Merry Christmas Y'all!

For unto you is born this day 

in the city of David a Savior, 

which is Christ the Lord.

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace,

goodwill toward men.

We hope you have a wonderful day full of love and laughter!  We'll be relaxing and kicking up our heels today (all twelve of 'em, sixteen if you count the parents).  Our family begins to arrive tomorrow for a week of fun and excitement.  There will really be a LOT of heels in the house then (big and small).  Yippee!  Do you think the youngest is bunking with us??  Hmmm . . . something to investigate . . . 

Merry Christmas, Y'all!

Woof! Woof!

Hunter, Dixie & Jenna

The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and all through our home

Three frisky labs did nothing but roam.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

In hopes that rawhides soon would be there.

Occasionally the dawgs would lie down for a nap,

With Ma in her jammies and Pa in his cap.

Hunter snoozed and snored and kicked his back legs

While visions of dawg bones danced in his head.

Dixie settled on the sofa with a tiny little pout,

While keeping an eye on her sister's whereabouts.

Jenna stretched and turned, claiming the rest of the space,

Her paws were everywhere (including Dixie's face).

Gifts were under the tree just waiting to be opened;

A third arm for Mommy?  The dawgs were hoping!

Soon will arrive good old Saint Nick

Getting down the chimney will be quite a trick!

He carries in his sleigh all our desires,

Good health and good cheer are all we require.

We're crossing our paws with all our might,

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Making Our Lists . . . Jenna

Dear Santa Paws,

I've been such a good girl all year long.  What do you mean, you've heard different?  All those stories you've heard about the trash can, the dishwasher, the toilet paper, Oreos, Spaghetti-O's, etc are just a bunch of nonsense!  I cannot help that the humans in my life leave all sorts of tempting tidbits lying around just waiting to see if I'll make a move on them!  I'm just a dawg and can't help myself sometimes!  Surely behaving as my ancestors have done for hundreds of years cannot be held against me . . .

It can?!?!?!?

Do you do this to human children too???

Well, since I have had a few incidents of misbehaving this year, I will be kind and limit my list to one item: FOOD!!!!  Any kind of food is fine with me: dawg biscuits, rawhide, bones, tissues, salad, pizza crusts, roast beef, ANYTHING!  I won't be picky.  Just pick up something from McDonald's as you swing by on Christmas Eve.  Or better yet, when you stop to feed the reindeer, just hitch your sleigh to the posts at the grocery store like the Amish do and run in and grab something for me!  Anything is fine by me!

Thank you, Santa!
Jenna


PS: Please don't hold it against Dixie for writing "loosing" yesterday instead of "losing."  Mommy has already given Dixie a hard enough time as it is.  I think it's Mommy's fault since she's our proofreader, but don't tell her I said that!

Making Our Lists . . . Dixie

Dear Santa Paws,

I really have only one item on my list and I bet you can guess it already . . . TENNIS BALLS!!!  I received a few last year from you and Aunt Kelly gave me an entire bag (HEAVEN!!), but they are almost all gone by now.  Tennis balls don't last as long as you'd think they do!  They can tear up, start losing their yellow fuzz, get a hole in them, fly over the fence into another yard, and just simply disappear!

You don't even have to leave anything for me under the tree.  Just fill up my stocking with tennis balls and I'll be good to go for another year!  Daddy says tennis balls are like crack-cocaine to me, but I disagree.  When was the last time you heard about someone overdosing on tennis balls?  That's right, NEVER!  Of course, if you ever do hear that headline on the news, it will probably be about me!  What a way to go!  [sigh]

Thank you, Santa, in advance for LOTS of tennis balls!
Dixie

Making Our Lists . . . Hunter

Mommy said we could each write to Santa Paws this year instead of having to share a list.  Since I am the oldest and wisest, I get to go first!  I figure mine has the best chance of reaching Santa, so if he doesn't receive the others' letters, at least my wishes will come true!

