"Cookie"

Abigail lost not one, but both, of her beloved bunnies last weekend, likely due to respiratory infections. She found Rosie dead and held Isabelle for hours while she died in her arms. It was heartbreaking. She was devastated. Mike buried them in the front yard that night.

She came to me the next day and said she didn't realize how happy they had made her and that she would like to get a new bunny. When my other kids ask for new pets (often), I'm not so quick to oblige, but Abigail has always taken amazing care of her bunnies, and I don't have to do anything for them, not that I mind when she's away, but she's shown how responsible she is. So I started looking around for another Holland Lop (this was the breed she chose after researching for a while for her first bunny, Isabelle. Her second bunny, Rosie, was a New Zealand that was given to her by generous friends.). Holland Lops, especially young ones, are not easy to find this time of year. I joined a few facebook groups of breeders/lops for sale in Wisconsin and reached out to a few.

The one that seemed the most promising was in Sheboygan- 2.5 hours from here, however, I was going to be going right through Sheboygan en route to and from the Fall 50 this weekend.

The owner had a few 5-month-old Lops ready for new homes but one in particular that she said was very sweet and great with her kids. She sent me a bunch of pictures of the bunny her kids had dubbed "Miss Mustache"... hehe.

Kaethe and I stopped there last night on our way home from the race to get her with our kitty carrier. The owner sent us home with some of her favorite snacks- Kix and freeze dried bananas :-P

Abigail bought a new cage, as the old ones- one, a gift, was being held together by duct tape, and the other, wooden, was mildewy- and got it all set up for her new arrival. She was waiting elatedly when we pulled up to the house this morning (Penny and I slept at the Wards' last night, since we got back so late). She has been catching up on some much needed snuggles, bonding with "Cookie," the name she chose for her sweet black and white Lop.

You are going to be one well-loved bunny, Cookie!

coronatine week 14

Chicks are so cute (especially when I am not cleaning their brooder) Trying out the rock wall Ashley is making with cousins! Inhaling some peonies running their obstacle course Jack and I have been playing a lot of Ticket to Ride (this is the Africa version) I got home from my iron infusion on Monday to find an immaculate house and the kids playing in the backyard with their Wowmazing bubble wand (Abigail is a dream babysitter :-)) Working on a new double-sided puzzle Enjoying a morning at our other house About one minute before they all started waking up Abigail really wanted to try out the tennis racket she got for Easter, and I've been wanting to take the kids up to the tennis courts near our house, so we all piled in the van with their rackets and balls. We had one whole four-court fenced-in side to ourselves, which was great because our balls were all over the place! Joel was serious about his title "Ball Boy." I knew my Granddaddy Nathan and Honey were smiling down on this crew- they loved tennis so much that they had a court put in their yard. We played a lot whenever we went there. The kids were really wishing they could run over to the splash pad across from the tennis courts after we were done there yesterday, but they came home and enjoyed a cool-off in the sprinkler. Sweet Rosie.

Since we can now visit with some family members without social distancing and mask-wearing, things are feeling a little more back-to-normal. Some days the kids are so wanting a pool or beach excursion, but that seems unlikely for a while yet. A personal pool would be very nice right now. We can't even put a kiddie pool at our rental though.

Our other house is coming along. Every week I go, there are new exciting changes. This morning, they were digging out the new septic and had taken out a good portion of trees from our front yard- the boys will be excited about new dirt mountains. I've been kind of overwhelmed by how many decisions need to be made at this time in the process- lighting, cabinets, flooring, landscaping... and on and on and on... We are SO ready to be all moved back in there. But so much still has to happen. Including have a baby!

Pregnancy-wise, things are going well. I feel like things were more eventful last week, and as of now, I'm thinking it'll still be at least another couple of weeks. That's fine though. The kids have been so good, letting me nap every afternoon, helping with the littles and around the house- meals and mowing and cleaning... I had a walk-through with the electrician at the other house this morning which lasted 2.5 hours, and when I came home, the house, which I had left a mess at 7:30 am, was once again immaculate as I walked in the door. Be still my heart. I know I am so blessed with these kids.

Stay well, everyone!

coronatine week 13

This girl has been doing so many science experiments... ...and making so many different kinds of slime! He beat Jack and me :-) Rosie with a flower crown The girls have also been experimenting with different hairstyles. I recommend being the guinea pig- it's highly relaxing. There's a park near our house with a great rolling hill. Wee need to get out more to do things like this. Our most-recently completed puzzle Each pregnancy seems to go faster and faster. I can't believe I'm already to term- 37 weeks (it would be totally fine if he were born now). Five of our six have come in week 39. He's definitely dropped, and I've had some signs that labor might start soon, but who knows? Each one is so different and will come when the time is right. We are getting into a summer routine around here. The kids have been playing so well independently- some days I go a while without seeing them, they are in the basement or in one of the vans playing some elaborate game. They'll even come and recruit Joel to be a little brother or a son, for whatever it is they are playing, and it is so nice. They've been playing outside so much too. when the weather's been nice. Full disclosure- they are also having more screen time while Joel and Mom nap in the afternoons.

We are still self-isolating, social distancing when in public, but we've decided to "bubble" with Mike's brother's family, so the kids are now able to play with cousins, and we'll be able to hang out with them without masks- so nice! We are planning a visit at their house this weekend to check out their new rock wall!