Do not pass go, Do not collect $200

So much has been happening in the past couple of months it's hard to keep up with!

We were lucky enough to have Jon's mom come visit, which is always fantastic. It's a shame that everyone can't just live close by but we are blessed to get to see family as frequently as we do.

There was also a brand new baby welcomed into my oldest sisters family a couple weeks ago.

My sister from Texas and her little girl even made it out to Utah for a week this month, which was a special treat! While here, she also announced they are expecting a baby.

In even more baby news, Jon will be getting a new half sibling.

So, in conclusion, everyone in the world is pregnant but me. Everyone. In. The. World. I'm trying not to let it get me down, I think I'm doing a fairly decent job at it. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly happy for everyone, but at the same time, where's a dark hole to wallow in when you need it? But, alas, life goes on. (Great, now that mellencamp song will be in my head all day)

There's not a whole lot to report in the Lanman house these days. Jon is taking a huge load this semester but there's almost maybe kinda sorta a light at the end of the tunnel as we hope for an April 2013 graduation. I'm so proud of my husband. He's such a hard worker.

So, every now and then I think of things I thought were a really big deal way back when, and laugh at them. Something happened last week that maybe someday I will laugh at, but I'm totally not there yet:
We a supposed to leave for India in... Well, like... 50 hours or something like that. Three weeks ago, we had our passports expedited, which for the record isn't cheap, and they arrived in time. But, when we mailed all the junk out to get our Visas, my passport wasn't in the package when it arrived. So, we then had to pay for a 24 hour replacement... Except, that happened on Friday so it couldn't be processed until yesterday. Now I am anxiously awaiting my passport once again, which is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Tomorrow night we fly to San Francisco and bright and early we goo to the consulate to hopefully get our visas. There is NO room for error, because the flight to India leaves I kid you not, 3 hours after the pickup window for same day visas opens. Needless to say, I have not slept in two days and am totally freaking out. If anything goes wrong at this point, we aren't going anywhere. Not India, not anywhere.mshoot, we won't even pass go. (see that game reference there? I'm hilarious)
Perhaps some day a bajillion years from now Jon and I will sit and reminisce about "that one time he lost my passport less than a week before our trip" but somehow, I doubt it. The moral of the story, is never, under any circumstances, allow your husband to handle your passport. Ever. (Disclaimer: I have a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. Im not actually slamming my husband. Well, maybe a little.)

In other news, our house still isn't up for sale. Why you ask? Because for once we decided to actually stay put and wait until the ideal time. I probably already mentioned this but we won't be attempting to move until Jon graduates, and then hopefully finds work, so we know where to look. I absolutely positively hate living here, but we know it is the right choice because the next place we move we plan on making permanent. No more moving. We will start our family, and that will be that. And there will be a cow.i think I will name her Penelope. And you know what I won't have? Neighbors! How delightful.

Jon is snoring, and it's going on 6:30am which means I should probably get some shut eye.

Life and lifestyle

So many changes are in the works for us in the next year. It's crazy how much we have already done in just three short years of marriage. Wait, hold up... what was that? Yeah, it's been just about THREE YEARS. Crazy.
Jon will finally have his bachelors degree in Forensic Science April 2013, so we have something to look forward to. Technically he got his Associates in Criminal Justice this month, but with as competitive as the job market is associates might as well be kindergarten graduation certificates so no changes in career quite yet. I am so so so so so so so glad he has found a major that he is truly interested in, because changing fifty billion times a year really drug out the whole process. He got all A's and one B this last semester, he's just awesome like that. I hope he's as proud of himself as I am.
Summer has really flown right by. We made it through our first litter of Danes. We made it through some intense changes at Ruff House. We made it through yet another summer of Summer School. We also had a lot of fun. :-)

We are selling our house in the coming months. We have some yard work that needs to get done (Amazing what danes will do to a teeny tiny yard....) and then it's just a matter of pricing it and getting it out there. I'm nervous to list too early since technically we don't want to move until Jon graduates AND finds work, so we know where the heck we are moving to. We keep finding houses we really like and then have to step back and remember we are trying to leave options open for his job hunt. We are considering: Utah Valley, Spokane, St. George, Denver, and anything in between.

One thing we know for sure is that our next move, which will hopefully be next Spring/ Summer... is more than just a move, it will be a lifestyle change. Think: Acreage. Livestock. Chickens. Fresh Air. No neighbors. We are dead set on getting out of city limits and putting down roots where we want to raise our kids and sustain a simple lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle. It will be a HUGE change from Orem life, but a welcome one. This is a lifestyle we have striven to make possible, and one that we are determined to make our reality.