First, I would like a new blanket.  I love to suck on my blankets (yes, that's weird, but don't hold it against me!) and the ones I have are becoming a bit worn.  It doesn't help that Dixie tries to put her claim on my blanket when it's outside.  It also doesn't help that Jenna thinks when Mommy throws the blanket for me, that she is supposed to snatch it away from me.

Second, I would like to have a box full of tissues.  Yes, the kind you humans blow your nose upon.  I know that's gross.  I could have asked for a whole box of snotty tissues, but that might be asking for too much.  I love to eat tissues and a whole box to myself that I don't have to share with my sisters would be heaven!

Third, I would like to have an elevator installed in the house.  I'm doing okay going up and down the steps, but we all know I'm not getting any younger.  Besides, I could take the elevator straight to the basement floor.  I've never been down there in eight years of living in this house!  Jenna tells me about all of her adventures down there; I want to see for myself!  Surely there can't really be that many spider webs in one room!

Fourth, I want Mommy to wake up on Christmas morning with a third arm.  I've asked for this gift more than once, but it hasn't happened yet.  What's a dawg gotta do to earn this special treat?  Mommy just can't love on all three of us at the same time with her two arms.  I tend to be left out of the group hug simply because I'm not as pushy as my sisters are.  With a third arm, she could love on us equally.

Santa, I hope I'm not asking for too much.  A few edible treats and toys would be good to round out the list.  Safe travels for you and your reindeer.

Love,
Hunter

Stick a Paw in It!

I think Daddy might ban Pinterest from our house.  Mimi sent Mommy an idea and Daddy wanted to kill both of them!  I tried to tell him it wasn't Mimi's fault.  After all, Mommy didn't have to actually MAKE the idea she pinned.  Mommy totally blamed Mimi for the whole idea.  Without Mimi, this idea would never have happened.  Here's what took place Sunday afternoon . . .

Mimi sent Mommy an idea to make paw print Christmas ornaments.  Mommy mixed 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 cup baking soda, and 3/4 cup water together over medium heat to make a dough.  Then she rolled it up into a ball, flattened it out a bit, and stuck our paws into it!  It sounds so much easier than it actually was!  (The original idea can be found here.)   In retrospect, mixing and rolling was the easy part!

In actuality, there was dawg hair on the floor and on our paws to contend with.  Black hair definitely stands out on white dough.  It also took about three (or ten) tries with Jenna and Hunter each before the perfect paw print was formed.  Jenna and I had to be banished to our crates until it was our turn to stick a paw in it because we thought the dough was something good to eat.  (After all, we watched Mommy mix it together on the stove top, and that's where food comes from, right?)

Jenna watches Mommy's every move . . .

The good news is that I was the "One and Done" dawg!  I only had to stick my paw in the dough once and it was perfect.  Just like me!  The bad news is that after baking the paw prints just like the directions said, Mommy broke Hunter's while trying to put a ribbon through the hole she had made.  Apparently the dough wasn't actually dry on the inside.  I thought Mommy was going to cry.  I think Daddy wanted to cry as well.  But we all chipped in and helped out and went for round two.  Mommy convinced Daddy to make a second ornament of me and Jenna too (just in case).

Hunter's broken ornament

In order of adoption from left to right: Hunter, Me, Jenna

In the end, we have five beautiful ornaments that our parents can keep for all time (or until they break).   Perhaps we should send those extra paw prints to Mimi as a thank you.  What do you think?

Perfect Paws,
Dixie

PS: Thanks, Mimi, for the good idea.  Thanks, Daddy, for your patience.  We all know, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't no one happy!"

Let it Melt!

Don't tell Mommy, but I am secretly hoping this white stuff will melt soon!  We received another two inches Saturday afternoon and then freezing rain on top of that.  I do LOVE the snow, but it's causing some sibling rivalry that I could do without.  If it would just melt, I think my problems would be solved.

