Hibernating. And welcome Mojo!

Nate and I had a strange but very fun 12th anniversary ~ gun safety for me and a night at the range before dinner at one of our favorite Castle Rock restaurants. 12 years!

WOW so pretty. We have had several short bursts of show lately ~ another 5 inches last night. Wonderful for the drought, not wonderful for my (currently non existent) running!

 we celebrated an 11th birthday! I can't believe this kid is already ready for middle school!

 Luke and I started a new tradition, birthday skiing! We split at about 7 am on his birthday and were on the slopes at A basin by 9. A great day of skiing, were in the car at 2 and picked the kids off the bus at 3:40! We have been dealing with sickness around here ~ Jake threw up last Monday morning and its been all downhill since. Jules missed school Tus-Thursday, Jake Monday and Thursday and Luke stayed strongest, not throwing up until Saturday. Nate was in CA throwing up, and I was sick most of the week. I haven't worked out once, not even a long walk, in 10 days! The one day of skiing was the only active thing. Usually when I'm stuck around home I get a lot accomplished, but nope. Just enough kids around and personal malaise to have no motivation at all. I managed to get to work but that was about it. It was good. I've learned that I have a definite pattern ~ tons of energy for 6-10 weeks and then I need a full on week of rest. I haven't run once, and with a marathon coming up in late April thats probably.....really terrible.

We had a place in Keystone this weekend. We had the kids signed up for ski school. We weren't well enough to go, so we cancelled very last minute on Friday night.  

We ended up with another dog. WHAT.

Meet Mojo. He's just a wee pup.

 Nate always wanted either two dogs or no dogs. I wasn't on board, as having a dog is easy, having kids is easy, but having a dog with kids isn't always easy. I agreed to one with options.

Auggie has been an absolute dream. She is so smart, I'd like to credit my exceptional training, but its all her. Joking about training, but she is 100% voice controlled on or off leash and just a solid, reliable, trustworthy dog. She learned Mandarin in no time at all, and thats when we knew she was ready for a brother. Kidding, but two is pretty easy out here. Pet sitters abound and because its sunny all of the time with trails everywhere, walking dogs is like a treat not a punishment. We have some travel coming up this year and like the idea of them keeping one another company.

What do we know about Mojo? Nothing, really :) Like Auggie, he was a rescue from New Mexico (a reservation dog, most likely). The vet thinks he's 10 weeks, but we aren't sure. Maybe some German Shepherd, maybe Akita? His paperwork says "Heeler" but I think thats just 8 ball output talking.  We had been looking for a little while, we had open minds. There was a little bit of temptation to get a dog from a breeder, but I'm glad that the rescue route worked out for us. We had some family talks about how anyone can go buy things, but sometimes when you aren't 100% sure what you are looking for, its more fun and more freeing to just take your hands off the wheel and let things work out as they are supposed to. We were supposed to be skiing, so when we woke up Saturday morning still all vaguely ill and Nate really ill........I took off with the kids before cabin fever kicked in. We went to the adoption event more to get the heck out of the house after a rough week. We knew this shelter had puppies, but the event started at 10 and we wouldn't get there until close to 12. I figured we would go to kill some time then go into downtown and have lunch as it was pure spring at 60 degrees and everyone knows that puppies get snapped up immediately. Instead, we walked in and found Mojo, and a brother, available. After we had chosen him and done the paperwork, I said how shocked I was that puppies were still available two hours into an event and he laughed "Oh these guys? They haven't been here since 10. They got dropped off at the wrong store by their foster, they arrived 5 minutes before you did!". So, serendipity. We had auggie with us, and she was great with him in the shelter. She continues to be really amazing, and I'm awed at how easy it appears that it will be to train him, he just follows Auggie around. She's really doing the training. He sleeps in a crate in our room with auggie on her bed right beside. He's getting potty trained quickly, which is awesome. I was duped though, Sunday when it was 70 I was all "this is so easy", but last night in the snow and 11 degree temps I believe my internal commentary was a little different. He's FOR SURE participating in the great dupe. You know, the way nature makes sure babies get cared for? They all (puppy babies, people babies, whatever) are born so quiet and sleepy. It's natures way of giving the hardworking birthing mom a rest, and to ensure that less adoptions take place of one day olds. They sleep, you gaze at their beautiful face, and hormones and love and confidence (your baby is content therefore you are doing a good job!) create this powerful cocktail that bathes your brain, and you fall deeply, painfully in love. Then the baby wakes up and can be a real selfish jerk at times, but its too late, you are already irrationally in love. Mojo feels like that, he's all soft fur and rolly skin and sweet breath and exhaustion.........but I know his teeth will get sharper, his body bigger, his poop not "so cute" anymore. I know he will certainly destroy at least a few things, likely at least one expensive thing. I know he will add fur and expense to my life. NONE OF THAT MATTERS BECAUSE HE IS WORKING HIS SLEEPY BABY MAGIC ON ME.


I wish I could be as good at this wheel letting when it came to my own life! Working on it, working on it. Feeling grateful for a job that I love, for my warm bed on a cold morning, and for an increased appreciation for listening to my body as I age. It's been a nice rest, a good hibernation, and now its time to get moving again.