Merry Christmas!

Well, as you can see, it's been a long time since I've updated this page! I update my Teddies by Laura Lynn Blog more often than this one, (even with family news) but I hope to be better at updating both ;)

Here are some very quick updates....

Sequoya (also known as Squirt) has joined our household. Sequoya is an adorable 4 pound Chihuahua from Chihuahua Rescue USA. She was 1 year old when she came to our house.

Our friends across the street who had the house fire have moved back in several weeks ago!

We spent most of the summer at The Bristol Renaissance Faire. And Laura is WAY behind on uploading photos taken there this past summer....

We went to the NASCAR race in "Chicago" this year (Joliet)

Bob and friends went to Ohio for a diecast model open house.

Bob of course has been working on LOTS of models.

Laura's best bear artist friend Daphne flew in during October so they could both drive to Kohler, WI to participate in the Kohler Doll & Teddy Bear Show.

Laura & Daphne decided to produce a bear show in Schaumburg starting fall of 2009 - The Chicagoland Teddy Bear Show.

ABC Unlimited Productions had produced artist teddy bear shows in Schaumburg for over 20 years and had decided to retire. We waited a couple of months to see if anyone would pick up the show... when it wasn't, we decided to do it. Chicago just can NOT be without an ALL teddy bear show! It's been a LOT of work already... and lots more to come.

The deck was finished! I'll have to see if I have the final photos. I finally convinced Bob to put latticework around the bottom of the deck. It was a pia, but it looks wonderful! Also I'm hoping that we don't have momma bunnies thinking that under our deck is an ideal place to raise baby bunnies.... Pandora caught quite a few of those this past spring....

Isis our "miracle puppy" is still doing GREAT!

Well, that's it for now. I need to get crackin' on making bears! Hope to post again soon! :)

Train Derails in our Neighborhood

1, originally uploaded by Laura Lynn - Soft Sculpture Artist.

Train derailment of freight train on 9-11-08 on the tracks that border the south side of the Burnidge Forest Preserve in Elgin, IL.

Worker worked all night with construction equipment to put the approximately 20 cars back onto the track.

As of 9-12-08 morning, they are still working on repairing the track.
I did not get photos of the actual derailment, but here are some photos of the morning after as they are working on the track.

Previews of the photos are below.. but if you want to see them uncropped - you will see them in my Flickr Account here.

I Love Animal Videos

Generally I update my Teddies by Laura Lynn blog more often than this one. Yesterday I posted a link to a You Tube video about Christian the Lion - an amazing story!! I decided today that I had to cross post this one.... I know not everyone reads my business blog. Grab a box of Kleenex for this one (or in our case - Puffs!)

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Deck Progress!

Wow the deck is really coming along! We decided to go ahead and stain the entire deck this past weekend. The temps were going to go just little below 50 degrees (directions say it must be above 50 for 48 hours after applying the stain) so we decided to chance it. Worked out just fine!

Also that weekend Bob had cut all the rails to length, predrilled all the holes in them and stained them all (in the temperature controlled workshop)

Monday after work Bob decided to start attaching the rails (vertical pieces) figuring it would take him 3 evenings. Much to his surprise it went VERY well and he finished it all in one shot!

Here's how it looks so far.... This Saturday Bob and his dad should be able to put up the gazebo!

The Outdoor Project for 2008

This past March for my birthday, Bob got me a new patio gazebo and the loveseat and one chair and small table from the set that is shown down below!


When we had talked about possibly getting the new stuff earlier, Bob questioned whether we would ever really use it because we didn't use what we had very often.

I had thought about it, and realized the reason we didn't use our deck much was that the Girls had to be out with us (or they'd be whining at the patio door!) If we had them outside with us I could not relax because they run around like maniacs in the yard, and do some rough and tumble play.

It was then that I realized that if our deck had a railing with a gate so we could keep the Girls ON the deck with us, that I could relax and we'd actually use our deck.

This weekend Bob started the project!! He moved the posts as necessary because whoever built the deck had them spread apart in an uneven pattern. He ripped out the old steps and added new ones, replaced a few planks that needed replacing and added the horizontal rails to which he will add slats.

Now he's waiting for it to be warm enough to stain what he's done so far. Then it's on to the rails!

It's Snowed... AGAIN! And News on Laura

OK I'm posting this for all you family members who had the good idea to move AWAY from Chicago.... it's snowed AGAIN!!! I think the weather people are saying that this winter is one of our worst as far as snowfall goes. It started early... and it sure seems to be going on for a long time.

And GREAT news about Laura -- that's me ;) One of my bears has made the cover of the major teddy bear collecting magazine here in the States!! I can't tell you how thrilled I am!!!

Rain & Warm Temps brings Flooding....

Fortunately, the house is dry, but the shop got some flooding. Sunday morning and afternoon was spent getting rid of all that water. Fortunately it wasn't very deep. We still have a LOT of ice all over and lots of snow too which is pushing the water into the shop as it has no where else to go.

Bob was out there today on his hands and knees chopping channels into the ice so the water has a place to escape... away from the shop. At this moment he's got a pump to try to move the water out into the yard. This winter really stinks... for more reasons than the weather....

Stuff Going On....

Argh!! This has been a VERY long winter!! A large part of that is due to the wintry weather starting in mid-November instead of late December or January. It just doesn't seem to let up! We've had many more "yucky" days than OK winter days this winter, that's for sure! Oh well, the only option is to move -- and that is just not an option at this time.

UPDATES: I've started to write up some biographies on our Girls. I've started with Cleopatra -- you can read them and see pictures on The Whippets' Page.

Changes Coming to the Family Website

Yep, changes are coming to our family website. Although I do know HTML and am perfectly ABLE to keep our website updated..... it just doesn't happen. I'm in the process now of moving everything over to blog pages!

As you can see on the side there - the pages have been made and the links set up. I still need to populate those pages - and since blogging is so easy, hopefully I'll get that done soon!

And Now it's October.....

Guess if you want to know that I'm still here... you need to check out my teddy bear blog LOL!!! Yes, that seems to be what I spend the majority of my time on. Not the blog... but the bears!

If you don't want to have to go to the blog every day to see if I've posted anything... you can always sign up to receive the posts via email :)

It's been a busy and fun summer.... many weekends at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. I NEED to get the rest of those photos uploaded to my Flickr account!

Last Saturday we went to our last Ren. Faire of the summer in Oregon, IL. This is the same small faire we attended last year - but this time we did not stay overnight at the Pine Hill B&B. Not that we didn't WANT to... it is so wonderful! We just thought we'd save a little money... and besides - we would have needed Jen to stay overnight with the Girls and did not want to impose too much on her ;)

We had a wonderful time meeting up with friends from the summer... one more time to put on the Ren Clothes... and for Bob to wear a sword in public - legally LOL!

We did ask Jen to come by for the afternoon to be with the Girls and so Isis would stay on her medication schedule. Jen decided to stay for dinner too when we got back - typical college student LOL! Seriously though.. it was great to see her! Jen also stopped by for a short surprise visit on Thursday :)