The tale of two friends.

Our little Nutmeg has past away.  We were all very sad to see him go, but we know that it was his time.  He's not suffering anymore.

We got Nutmeg from our friends in New Mexico several years ago.  His name when he came to us was Thomas.  Anna quickly changed that and gave him a very cutsie name of Nutmeg.  I'm sure that really got his goat.  Right from the start he was very affectionate with the all of us.  Sometimes a little too affectionate.  We would take him to the park and play tag with him.  Where ever we went, he would follow. 

It wasn't until we moved to Washington that we realized that Izzie, our older dog loved Nutmeg and didn't want to hurt him.  They became the best of friends, spending almost all their time together.  Then we got Buster.  Nutmeg and Buster were almost the same size and spent hours playing together.  Then Buster was killed and Nutmeg and Izzie were very sad.  They couldn't tell me themselves but they acted sad and depressed.  They became even closer.  We would let Nutmeg spend almost all his time outside with Izzie because we knew that Izzie would keep him safe.

Several weeks ago we noticed that Nutmeg was loosing weight.  I found out that his teeth had over grown and caused some abscesses on his mouth.  We took care of the teeth and got him on some medicine for the infection.  He just didn't seem like his old self.  He was slowly eeating and making progress, but it wasn't enough.  Toward the end he would sleep on Izzies dirty old chair in the garage.  It's the chair that Izzie sleeps on when she's been outside playing in the mud.  I kept him in his cage a lot more so I could monitor his food and water more. 

A few days ago I had Troy helping me make a grapevine wreath.  We decided the get Nutmeg out for some fresh air.  We put him down right by us and by the time we were done he was gone.  We looked every where for him.  I was stressed because I knew he wasn't strong enough to be left outside.  The family kept looking for him, day and night.  We would have Izzie help us too.  I knew she was worried. 

This morning Soren was out helping me pick blackberries and he found Nutmeg right by Izzie's doghouse.  Izzie had found Nutmeg and brought him back to us.  I have a feeling that Nutmeg went out to die.  He knew it was his time, even though I was trying so hard to make him better.  Izzie is sad that her friend is gone.  She made sure to bring him home to us.  Troy and Logan went and dug a grave right next to Busters.  The kids all came out and said goodbye to him.

It's so hard to loose a pet.  I find that I become way to attached to them.  It makes me angry when people say that animals don't have feelings.  They haven't seen Izzie in her grief when she lost Buster and then Nutmeg.  Those two were an unlikely pair.

A dog and a bunny.

We still have our Izzie girl who we are loving like crazy right now.  A few hours ago she was inside looking out the kitchen window when she realized the kids had gone for a walk down to the pond without her.  I let her out the door and she ran straight to the kids.  Troy and I just stood at the window and watched her.  I got a little choked up at the unconditional love that Izzie has for the kids.  The kids love her back that much too.  We have our Poppy and Ted.  The cats and Izzie just ignore each other. 

We will keep our eyes open and watch Izzie and make sure she does OK.  We are all sad and it will take time to heal.  I just think we were really lucky to have Nutmeg in our lives.

Homecoming night at the Dunow's

First of all my camera wasn't the greatest last night.  I'm very upset about this.  It was my little girls first Homecoming dance and her pictures are yucky.  Good thing she's beautiful.  Can't say that much for the Daddy that's teasing his little girl.

 Anna went with her friend Cypress.  They met some other girls at the dance.  It kills me how long her legs are.

 Aren't they they gorgeous?  I had so much fun fixing their hair!

 Cathy is Cypress's Mom.  She has become such a dear friend of mine.  She's always smiling and laughing.  Matt is just trouble.  Just kidding Matt. 

 Troy is trouble too.  Not joking either.  He teases way too much.

 Logan took Megan to the dance.  She's such a cute little thing.  He forgot the corsage at the house and had to drive clear back to get it. 

 Anna was getting bored waiting to leave.

 Ok, these photo's are really funny to me.  Can you tell the difference between the girls who have gone to the dances before, and the girls who are pro's at this.

 This one of Anna and Logan is my favorite.  Can't believe how grown up they are.  Soren needed a picture with his big bro. 

 I decided to post this pic just for a good laugh.  She used the web cam. She is such a little drama queen.

This is what we do in the evenings.

We took this video several weeks ago.  We were all in the family room doing homework with the kids.  Don't ask me how all this Logan thing got going.  That's how we are around here.  We do strange things.  We live in our PJ bottoms.

We let our cat nurse our fingers.

We try standing up with now hands.

We listen to a lot of One Direction.

We break out in random jigs.

All in the the crazy Dunow home!

A little of this and that and oh, Anna's birthday photo.

 Sometimes I will take off and spend some time at the beach alone.  It's so calming to sit and watch the water, birds, clouds, boats, people, rocks.  This is definitely one of the joys of living  here.  I love the smell of the ocean.  Even by our house which is about 8 miles from the ocean, we can still smell it. 

