to call it a night......

I assumed when I woke up, there would be a news story on the incident on the Bellingham Herald or at least a report of something on the police blotter...but there was NOTHING!!! And there hasn't been a mention of it all week!!!!  Conspiracy?? Cover-up??  I just don't know, but something big happened that night and the fact that there were no reports on it just goes to prove my point.  I'll keep on the lookout for any reports or stories that come through...

Time for the baby update!

We could tell Harrison had been getting a little bored with his activity gym and wanted something a little more stimulated...he clued us in pretty heavily when he decided to do his first full fledged roll from back to tummy without either of us watching him (yay, parents of the year, right??)...So I went and found him a jumper-roo.  Best $30 I have ever spent! (Well, besides maternity jeans, I suppose...those were amazing...)

Harrison just loves being able to bounce around and listen to the songs the Jumper-roo plays when he hits the lion or monkey. And it's a life saver for those days when I'd like to take a shower....or make lunch....or go to the bathroom without holding a baby.... :)

Said activity gym...As you can see, this gym got lots of use the past few months...

Upgrade!! Just bouncin'.....

Also, can I just brag about Harrison for a second?? He had 2 shots yesterday and didn't even shed a tear!!!! He is such a stud...too busy flirting with the nurse to even be bothered with vaccines...I'd say he takes after his father, but I wouldn't want Adam to be flirting with elderly nurses or admiring their colorful fish themed scrubs...

And finally...I signed up for a half-marathon in June. Why???? Why voluntarily run in Western Washington of all places, where the rainy days far outweigh the sunny ones?? Why subject myself to extremely uncomfortable calf soreness during this first week?? Good question...but I'm hoping running is an activity that will stick and help me get back in shape...plus it give me an excuse to diligently research my "I just ran a half-marathon" incentive gift to myself....Oh the possibilities... :)

And you know it's winter when the puggle lays directly in front of the space heater...Don't worry, our house isn't freezing (if you know me and my cold hands, you can BET this house is toasty), but honestly...if I could lay in front of a space heater all day, I'd be there in a heartbeat!!! :)   She's a smart one!

Happy Weekend to you all!!!!!

2012 Hill Family Video

Well I finally finished it!! Remember the AWESOME 2011 video?? Here for your viewing enjoyment is the 2012 Hill Family Video.  Enjoy!! (Remember, if you are receiving this as an email, I believe you actually have to go to the website to watch the video.)

Also, if you'd rather have a copy sent to your e-mail to watch over and over at your leisure, I can do that too. :)

Hope the resolution isn't too blurry....maybe this next year will include a computer upgrade. (wink, wink, Adam) Don't forget the volume to hear those hand selected songs!!

Business Owners!!

Hey Everyone!

It's finally official!! After months of planning and preparation, we are finally business owners!!! Adam and I and our business partners, Jeff and Tammy, signed all the paperwork yesterday.  Harrison also attended, but became bored about halfway through (I mean, how long can you sit and listen to lawyers and bankers, right??) so he and I missed the champagne celebration at the end....in fact, now that I think about it, Harrison was feeding, so really I was the only one that was missing out on celebrating... :(

So things might be a little busy around here, but hopefully we'll still be able to keep our sanity and it will even out in a few months, just in time for summer.  And that old IBM computer that is collecting dust in the corner of your basement?? Let us know! We can take it off of your hands! :)

In other family news, last week was Harrison's 4 month check up and he is growing along right on track.  We've started getting a lot of funny comments from people that meet Harrison, such as "Wow, he's big for a 4 month old!" and "Gosh, he just has a perfectly shaped head!"  (I take credit for the head comment as without my intense concentration about 4 months ago, he might be cone shaped......oh who am I kidding, that kid wanted out of there so quick, there really wasn't much I could do...)  But really, he's not that big, averaging 80 percentile on the weight and height charts, which doesn't seem too bad, but try holding him for about 15 minutes and tell me how your arms feel. :) (Clint and Jen, I KNOW you know what I'm talking about)

