Has is really been 6 months?...

Today is Ruger's 6th month birthday! He is such a blessing to our family and especially healing to my heart... An 80 pound, big boy...
I know, adorable, huh?

Wanna cookie?...

Be still my heart...

And "speak"... :)

Every Thursday night is Puppy Pre-School...I must say, it is the highlight of my week! Below is Ruger with his instructors, Kathy and AJ. Kathy loves and owns Rotties too! Last week she asked me if I have considered using Ruger as a Therapy dog! I told her that I would absolutely love that! [side note...I just noticed that I used exclamation marks after every sentence...I must be excited :)] It won't happen until Ruger is at least one so, I have some time to do my research... :)

After class, Ruger and I walked around the circle and passed out homemade dog treats ("Ruger's Pumpkin Wafers") in honor of his 6th month birthday! Such a fun night...

More Golf...

Last Sunday afternoon, Dalton participated in a local golf tournament. This tournament is more low key than the JAGS Tour, however, still gives him a lot of experience...it's mainly low key because all the kids are local and know each other. Here from left to right is Miranda, Jonathan, Dalton, and his coach Marshall... Another birdie...this was on the very first hole! Off to a good start...
I think this is a great shot, if I do say so myself! :)

Okay, so who's the dummy who forgot to turn off the timer for the sprinklers? They apparently did not get the memo...Tournament, Sunday!

Dalton's trying not to smile here...nice try! :)

Great par 3!

It was a lovely afternoon, however, Dalton is still not happy with his tournament play score. Practice, practice, practice!

Long Beach...

Last weekend we traveled to Long Beach for the start of the Junior Amateur Golf Scholars (JAGS) Tour 2010-11 season. Here is Dalton graciously posing for me...yep, I've trained them well! :) Let the tournament begin...tee-off time!

Mom, this is for you....turtles, everywhere!!!

My handsome golfer boy...

This hole was so exciting...Dalton got a birdie and I cheered very loudly (almost too loud for what is acceptable in golf...ugh!) Being a spectator for golf is ALOT different than being a spectator for hockey...polar opposites! I'm trying to adjust...

Meet Cindy...she and her husband John are the founders of this Tour and do an EXCELLENT job...top notch organization and a great source of encouragement to the kids...

This was the actual putt for birdie...that's one under par for those non-golfers. :)

The squirrels were very tame and easily persuaded with ice...

The first day Dalton played in a four-some, only three are captured here...all the kids have to walk since that is the rules for college play...

Love this...isn't that the cutest driver cover ever!?! And notice his tag? Every player was given a tag with their name and graduation year...

And here is John, Cindy's husband...they have two boys, both college graduates and one who plays golf professionally. This is their 11th year running this Tour...

Some tired boys...it was hot.hot.hot!

18th hole on the first day...Dalton is not a fan of this picture because apparently his arms are too high for it to be a good swing...

A gentleman's game...the end of day one!

Scoring cards...

2nd Day, 18th hole...

Love this picture...

I think he made par on this last hole. He ended the tournament with a bang!

Dalton has met so many nice boys...

Derek kept notes for Dalton during the entire tournament...

Final scoring...

Two tired but proud parents...

We are so excited for Dalton this year, as playing with this Tour will give him a lot of tournament play experience and prepare him for college golf next year. He is working on the mental aspect of his golf game and we hope to see much improvement in the months ahead...

An Overdue Update...

I can't believe it has been so long since I updated the 'ol blog! I guess I have just been enjoying these last couple of weeks of summer break. :)

Derek's plate is very full but he seems to be handling it well and enjoying all things...from refacing cabinets, building entertainment centers, epoxying garage floors, going on estimates, discipling 3 young men from church, teaching every Sunday morning in High School/College Sunday School, going to golf tournaments and dog shows, being a husband and father....and, oh yeah, his full-time Deputy job!

Dillon has been in school now for two weeks and is in full swing of the Fall semester, balancing work, school work and time with Brooke. He is excited that this is his final year at COC and guess what? He submitted his application to Colorado State last week! :) It's hard to imagine that this time next year he will be in Colorado...it's exciting but it really hasn't hit me yet!