We are excited for the next chapter, and welcome the changes that are in store for us. We are determined to create the reality we wish for ourselves, no matter what anyone else thinks of it.

Oh, and the first order of business when we buy property: buy a cow.

Brothers of the Sun

Woot, two posts in the same month! Maybe I am catching back on to this whole blogging thing. I know, I know, I've been pretty terrible at it for the past couple months.
I've been really busy doing the same old same old and lose track of time. Generally we don't do much worth reporting anyway, so....

BUT.

This weekend, we DID do something worth reporting.

First off, I would like to just say that Jon is pretty much the best husband in the whole wide world, which is a good thing because this whole marriage thing we have going on.... well, it's kinda for eternity. Anyway, in case you didn't know, Jon is amazing.
And, perhaps just to how how wonderfully fantastic he is, he actually got me tickets to the Brothers of the Sun tour. Squeeeeeeeee! Nifty VIP/ Sandpit tickets, too. A. Ma. Zing.
But, for some reason unbeknownst to me, being in a big, loud crowd of drunk sweaty bodies listening to music he doesn't even really know just isn't his "thing." Go figure. He's nuts, right? So, I brought someone else with me. Now, lets remember my social life is dead and long since buried, and I pretty much have zero local friends because I'm just THAT cool. So, who did I take to the best concert in the history of all time? My Mom, duh. Because not only do I have the best husband in the world, but my mom is pretty cool, too.

From 3:30pm-11:30pm we stood at the stage, and pretty much rocked out. AND, it was her birthday, so that pretty much makes me the best daughter ever, too. We had a lot of fun, it's already been decided that it's totally NOT a one time thing. 

I wish I had brought the good camera, but oh well. That hand, with the nifty VIP bands, yeah, that's mom. Did I mention how awesome our tickets were?!

Sooo, you know that awkward moment when you realize you and your mom are totally drooling over the same man... followed by that moment you realize that man is WAY closer to your mom's age than yours? That happened several times at this concert, but you know what, when the men in question are Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney... NO SHAME. 

Oh, did I mention me and Kenny Chesney had a moment? because we did. -sigh- Unfortunately Mom missed it playing nurse to some drunk chick about to pass out, but seriously... never washing my hand again. 

So, there you have it. Best. Weekend. Ever. 

Baby Danes, Baby Danes, Baby Danes

So, Summer has been flying by. I can't believe that it's already almost July, and the month is halfway over.

We've been keeping pretty busy at our house. I suppose a litter of nine Great Dane puppies will do that. Zailey has been a fantastic first time mama. I can't believe how in tune she is with their needs and how patient she is with their dependence on her for everything. Truly amazing.

I'm trying really hard to not get too attached to them, as if that were ever even possible. They have such great personalities, and raising them has been nothing short of remarkable. It's a lot of work, a lot of poop, and requires a lot of patience. There has been many sleepless nights, countless times when I'd really rather be in asleep but find myself bathing or feeding puppies instead. I'm excited for the homes we have found, and anticipating watching them all grow up. I won't make a living breeding, it's impossible to do so without cutting corners or compromising ethics which is simply out of the question, and it certainly limits our schedule because we are tied down for a solid 8+ weeks, but I definitely see this as something that will be a part of our lives.... dare I say forever?

Next week they will be 8 weeks and most will be on their way to their new homes. How bittersweet it will be. I am going to savor every last minute with them that I can. The house will be so quiet without the thud thud of puppy paws.

Lake Mead

Ahh, boating season already. But this isn't just ANY boating season, it's our first boating season with a boat of our own. I'm not sure just how much we will be able to get out on the water this summer, because there's a lot going on, including a litter of Dane puppies on the way but we're really excited to at least have gotten our first trip in.

We went to Lake Mead tagging along on a trip Grandpa Albert had planned. It was just a long weekend trip but we had so much fun. Jon drove the entire way there, which anyone that knows Jon (and his tendency to fall asleep at the drop of a hat...) knows why that's so impressive. Plus, it means I didn't have to pull the boat, which is good because I'm afraid I'd screw up and we'd all die.
We also brought Braxton along because, well.... why not.

For being first timers, I think the trip went exceptionally well. Jon caught on to towing the boat like a total natural, and launching, docking, and loading the boat went really well every single time. 

