Later in the day we drove to Old Lyme, Connecticut for an annual gathering hosted by my cousin Anita and her husband Tony. The food is always magnificent and this year was no exception. 

Nico had a mock diving competition this morning (intra-squad event judged by high school divers). The idea is to acclimate to all of the requirements and routines of a real diving meet. Here he begins a forward one and a half in pike position. He placed second. 

Ever since the dog arrived, the pigs have received modest attention. This morning, Maya cleaned their cage and set out new bedding. This child loves anything with fur on it. For the record, I will be saying no when she eventually gets around to asking for a horse. 

Kyle refused to let me take a picture of him and his friend so I got stuck with a stupid flower from the garden. I will try to remember to ask Jeanine what kind it is and update the posting. 

As much as Maya loves the dog, there is little question that Jeanine is enjoying the puppy more than anyone. This is how I found them when I returned from work. 

Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to dial in the right shutter speed to get a clean shot of her leaping through the air when she decided I had gotten close enough. 

On the way home from work today I drove past this white-tailed deer. I pulled over and walked back for a closer look. 

Of course my very favorite has to be of Maya and our new dog. After a very interesting process of elimination and consensus building, we have settled on the name Nala. For family night, we all watched a DVD about the care and training of puppies. Ten minutes after finishing the video, Maya and Nico had Nala sitting on command. 

This afternoon, after my soccer game (a very disappointing 3-2 loss to the top team in our division) the team gathered for a pitch-in/pool party. Each year when we do this, I take portraits of all the children who come. Here are a few of my favorites. 
 
 
 

Today it rained most of the day and all soccer games were cancelled. There was a nice fog over our field most of the day. Jeanine and I managed to get away for a date night. We did a little shopping (something we rarely do together) and had a nice dinner out. 

Jeanine has been nurturing this rose bush for several months and it continues to produce blooms which brighten our kitchen. 

To say that Maya is in heaven would be an understatement. Nico and Kyle are also very excited. All three asked for photos of the dog to bring to school today. Jeanine is trying to conceal her pleasure in having another baby and all day companion but is fooling no one. Despite my initial reservations about getting a dog, I have to admit that I like this one. If anyone has name suggestions, we would love to hear them. Under consideration at this time are Charlotte (nick-named Charley) and Chloe. 

Meet the newest, as yet to be named, member of our family. Last night Jeanine, Maya, and Nicolai wnet to the adoption center and came back with this little girl. We do not know what kind of dog it is, but we think it will grow up to be medium sized. Her fur is a reddish brown and her tail has a black ring and white tip. 

Maya found this little frog on the deck this morning. I am going to have to do a little research to find out what kind it is.