{11.30.20 - 12.6.20}

We took the kids down to the Henry Mountains to watch some deer. We, of course, saw a lot of them! We are still trying to perfect using one of my lenses on my camera, so we got a lot of pictures, but only a few that were actually in focus! 

Can you see both the bucks in this picture? 

(right picture) We stopped to see Mo on our way off the mountain. This was my first time seeing where Matthew buried him. I sure miss that dog and I am so glad I finally got to go see him.

Our little trip apparently wore this kid out! // The kids wrapped some birthday presents for me and I love that they wrote me a little note on my gifts. ("To Mom, frum Lyla, Alya, Axel, Eli, Dad. Wee love you. You are the best! You are the best, don't forgit. I hop you hav a grate day.")

I love having the lights on my tree! It's beautiful as is, but I can't wait to get the ornaments on! // Having kids who can help with things like this is amazing! Haha! Now maybe I will be able to get dinner on the table with enough time for them to help clean up before bedtime! 

This crazy, energetic, obnoxious dog looks so sweet when he's sleeping like this! 

I love this freshly bathed babe of mine! (And of course I had to include his big, beautiful brown eyes!)

The girls took over my camera one day. There were many pictures on my camera that were a complete blur of who knows what, but I came across this one and loved it! I love this picture of a picture Alya drew for me. 

Alya drew a picture of the cover of one of the girls' favorite books! I love it so much! 

Thanks Alya, for taking this picture! 

I got the best birthday surprise when Alya and I came home from ballet one night! Matthew put lights up on my house! I am so excited for these! 

{1.22.18 - 1.28.18}

I love my little sioux chef  - even if the only reason he's on the counter helping is because he refuses to not be held these days. How cute is that crooked little smile, though!? 

I think it's safe to say the only new snow clothes the girls will need for next year (and possibly a couple years down the road) are boots! Alya didn't even have to be asked to pull up her hood so I could see her face! (I love when they don't fight pictures!) 

He's found my phone and he loves it. He knows how to get himself into the games and he's getting so good at playing them without my help, too. There is one puzzle where he is given a few different sea animals and then he's supposed to drag them into their silhouette and I probably shouldn't be surprised at how quickly he has picked it up! He's so good at it!

January 27, 2017

About a week and a half ago, Mo stopped eating his dog food, so we knew things were moving downhill for him. We still managed to get him to eat some soft meats so we started cooking old meat we had in our freezer for him and giving him the leftovers off our plates, but even that only worked for a few days for him. He was going downhill much faster than Matthew or I imagined he would. It seemed like overnight he was just skin and bone and he was quickly loosing energy. It even got to the point where he wouldn't follow Matthew out of a room anymore until he was either absolutely sure he was done in that room, or until he got too uncomfortable in the spot that he was laying. He started getting really weak and almost couldn't stand without wobbling and he had a really hard time walking on our new flooring without his paws slipping around underneath him. We could tell that he was having a hard time breathing and eventually swallowing and he just could not get comfortable, but we really struggled with when would be the right time for him. On January 27 when I woke up I knew that he knew. At one point during the day he just laid his head in my lap for about 20 minutes and we shared a pretty special moment that I hope I remember for the rest of my life. I knew he was saying goodbye to me. Later, when I was getting the kids ready for bed and changing Axel's diaper, Mo came over and was able to say his goodbyes to Axel. After the kids were in bed Matthew was able to take Mo to one of their favorite hiking spots and that is where he is laid to rest. 

We love you Mo and miss you terribly! Thank you for being such a good dog and for being a part of our family!