Aha!

Sunday has arrived again and we've managed to cram all kinds of things into our home days. Earlier this summer John noticed a small, maybe frisbee sized, sink hole in our front yard.  When his brother Brian was visiting Brian suggested calling the city utilities to see if it was related to our water/sewer.  Indeed it was and the city came out to "repair" the hole while I was gone.  You will recall the hole was approximately the size of a frisbee.  Now there's a huge pile of dirt in our front yard.  They told John they will be coming to back to "landscape" the spot after the dirt settles.  Settles into what?

Yesterday John, aka Appleseed, decided to welcome Fall by baking an apple pie.  Recalling all the times his Grandma Ada baked him a pie, he turned out this beauty.  It is (ok, was) delicious!

This morning I went to Des Moines to cheer on my good friend Molly who was running the Des Moines marathon.  It was a ton of fun to watch the runners and, at times, I got kind of emotional recalling my own race two weeks ago.  When I got back from the race and the grocery store Ava was sound asleep on the couch.  She hasn't napped in... years...  especially not on a beautiful day when her friends were all outside riding bikes.  Hmmm....  What you can't see in this picture is Orbit, curled up under her arms, under the blanket, standing guard and napping with his person....

Orbit had his first doggy birthday party invitation - our neighbors were throwing a puppy party for their dog.  All the neighborhood dogs (and their kids) gathered at the dog park.  Here's Orbit, enjoying his puppy treat....

No concept whatsoever of the size differential.... Orbit chases Zoe around the dog park.

While we were at the puppy party Ava crashed and said she didn't feel well.  Of course she didn't.  We came straight home where she sprouted a fever and has hung out on the couch watching tv and dozing.  It was a slightly chilly, breezy day so I made some lentil soup, which simmered away while I taught Spinning this evening.  John and I are making plans to divide the day tomorrow, hopefully Ava will rally quickly - this week is her Fall break and her child care has all kinds of fun field trips planned!