Check 1, check 2, check check. Is this thing on? I'm soooory it's been so long. Several of you have kindly reminded me. I've had good intentions but the truth is that lately, we've been really busy! And with my 9:00 bedtime, there hasn't been a lot of extra time for blogging. But I vow to make it up to you this week, even if it means I have to cut out a nap. (That's not true. I give up naps for no one. But I will try hard to blog this week.)

I couldn't really think of where to begin and what all I'd skipped in the last week or so, so I flipped through my iPhone pics to come up with yet another bullet list. Here's what we've been up to lately:

My parents went out of town for a long weekend so we got to dog-sit this guy.

Henry is a wire-haired dachshund and looks like he's having a bad hair day everyday. My favorite thing to do when he comes for a visit? Cut off his long locks. :)

It usually drives my dad crazy, but the trim transforms Henry from an old man to the little boy that he really is. And, even though I don't have an after shot to prove it, it totally takes 5 lbs. off his frame too.
One afternoon while Henry was still visiting I thought I'd take a quick nap in the chair instead of the bed so the dogs couldn't bother me. My plan didn't work.

With the help of my dad and husband, we cranked out 3 sets of patio furniture. I spent one afternoon in the shop by myself cutting and sanding all of the pieces. I was exhausted by the time I was done!

One Friday night, a couple of our friends stopped by and invited us to join them at the Trolley Tour where they ended up treating us to a delicious dinner at a restaurant that we'd never been to, Rizzo's Diner. I don't have a picture from the evening but it's worth mentioning because it was a really fun night. Also probably the latest I've stayed up in a long time - past midnight!!
The following Saturday morning I got to watch my 3-year old nephew, Parker, play soccer. It was mostly a practice and then a bunch of running around (and some crying too!). There was a parent for every child on the field during the game so it got crowded out there. Parker scored 2 or 3 goals!

We learned how to Skype! I know most of you have probably been doing this for years by now, but we're slow learners when it comes to all things techy. It's good to be able to see Doc's parents while talking to them!

I, along with a few coworkers, volunteered a morning to create a garden at a local school. I know the picture below doesn't look like much, but when we arrived, that area was more of a grassy mound. We pulled all the grass and weeds, measured off the beds, and worked on leveling it off and digging trenches.

We had a good doctor's appointment and hosted some friends and family for a gender revealment party. That deserves a whole post of its own, so that's all I'll say for now.
Doc and I joined a couple of our friends for a picnic down in the park by our neighborhood. We live so close to this great park with a view of the river and don't do this often enough!

This weekend we got to see our 3-year-old niece, Bren, in her first dance recital. She did great! I don't have pictures from the actual event, but here she is trying on her tap dance outfit...

This is just her normal practice clothes for dance and has nothing to do with her recital, but I can't resist posting it. Isn't she the cutest little ballerina?

That's all I've got for now. Be back soon...promise!