My Newest Addiction....

So recently I was introduced to Pinterest, I know I know way behind. BUT in the few short times that I have perused the website I have managed to become severely addicted! I have so many new recipes that I can't wait to try! I'm also finding some really cool crafty things that I hope to try my hand at down the road! If nothing else the website is great for keeping me awake during the wee hours of the morning at work! :) If you haven't already, check it out! http://www.pinterest.com/ Enjoy!

Our Big Boy

Ever since we brought Chinook home he has been growing like a weed! Last time we took him to the vet (about 2 weeks ago) he weighed 32lbs! I'm excited to see how much he weighs at his next appointment! His parents weighed between 110 and 115 lbs. We're hoping he'll be somewhere around there! He's definitely got a good start!

This is my only good picture of all three of them! Love them all!

He's getting so big!

He does everything so dramatically.

This picture cracks me up!

I have a really hard time telling him not to be on the couch when he looks so cute!

A Working Weekend

This past weekend I was scheduled to work Friday and Saturday night so Blake got "Daddy Duty." He managed to capture a few snapshots and videos.

 

Here's Chinook's new favorite activity... chasing his tail.

Watching Blake play video games.. he sat here for a good 10 minutes (which for him is a long time).

Sunday we decided to take Blake's cousins Sam and Ben to see the Lion King in 3D. It was really more like Blake was taking me, Sam, and Ben :) We picked up Blake's mom and Brooke's boyfriend Nick and we all headed out to see the movie! It was a lot of fun!

Here's Ben all ready for the movie with his Buncha Crunch. I'm pretty sure he ate a good majority of that box which would explain the incessant circles he was running in we dropped him back off at home :)

Morton Dog Park

So I decided last week to take Chinook to the dog park for the first time. For the first 20 minutes or so he hid under the picnic table and was bossed around by a little chihuahua. I wish I had gotten pictures of that! He eventually came out from under the table to play with the other dogs that were there, but each time a new dog came into the park he would hide back under the table until he was sure the "new dog" was nice too! He was cracking me up! At one point there was a dog that came in that he LOVED playing with!

Here are Chinook and his friend Archie!

When we came back from the dog park he was pooped! He slept here for a few hours!

We've been taking Chinook back to the dog park and he is slowly becoming more independent and confident. I think the cat's appreciate the break they get from him :)

Morton Pumpkin Festival 2011

So when we moved to Morton we had no idea that it was the said Pumpkin Capital of the world. There's a Nestle factory here that makes the cans of Libby's Pumpkin. Every September there is a "Pumpkin Festival." So this year we invited Blake's Family over to attend our first pumpkin festival. Blake soon discovered that there was going to be a pumpkin pie eating contest and recruited Brooke to compete with him (video to follow). We all had a good time! There were pumpkin pies, doughnuts, ice cream, breads, and just about everything else you could imagine! DELICIOUS!

Rick and Ben after the Pumpkin Pie eating contest

Brooke and Nick before the Pumpkin Pie eating contest!

Here's the video of Brooke and Blake competing (warning: the video is loud!)

And Then They Were Five

Shortly after we arrived here in Morton (when I say shortly I mean that very next weekend) we drove down to Dixon, Missouri to pick up the newest addition to our family!
We reserved a puppy from Brown's Big Babies in April! We got pictures and updates every week starting the day he was born! During the week before the weekend we were going to head down to pick up our puppy we got a call telling us that the original puppy we had picked out was found to have a heart murmur. The vet said he could live a few months or a full life! We were left with a very tough decision! We decided  to chose one of the other puppies that was left and now we're so glad that we did! We wouldn't trade Chinook for anything! God knew what we needed, and that was Chinook :)

Here he is on the ride home! Floppy ears and all!

He slept almost the whole 5 hour drive!

 Here are some more pictures of him in the first couple of weeks he was home...

One ear came up!

His first few car rides in the car this is how he slept :)

We love having Chinook in our lives! The cats on the other hand, could probably do without him. :)

West Coast? Yes Please!

Backtracking a little bit here... Shortly after my graduation, Blake and I were able to visit my family in Oregon! It was a great trip! I always love going back home to the beautiful west coast! Of course it's nice to see my family too! ;)

Blake is a huge fan of the movie Goonies! While we were at the coast we went to Astoria to see the jail cell used in one of the first scenes, he loved it!

This is the house that was used in the movie Goonies! Again, Blake was pretty excited.

While we were in Astoria, we figured we'd take Blake to see The Column.

A view of Cannon Beach, one of my favorites!

The Rose Festival was going on while we were in Oregon so we went downtown one night to watch the Starlight Parade! So much fun!

We can't wait for our next visit to Oregon! It's always so nice to see family!

A Whirlwind of a Summer

Well here we are in Morton, IL. Looking back on how we got here is all kind of a blur at this point! Everything came together so fast! It seems like just yesterday I was walking across that stage and celebrating my graduation with my family and friends! Now here we are with our two cats and adorable puppy deep in the heart of Illinois. So here are a few pictures of that graduation celebration...

I was so happy to be able to spend the day with my family! I never would be where I am today without this amazing woman! I love you, Mom!

Love him!

What's a celebration without a little photo shoot?

No comment necessary.

My friend Hannah, never would have made it this far without her!

Love these guys!

Soon after graduation I found myself taking the NCLEX and interviewing for nursing jobs in Illinois! Soon after I got hired at OSF St Francis Medical Center in Peoria on a Medical floor! Blake got a job at a Pilot Travel Center in Bloomington shortly after. Then came the house hunt which landed us here in Morton. Soon after came the packing and the moving! Moving from Johnson Creek, Wisconsin to central Illinois was no easy feat! We were lucky and blessed to have Blake's family help us with the trip!

Here's our makeshift moving truck and part of our moving crew!

We eventually made it! Then we decided to have some of Blake's family over for a BBQ. Here are some pictures of the apartments we moved into (picture credit goes to Sue Traman)...

We have a nice porch off the back of our apartment. Because of the huge lake we have behind our building there are ducks and geese galore that love to be fed! Here's a picture of most of the family feeding the ducks!