Happy Halloween!

Yeehaw!  Howdy Partners!  It's that time of year when kids and canines alike are loaded up with treats!!!  What more could we want in a holiday??  Mommy said in order to get those treats, we had to wear a costume.  We decided to strut our stuff and do the boot scoot boogie!   We'll share our best pictures first . . .

Now for the less than pawfect pictures . . .

So much for Mommy getting a shot of the three of us together in our hats.  She tried!  Here's a couple more pretty good pictures of Dixie and Jenna.

But we think you'll agree, we saved the best for last . . . these pics of Ruger totally crack Mommy up!

Are you laughing out loud yet?  We hope so!  We also hope you have a very Happy Halloween!  May your day be full of treats and hopefully not so many tricks!

Dixie, Jenna & Ruger

Brave Mommy

The first week of the month Mommy traveled with her eighth grade students to a camp for four days.  She really enjoys spending this time with them outside of school.  There's lots of wildlife to see while at camp.  The monarch butterflies were in the middle of their migration and were everywhere!

A fox Mommy's co-worker named Felix liked to hang out with the adults while the students played basketball nearby.  He (or she??) didn't appear to be afraid of people at all!

We also saw a snake (that puked up two frogs right before this picture was taken) . . .

And there were so MANY little bitty frogs!  The students loved looking for them in the grass.

While at camp, the students have a chance to zipline, rappel, and more!  There are four big events each student can choose to participate in which tests their bravery.  Last year, Mommy participated in two of these events.  One of the events did not interest Mommy even one tiny bit last year (or this year either).  This event requires the participant to climb a 26 foot tall pole, stand on top of that pole, and then jump off!  Ummm . . . NOPE!  Not gonna happen!

But there was an event that piqued her interest last year and caused her to regret not having taken the plunge . . . literally.  Mommy had planned to make this event her goal this year . . . until she arrived and saw it again.

Anyone up for rappelling off a 60 foot tall bridge?  This catwalk bridge has to be crossed back and forth for every meal while at camp.  Mommy REALLY does NOT like walking across it since you can see through it!  It freaks her out a bit.  This is also the location of the rappelling.  The hardest part of the rappelling is that you have to climb OVER the wall of the bridge to start!  Anyone watching the rappelling can see that once you're over the bridge, the participants have loads of fun.  It's not even that high or scary at that point.  It's just getting your leg over the bridge that freaks everyone out!

One of Mommy's students reminded his friends of the age old saying of Moms everywhere, "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do so also?"  That particular boy chose not to rappel (although he did jump off the tall pole the next day).

You have to lower yourself until your head is lower than your feet so that when you finally remove your feet from the bridge, you won't swing forward and hit your head!  This is right before Mommy lets go!

Mommy had to be talked into rappelling by her boss and the camp counselor who said she should set a good example for her students.  She reminded him she did every day!  She really had to dig deep to find the nerve to do this event.  It was WAY out of her comfort zone!  But SHE DID IT!!!! (And even smiled while doing so!)  Mommy was so proud of herself!

Maybe one day we'll get to do something as fun and adventurous as this!  Are you picturing us strapped into a harness yet??

Until our next adventure,
Dixie, Jenna & Ruger

Labsolutely Pawfect

Recently Mommy became paranoid again and took me to the vet.  (Hopefully this is the last time for a while since it seems she's been doing this regularly lately!)  She thought I was drinking a lot of water.  It's kind of hard for her to tell which of us is drinking more since there are three of us, but in her heart she seemed to know it was me.  I could have told her it was me if she'd only asked!  Silly Mommy.

Mommy suspected a urinary tract infection and took a urine sample with us to the vet so we wouldn't have to waste time waiting on me to feel the urge to potty.  We saw a new vet at our usual animal hospital who seemed impressed with Mommy's preparedness.  This vet was new to us, but who knows, she seemed much younger than Mommy so maybe she actually is a new vet!?!?  The urine sample showed I did not have a UTI, but it did indicate I was drinking an awful lot of water.

