Max's First Haircut

Max before

Max got his first haircut this weekend so he looks very different. We got to watch him and the groomer said he did very well for a first time. 

Max after his haircut

Our New Baby

We have a new baby in our house now. He was born July 3, 2012. Rachel was celebrating her 10th birthday and Philip and I finally decided to give in for her desire for a puppy. Rachel and I had seen a cute very black schnauzer at PetSmart the other week and so I thought I would just see how much the going rate for one was on line. I looked and thought no we really did not need one. I even looked at some schnauzer rescue sights and told Philip I had looked but again I thought no it will not happen. Then one day Philip called and said "I found one at a good price" and I said "What?" not knowing he was looking on line and then he told me a dog. We had decided not to tell Rachel and just go look at them and surprise her if we came home with one. As all things worked out she ended up going with us and we came home with Max. He came to live with us on September 22.

Rachel looking at Max and his brother and sister. Still not knowing we were buying one.  We had to ask her if she wanted one. Of course she said "Yes"

The white one is the female and the other two are the males. They were all cute but Philip and Rachel picked Max.

Max trying out his new bed. We know he will grow into it real fast.

Max and Daddy bonding already. He likes to follow Philip the most so far.

Our neighbors have four older dogs that are bigger then Max and he already likes to play with them and have fun.

Max sleeping funny in his new bed. He is very close to housebroken already. He is starting to try to chew things but not bad. He is a cutie. 

August Update

Grandma, Grandpa and Rachel at her breakfast out before school starts. We started this tradition the first year Rachel went to school and have kept this up. It celebrates the beginning of school. She likes it because she can invite who she wants and she decides where we go. This year it was Golden Coral since they have a chocolate fountain.

My grown up girl on her first day of fifth grade.

Our first home football game. We are still undefeated at this point. Go SJCA!

Another first day of school picture.

Vegas Trip

A few weeks after our cruise Aunt Kathy and Aunt Lizzie wanted Rachel to come visit in Las Vegas so Rachel and I flew out to visit for a week.

One place we always enjoy visiting is the Belligeo hotel. We love to see the flower gardens and the dancing water out front. The bees are made out of flowers. They were huge!

This frog was pretty cool. Lizzie said she thought of Mike because he did not like frogs. I forgot that at the time.The lady bugs had a sign saying that each one had over 400 carnations. I am glad I don't pay the bill to have all the creations made. 

Kathy took a picture of Rachel, Lizzie and I in the gardens.(Notice how tall Rachel is getting)

This was so cool. If you look at the little black dot on the screen, that is a man changing light bulbs. This made people stop and stare as he did his job. At times it looked like he was going to be eaten by the big clown fish that was on the screen. We later noticed a man across the street with a computer and telescope telling the guy changing the bulbs which ones needed to be changed.

The fourth of July was Lizzie's birthday so we went to the Stratosphere for lunch. This was cool because the dining room turns while you eat and you get to see Las Vegas from "The Top of the World".

I never thought I would be able to get use to few trees and little grass but this is what we saw each morning from Kathy and Paul's house. I may get use to this mountain area. They are pretty different times of the day.

Saturday we went out to breakfast and this is what Rachel's looked like. Afterwards we went and had pedicures. Rachel is showing me her  BRIGHT orange polish. ( I think it glowed in the dark). No not really but it was very bright!

Canada Pictures

Our Last Port Was Victoria, Canada

We had not been to Canada as a family. This was Rachel's first time ever there so she was excited to visit another new country.

This was a very pretty flower  we saw everywhere. I don't know for sure what it is called.

Any of you who know me know I have had two schnauzers in my life time so of course I was on the look out for one to give some loving to.

Philip and I had a good time walking the streets and looking at the different styles of houses. Rachel had fun looking at all the dogs along  the way.

One of the tour buses we saw along the way. This was our shortest stops but we still had a great time.Then we headed home.