No Points for Consistency

Well, so much for my saying I was going to get back into the habit of blogging here for everyone. :) I guess I have improved somewhat...November to June vs. June to August...that's a little shorter time frame, eh? Of course, there are probably very few individuals who actually keep up with this fun little blog now-a-days because I am so utterly aweful at keeping it updated much like Nicholas' totsite...which come to think of it, I probably need to renew or it will go poof very soon. Add that to the to do list!

So what on Earth is keeping us so busy that we can't even find time to tell you?
Well, for me, the short list would be Nicholas, my Dove Chocolate business and Mark's practice in approximately that order. There are lots of fun play dates on my schedule for Nicholas as we try to get him socialized and learning at the right pace. Chocolate tasting parties are falling from the sky and, naturally, are about to multiply due to the impending holiday season. Let's hope it is very merry for us as it would be so nice to have some addiitonal cash flow. I do have some new team members joining me soon as well so that will, of course, provide another focus...I want to be sure those who start their business with me receive the training they need to hit the ground running and rock the chooclate world! As for the practice, I have decreased my involvement dramatically, but the bookkeeping and some other sundry tasks are still on my desk for now. I'm looking to pretty much wrap my involvement there since I've done what I needed to do and, in time, can step away.

For Mark, the practice and Nicholas (not necessarily in that order) seem to keep him hopping. He's been working very hard lately at devising ways to bring more patients to the clinic as well as working on some staffing solutions. Now it is just a matter of getting everyone up to speed and on the same page so that they can regrow the clinic by leaps and bounds. Whenever he's not working, Mark is very helpful at keeping Nicholas occupied so I can tackle some of the things on my plate.

As for that cute little red headed Nicholas boy (aka Mommy's little gingerbread man), he busies himself daily with just being cute and playing. His favorite activities of late have been hanging outside on the deck or down in the yard, venturing over to the park and going next door to play with various little children that come to visit. He is very tall and did I mention that he is just cute as can be? He certainly gets a lot of kisses and hugs from us....thankfully, he likes to give them as well and they've become much less sloppy, but I kind of liked the sloppy kisses, I do have to admit. They're fine as long as they involve my little guy and not a dog.

Speaking of the dog, Charlotte is doing okay. She and Mark are having a few disagreements lately over how she should behave and work, but that is to be expected from an animal that pretty much acts like a teenager and tests her limits every chance she gets. She and I tolerate each other. I have a difficult time having an animal that isn't a bird or a fish inside again (the kitties staying inside was pretty much pushed aside the first time I saw a cat hair in baby Nicholas' mouth).

Speaking of kitties, it looks like we are without. Pixie disappeared a ocuple of months ago. I was really hoping she would resurface, but so far not so. I do hope she is okay and just being loved on by someone else. It makes me very sad as she was such a sweet kitty and I was looking forward to having her back around whenever we are done with the renting stage, but I guess we'll either a) have to get another cat (I vote black or Siaamese!) or b) do without. I think if given the choice, I'd go for a parakeet. I miss the singing from Woodstock...not sure I'd go for a larger bird again. They seem a little dangerous now that I have a little boy running around and truth be told, I just am not in need of noise. I need quiet and parrots are certainly not in that category!

As far as specific events, we did celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary on July 31. That was fun...we began listening to a lecture on fingernail and tongue analysis and ended up at Emergicare where Nicholas experienced his first set of stiches. It took 4 of us to hold the little guy down. The reason for our trip? He ran into a glass table at the lecture venue and cut a spot below his eyebrow open. He is really a rough and tumble little kid. It took a little getting used to seeing all the scars and stuff on him. I guess he couldn't stay perfectly unblemished forever....but I certainly loved it when he didn't have any reminders of all the owies he's experienced.

Well, that is a brief update of where we are. Perhaps as I am working on streamlining my activities, I will continue to improve on my blogging here. Sadly, I think it will be more of the same if I do as I am not nearly as diligent at writing about the cute little thing Nicholas did from day to day. I just try to enjoy them and live life...it's not as good for blogging, but it certainly helps me stay in the present and that is probably worth it all! Blessing to you - have a sweet day!