When Mommy throws the tennis ball, I WATCH to see where it is going to land.  Dixie does NOT!  Instead, she looks around dumbfounded (dumb being the operative word) when the ball disappears into the snow.  I do a pretty good job of locating the ball when it is swallowed up by the snow.  Dixie just walks around in circles and becomes totally frustrated.  When I find my tennis ball, she can't stand it.  So she does the sisterly thing and proceeds to snatch it right out of my mouth!  How rude!

To solve this issue, Mommy began throwing the frisbee to me.  It doesn't sink into the snow, and as long as Dixie has two tennis balls in her mouth, she couldn't care less about which toy I'm using.  Although our frisbee has seen better days, it still sails pretty far into the air.  I am great at catching it in mid-air!  I think it makes Dixie jealous.  She can catch the frisbee too, but she usually won't let go of the tennis balls long enough!

Melted snow would make life easier for Hunter too.  Although he loves to go outside and eat it all day long, it makes walking difficult for him sometimes.

"Is it just me, or does this look awkward?  Oh well, at least I have my blanket out here."

So for now, my holiday theme song is, "Let it Melt, Let it Melt, Let it Melt!"
Jenna

In the Dawg House

I know it's going to be hard for you to believe this, but Jenna recently found herself in the dawg house with Daddy.  I guess technically, she was in the dawg house without Daddy.  He says he realizes who really loves him and it must not be her!  It's ME!!!  I have moved back into the position of favorite girl.  Yippee!  I must admit I am surprised at how easy it was to regain favor with Daddy.

Our parents left us behind recently as they traveled yet again without us (there is seriously something wrong with that idea!!).  Mommy rescued us upon their return and we each took our place in the car.  I sat up front with Mommy and was a great girl.  I LOVE to go for a ride and look out the window.  There is so much to see.  Jenna took her spot in the middle and Hunter remained in the third row.  We each apparently have our own spot, but mine is the best.

Upon our arrival at the house, Hunter and I ran to greet Daddy where he was waiting for us on the sofa.  Jenna did not!  We were all shocked that she didn't go love on him the way she usually does.  We're really not sure why she didn't (only she can say and she's not talking), but she held back for at least thirty minutes.  Daddy was seriously disappointed in "his" girl!  I was THRILLED!  I was all over him like white on rice.  We had our very own love fest and Jenna wasn't around to interrupt.

Where was Jenna you ask?  Curled up in her favorite spot that she obviously missed while at the kennel: right between Mommy's and Daddy's pillows!

Number One Girl (for now),
Dixie

PS: I was also the first to hear Daddy's return from a business trip late last night!  Bonus points to me!

Snow Day!?!?

We had our first snow of the season this past Sunday!  We were only expecting a few flurries, but we ended up with about five or six inches instead!  Being Minnesota born and bred, I LOVED it!  I love to just go out and eat the snow.  Survival experts say that you should not do this because it only makes you thirstier, but what do they know??  My parents told me this fact and they should know.  They did all kinds of research when they had to move to the American version of Siberia: Minne-SNOW-ta!  Daddy looks back on that time as his own little version of Hades on Earth, but if he hadn't moved there he wouldn't have me, right?

My only real problem with the snow is that I tend to forget my boundaries since everything is white.  As soon as Mommy let me out Monday morning I made yellow snow right on the deck!  She was afraid I was going to make brown snow too, so she grabbed me by my collar and forced me across the deck to the yard.  Geez!  I'm not that old!  I don't just go potty anywhere . . . do I???

Dixie and Jenna also loved the snow.  This was the first real snow we've had since Jenna's been with us (remember no snow days for Mommy for the past two years!!).  They ran and chased each other around the yard numerous times.  They would run inside to be toweled off only to turn right around and ring the bell to go out again.  It drove Mommy crazy.  Mimi reminded Mommy that at least the girls didn't require gloves and coats each time they wanted to go out!

