Been busy

I've been busy so far this summer with the new puppy and the kids keep me pretty busy. Our little Sadie pup has been such a great thing for our family. She is just what we needed around here to perk things up. She is almost housebroken but still not perfect, but she is trying. :) She is doing so much better on walks too, she isn't pulling as hard as she was before. We take her out every evening and I think that helps her to get use to the leash more and more each day.
Today was such a hot day, we are looking at 100 degree weather for several days in a row without a chance of rain. Our electric bill for june doubled from what it was in May, we need to conserve our energy so next months bill doesn't double. I can say since we have lived in this house for 9 years we have never had a bill this large. I also got our June water bill and that one was almost doubled as well. We told Daph she can't use the sprinkler out front anymore to jump in to cool off unless we are watering the yard. She and her friend were using the sprinkler almost everyday so that makes sense why our bill was so high. We have to tighten up with everything since food is high, gas is high. *sigh*
Let's see, I started taking another lampwork bead class for shaping and control of bead makine. I am getting better but still no pro, that is for sure. I'll keep trying, I won't give up, I really enjoy making beads. Oh, that reminds me, I went to an estate sale today and the lady happened to be one crafty lady and I scored a small kiln. After I bought it realized this thing must have been made in the 1960's. Oops! I can't find any information about it so I am hoping the glass bead store will be able to help me with how to use this new thing. If not I just bought something I can't use. I will have to save up for a new one unless I come across one that is not vintage. lol
Daph's birthday is this Wednesday and we are not sure yet what we are doing but it will be fun.
Eric has been working on the front yard, tearing up the stretch up by the sidewalk that has been a pain to keep the grass green. He was out there with a pick ax digging out that large limestone rock. That was a tough job. Now we have some sun tolerant plants and it looks great. I'll have to take photos of his awesome work.
Guess that's about it for now. I'm trying to keep things updated as best I can.
I wanted to add some recent photos of my bead work from my recent classes.