Ruby Coconut

The boys and I used to see pictures of cute white fluffy Maltese dogs and always dreamt of having one. The ones that look so darn cute they look fake. As I look at our new baby, I can't believe we have one so precious of our own. Her eyes are the admired brown I love to see in eyes. She has hair, not fur that is as pure and soft as her sweet soul. Ruby's ears are slightly off white, like toasted coconut. This is how she got her middle name... my Ruby Coconut:

She's always so happy, full of life and wonder. She reminds me of a toddler and recently I have had quite the adventure down her curiosity lane. She gets naughty in corners. She was outside playing in a dark one for an extended length and I wanted to see what she was up to and who or what she might be playing with. She was caught teasing a scorpion until I got a hold of it. Then, she was the hunted one on a hot summer day. I had that feeling, the one you get like your being watched and I looked up and sure enough my Ruby Coconut who was frolicking around in the backyard had captured the attention of a circling hawk. As if hawks and scorpions weren't enough lessons for the both of us she tried swimming. I had just gotten in the pool and closed my eyes as I was floating about and heard a tiny something. Thank my dear Lord I turned around to see what that was and I found my little cotton ball trying to keep her head above water until I came to her rescue. She had no second thoughts about jumping. She just saw me get in and knew what she was after. I love her courage. She was maybe 4 pounds wet sitting at the side of the pool, plotting her next conquer. 

Since, my little Maltie Baby has mastered swimming quite the distance for her little legs, with a new respect for large bodies of water. She loves the water. It makes her crazy happy to have a touch of it on her fur and she acts as if it's liquid lighting on her, flying around when she wears it. 

Ruby Coconut is my little side kick... she loves the boys but she follows me around absolutely everywhere I go and gets excited for a good car ride. She has a spot near my shoulder where she likes to rest her head. She's an ear and face licker who isn't shy about her affection at all. She doesn't settle well yet unless she's in her house, she likes to be busy. She loves cooking with me... my little vegan pooch. I haven't found much she doesn't like, she's certainly a foodie. She loves fruit, veggies, herbs (even ginger) and of course coconut anything. I've never had to ask a vet for a list of foods a dog needs to stay away from until I had her, because she will try it all. She listens well... hates baths and brushings but endures them. 

She likes naps with her Maltie Mama who will of course get her own post when its time.  Its the sweetest sight when I spot them snoozing together. Scarlet cleans Ruby's face and eyes every day for her like another good mom of hers. 

Coconut snuggles the sick. I found this out when the boys were resting their back to school bugs away. I believe she was created for our family. She's a perfect fit for us and adds so much love and personality to our home. Just another large ounce of love that makes our house a home. I'm blessed to have all 3 pooches and this 3 pounds of risky pooch... my Ruby Coconut! 

Particularly Back to School... With a Shatter

The summer break came and went like a quick swim. No summer fun box... the boys grew out of that. We grew a little closer into our new community and home instead. It was our last summer with our best friends and we were fortunate enough to live around the corner from them, visiting at our leisure, joined in a summer soccer league and played at the country club with them on quiet weekend days. I brought some thrilling afternoon Mavis Beacon lessons back. Benny turned 11. We enjoyed our blessed summer pace, as always.

Then it was time. Time to head back to school. My Sergeant doesn't have to wear uniforms anymore! This brought on a shopping trip... the trip where I found out just how particular my mini he-me is. He's always had a pricey taste... and I can't deny his big brown deserving eyes that bat my way, so instead I drizzled him in his particularly expensive taste. Benny isn't there yet, I don't know if he ever will be with his simplicity. His shopping trip took 1/8 of what the Sergeant's did. Navy shirts and some fun socks were his simple requests. Done and done... with love until it came to school supplies and then I was about done shopping with Mr. Particular myself. The school supplies were dwindled and the aisles were too crowded for a cart during an off-hour at the store as my Sergeant pleaded why a certain accordion folder was needed. That was when I realized it was time to come home. 

When we came home the boys washed and folded their clothes, labeled and organized for their new school year. The first day was fabulous. I greeted that day with a sweet morning wake-up kiss and the smell of cooked breakfast. 
The Sergeant was about 5 minutes late his first day of Jr. High. The flow of traffic to the newly built school was in a disarray (it has since gotten better). So I told him that he clearly wasn't going to be the only one, and the perk is that always in the movies and shows the kid who shows up late the first day of school is always the hot commodity. This didn't really phase him, I think the first day nerves were over powering any comprehension. I surprisingly did better than I thought watching him walk up to the doors of High School Days. He was confident, prepared, happy and excited. His independence only made me smile and reflect some good mothering skills. 

Benny is now at the top of his Elementary School times... tackling the 6th grade with his familiar friends and amazing teachers. He trotted away wearing his favorite socks from Tilly's happy to reunite with friends at recess and sit right next to one of them in his new class. 

This mom couldn't wait to get home, deep clean from the wrath of summer and plan some much needed and near futured girl days. This year has distinctly been an adjustment for me. I took off some time from work to really get used to the first few weeks. I now have the boys in two different schools and we aren't around the convenient corner anymore. I know I just have to power through this last year to have my babes at the same school again. Between shuffling kids to school, sports and making sure their nutrition and sleep don't suffer, it's quite the juggling talent to nail. We had one morning straight from the pit of hell. 

Over the years, we as a family have identified a few tasks that need to be done the day before or it sets us behind and could potentially make us late for school. Those are lunch boxes and water bottles. They are challenging to find if we have even remembered them on top of filling them. Sometimes the boys slack and at other times it is just hard for them to remember with everything they have going on. Getting back into the swing of things, they had forgotten one morning. The Sergeant rushed out of the door for his bus and forgot his 1st hour project supplies that were due. Knowing that I needed to get this to him in the next 10 minutes by driving up to his school I realized Benny's lunch box and water bottle were M-I-A. It was found as I was tossing together a breakfast and trying to get out the door. I plopped some lunch in it and tossed it over the counter to him. At the same time my cherished crystal ring and bracelet holder caught the lunch bag and it went flying across the room, shattering all over the floor just missing Benny. As I stood there still in my bed time clothes and hadn't gotten a chance to even look in the mirror yet and instead, I sadly watched my ring holder lay in pieces, just as our morning had turned to shattered pieces. Then the dogs flew in and I had to hurry them away, clean up the mess and run my mess out of the door to the Sergeant. I collected that morning, pieced it back together and we all learned and snapped back into our swing of things following an after school family meeting I held. 

Since... we have had settled, smooth sailing starts without things flying across the room in the morning. I am on the hunt for a new holder... now that we have narrowed down our back to school routine and it is cleared safe. Let the school year begin!!