Friday, October 30, 2009

First Ultrasound, Heart Beat and Birthing Center!

Mark Jr.! - approximately 15 weeks

Sorry for the HUGE picture, but if you look closely you can see Mark Jr.'s little face. We saw him/her wiggle all around, wave, kick and move. It was pretty amazing. So far, so good! Two arms, two legs and Mark likes to also point out that the baby has a head... good times!

We visited the birthing center yesterday as well, and its pretty neat. The midwives are all SO NICE. Everyone in the place is excited and happy, and its just got a really positive vibe. I was so scared of the sterile, hospital feel of a hospital, and this is such a nice change. They have different themed rooms, with beds, kitchenettes and bathrooms with tubs. I am going to consider the water birth, but I have to take a class on it first, to learn about the technique. The neat thing about the center is that they have photos of all of the families and babies that are born there, and they're all so different. There were very ethnic families and very normal looking people. It was nice to see the variety of people who are willing to use the midwives and facilities.

Our midwife was very cool about Mark being a chiropractor and kept talking to him like a doctor, which I always appreciate and love. I think he does too :)

Afterwards, we were in a very Latin American area of Kansas City, KS and we stumbled upon a little central american restaurant and wandered in. There was one lady working, and she didn't speak english. Luckily for me, I am an ace at ordering food in Spanish (not really) but she got our orders right and it was AMAZING! We thought that our move to KC would inhibit our love for pupusas, and this is the second place we have found that serves them! YAY!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Hiking in Weston Bend State Park, Weston, Missouri

IMG00234-20091025-1240.jpg

Sunday we took Slappy and Pokey hiking with Nicole, Spot and Jinx. We drove out to the Weston Bend State Park in Weston, Missouri so we could hike on the shores of the Missouri River. It was amazing and the trees were really great. It was a sunny and warm day. On our drive back, we got a phone call from a friend talking about the thunderstorm that was hitting Kansas City. We arrived home to pouring rain and thunder. Not bad for a morning spent hiking.

Mark and I spent the remainder of the day watching football and baseball (Stupid Angels!).

IMG00233-20091025-1231.jpg

Slow going... but getting there!

Look at the floor! This is 1 whole day of work with Mark scraping. The mineral spirits didn't work nearly as well as the water did, so he is going to use water this weekend and try to get up another section of the glue. Once that is up, the floor is in pretty good shape, aside from the nail holes that are 4 inches apart!

Once we get this all sanded down and stained, we're going to move our bedroom into the back room that is currently our guest room. The office (the room Mark is scraping all the glue up from) will be the baby's room and our master bedroom now will be a guest room/tv room. We figure that we're going to have a lot of guests in the upcoming year, so we might as well make the room comfy.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Harvesters!


talkin' turkey
Originally uploaded by atomicshark
Hey all-

Food banks are really low this year. Even if you can't do a lot, every little bit helps!

Don't ask me to explain that picture!

Hideous Flooring... lots of work for Mark!

Mark was able to chisel off all of the nasty layers of vinyl tile that was glued to the flooring. We were grossed out at the lovely glue that was left on the floor. It is stinky and gross, and probably full of asbestos. We kept it wet and he wore a mask, but how gross!Hideous

Slowly

This weekend, while I am in class, Mark is going to attempt to get the rest of the floor glue up. The water idea didnt work so well so he may need to use mineral spirits which cause birth defects. So we're going to put up plastic, get him a mask and keep me out of the house as long as possible. Here is to renovating!

Floor as of now...

14 Weeks!


Young Lemons
Originally uploaded by Daygo D.
We have just hit the 14 week mark. I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER! I played volleyball for the first time in over a month last night and it felt good to be outside. I have started walking with Mark and the dogs regularly and its been nice. I had lunch with some good friends from law school who have similar views of parenting and birth as Mark and I and I am really looking forward to talking more with them and letting our kids play together once they're born.

From a pregnancy website: "Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb. Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him -- a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches -- about the size of a lemon -- and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces." -babycenter.com

Monday, October 12, 2009

Baby's room/ Our new room/ We don't know what we're doing!

So we had a lovely plan. It involved taking our bedroom, splitting it, and having 4 bedrooms upstairs. We were going to move into the office, and make it our bedroom, and use the sunroom as a sun porch off the master bedroom.

Then we found out about the kid... Now we're scrambling.

We pulled up the flooring in the office to our dismay, its not in great shape and it has vinyl tiles glued to it. It smells like garbage and its really dusty. Its making us both sick. We're going to try the old water and glue trick tonight to see if we soak the glue if it will come up easily, and we're praying that it does. If not, we're going to the old torch and scraper trick which should be painstakingly awful.

hideous flooring in the office

We're still not sure which room we're going to put the baby into. If we can get a wall and door up in our current bedroom, we're moving Mark Jr. in there, and putting the dogs in the room next door and moving our stuff into the *completed* office.