Mommy did NOT have to go to work on Monday.  Yippee!!  We aren't sure if this actually counts as an official snow day or not.  Technically, the students were already scheduled to be off for a teacher workday.  Although Mommy's very happy she didn't have to report to work, she feels a bit robbed of a real snow day!  Once again, Daddy reminded her that people with "real jobs" have to go to work no matter what!

Here's to more SNOW DAYS this winter!
Hunter

Paws Script: Mommy has an official snow day TODAY!!!!  Yippee!!!

Another Dawg?

It seems my parents DID get another dawg!  I seriously think three is PLENTY, but they obviously had other ideas.  The funny thing is that I didn't even realize it had joined our family.  I say "IT" because I'm not sure if it's a boy or girl!

I didn't realize IT was even in the house until my sister Dixie alerted me to its presence.  She discovered IT hiding in the corner of the guest bathroom.  I personally don't travel into that room often.  It has a huge span of linoleum that I do not care to cross.  Fortunately for me, the room has two entrances so I can peek my head into either door for a good look at what's going on inside.  I heard a slight commotion recently and saw Dixie had something cornered between the toilet and the wall.  She had her hackles raised and was staring at IT eye to eye.  Imagine my dismay upon seeing another dawg in the house!!

Lucky for me, I am taller than IT.  It goes without saying that I am definitely more handsome!  So far I haven't heard any lip from this newest member of our family, so I guess we can keep IT.

I wonder if IT is a distant relative of Jenna . . . after all, IT seems to always have its mouth full and shares her love of paper!

Always the Big Brother (to Dixie, Jenna, IT and anyone else that comes our way),
Hunter

The Birds!

Have you seen Alfred Hitchcock's movie The Birds?  We recently filmed a sequel at our house starring the birds and Hunter.  The birds invaded our neighborhood one Saturday morning and circled several times from the front yard to the back and from house to house.  Not only were they amazing to watch, but they were seriously LOUD!  The movie sequel proved to be even better than the original for two reasons:

1) Live birds were used (unlike the animated birds in the original)
2) No humans (or dawgs) were harmed

Hunter does his best to protect the yard from the birds!

Do you think Hunter will have good luck if one (or a hundred) of those birds drops a little something on his head?  Just a thought . . .

Dixie

Christmas Card: Behind the Scenes

Have you ordered your Christmas cards yet?  Most normal people have not, or they are just now considering their options.  It shouldn't come as a surprise to you that Mommy already has ours!  She began working on them even before Halloween!  She's such a nerd, isn't she??  Please don't hate her; it's just part of her personality.  I really don't think she can control it!  (And she had a really great coupon.)

I thought you might like to see the torture she put me through all for the sake of the card.  She planned to use pictures of each of us from last year's Christmas torture, I mean photo session.  She was pleased with her choice of photos of Hunter and Jenna, but Daddy said the ones of me made me look scared.  I can't imagine why.  The pictures Mommy planned to use of Hunter and Jenna featured lots of Christmas lights with the decorated tree as a back drop.  The problem with having the perfect shot of me was that we don't usually have a Christmas tree in the house before Halloween.  What?  You don't either??  Mommy looked at Daddy with a crazed look in her eyes as an idea occurred to her and he just shook his head.  I should have run for my crate.

Mommy proceeded to head to the basement where she pulled out a strand of Christmas lights.  She seriously considered putting up a small artificial lighted tree for the background, but thankfully a moment of sanity prevailed.  It was temporary, but still . . .

Daddy captured this moment on his camera phone for all the world to see how much Mommy tortures, I mean loves me.  I'll admit she only pestered me for about twenty minutes before she finally decided she had a decent shot.  I guess I should be thankful she was willing to capture a better looking me.  I wouldn't want the recipients of our Christmas card to see me looking less than my best.

I guess if the truth were known, I would gladly suffer through another photo session just because I love Mommy. However, my real problem with all of this is . . .

