Quick Disclaimer:
The posts which follow were NOT written by me, Ransom.
I lifted them from my Spokesperson's blog, "Dumplings, Three".

Say, "Cheese!"

Well, today, Darcy posted an installment on yet another of her favorite pups! Today's feature is all about Violet. Click on the little collage, below, to be taken to Darcy's post!

Lots going on this week...

Wow! We have been so busy lately! Darcy is playing on a soccer team for the first time this year...and absolutely LOVING every moment of it. Considering that she is a lot smaller than almost everyone else on the team and that she is just learning how to play the game for the first time, it is pretty amazing that she isn't one bit intimidated about jumping into the fray and kicking it out! That child doesn't have a timid bone in her body!

She had her very first game yesterday and her second one today. I had to miss yesterday's game because I was working, but, I got to watch her in action this afternoon! Her coach says she is the best one on the team for playing defense, but, she played the forward position part of the game, too. It was a nerve-rackingly CLOSE game today. Darcy's team (The Prowlers) lost by just one goal. This photo was taken about a week ago...Violet was playing a scrimmage game of soccer with Darcy!



Last Tuesday, the kids and I took a day-trip down to Aurora, MO to visit our dear friend Laura (Lisa's sister)and her son, Tommy. We took little Violet (Lisa's puppy that we have been puppy-sitting) with us. Laura's husband has wanted to get a German Shepherd puppy their whole married life, but Laura hasn't ever wanted one. I think our visit was a pivotal point...by that evening, Laura couldn't wait to get a German Shepherd pup for their family! Violet is a good ambassador for the breed!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANT!!!

Today was Grant's 45th birthday! Earlier in the day, the girls and I had gone up to Grant's workplace to have lunch with him at the BEST Mongolian grill around! Then, this evening, his parents had us over to their house for supper, along with my sister-in-law Lynne and my niece Bri and nephew Glenn. The kids and I got Grant a new capo for his birthday, so, he had to pick some on the guitar when we got home tonight. Darcy was soon picking along with him on her mandolin!





Darcy is playing on a soccer team for the first time this year. Violet was happy to help out by playing a scrimmage game with her this afternoon!

Violet is back for another visit!

We get to keep Violet for the next two and a half weeks while our friend, Lisa, is in Mexico. Violet is 6 months old now. The vet says she is going to be a BIG German Shepherd. She certainly loves hanging out in the country with her "cousins" (our dogs, Rivendell, Shanachie, and Gloria)! Rivendell crossed paths with a skunk a couple of weeks ago and is just now beginning to air out...hopefully Violet will not meet up with the skunk while she is here!

Lisa has told Darcy that she will pay her $20 if Darcy can train Violet to COME on command by the time Lisa gets back from visiting Iran in Mexico. Darcy thinks that will be an easy twenty bucks to earn! (Lisa warned her, though, that Violet has to obey LISA on the command, too...not just Darcy!) Lisa took her pup to the vets just before bringing her over here and I guess her pup rumbled at the vet! She is definitely growing into her German Shepherdness. Glad she knows we are FRIENDS and not foes! (We've been promised one of her pups when Lisa breeds her (much to Grant's dismay)...Darcy and I will have to do a lot of fast talking to get any other puppies squeezed into this family!)