I made friends with Snowy while waiting to see the vet.

To be on the safe side, the vet wanted to run a full bloodwork panel to make sure there was nothing wrong with my kidneys.  Mommy agreed immediately, but it put her on edge.  Her first dawg, Charlie died at the age of eight (my age) from kidney failure.  Mommy and Poppa learned how to give Charlie fluids through an IV and it was very disturbing for both of them and for Charlie.  Apparently Grandma used to go take a shower when it was time for fluids so she didn't have to hear any of this process. Mommy swore she would never, ever do that to a dawg again no matter how much she loved the dawg.  There is a fine line between being selfish and being helpful when it comes to healthcare for dawgs.

Mommy said some serious prayers while waiting for the test results.  She was so worried that my kidneys were failing and she was going to have to tell Daddy that his Number One was in trouble.  I spent this time chilling on the floor, looking out the window, and hoping the door would open to aid me in my escape!

Thankfully, the lab results proved I was labsolutely pawfect.  (Was there any doubt?)  Technically, my thyroid is a tiny bit low, but I'm not showing any signs of that disease.  Mommy has been instructed to keep an eye out for any symptoms of hypothyroidism.  Since she's personally had experience with both hypo- and hyperthyroidism, that shouldn't be difficult!

We also learned there's a weird disease called psychogenic polydipsia that causes dawgs to drink lots of water for no apparent reason.  The only cure for that is to remove access to water during the night and while the humans are away from home to prevent accidents.  Mommy doesn't really think this fits me either.

The bottom line from our visit was summed up pawfectly by the vet tech who said: 

Jenna is best dawg I've ever seen! 

Yes, I completely concur!

Once my appointment was over, I rode with Mommy to the pharmacy to pick up her prescriptions.  The line was long and one of the medications was not quite ready for pick up.

I was a little bit impatient in the car.  Probably because we finally had to get out of line and just park and wait. While waiting, my nose got the best of me.  Look at what was just sitting next door . . .

Chick-fil-A!

Unfortunately, Mommy did not pick up dinner or even a little snack for me while we waited.  Instead, we drove home where she fixed me "The Usual."  [sigh]  At least she knows what I like.

Have you noticed what my bandana says?  Blessed Y'all!  That is so true.  I'm blessed to have a paranoid Mommy who just knows when something isn't quite right.  Despite not being treated to Chick-fil-A, I'm blessed in so many ways.

I hope you also have a paranoid Mommy!  ( I know my Mommy does . . . you know who I'm talking about Grandma!  Ha!)

Jenna

Loving on Daddy

We don't have as many chances to love on Daddy as we do on Mommy.  He works year round (unlike Mommy's summers off) and he rarely gets down on our level just to play.

Recently he made the wise choice (at least we think so) to sit on the floor in one of the guest rooms while Mommy worked on the computer.  We took full advantage of his position so near the floor.  All three of us, but especially Dixie and Ruger, used this chance to show him just how much he means to us.

We took several more pictures, but Daddy's not a big fan of posting his face on the blog.  You'll just have to take our word for it that he thoroughly enjoyed our kisses!!!

We love our Daddy!
Dixie, Jenna & Ruger

Pillow Talk

Daddy says we have too many throw pillows on the bed.  Does anyone else's Daddy say that?  Mommy really doesn't pay any attention to what Daddy thinks about this particular topic.  She's the one who makes the bed in the morning and turns it back for the night.  If it's an inconvenience for anyone, it's her and she's willing to overlook this problem and put up with the many pillows.

Despite the fact that our parents' bed and the other beds in the house have beautiful pillows on them, you'll never see them.  Mommy keeps a flat sheet over the top of each bed so we don't get the bed linens dirty.  Our black and brown hairs aren't attractive on all those white pillows and spreads.  At least that's what Mommy says.  I say why have the beautiful pillows and covers if you can't see them and enjoy them?  But that's a story for another day.