Our home is a little quieter without Captain Soft Ears tap dancing around every 10 minutes, but we are adjusting.  Turns out, Gracie is quite the needy little dog, but we are working to crate train her now. We've taken her to the dog park a few times and she spends the first 5 minutes at least on her back "saying hello" to all the other dogs.  It's a little embarrassing ..but the other day, she found 2 other puggles (who were dressed quite cozy in little sweaters) to run around with, and it was SO ADORABLE!!! I'm sorry, but aside from chubby sleeping babies, I'm pretty sure 3 puggles trotting around together in sweaters is one of the cutest things I've ever seen.  My next knitting project is to make Gracie her own sweater so she can feel included. :)

I think they are really becoming friends...Harrison loves watching Gracie fetch her tennis ball and one time, out of the blue, she brought it to him while he was playing on his mat! I'm telling ya, hours of entertainment to be had when Harrison learns to throw.

So, have you guys been wondering how Adam is handling being Mr. Mom?  Turns out, he's really great at it! They go on walks around town, they hang out just being guys watching the Ultimate Guide to the Presidents on History Channel....precious.  Adam has become a pro at wearing the front carrier and getting housework done, and then he cooks dinner after I get home from work! Lucky me :) And Harrison just LOVES Adam, it's totally not fair... he still gets the biggest smiles and laughs.  I'm thinking it HAS to be the beard....right? right????

Pretty sure this is how majority of time is spent while I'm at work. 

 Hope everyone has kept their new year's resolutions!! :)

The End of an Era

As many of you may have heard, we had to say good bye to another member of our 4 legged family yesterday.

1995-2013

It was a difficult decision to make, but in then end, we knew it was for the best.  The vet said Dudley had a very strong heart murmur and that with how bad his cough was sounding, letting him go naturally would most likely cause him to suffer much more.  It was a very gentle procedure, and  it was a straight shot to doggie heaven, without a cloud in the sky to slow him down. 

In the honor of Old Man River, we've decided to compile a few stories of his best moments during the past 17 years. (Please note, references from years 1995 - 2010 are submitted by Adam)

Dudley's life began when Adam (a then spunky 19 year old) and his Dad went to pick up a new pet for Adam in East Valley.  Now, because Denny grew up with beagles, he decided that the breed would be best for young Adam.  Adam recalls that Dudley's mother had orange eyes and most likely came straight from Hell. Dudley barked the whole first night (and never really stopped.....ever) and his harmonious voice could be heard through a kennel, sleeping bag, and three stories up.  What a way to start out!

Learning to swim in Vegas...who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks??

Throughout Dudley's lifetime, he had made many a trip to the beach town of Hansville, where he enjoyed long walks on the beach and hearty meals...including a whole hot dog that accidentally fell off of the grill.  He would have gotten away with it, until he regurgitated the entire thing, completely in tact, without a single bite mark!!  

Dudley's infamous "Senior Picture" pose.

Dudley also went by many aliases. Some of our favorites were "Old Man River," "The White Beagle," "Lonnie John," "Sargento Dudlestein," "Dudles," "Tappy McTapperson" (referring to the constant "tap dance" sound of his long tails hitting the wood floor) and many more. 

Let's put Dudley's life span into perspective here...He's lived longer than 4 previous dogs (and Kitty!)...COMBINED and with some room for another!! Although I'm sure he loved them all, I think he had a special bond with Thomas...

They traveled to the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon together (all Pac-10 school states).   They lived in 4 different houses together.  They went on countless walks and car rides together.  These guys were best buds, taking turns on who was going to be naughtiest......Dudley took more than his fair share.

These two are causing chaos as only they can in Doggie Heaven right now.  And if we ever forget that Dudley will always be with us, all we need to do is look under the couch, or in a corner, or on the floor of the car and we'll be sure to find a little fluff of white hair for years and years to come. 

Thanks for all of the condolences.  It's been a while since we've been a one dog family, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Gracie gets a little friend....but don't worry, we're gonna shoot for at least a year or two and just focus on our family of 4. :) 

Good bye Dudley and say hi to Tom for us!

