AH so many adventures I cannot even account for them all. My brain has temporarily left me for my online anthropology class and a bowl of blueberries and cream oatmeal.

Das|-|,

he is such a good puppy, he never cries or barks at night and he doesn't even get up to go to the bathroom, he holds it in his little 12 week old body until morning when we are all awake.
This pack-mentality is something that I could take a little getting used to (my family never ever had pets. almost everyone is allergic to animals and my father doesn't like them) (when he found out we got a dog he sent me a brief email that asked "did i teach you nothing?") (hah)

It's small things like making sure dash knows that we eat first, or that we go to the bathroom first, or that he needs to wait to go to the bathroom until one of us knows he has to go so we can let him out.

But seriously, he is an angel. My allergies aren't even a smidge compared to how much I already love him.

This week we begin behavioral training- the main things we are focusing on are; walking on a leash and not biting people. (he is teething and playful so he thinks everything is his chew toy except the things we say NO to) (i.e. my head/hair, brandon's feet, my shoes, the furniture) (those are the things we've got covered) but so far it's been hard because "beach towel"= super fun time for dash and he gets mad when i'm laying on it outside trying fruitlessly to tan and not burn
so.


the only time he cries is when he can see us leaving.
it's heartbreaking.

Also,
I confess
I am gaining weight like nobody's business.
Between running back and forth from rexburg and home trying to find jobs, training dash (who can now sit and lay down), buying groceries, budgeting, registering for new classes and finding a place to live in the burg, my online classes that have to be done by july 28th... and just well, life- spin class has taken a back seat. A COMFORTABLE back seat.

And in the back seat has been
fourth of july parties filled with almond cake, ice cream, fat boys, the best flank steak and chinese food imaginable, cafe rio pork, my first time making bbq pulled pork sandwhiches, nachos, brownies, wheat waffuls, bacon, cupcakes, travel snacks (beef jerkey, chips, dip, goldfish, cheese, yogurt etc.)
my tummy and my heart
are full.

of cholesterol.

and love.

but mostly ldl.

so.
back to spin we go.

my garden is growing out of control

snap peas are popping out of the plants everywhere
the carrot tops are half a foot high
and totally terribly spaced
so the bottom half roots (the important part)
are tiny tiny.

the rhubarb has decided the entire bed belongs to him,
and the bell peppers look like giant hot peppers. (how do you make them go round?)

the lettuce has... flowered. i let it go when i was in rexburg... the thing is almost two feet tall i swear.

and im not sure about the squash and cucumber...

but the tomatoes are EVERYWHERE.
i just hope they redden up before we leave.

:]

the strawberries have put out their last and the grapes are just starting.

dash is lying in the sun in the backyard chewing on a bone

brandon's last day is today and our anniversary is on the tenth.
so far we have a surprise planned but im not sure what it is
since it's a surprise.
but i betcha i'll find out before it happens.

im so excited!

ps
star valley wyoming is where we want to end up. it is incredible, the people match the environment and it's small town but not too small.

in church on sunday the lesson focused on christ's hands and all the things he did with them.
it got me thinking about how he touched so many lives of strangers.
when i read the list of things he did with his hand i thought of my family and loved ones but
we emulate christ most when we love strangers.

im going to try harder to do that.