Braxton was a pretty darn good boating dog. The water level was actually up this year instead of down, so the shoreline was a funky quicksand like consistency, which kind of weirded him out and prevented him from going out and swimming, but seriously, this dog is amazing. He took everything in stride, and is a great boating dog, other than being a total bed hog.... but that's a Dane thing. It's a shame I hate training beyond basic manners because he has so much potential. I keep thinking how "easy" it would be to get him certified for therapy work, and then I remember how much I hate training. And people. Then I push the idea out of my mind. -shrug-

Probably the best part of the trip is that since Lake Mead is right next to Vegas, Jon's mom AND his dad were able to come out and spend the day a couple times. Between the dogs, Ruff House, Wal Mart, and Jon's hectic school schedule we don't have many opportunities to go visit, but I'm glad we were able to roll family time and boating time in one, because those are two of my favorite things. I wish we could visit more. I wish they could visit more. HEY, Trish, Chuck, come visit more! For real. 

All in all, we had a great trip. Boating is my single most favorite thing ever to do, I'm so glad Jon enjoys it too. Boat ownership is treating us well. It's a LOT more work to actually be the one prepping a boat, and not just grabbing a toothbrush (which Mitch claims is optional, I however disagree) and bathing suit and going... but it's worth it. 

I'm glad I get to share that part of my life with Jon, too. I'm not sure what I'd do if he didn't like boating. Some of my absolute very best memories of my whole life are on the water. I hope in 20 years, our kids (we will have them, someday) can say the same thing. 

Summertime

Summertime is finally here. I can't believe it, 2012 is flying by so fast.

Jon and I kicked off the Summer RIGHT with a boating trip to Lake Mead with Grandma and Grandpa. We had a lot of fun. It was our first trip out with our boat, and Braxton tagged along. It was really nice to get away, because my tailbone surgery got 2012 off to a really rocky start and it felt like a turning point for a more positive time to come, if that makes any sense. It was a quick weekend trip, but still loads of fun. It was really great to get to spend some time with Jon's side of the family, whom we don't get to see nearly as much as we'd like. We really want to go back in August, but we'll see if it happens. Fingers crossed!

Gosh, he's handsome, isn't he?

In other Dane news, we have a litter of 9 beautiful, healthy Great Dane puppies here. Zailey has her first litter on May 23rd, sired by Mousse of course. We are so thrilled with them, and will definitely be pairing these two together again in the future. The puppies are a lot of work, a full time job, really... but I am enjoying it a ton. They are going to be 4 weeks old tomorrow.

SO. Many. Puppies. lol.

Life is pretty much business as usual other than that. I haven't been at Ruff House nearly as much since the puppies arrived, but everything is going really great. 

I've been really awful at updating the blog as often as I used to. I'd like to promise I will do better... but... well, no promises. 

May Already!?

Can you believe it's May already?? So much has been going on in our lives, and it seems like time is just flying by. First order of business, we are selling our house. We are one of the few lucky people with equity right now, especially because we JUST bought last year. We have really loved living here, but we want more of a yard than we have so that we can give the pack adequate space, and still have a place for our future kids to run and play in the back yard. So, the idea is to buy for LESS than we sell for, and be able to put money away. Second, we are expecting Zailey's first litter of Great Dane puppies at the end of this month around the 25th of May. She is doing really great and will have an x-ray for a guesstimate on how many pups to expect about a week and a half before her estimated due date. We have the whelping box all set up for her, and she seems to like it so hopefully all goes well, I'm sure it will. She's kinda tired now, and has lost her waistline and looks chunky, but is in really good condition. I think she will be a great mama Dane.

Exciting news: Jon is officially just ONE YEAR away from graduating college. I mean, until he starts the Master's program, that is. But, next April he will officially be done at UVU and on the hunt to leave his job at Wal Mart for bigger and better things. We are so excited for that chapter to come to an end. Juggling so many different schedules is kind of a pain, from School, to Ruff House, to Wal Mart... it's a lot of different things to balance around and it will be nice to officially cut something out. I will really enjoy him being home and generally around more. Next week we will be taking a trip to Lake Mead with Grandma & Grandpa. We are SO excited, this will be the first time having a boat our own on a trip. Eek. I am really really disappointed that we will be missing the big family trip, because we will have one month old puppies here, but on the flip side, I know it will still be a lot of fun so we are looking forward to it anyway. Braxton will be joining us since Zailey will be 7 weeks pregnant at the time we go. I really want to make it to Powell before the end of the Summer. but we'll see if that ends up being doable, with hopefully moving and all. We are still not pregnant, and haven't moved any closer with adopting only because any time you move, there are certain parts that have to be started all over, so while we are in the process of selling and buying, we are just putting that process on a brief hold so as not to have to start all over again when we move. So, if you follow our other blog and are wondering why we haven't had any updates to it in a while- that's why. Oh, we also are getting callings at church. Considering we've lived here for over a year, I'd say it's overdue. We will be teaching a primary class. I'm actually looking forward to it. Hmm, I think that's just about it. I will try to update more regularly from now on, especially with all this super fun stuff going on this Summer. :-)