Yuma :: Part III

For the final installment of the Yuma trilogy, I only have a few little bullet points...

• Inevitably, on a late night flight, we sit next to Renee, a woman who talks through my social cues of pulling out a magazine, me constantly checking on our sleeping baby, AND continues over the drink cart...I now know every place she's ever lived, why she divorced her husband (he was a cowboy and all the cowgirls liked him...), names of kids, grandkids, and pets, and what she thinks of auditors....
• If Renee wasn't enough to push us over the edge, the kid sitting behind us sure was! Without taking a breath the entire flight, he discussed philosophy, the beginning of the earth and universe, "What is matter?" and various other concepts that were probably lectured about in his college classes that quarter. These folks made for a long night....
• Harrison became quite bored of the two above mentioned conversations...

He spent most of the flight in this position, full open mouth slumber...Thank you airplane white noise!

After landing, we made our way to pick up the pups, which of course was a fiasco in itself in the middle of the night...Sorry Norton family for the loud wake up, next time we'll double confirm the location of the beagle before opening your bedroom door and scaring the crap out of Martha and the rest of the sleeping family members. :)

We eventually pulled into our driveway at about 2:30 AM after 13 hours of travel and we were exhausted! Thanks Denny and DeeDee for the great time and we loved all the sunshine!

Whew, hope y'all enjoyed reading about our Yuma adventure! Until next time....

3 Months

While in Yuma, Harrison hit the 3 month milestone!! YAY!!

He's becoming quite the little flirt, with a cute little smile ready to melt hearts...

His personality is slowing starting to show too.  Not sure what it is about Adam, but he can always draw out the biggest smile and loudest laugh.

We can't wait to see what the next month brings! He's beginning to reach for toys more and more, and we've witnessed a few more rolls from the tummy to the back.  He loves the little activity mat Grammy and Pops bought him and talks to his friends there.

Speaking of talking, he's becoming much more vocal in general! And all the noises he makes are so sweet!

Can't wait to see what he thinks of his Yakima baby friends the next time we visit! :)

Yuma :: Part II

We left the Yuma saga yesterday as we arrived to Adam's parents house.  The following days included lots of neighborhood walks, delicious food, and fun family time! 

Beautiful Arizona foothills. 

We went on many many walks around the neighborhood.  Harrison has it made! :)

Gotta keep the sun out!

One of the highlights of the trip was the Christmas light tour! Denny and DeeDee were excellent tour guides as we made our way to the best decorated homes on the trusty golf cart.

So festive!

Now, an entire block of houses were decorated to the hilt (and the ones that weren't, we assumed their neighbors guilted them into putting up  a strand of lights... or else the neighbors snuck in under the cloak of darkness and decorated it...)  It was a great light tour!

Speaking of golf carts, that seems to be the vehicle of choice in Yuma and residents don't leave them out of the Christmas festivities!

We also got some great daylight tours of the community by foot and cart.  We learned about palm tree varieties, cacti, the Yuma sewage system, "Tommy Manana", and what the neighbors were up to from our knowledgeable guides. 

Adam was kind enough to jump in and direct traffic at the beginning of our cart tour.

Harrison had the best seat in the house!

The tear had nothing to do with the quality of tour guidance or golf cart driving skills. We simply forgot the almighty binkie...

A few other highlights of the trip...

**DeeDee and I declared ourselves warriors for surviving childbirth and that the men have no idea what we go through.  Girl Power!

**The shrimp/scallop fiasco of 2012.

**The update text regarding Dudley, which was simply a picture of a roll of paper towels covering Tiff's living room floor.

**The infamous disappearing dead Saguaro that still has yet to be found.

**Countless lime-a-ritas!

**Adam went on a solo-tour...

 **And Harrison received so many hugs and kisses, he lost count...

I'd say our Yuma Adventure was a success!!!! Although we are still as pasty as ever, it was nice to get some heat and it was probably the most sunshine Harrison has ever seen!

Stay tuned for the final leg of the trip, the 13 hour return to Bellingham.....