Recently I've found a way around Mommy's pillows and protective covering.  I like to retreat to my parents' bedroom at night while they are in the living room watching TV.  Jenna usually settles on the sofa beside Mommy, and Ruger usually lies at her feet.  I have the bed all to myself . . . shouldn't I make myself comfy????

I totally agree with you!  Sometimes I rearrange all (SEVEN) pillows and settle smack dab in the middle . . .

Other times, I just pull back the top sheet and the first couple of pillows . . . 

My puppy dawg eyes work EVERY time to keep me from getting in trouble.  After all, I'm pretty sure I'm Mommy's favorite!

Dixie Doodle

Boney Maroney

Our Halloweenie pal is back!  Boney Maroney has returned for another Halloween season at our house.  He'll eventually go outside, but our parents are currently allowing him to stay indoors.  He doesn't even have to sleep in a crate at night!  I can't believe this injustice!  I had to sleep in my crate for several months when I started living here.  My sisters remind me that he was here last year and so therefore this isn't really a new place for him. 

I don't care if he's been here before or not.  He does NOT have the right to eat our toys!  We're pretty sure Daddy allowed this to happen.  Perhaps we should start a fund to "Save Snoopy?"

Jenna did her best to save the toys without harming Boney . . . 

I, on the other paw, decided to show him who's boss!  It's labsolutely NOT him . . . it's technically not me either, but that's beside the point!

I hope you don't have any unwanted visitors at your house as we begin the holiday season this month.  But if you do, just remember to put your paw down, set the ground rules, and hide all the candy and toys for yourself!

Ruger

Flat Stanley

Do you know who Flat Stanley is?  Stanley Lambchop is a fictional boy who is flattened by a bulletin board falling on him.  You can read more about him here.  Mommy is embarrassed to admit, she hasn't actually read the book herself (she teaches middle school, not elementary school after all)!  Elementary schools all over the country read about Flat Stanley and then create their own Stanley to mail to friends and family in the hopes of learning about different parts of the country.

Mommy has had the great pleasure of meeting FIVE Flat Stanleys over the past twenty years!  We've hosted Stanleys in several different states, and if our two youngest cousins follow in their older siblings' footsteps, we will host two more Stanleys in the future!  Mommy enjoys traveling around our area and taking pictures with Stanley.  It must be the scrapbooker in her trying to find a new way to be creative.  With email, the process has become easier and quicker.  The most recent Stanley to visit us (and the largest) was only in town for four days!

We thought we'd share some of Flat Stanley's adventures with you before he headed back to Georgia. Jenna didn't get to meet Stanley.  She's such a paper lover, we were afraid she'd eat Stanley!

Stanley enjoyed Daddy's Jeep and went for a muddy ride with him!

Stanley got to ride a horse with a cowboy and a long horn bull at the Ranch History Museum. 

Cotton is a HUGE crop where we live, so Mommy took Stanley to check out a cotton field.  The cotton hasn't started popping yet, but Stanley was definitely walking in high cotton!

Stanley was fascinated by the prairie dogs.  They can be found all over town.  Our parents are surprised they haven't dug their way into our backyard yet!

 

Anyone ever use Stubbs BBQ sauce?  We think we may have converted Stanley to this brand after he got to pose with the creator of the sauce!

Stanley enjoyed seeing how the oil pumpjacks work although he may not have enjoyed the smell of oil.  Daddy says it's the smell of money!

And last but not least, Stanley fell in a prickly pear cactus while he was visiting us!  These cacti can be used for making fries and margaritas!  Unfortunately, Stanley didn't get a chance to try either of those delicacies and neither did we!

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We hope you've enjoyed Flat Stanley's tour of our current hometown.  If you ever get the chance to host your own Stanley, be sure to give him the red carpet treatment!

Dixie and Ruger