Dalton is a golfing fool! :) He loves golf and the opportunities he's been given to improve. He is working very hard in improving his game and getting ready to hopefully play college golf! Dalton can't wait to start his Senior year in 3 days! WOW...where has all the time gone? I can vividly remember his first day of Kindergarten...sniff sniff. His school load is light, as is typical of a Senior, and will be able to play more golf....he's quite excited about that.

Me? Well, I have enjoyed this summer break tremendously! It has been such a fun summer, I hate to see it end! :( I have been busy with Ruger, being a homemaker, wife and mother, lesson planning for Dalton and getting ready for my credential classes that begin on September 13th. Oh, and I need to make 5 batches of Boysenberry jam before the 13th! The people at Derek's work are begging for it! :)

Below are two posts with pictures...be sure to scroll all the way down! :) That's a wrap from Big Dawg Ranch...

Santa Barbara...

Last weekend Derek and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Santa Barbara for a couple of days...hip hip hooray! With Ruger in tow, we attended our very first dog show and the weekend was officially "Ruger's Socialization Weekend". :) We met up with our breeder Jeannie (who handled 4 different dogs all four days of the show!), her daughter Kirsten (who is 17 and also a handler; she showed a female rottie all four days), and Ruger's dad's parents Rick and Sharon. We also met a lot of new people in the 'rottweiler world' and Ruger got acquainted with dogs he didn't know. Below is Ruger with his sister Luci. Luci is co-owned by Jeannie, Rick and Sharon. She is very sweet and the two of them rumbled and tumbled for two days! :) Love this butt shot...that's Jeannie holding a squeaky toy, that Ruger went nuts over...
The big boy "stacked" as they say in the dog showing world...really, is there a "Dog Show for Dummies" book available? If so, I need it!

On day two, during a break, we introduced the Pacific Ocean to Ruger and Luci... These pups LOVE Kirsten and she was great with easing their initial fears...

Kirsten took Ruger into the ocean and...

he LOVED it! He just stood there and let the waves come in and out...I would have loved to know what he was thinking. I know he had to be wondering what that sensation was under his paws as the water retreated!

This beach was great because dogs had to be leashed on one side but could be unleashed on the other. The pups loved being able to run around and play "ocean tag"... :) Both pups are sitting pretty lazybut they were exhausted!

Love this...

And this...Kirsten with Luci and Ruger...

We had such a great time and both Derek and I were not ready to go home! I think that is an indication that we need to get away more often. :)

Favorites...

favorite n. a favored person or thing.

It's been fun to see Ruger grow and develop into his own little (big) self! :) Some of his all time favorites things: taking a bath, eating ice, playing "rolla rolla rolla"(an invented game by Derek where the two of them roll on the carpet from one end of the bedroom to another...very funny!) Documented below are pictures of Ruger just "hanging out" in our bathtub... Whenever he has the opportunity he just jumps in and either plays with his toys or just lays down...hilarious! He will also stare at his shampoo, then at you and back at his shampoo while he is in there...no joke - he is definitely trying to tell us something!
If water is running in either tub or shower, Ruger comes running...this boy LOVES water and baths!

I've actually referred to the tub as Ruger's play pen...it's been great in keeping him occupied when I'm having to get ready to go somewhere...ha! :)

Utah 2010...

Please pray for Dillon and the entire Utah Team this week, as they are in Utah witnessing to the Mormons! For boldness/confidence, gentleness/kindness, patience with one another, safety and wisdom, specifically for Dillon as he and Jon (the guy next to him) are leading the team. from left to right: Melissa, Elisabeth, Josh, Abby, Josh, Brooke, Dillon and Jon

Can't wait to hear about how the Lord has used and grown each team member! :)

Doctor's Visit...

Last week we took Ruger to visit the Vet for the first time. He was loved by all!! Ruger is quite the social puppy... when he saw anyone new he ran right to them wiggling his behind to and fro...so cute!! I loved how the doctor and her assistant just sat on the floor with him and played with him for a couple of minutes before his exam... What a good boy...
The main reason for the visit was to check Ruger's left ear...he had been scratching it and obviously something was not right. My instinct was right...an ear infection! :( Poor guy! He more than likely got it from swimming...swimmers ear!

Thankfully, we got an ear wash with a drying agent that we can give him after each swim so this doesn't happen again. With the wash and local medicine...now he is a very happy puppy with no ear ache or scratching! yay! :)
And by the way...he is one pound shy of the big 5-0! He is growing, oh so fast! :/