We finished the building today.

We finished the building today. It's level. It has doors. We went to Lowe's and had a wooden floor cut for it. We also got a shelf.

Now all of the pool stuff is put away and not spread all over the yard and the house driving me crazy. I am still really unhappy with the state of the yard (it's a giant dust pit), but it's a work in progress. It'll be ok - eventually. 😂 At least there's not stuff everywhere being all disorderly.

We are so tired. It has not been a relaxing weekend. We worked on the building off and on. Shaun is having sinus issues from the dust. There have been fireworks every day since before the 4th. Cub has been stressed, Bear has been extra, and we've been trying our best to get things done in the midst of all that.

Hopefully, by the end of the month we'll have most of the house projects wrapped up. It would also be nice to have a chill Cub and an unsedated, however-he's-gonna-be Bear so we can find our new normal.

I am so done with this day. Goodnight, friends.

Me and Shaun about to throw down. 😂😂😂

Me and Shaun about to throw down. 😂😂😂 We don't order like this often, but I guess we're treating ourselves today.

When I say we have the best food out here I am NOT playing. I can get eggs any time of day from almost anywhere. Tacos come with tomatoes by default, as they should. I'm home. ❤️❤️❤️

Look at the list of things in Shaun's cake. It has all of the good things. I've definitely gotta try it.

I don't know how much y'all or your kids cook, but...

I don't know how much y'all or your kids cook, but I am not a cook. Frozen chicken and canned sides is about as close as I got to cooking when Shadow was growing up. I've never prepared raw meat that wasn't pre-cut and frozen. I am not into touching dead animals like that and it's even harder to eat them if I have to witness them being prepared. Judge me if you wish. There are lots of great things about me, but my cooking has never been one of them.

Shadow has been working out a lot and has put on a good bit of muscle. I'm proud of him for taking care of his body. I guess part of that is making nutritious meals because tonight he made chicken. It was raw and looked really gross, but he cut it up and cooked it in the InstantPot with only a question about how to release the steam since it was his first time using it. I also confirmed for him that it was cooked through since he is colorblind. (We do have a meat thermometer, but I don't think it was meant for small pieces of chicken like this).

He also did really great about not contaminating other surfaces with his raw chicken. I think he had a SafeServe class in high school and thankfully it stuck.

I just wanted to say that I'm proud of him for trying something new, especially something he knew I wouldn't be super helpful with. (Not that I didn't want to help, but more that I don't have the experience to help). I think it's super cool that he's branching out beyond me. ❤️

I received this giant, personalized mouse pad in the mail yesterday.

I received this giant, personalized mouse pad in the mail yesterday. It's probably not a coincidence that it arrived on the date of our first paycheck that contained our last GlideFast Consulting University raise - meaning that we have fully completed the GCU program and will be treated as regular consultants from now forward.

This celebration is a hard one. While it achieved for me both a career and financial goal I never dared to dream of before college, it comes with the news of the passing of our CEO this morning. He was a really great guy. He met all of us newbies via Zoom when we were in Cincinnati, and then came to meet us in person, as well. He remembered our names and things about us. He made us feel special and not like just a cog in the machine.

Thanks to him and the company he built I'm able to live comfortably, have work-life balance, and be part of a team that truly has my back. We get gifts like this in the mail to remind us that we are truly valued and appreciated and to mark our milestones, and that's just the kind of guy he was. I'm attending GlideFest this year and I was looking forward to seeing him again. He really did touch the lives of many people and will definitely be missed.

Thank you for everything, Michael Lombardo. GlideFast changed my life. #LFG

Oh my gosh. We are having a time with Bear.

Oh my gosh. We are having a time with Bear.

He's less sedated and has been mostly fine all day, but he is acting straight crazy right now. He is pouncing the floor like how foxes pounce in the snow. He's scratching the carpet trying to dig. He's running up trying to bite us. He's vocalizing. I was finishing peeling the metal sheets for the building and he ran up chomping and has now cut his tongue. His pupils are dilated.

I'm worried about him. He's goofy and wild sometimes, but this is next-level. We gave him one of his sedatives and crated him because I don't want him to hurt himself again - or any of us, either. I know he probably needs to play and burn some energy off, but Cubba is terrified of the fireworks noise that has already begun and isn't up for playing. We tried playing fetch with him, but he gets distracted and pounces the floor/ground.

I noticed him pouncing on the pool cover today. (We stopped him). Of course, it gives when he does that. Does he think the floor and ground should do that, too, now? 

Can dogs hallucinate?

A few possible cactus fruits...

A few possible cactus fruits, the tiniest Euphorbia blooms, and some flowers.

I can't believe that big mound bloomed after Bear uprooted it the other day.

Part of our battle this morning...

Part of our battle this morning to keep him from chewing the chairs. He's less sedated today AND WE CAN TELL. 😂😂😂

Look at how he moves, though. He really does remind me of a human toddler. Or a much younger dog. Especially those facial expressions when his chew "gets away" from him. Like we've done magic or something. 😂

I love this goober. He just went outside, though, so I'm gonna take this opportunity to refill my ice. 😂😂😂