Orso is our new dog. He is a Saint Bernard. Long story short, he was a rescue from a woman with whom Amanda works. She has bad arthritis and allergies and needed to find homes for her animals. So we took Orso. The kids are in love. Orso means "bear" in Italian...although I jokingly say that he is named this because he weights 140 pounds....or so..(get it?)

Lots to come about Orso in the posts to come I am sure. He seems to really love me--when I get home from school we wont leave my side...and he follows me around for the first 30 minutes or so that I am home. We are getting into different routines as we enter life with a dog. One routine that I love is picking Maira up from daycare...driving home...dropping off our bags in the breezeway...and immediately taking Orso out for a walk and to go pee and stuff. I like having these little traditions with Maira, as we dont get to spend a lot of time together....

Below, on our walk today. Maira and Callum take the leash sometimes and wrap it around their bikes or little go-cart...orso pulls them along with absolute ease...he is one big and powerful dog. He wags and wags and loves pulling kids around. They think Orso is like their own personal reindeer! They also love holding the leash while we walk (although I always keep my hand on it too...he is one powerful dog...but he is very gentle and docile...

This is what he does 89% of the day. He is a 140 pound couch...

Anyway, I hope you all get to meet Orso. He would love to meet you too!!

In other news, Maira got a new bike, which was her birthday present from this past December. She loves he yellow bike with the little case on the front to hold all her Paw Patrol figures. And she has an adorable little bell that she rings. She loves to race Orso and she loves to go on 'rescues' on her bike (she pretends she is a paw patrol pup)

Amanda, Maira, and the duog going for a walk...and Callum struggling to get his gloves on so he can join them on his scooter. Yes--fleece jackets, gloves, hats, etc. This weather sucks. If snow and winter is over, at least get warm already. Each day is an exact carbon copy. Rain. Some sun. Low 50s. Hurricane force winds. Nothing is growing or getting green. No buds or anything. It is like we are month behind...this is how things usually look in March....not the end of April....