Conclusion

DNR says: It's definitely a Coyote, and a good-sized one at that. It has a relatively sharp muzzle; thin, short legs; and is holding its' tail down.

Eek!

I was on the phone to a few people this morning, including the neighbors and a DNR officer from the Upper Peninsula. Just after dawn this morning, Olly took off after an animal in the back yard. Nothing unusual there, as there is wildlife galore around here. Luckily, I looked outside, as what he was going after today was (I'm fairly sure) a wolf. I called the neighbor to warn them to put in the chickens and puppies, and he told me it's a coyote, not a wolf. Then I called DNR, who said the same thing. I've sent the DNR the pictures I took (I took three pictures, and it didn't seem to care - when I called Olly in, it actually started to follow him toward the house)... and after looking online I think it's definitely NOT a coyote - DNR site says coyotes are 30-45 pounds. It was the size of Olly (I could compare, because he got pretty close to it before I called him back) - so, close to 80 or 90 pounds.

Or, I guess it could be a stray dog... or a giant coyote... the more pictures I look at, the more unsure I am!

Walk for Babies

Today we walked over 5 miles in Port Huron. After much worry about rain, it actually turned out to be a very nice day. We raised $1903, which is down significantly from years past. Victoria was able to walk most of the 5 miles this year and she really enjoyed running across the finish line with people cheering for her. Afterward she said, "I won!" Thanks again to all who gave this year. The March of Dimes really changed our lives...

Today We Walk

Thanks to all who donated. I promise, I will stop bothering you for money...until next year. Today we walk for the March of Dimes, and it looks like we are going to get wet. Well worth it! Will post pics later.

Uno and spanish

Victoria and I were playing Uno for the fourth or fifth time this morning and this is the conversation we had:

V: mom, you have two cards left, say "Dos!"
Me: Dos!
V: and I have, 1, 2, 3, 4... cuatro! We haven't done much at all lately with counting in spanish, so it surprised me that she figured out or knew what 4 was without having to count from 1.

Crazy around here

My apologies for the lack of updates around here. We're in the midst of some major power struggles in the house. Mostly, Victoria is challenging our decisions, and our patience. A happy V is to be found playing Uno (her new favorite game - we play at least a half-dozen times a day), reading stories, or watching toons. That's pretty much all she wants to do. Oh - and school started back up today, which she missed a lot. She hadn't been in 2 weeks. Last week was spring break, and the week prior we were all too sick to do much of anything.

Anything that strays from the above activities pretty much results in total meltdown. So we're slowly working through it. Very slowly.

Last night marked quite a big milestone - she finished her Hooked on Phonics Kindergarten set! She can read all two dozen stories that came with it, and is pretty much trying to read everything she sees - what's on the tv (network ID), road signs, packages, etc. More importantly, she's now able to catch if we skip part of a story, or veer off the wording in a story book (no more shortening stories before bedtime!)

Here's a video of her reading one of the last stories in the H.O.P. program.

Easter Fun...

How are we going to top this next year???

We attended the annual FOP Wild Game dinner Saturday night, at which I won an AWESOME gift for V... what a great last-minute addition to the Easter surprises!!! The E.B. left a trail of eggs and treasures around the outside of the house... ending in a great surprise parked in the driveway. 5 minutes (edited down to a minute and a half for you) of pure joy for us all.

Compare

The tattoo is finally healed up. This is not the best photo of it because I took it myself. Everyone that sees it is amazed at the detail. The best part, I have my girls with me wherever I go.

Ups and downs

I've gotten a few recommendations from Victoria's teacher for books I can read that may help me with the mood swings... One I think was called Handling a Strong-Willed Child... Not that they see any of that in school, as she's the epitome of a good student (or so I'm told). It's other times that seem to come and go that she and I struggle with.

With the good...




Comes the very, very frustrating. This was over chapstick.

Flash Card Speed Round

I'm just astounded at how quickly Victoria is picking up reading. She absolutely loves it!

Look, Mom!

I'm a toaster! This is where the toaster oven usually resides.... I'm beginning to think Victoria is asking for things that get made in the toaster just so I take it out of the cabinet and she can get in!

The other day (and she actually did say "Look, mom! I'm a toaster!")...

Today...

Yard Work, Finally!

Friday Victoria and I were finally able to get some yard work done, as the water had finally mostly disappeared. We fit the sticks in about 1/4 of the front yard into these two trash cans, plus the pile behind V that was all bigger branches. The harsh wind really did a number on our trees this year.

And here's the visual answer to all the people who don't believe we have a squirrel problem... This is how the base of pretty much every one of our big old trees looks.

Day 2 of 3

Probably one more day sometime in the future and the portrait will have some background.

We interrupt this program to bring you the following...

Our Hooked On Phonics endorsement for today. And again, please know we only do this because Victoria loves it - and drags the box around asking to do more!

New Tattoo Day 1 of 2 or 3

Five hours in the books and a lot more to go. The first photo is from a break we took after a few hours. The last two are from the end of the day. So far so good...looking forward to another long day in the chair tomorrow.

Belated St. Patty's day wishes and other random stuff

I actually took a few photos of Victoria on St. Patrick's Day and then completely forgot to post them.

Also - thought her arrangement of blocks was quite interesting. And she was so proud, she had to lay down to be in the photo!

Habitat for all sorts of animals

Our front yard is now being referred to as Lake Victoria 1... it's gone down a little. At one point it threatened to overtake our driveway.


And you can't see too clearly but the wind was pretty rough on our trees this winter. Because the yard is so wet, I haven't been able to clean them up. This is what I call our branch graveyard!
And the back yard houses Lake Victoria 2

One more funny

As we're sitting at a stoplight, with two cars in front of us, the light turns green. Here's what could be heard from V in the back seat:

Go!
Green says go!
The light is green - go, cars!

We finally get moving, and she says, "Mom, this is the stoppiest car EVER!"
"Whose car?" I ask, "Theirs or ours?"
"Ours!"

Today's funnies

Victoria (putting her fingers through the belt loops in the front of her pants): Look, mom! My pants have pockets for my fingers!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We were driving through town and she was asking me what signs said...
V: What's that one?
Me: Godwin's Furniture
V: Gobwins?
Me: No, Godwins.
V: Gobwins!
Me: Godwins
V: Oh, you're right! God does win!
Me: He does?
V: Yeah!
Me: What does God win?
V: The furniture race!

Waiting for Spring