SHE DIDN'T USE THE PICTURE!!!!!  SHE CHOSE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PICTURE!  AAGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Going insane,
Dixie

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you and your family have a wonderful day.  We plan to enjoy some of our favorites: turkey, dressing, pie, family, hugs, kisses, and lots of love (not necessarily in that order)!  We hope you can do the same.  Mommy suggested we make a list of the things for which we are thankful.  We've been blessed in so many ways:

• our parents
• our grandparents
• food
• a warm house
• food
• a big yard to run around in
• lots of toys to play with
• food

This is just the first of the lists we will make for this year's holiday season (Look out Santa Paws, here we come!), but it's the most important.  We hope you can make a list of blessings even longer than we did.  Just try not to let one person take over (JENNA!).

Enjoy your day of thanksgiving.
Hunter, Dixie, & Jenna

Rejoice always, pray continually, 

give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Help Wanted!

Dear Mommy,

It really is time you clean the house.  You used to be such a stickler for having a perfect house, but these days not so much.  It seems that with the addition of each of my sisters, you have fallen more and more behind.  I know they shed an awful lot of hair and it 's hard to keep up with, but that's even more reason for you to try!  Even the girls are starting to notice . . .

You can't be mad at Jenna.  I truly believe she was just trying to help.  I know it didn't appear that way to you, but give her the benefit of a doubt.  After she finished sniffing my bowl for leftover food, she wasn't really sniffing the rest of the eating area for more food.  Instead, she thought that perhaps if she knocked our entire bowl of water over, she might be able to help you mop the kitchen.  Wasn't that sweet of her?

Yes, I know 5:45AM on a weekday isn't the best time to mop the kitchen, but she's young; she's still learning.  Yes, I know our bowl was FULL and the water went all the way across the floor under the entire kitchen table, but that was her intent.  Spread the water as far as possible for maximum assistance.  Yes, I know you were already dressed and ready for work and had to get on your hands and knees to sop up all that water with towels (good thing you keep so many extra ones in the laundry room), but you really should say thank you.  That's one less task you have to do this weekend as you clean house.

IF you're planning to clean house . . .
Hunter


PS: Jenna's bowl is the blue one.  She eats in her crate since she is a food HOG and tends to try to steal everyone else's food.  Mommy always sits Jenna's bowl on top of ours after we are all finished.  You can probably see how easy Jenna thought it would be to help Mommy with the cleaning.  That water bowl is just waiting to be put into service.  I'm surprised Jenna didn't think of helping out earlier!

Big Chicken

It's that time of year again when Jack Frost visits us almost each and every night.  Mommy can tell if our visitor came during the night just by watching Hunter's reaction as he walks outside in the mornings.  Being the oldest, he is allowed to go out first.  We technically all go out at the same time, but since he isn't crated overnight he beats us out the door.  He can usually make it about five or six feet and then he stops suddenly to look back at Mommy.  When he does this, she knows even in the dark that frost covers the deck.

Ideally, Hunter prefers to turn right around and find an alternate route to the backyard.  He points Mommy in the direction of the laundry room, so he can use that door.  There are still two steps covered with frost there, but he doesn't have to cross the great span of the deck from that exit.  Sometimes, he even takes a running leap and hops over the steps!

Hunter must be feeling pretty good so far this season, because he has only needed a tiny bit of encouragement to walk the deck (probably similar to walking the plank in his mind).  Mommy hasn't had to resort to the laundry room door once.  It's amazing how BIG he is, yet how much of a CHICKEN he is too!

I wonder is this fear comes with old age or if he's always been this way?  Hmmm . . .
Dixie

Chilly Dawg

I don't know what it is, but lately I like to go outside at night and rest.  I think it's starting to frustrate Mommy.  She always gives each of us one last chance to go potty before turning in for the night.  Instead of going to potty, I go out and settle on my outdoor dawg bed.  Sometimes I go potty and then settle on my bed.  Mommy says I look so comfortable resting there that she hates to make me come in.  The problem is, if she doesn't make me come in I will wake her up some time later in the night barking my head off to get inside.  She  knows it; I know it.  I just don't want her rushing me. 