I can't find any before pictures but here is a visual. Imagine the most hideous, porous white vinyl flooring that is spattered with paint, missing chunks and ugly. This is floating over a layer of wood, and another layer of vinyl and another layer of wood over another layer of vinyl that is glued on to the hardwoods. That is about 3 inches of pure ugly, stinky and nailed to the ground.

Pray for us... We hope to have this done by the months end!

Mark Jr. is about the size of a fig...


fig.
Originally uploaded by suttonhoo
One book we have says that its the size of a fig, another says about the size of a lime- around 2 inches. Either way, this week its getting reflexes. We're hoping for some Chuck Norris type reflexes, but we'll settle for normal development!

I am feeling MUCH better this week. I have fought off a cold, and the first trimester is coming to an end (thank you GOD!) so I am almost feeling back to normal.

We're excited to find out what gender this thing is, so we can stop calling it an it.

My belly is showing, I feel huge, but I can still button my jeans (trucker style- according to Mark, buttoned under the belly). Its feeling hard too, which is nice to know something is going on in there.

Hopefully at our next appt we will be able to hear a heartbeat and get our blood test results back.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

We're pregnant!



That's right! We are about 11 weeks along and we're so excited! Rachel is doing well aside from some nausea and picky eating and I'm doing well tending to the pregnant lady's needs. Rachel decided to name it Mark Jr. until we know what the sex is, which should be around 20 weeks, I think. The picture shows what Mark Jr. looks like right now. He/she has finger nails and is the size of a kumquat.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Going home to visit!

We leave for California on Thursday for my brother Joey's wedding. We're super excited to see everyone and be home for a weekend.

Check out this photographer's flickr page, I was blown away by his abilities.

Friday, September 11, 2009

I'm on a boat!

When we were in Michigan we decided to take the three amigos out on Lake Lansing on a boat. We were a little worried about Beans freaking out on the boat because he doesnt do well in new situations, but he was almost as comfortable on the boat as he was on dry land... hence his new nickname "the Captain!"

This is about the cutest picture I have ever taken of Slappy:
100_5773

Land ahoy!
100_5772

100_5771

100_5780

I really wish this wasn't blurry!
a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/runaroundrachel/3910202347/" title="100_5774 by Rachel and Mark H., on Flickr">100_5774

I can't explain why this dog is so weird... but he is!
100_5790

Once we got home the festivities continued!
100_5739

100_5738

Squirrel hunting!
100_5750

We miss Pokey!


100_5756
Originally uploaded by Rachel and Mark H.
We left Pokey in Michigan for the month of September to spend some time with her grandpa. I cannot believe how much I miss that dog. Its eerily quiet in the house and nobody barks at me when I get home.

Mark and I are counting down the days to October! WE MISS YOU POKE!

Monday, August 31, 2009

Before You Say "He Did His Time For His Crimes" Know The Facts First About Vicks Deal Share

Before You Say "He Did His Time For His Crimes" Know The Facts First About Vicks Deal
Share
Fri at 7:49pm


For everyone that has participated in the Victimization of Vick with all of the comments of
"He did his time, he paid for his crimes" - think again.

Perhaps, you should be aware of the facts of this case and more informed of the actual
"crime" this man paid of his debt to society. Perhaps, you would then think twice before
complacently handing out your second chance arguments and support.

If your mind still forms the argument of "We all make mistakes" - perhaps you will feel differently knowing that children are sporting dog masks to football games mocking the dead victims of his crimes. Laughing - joking - making fun - in support of their great idol with their parents right behind them screaming "To hell with Dogs - we love Vick".

If this would not lower your head in shame, then I fear for the monsters this has unleashed in division across this United States in support of this great american hero.

Michael Vick "did his time" for Federal Racketeering, he served his prison sentence for Federal Racketeering - ONLY.

The crimes, the heinous acts and crimes of Animal Cruelty - Michael Vick plead "Not Guilty".

In a brokered Plea Agreement, the charges of Animal Cruelty were dismissed. Thus, unpunished were these crimes, by this man, against humanity.

The known, proven, admitted crimes of murder, rape, and torture of innocent defenseless beings was thrown out - dismissed - in the Plea Agreement.

The crimes in which, Michael Vick, systematically, prepared, planned, participated and executed, repeatedly, against these animals, was left unpunished in the legal justice system.

This is a known public record of fact.


Below are the opinions of Michael Vick's deserved second chance by Bad Rap's Tim Racer and Donna Reynolds.

