ABCs

Tonight we did some chalk on the driveway...and then we did our ABCs with chalk.  I would write the letter and then Olivia would write it.  She actually wrote all of the letters.  I just did capital letters but I was pretty impressed that she didn't get bored and had some fun with it!  So proud of her!!

I did the yellow letters and she did orange.  Kind of hard to see...but they are there.

So proud of herself!

Movie Night

Friday night we decided to go to Grayson Park for the Lego Movie outside.  Olivia remembered going last year to see Wizard of Oz.  She even remembered that Brendon and I played Rummy before the movie.  The weather this year was a little dicey...had some thunder and saw some lightening...but it was south of us...the movie played and we actually stayed the whole time! It helped that our friends were there too!

Trying to wait patiently for the movie!

Much happier with a friend!

Continuing the worst week

Well the we thought losing Jake was pretty bad...now the kicker.  My truck decided to kick the bucket too.  I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and the truck was fine on the way there.  On the way home I noticed my a/c went AGAIN!! Not happy about that...but also I noticed it was not getting a lot of power when I pushed the gas.  Brendon and I decided to trade vehicles on Tuesday because I had to take Olivia somewhere.  Well....Brendon barely made it to work...and on the way home my truck decided to kick the bucket on 10th Avenue in Atlanta...great...but then it took 3 HOURS for the tow truck to come!! The next day we found out the repairs for the transmission + the a/c were going to cost more that the car was worth...we decided 12 years and 181,000 miles, the car had done its time.  I was sad...I was probably the saddest person to ever buy a car!!

10th Avenue...stuck

Bye bye car! Thanks for all the adventures and good times!

The new wheels...

The Day After

The day after Jake passed wasn't any easier.  The morning was really hard for me because Jake was so happy in the morning.  He was probably his most happy in the morning.  He always seemed happy to see us!  I cried because it was so quiet that morning.  No dog to take out, no dog to feed, no dog to share the couch with while reading the paper.  I think we needed to get out of the house...so we did.  We went to Fort Yargo for a little bike ride, picnic lunch, and a little fishing.  Being outside really helped...

Jake

2004 was a big year for us.  We bought our house, got married, and got our dog Jake.  In October of this year he would have turned 11.  We knew he was aging but he still acted like a puppy.  Always happy in the morning and loved being outside, running around.

Friday night around 2 am, Brendon heard Jake crying in his crate and took him out.  We have noticed more of this lately but just thought it was the change in schedule.  Saturday morning Olivia let him out of the crate and he slowly walked up the stairs.  Brendon got him outside to go to the bathroom and he went to go and nothing happened and he laid down in the grass.  This happened a few more times as Brendon propped him up.  Brendon carried him back in the house and he drank some water but then just laid by his bowl and wouldn't get up.  Finally Brendon decided to take him to the vet because he was not improving and wouldn't eat or drink.  They did an Xray and they saw a tumor but wasn't sure if it was cancer, they either think his kidney or spleen ruptured and he was bleeding internally and it was filling his abdomen.  They could have done surgery but it was risky for his age and not sure of how long he would live after.  We made the best choice for him and put him out of pain and put him to sleep.  It was an agonizing and tear filled decision.  We were happy to spend 10 and 1/2 years with him.  He filled a lot of our memories and was with us during good times and bad.  He lived a happy life with lots of love and dog bones, and adventures.  He is missed greatly by us and lots of others.  He was our first child and big brother to Olivia. He wasn't just a dog, he was part of our family.  The house is too quiet...and I keep thinking he is here behind me. We miss him bunches...

Olivia asked the best question, "What are we going to do without Jake?" Such a big question from her 4 year old brain...and we couldn't find the right words to answer her.  Right now, just remember him as he was...the happiest, most mischievous, cute dog he was.  Thank you for the 10 1/2 years of good memories and adventures and some misadventures!

Some of our final moments with Jake

R.I.P. Jake Donald Barth 10/17/2004- 7/4/2015 you were one son of a pup Jakey!

4th of July

4th of July didn't turn out the greatest (will explain in next post).  But on July 3rd we did some crafts and made a dessert.

Brendon and Olivia had daddy-daughter day and night.  They went swimming, had dinner, went out for milkshakes and watched a movie outside!

We did end up with a good dinner and some fireworks with our neighbors. 

Peachtree Road Race 2015

Friday afternoon my friends Joan and Tina met at our house and we headed down to Atlanta.  We stay close to the start line of the Peachtree Road Race which makes life easier.  We checked in and zoomed off to the Expo.  Lots of train riding and walking and finally we got back to Buckhead about 6:30ish and had some dinner.  Then back to the hotel to prep for the race.  It was REALLY wet.  It rained...a lot.  The sprinkle and rain felt good though.  At mile 4 I saw the lightning and heard the thunder.  Little did I know they postponed the race about 40 minutes.  I noticed the color warning system flags turned to red but no one was directing us to stop running.  I had a 57:26 finish time which I was pleased with.  It was a nice soggy walk and wet ride back to the hotel.  But it was a great run for me =)

Expo fun

Parking lot view from hotel

We missed our friend Kim...

The guy all the way on the left we met in the elevator.  Little did we know he was a famous running sports newscaster and was interviewing an elite runner in the elevator (who ended up being 5th over all male in the race)