I usually reserve my outdoor dawg bed for the long hot days of summer, but I've felt it calling to me at night recently.  I don't know about where you live, but the  nights have been quite chilly here.  I'm looking at this most recent development in my schedule as proof that I am NOT getting OLD.  How many old people do you know that like to go out in the cold?  I can't think of one.  I find the night air invigorating.  Old people won't tell you that!

Secretly, I think Mommy is afraid I'm going to go outside, settle down on my bed, and pass on to Glory.  Mommy, you need not worry about that.  I have a few more good years in me!  I know you've been trying to bribe the new vet into making me live forever.  I doubt that will happen, and so far there's nothing wrong with me a few good pills can't handle.  Until then, let me enjoy my time outside in the evenings.  Even if that means you have to stay up late waiting on me . . . please?

Hunter

Guarding Mommy

Anyone who knows Hunter can tell you his bark is much worse than his bite.  He is sooooo loud!  He could probably wake the dead with his ferocious barks.  He makes a great guard dawg.  If anyone walks or drives by the house, he lets us know. 

I personally think Dixie has been hanging out with Hunter for too long.  She has learned from the best.  If she has a chance, she likes to settle down on the bed in the front guest room.  From this position, she has ample opportunity to scout out the comings and goings of the neighborhood.  She too lets us know when someone is outside, but her method is a long, deep howl.  It is amazing how much noise can come from her little bitty body.

I believe Hunter sometimes sees himself as Mommy's personal body guard.  At night, he usually sleeps on his orthopedic bed (on Mommy's side of the room) or on the floor next to her side of the bed.  I find this trait quite admirable and could see myself doing this too if I was allowed to sleep upstairs.  Instead, I'm left to guard the den from the confines of my crate.  Hmpf!

What I think is a bit unusual is how Hunter guards Mommy even when she's taking a shower.  When she gets up in the morning and begins her routine in the bathroom, Hunter moves into position.  He places himself right smack in front of the bathroom doorway to prevent anyone from entering.  I'm not sure how much actual guarding he's doing considering Mommy usually steps right over him when she finally opens the door.  Just because he's snoozing means nothing.  It's the thought that counts, right? 

Until it's my turn,
Jenna

Hunter's Bed

If you've been reading for a while, you already know Hunter has several beds in this house.  I really don't understand why he has so many.  I have my crate and my parents' bed.  That should be plenty for any dawg.  Apparently that isn't good enough for our Hunter.  He has a bed in front of the fireplace (we all enjoy it from time to time), an orthopedic bed in the master bedroom, and then there's his first bed. 

 

 

He received the big green bed with his name on it when he was just a puppy as a gift from Daddy.  It was HUGE and swallowed Hunter up.  He slept on it occasionally, but wasn't really that crazy about it.  After all, he had our parents' bed; what did he need a dawg bed for?? 

I can tell you what Hunter needs his dawg bed for . . . humping!  I guess it's probably not polite to talk about in mixed company, but that is about all Hunter has used this bed for during the past eleven years.  Some male dawgs get in trouble for humping people's legs.  Not Hunter.  He is such a good boy; he would never embarrass Mommy that way.  Instead, he humps his bed in the privacy of the master bedroom.  Mommy figures if that's as bad as it gets, she'll allow it. 

The last time our parents moved, they had to place some items in storage.  Much to Hunter's dismay, the big green bed was on the list.  Nine months later, it came off the moving truck and out of the packing box.  I wasn't around at the time, but Mommy said Hunter and the bed had quite a reunion!