Tim Racer -
It is no mystery that Michael Vick wants another chance at the game, the money, and the fame that he once possessed. I am all about forgiveness and second chances – when one is truly remorseful . There is of course a world of difference between feeling badly about a wrong doing, and feeling badly about being caught. Who knows where Roger Goodell stands on this? I am disappointed that there has to be so much time spent to make such a seemingly simple decision about whether this man should ever play the game again. He ran a major felony dog-fighting operation since he first became a professional ball player – for his entire six year career. He fought and he killed countless innocent animals, some by repeatedly slamming their skulls and spines into the ground until they broke. What exactly *does it take to be released from the NFL?

Twenty three months in prison does not make a sick (in the truly medical sense of the term) individual like Vick, better. Mike has teamed up with the HSUS to to good things now. His agents made it so. Good move. Maybe that will help him play again.

For those who believe Vick has paid his dues, I would have to differ. He has not and will not spend a single day behind bars for animal cruelty as his federal charges were for racketeering. And as for remorse, Vick pled NOT GUILTY to animal cruelty charges at his state trial – and it was dropped in a plea deal. How can this man be remorseful for his crimes if he does not even believe he was cruel to animals?


Donna Reynolds -
I admit I'm stuck on this one because I just can't get myself away from the swimming pool in Vick's yard. I first learned about it while riding in the back seat of a federal agent's car that sweltering Tuesday back in Sept 07. The agent was assigned with escorting us to the various Virginia shelters so we could evaluate "the evidence" otherwise known as 49 pit bulls - now known as cherished family pets: Hector, Uba, Jhumpa, Georgia, Sweet Jasmine and the rest. I'm not sure if sharing insider information with us was kosher, but you know how driving down long country roads can get you talking. I imagine she just needed to get some things off her chest. She said she was having trouble sleeping since the day they exhumed the bodies on the Moonlight Road property. She said that when she watched the investigators uncover the shallow graves, she was compelled to want to climb in and pick up the decomposing dogs and comfort and cradle them. She knew that was crazy talk, and she was grappling with trying to understand such a surprising impulse.

Her candor set the tone for this entire saga. Everyone we worked with was deeply affected by the case. The details that got to me then and stay with me today involve the swimming pool that was used to kill some of the dogs. Jumper cables were clipped onto the ears of underperforming dogs, then, just like with a car, the cables were connected to the terminals of car batteries before lifting and tossing the shamed dogs into the water. Most of Vick's dogs were small - 40lbs or so - so tossing them in would've been fast and easy work for thick athlete arms. We don't know how many suffered this premeditated murder, but the damage to the pool walls tells a story. It seems that while they were scrambling to escape, they scratched and clawed at the pool liner and bit at the dented aluminum sides like a hungry dog on a tin can.

I wear some pretty thick skin during our work with dogs, but I can't shake my minds-eye image of a little black dog splashing frantically in bloody water ... screaming in pain and terror ... brown eyes saucer wide and tiny black white-toed feet clawing at anything, desperate to get ahold. This death did not come quickly. The rescuer in me keeps trying to think of a way to go back in time and somehow stop this torture and pull the little dog to safety. I think I'll be looking for ways to pull that dog out for the rest of my life.

So that's where I'm at. A second chance for Vick?
An HSUS sponsored spokesman for ending torture? In my mind's eye Vick is still in the shadows at the side of that pool. As many times as this scene plays out my head, he hasn't yet moved towards that dog to pull him out. Not there yet.


*Bad Rap Statements Courtesy of: Bad Rap Vick Dog Blog/Behind the scenes*

Copyright 2009 Shelley Bright - Tucsondogexaminer@gmail.com

Friday, August 28, 2009

Slappy and her 6 chews...

Mark and I went upstairs last night to find Slappy hoarding chews (what is new?). I laughed and said "good lord, she must have like 5 of them..." and I turned on the light to find that she had SIX! That dog stole five chews from the other dogs. What a freakin' pig!

As I took them away and gave them back to their rightful owner, she gave me the most pathetic look ever...

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tomatoes are being killed by "Late Blight"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/dining/29toma.html?scp=6&sq=tomato&st=cse

I think this is what happened to our tomatoes...

Monday, August 17, 2009

Pit Bull Hate Crimes are up in Philly-


Gypsy
Originally uploaded by formatted_dad
As are crimes against service dogs, and all other breeds... Thanks Michael Vick, your remorse obviously resonated with your "fans"...

http://badrap-blog.blogspot.com/2009/08/woe-is-philly.html

Michael Vick- As written by Alison Saunders...

A hero and good friend of mine...

