So we got a dog...

I'd like to start this post with "After months of planning, careful research, and deliberations, we adopted a dog." But, that would be an outright lie.

Somewhere out of nowhere, I stumbled on a local pet adoption website in our area, and began following them on Facebook. No alterior motive, I promise. But, with a few weeks a certain black and tan cocker spaniel caught my eye. I had to broach the subject with Martin very carefully, as I knew he was less than enthused about the idea of bringing a smelly, hairy creature into our home.

But after a few visits to local pet adoption Saturdays (to warm Martin and Peyton up to the idea), I invited Queenie, the darling cocker, over to our house for a meet-and-greet.

Peyton has been notoriously terrified of dogs since she was little. She demands that we pick her up every time we go to my mom's house so Gracie doesn't jump on her. And she usually cries whenever a bigger dog comes near or barks. So convincing her was actually going to be the bigger challenge. But, when she met Queenie - a relatively calm, small dog six years of age, I knew she had found her best friend.

The first meeting was a success, and we set up an overnight "trial run." As my mother put it "trial run my foot." And she was right. We knew instantly that Queenie was the newest member of our family, and she moved in immediately.

Peyton is loving having the dog around - and Queenie has definitely become a huge fan - and protector - of Peyton. Peyton has even taken to drawing pictures of her new buddy at school.

Summer fun

Even though the official dog days of the Arizona summer are here, Peyton's making the most of it spending her evenings and weekends swimming, and most importantly, spending time with her friends. Whether it be an going to an impromptu mid-week dinner out, a backyard BBQ, or at a energy infused birthday party, Peyton is blessed to have some many awesome kids in her life. She is a lucky, lucky girl.

Yogurt time with Nicholas and Angelo.

Backyard picnic with Charlotte, Scott, Holden and McKenna.

Playground cupcakes with Gabriella, Scott, and Jameson.

Hamburger heaven with Gabriella and Sammie.

Little Miss Firecracker

I'm sure many of you thought I had fallen off the face of the earth, but here I am, alive and well and back to blogging about America's #1 cutie, Peyton Bear. I know you missed me.

Parades, family, fireworks, hot dogs, and sparklers. Those words sum up our Fourth of July, spent in Show Low - and really, it doesn't require any more explanation.