 I love the ocean when it's sunny or rainy and cold.

 My name is Emily Dunow and I am a Dahlia addict.  This Dahlia farm on Lynden/Birchbay road had the most beautiful flowers in the world.  I have completely become obsessed with them.  I don't know what I'm going to do when they don't have flowers anymore.  It's so nice to have fresh flowers in my house at all times.

 I forgot to post a picture of Anna's birthday cake.  She wanted cheesecake for her birthday cake. I agree with her.  Oh yummy.  We had a rambunctious group of kids over that day.  Needless to say I was ready for bed that night.

 Our neighbor across a couple of fields came over the other night and tried out his new hunting/tree/ chair/ thingy before he went hunting.  It was our entertainment for the night.  I made the kids pick up the cutest little mini pinecones.  That's what the green cup is for.  They couldn't leave the forest until it was full.   Boy am I a mean Mom.

Nice Ella.  

Camera obsessed.

 My family thinks I'm a little crazy because I am always dragging my camera everywhere we go.  Even when I walk down to pick up the kids from school.  I take it with me when I go to the grocery store.  There is always something that amazes me about living here.  I can't get over at the beauty of nature.  I try not to forget having my camera with me because then the kids and Troy have to listen to me complain about me wishing I had it.

"Oh look at that barn, wish I had my camera."

"Oh look at those cows, wish I had my camera."

"Oh look at the sunset on the ocean, wish I had my camera."

Now they make sure I don't forget it!

 One day last week we had one of the most beautiful mornings.  There was a crisp coolness and a layer of fog hanging around.  The sun was just coming up and the fog was lifting.

 I like to stand outside and be still.  Take in the quietness of the morning and the sounds of whats happening with the world as it wakes.  It's an incredible feeling to just be in the moment.

Then I walk in the house and jump into getting breakfast made, lunches packed, kids ready and off to school.  It's made a difference in my life to have the camera with me to remind me of these moments.  Life is going by too fast for me. 

Kids are growing up.

Seasons are changing. 

 That foggy,cold morning gave way to a sunny, warm day.  I was so glad I had my camera with me.  When it's raining and cold soon, I will need a reminder that it can be sunny and warm in Washington.

Good thing I'm camera obsessed.

Kids first day of school- Fall 2012

Last week the kids started back to school.  Do you even realize the excitement I felt. 

Liberating.

Freeing.

Logan is a Jr. this year.

Anna is a Freshman and goes to the High School with Logan.

 Ella is 6 th grade and Soren 4th.  Olivia is no longer my baby.  She's main stream school.  1st grade!

 

I'm the kind of Mother who LOVES sending her kids off to school, then cries because I'm lonely.

I get over the lonely real fast though.

We got to pick up Cypress up on the first day.  I made her pretend she was one of my kids.  I think that may of given her nightmares!  I was so relieved Anna had Cypress to be with on the first day of High School.

The kids went off to school and Ted and I spent the rest of the day relaxing.

The first signs of Fall in Custer.

Anyone who knows me well, KNOWS that Autumn is my FAVORITE season.  I could spend all day outside watching nature as it changes colors. 

I am finding plants in the yard that are popping up still.  Soren and Olivia thought this was an alien plant.

 The first day of school was utter bliss for me.  I came home from dropping off the youngest three and just sat in the family room in complete silence.  All of a sudden I heard the geese honking.  Music to my ears.  I was giddy with excitement as I grabbed my camera and headed outside.  They flew right over me.  I'm surprised I didn't get hit from any droppings.  They made noise the whole time.  I loved it!  After that I just sat outside and watched Ted play.

 During the nights here, the fog will roll in.  Sometimes it hangs around for quite some time.  With the kids all out of the house and the fog still hanging around, it was a little creepy.  I tend to let my imagination run wild.  It always involves Big Foot.  The Harry and the Hendersons Big Foot.

I hope everyone realizes that this is prime Big Foot country here!

 Ted is my little bud.  He loves to be with us at all times.  If we go outside, he wants out.  If we go in, he is right there with us.

 There are still lots of dahlias at the flower stand.  Just 2 bucks for this bouquet.

 The blackberries are still coming on strong.  When I mention the word "picking" the kids scatter like cockroaches when you turn on a light.  I think they have had enough scratches to last a lifetime.

The other night I shot this picture of the moon.  It was sooo beautiful.

 Just walking through the yard right now is crazy creepy.  The spider webs trail from one tree to another.  I don't see them until I'm wrapped all up in a web.  Good thing I don't mind spiders all that much.

As excited as I was to have the kids go back to school, this is what I find myself most looking forward during the day.  I love that moment when the kids get off the bus and are so excited to see me.  The all want to tell me about their day all at once.  The silence I was savoring erupts into an explosion of excited voices telling me about their school adventures. 

The foliage is changing.

The birds are migrating.

Kids gone to school.

Best of all, kids coming home.

I love Fall!