Respectfully, what I think people fail to recognize here is a very serious correlation between violence to animals and violence to humans, and the reach of dogfighting as a crime. The HSUS offers a course called "First Strike" which shows the research done in this area. An overwhelming majority of people that abuse animals will move onto human victims. Michael Vick didn't just kill these dogs, he tortured them and then killed them in the most barbaric ways, taking pleasure in the act. You know who else did this? Pretty much every serial killer known to man. It frightens me when I hear people basically reduce this to "it's just dogs".

I'm sure that those of us involved specifically in pit bull rescue are probably more sensitive to what is going on here. We see the victims of this crime daily. We nurse the wounds where limbs used to be, we feed the dogs whose teeth have been ripped out by their "owners", and we love them because through all of this - they still love humans. These are animals that were domesticated by us more than 3000 years ago, they rely on us to provide everything for them, much like children. They are the most innocent creatures on earth. When I see someone abuse a dog it's the same to me as someone abusing an infant. They have no voice of their own and they are not capable of evil.

It's easy to reduce this to "there are more important things". Maybe we do that too much and we don't take the time to look at the bigger picture. To me, these dogs are my children. Imagine someone electrocuting your child, or slamming them to the ground until they were dead, or hanging them from the tree. That's what I feel when I see what Michael Vick did. Michael Vick didn't kill a couple of dogs, he was involved in dog fighting for almost 20 years. Do the math. And I'd also ask you to do some research on dogfighting if you think it doesn't affect you. Dogfighters use the sport to desensitize children to violence and make them capable of unspeakable acts, unspeakable acts against people. So if you don't care how many dogs Michael Vick killed, maybe you'll care how many monsters he helped create or how many children were/are affected by this heinous crime.

In one case in Chicago a young boy was arrested for dogfighting. The next time the detective saw the boy he was 12 years old and being brought in for his involvement in the rape of a 7 year old girl. It's "normal" for children to be present at dogfights, along with drugs and guns. It's also "normal" for someone exposed to this kind of violence to lose their empathy. If you think this isn't a serious issue I'd ask that you take another look. Michael Vick has been involved in dogfighting since he was 8 years old, along with his friends, and countless others in countless cities across the nation. It's happening today, probably in your neighborhood. The crimes that affect you may very well have their roots in dogfighting. I would consider that a real enemy of civilization and peace.

http://www.lolabull.com/dogfighting

Memphis Pictures are up! Finally!

Arkansas or bust!

100_5219

Clinton Library!
100_5228

Tennessee!

100_5236


Some Jazz on Beale Street!


In line for our Graceland Tour!

100_5238

GRACELAND!

100_5242
100_5245


The JUNGLE room!
100_5264

Awesome!
100_5286

Proof?
100_5289

Yeah... I have been to Mississippi!

Mississippi!!!

Memphis BBQ!

Neely's: Our favorite!
Best BBQ we had in memphis!

Slaw on the pork: 100_5308

Turkey was phenomenal!
100_5309

Sassy BBQ?
This place was nothing compared to the Neely's Interstate BBQ!

Chicken was good... sauce was lacking
Chicken was cooked well

Pork was good too: Great meat, terrific slaw

One of the best museums we had ever been to!
STAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sun Studios!

100_5353

My rockstar walking on the same sidewalk as the legends!
Sun Studios

He really didn't want to take this picture, but I forced him.
100_5345

The Peabody Hotel in Memphis where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. It was chilly and weird. We got there too late to go into the Civil Rights Museum... Next time!

Where MLK was assassinated :(

Cape Girardeau, MO- cute little town on the Mississippi!
The flood wall in Cape Girardeau, MO

The Mississippi is a scary river when you're that close. We saw trees floating by at like 30 mph!

Mark standing at the Mississip

New Foster Dog!


Meet Abbie!

She is our new foster dog who was pretty much destined to die, and somehow survived to become one of the sweetest girls we have ever met!

http://mabbr.org/dogpages/abbie.html

Abbie was abandoned at a vet clinic in an area with a breed ban. She was positive for parvo and dying. The vets took her into their clinic, treated her, spayed her, and got her up to date on vaccinations. Unfortunately, nobody in the clinic lived in an area that allows American Pit Bull Terriers. Abbie was so special, so sweet and so loving that they contacted everyone they could think of to save this sweet girl. MABBR was able to work with the vets office and get her into an adoring fostering home immediately. Nobody knew if Abbie was good with other dogs but she came into a house with 4 resident dogs and was very nervous. We gave her a few days to relax and get comfortable with us, and we started letting her say hello from behind the gate and she wiggled and wagged her tail. One day, she was able to play with the alpha female of the group and had a great time. Within 2 days of being brought into the house, she was fully integrated into the pack.

Friday, August 14, 2009

We're going home!


Michigan map postcard
Originally uploaded by Smaddy
Mark and I are planning a trip home to Michigan for Labor Day! We're going home from the 2nd-7th!

YAY!