Update on Baby Evans, Kyle & Hannah, & Shadow

Well, we're into the second trimester! Whoo-hoo! One trimester down, two more to go. I'm through with the morning sickness, which I am very excited about! Everything else is really going well with the pregnancy. I've had two ultrasounds so far & got to hear the little pitter-patter of his or her heartbeat. Also, in case you didn't already know, we're NOT going to find out if it's a boy or girl. I mean, eventually we will of course, but we're not going to find out until the birth. I did hear a gross thing today & want to share it with you--Matthew McConaughey just had a baby boy. Well, he is going to bury his son's placenta in his orchard as a fertilizer. Gross.

We got Kyle & Hannah back today. Our summer visitation schedule is officially over & we made it through having the kids gone for seven weeks!! I'm so glad the have them back & get to our regular schedule when they're with us every week. We have new neighbors that moved in while Kyle & Hannah were gone & they have a 10 year old boy. So, Kyle has a new friend in the neighborhood. We introduced them today & Kyle showed him around---the pond, introduced him to some of the other neighbors, and the creek. They had fun together. There are tons of girls in our neighborhood, so I'm glad Kyle has a boy his age now.

Shadow has been doing well. He just graduated from his "Family Dog 1" training class today! So, we're off to "Family Dog 2" class next Sunday. He's done really well so far. He knows how to sit, catch a frisbee in the air, spin, walk on a leash (without pulling), come, he turns his attention to you when you call him--even when distracted by other dogs, and a few other things I can't think of right now. We've also trained him on a few other things on our own--he will get the newspaper out of the front yard & drop it into the Newspaper basket. The funniest thing he has learned so far is that he can open the door on his own. I say funny because we didn't train him on it & and it is sometimes not a good thing (because he gets out even when we don't want him to).

It all started when I was at church last weekend & Matt was working on the basement. My neighbor was outside & saw Shadow out there. He just let him back in the garage door & closed the door. Then, he saw Shadow outside again. So he thought maybe he didn't close the door all the way. So, he let Shadow back in & made sure he closed the door tightly. Well, when he saw Shadow outside for the third time, he called Matt up (he was working on the basement)to figure out what was going on. They found out that Shadow was opening the door & letting himself out! So, the funniest part is that we thought he was getting out by jumping up on the door & hitting it with his paw (it is a lever door handle), until I saw him do it with my own eyes. He actually puts his mouth on the doorknob and pulls down! He is so smart! It is hilarious to see. I'll try to get it on a video to post online.

Well, I have to go (like I said--the kids are back & I can't stand to sit here & type instead of visit with them!!). We've done a lot to the basement & I'll post some updated pics soon.