These days, Hunter does less humping than he used to in his younger days (thank goodness).  In all of Hunter's years, Mommy has refrained from capturing these moments on film.  Aren't you proud of her?  Considering all of the other things she takes pictures of, this is quite an accomplishment.  In the meantime, Dixie and I have started enjoying the bed as it was intended . . . for sleeping! 

 

Sweet Dreams,
Jenna

Say What???

Have you heard what my parents almost did a couple weeks ago???  They went to a Ducks Unlimited banquet and almost grew our family to a total of SIX!!!!!!!  One of the live auction items was a yellow lab puppy (gives new meaning to the words live auction, don't you think??).  Mommy said it was the cutest thing, but the worst part in my opinion is that Daddy actually considered taking on a FOURTH DAWG!!!!!  WHAT?!?!?!?! 

Aren't the three of us enough for him?  I am stressed out enough just watching the antics of my sisters running around.  A puppy just might give me a heart attack.  Dixie already has an inferiority complex from time to time trying to deal with Jenna (except for the moments when she wants to bully Jenna into submission).  Imagine how left out she would feel if a puppy moved in.  I think Jenna would deal with a  new family member best.  She would probably love to have a new playmate to jump on.  Of course, a puppy would also mean more competition at meal time so maybe not. 

I bet my parents didn't even think about the cost of food for FOUR dawgs! Or vet bills for FOUR dawgs!  Or another crate for the young whippersnapper!  Or the new total of SIXTEEN paws when it's rainy or snowy!  And this puppy had huge paws, so it's going to be big!  Probably bigger than me!  Do you think they thought about all of this???

Thankfully, Mommy told Daddy there was no way she was going to have FOUR dawgs in the house at one time.  Before and during the auction, Mommy had a chance to cuddle and smooch on it (no wonder she smelled so bad when she got home), but she resisted.  Daddy said he didn't see the problem with adding a fourth dawg; he told Mommy they practically train themselves.  Mommy said SHE trained them while he slept.  That's true.  I remember many nights when Mommy got up to let me and Dixie out to potty in the middle of the night when we were mere puppies.  Daddy just kept right on snoozing (or at least pretended to). This male puppy was four months old, so maybe he came already trained.  One could only hope.

Before Dixie and Jenna arrived on the scene, Daddy really wanted a yellow lab.  With the stardom of crazy dawg Marley from Marley and Me, yellow labs were practically impossible to find at the time.  I think there were only one or two yellow labs in Dixie and Jenna's litter and they were already spoken for by the time Mommy found Margaret, their breeder.  When Jenna became available a couple years later, we were really hoping she was a yellow lab.  Then there would be one lab from each color group in our family.  I guess it just wasn't meant to be.  Until Saturday night . . .

Thankfully, sanity prevailed and Daddy realized Mommy might kill him if he placed a bid on that cutie pie.  Cute or not, that puppy went home with someone else.  Whew!  That was a close call.  I hear the winner won the puppy for quite a steal.  Good for him!  Better for us!

(not the actual puppy)

Thankful not to be a big brother again,
Hunter


PS: Happy 43rd Anniversary to Grandma and Poppa!  That's a whole lotta dawg years of togetherness!

Uh Oh Oreo!

I did it again!  I got in trouble.  That probably doesn't come as a surprise to some of you , but I really think it's all Mommy's fault this time.  She shouldn't leave things where she doesn't want me to touch them, right?

A few weeks ago, Daddy had carpal tunnel surgery on one of his hands.  Mimi and Grandaddy had a care package delivered that contained all sorts of snack foods.  Mommy and Daddy have both been taking their time making their way through the basket.  Mommy discovered a package of six Oreos at the bottom and decided to make them hers.  She said she didn't feel the need to pig out and eat them all at once, so she was pacing herself.  I personally think that was her first mistake.  If she had just eaten them all, then they wouldn't have been tempting for me, right?

On Saturday, Mommy was preparing a roast to go in the crock pot for dinner and doing laundry all at the same time.  She apparently decided it was a good time to have one of those Oreos.  She popped one in her mouth and laid one on the cutting board she had out.  Then she went to the laundry room leaving that delicious-looking cookie just sitting there, way up on the counter.  This was mistake number two, don't you think?  Leaving a cookie all alone by itself can't be a good thing, right?

When she returned, I don't think she noticed the cookie missing at first.  I think she may have even forgotten she had one laid out, except that it was an OREO!  Do you know how chewy those cookies are?  They make so many crumbs that go everywhere.  I was trying to sit there as if nothing was amiss when she noticed me still smacking my jaws . . . and smacking . . . and smacking!  I'm sure I sounded like I had eaten all six cookies instead of a measly one.  Dixie didn't help the situation because she was sniffing all around me looking for some of those crumbs!  Mommy's eyes narrowed at me, she raised those evil eyebrows like she does to her students, and her glance went straight to the countertop.  Drat!  Caught again! 

I'm surprised Mommy didn't make me open my mouth to check for evidence.  Those cookies are notorious for leaving black crumbs in every nook and cranny of your mouth.  She says she thought about it!  I still say this predicament I found myself in was all Mommy's fault.  I guess it doesn't matter at this point.  What's done is done.  That cookie was wonderful. The only thing missing was a glass of cold milk! 

Yummy in my tummy,
Jenna


PS:  Daddy says to tell you that I don't even make an attempt to steal his food.  I know better.  I'd be a dead dawg if I did.  He also says if Mommy had remembered that it was HIS care package, this would never have happened!  Thanks, Mommy.  I knew you were a rule breaker too!

PPS: Happy birthday, Grandaddy!  I bet no one will deny you Oreos today!  Lucky man!

Happy Howl-O-Ween!

We hope you have a day full of fun, excitement, and CANDY!  We hope we have that kind of day too!  For some reason, I think we'll only have two out of the three . . .

Mommy said she wasn't going to buy us new costumes again this year, but she apparently changed her mind.  Well, not exactly.  She MADE our costumes this year for less than $10 total for all three!  She said once inspiration struck, she just couldn't help herself.  It's not really an original idea, but it definitely seemed to fit!

 

The Dawg in the Hat!

A much better idea than some old cat, don't you think?

I hope you enjoy this one and only shot of me.  Jenna proceeded to eat my costume once my photo session was over!  Of course, once I realized it was paper and therefore edible, I helped her out!

 

 

Thing 1

Dixie can't go anywhere without those darn tennis balls!

 

 

 Thing 2

 (Jenna receives this title simply by virtue of the fact that she was adopted last!)

 

 

 

May you have more treats than tricks today!

Hunter (and the Things!)



Going Incognito!

It's almost that time of year again!  Time to dress up and greet (scare to death) the trick-or-treaters that are foolish enough to ring the doorbell at the house where three crazy labs reside!!!

I have had so many great costumes over the years.  Of course, there were a few years that weren't as exciting as others.  Bear with me as you look at these pictures.  Most are pics of a pic since I was too lazy to hunt through all the files for them.  Instead, I cracked open each year's scrapbook and tried to snap a decent photo.  Let's take a w-a-l-k down memory lane (Shhh! Don't say that word aloud around here or you'll be in big trouble!) . . .

On my first Halloween I was Count Dawgula . . . Woof! Woof! Woof!  (You kind of need to say that like the Count on Sesame Street to get the full impact.)  I look pretty royal and regal sitting up nice and tall like that, don't I?

The next year I was a Beach Bum in my super cool doggles.

Then I was Hank the Cowdog, from a popular children's book series by that same name.  This is one of Mommy's favorite photos of me ever.  I think it still hangs on Grandma's fridge (at least it was the last time I was there).

I took a year off for my fourth Halloween.  We were in an apartment in between houses and my parents were afraid I would get too riled up for the neighbors. [sigh]  I made up for it the next year when we were settled into our new house and I was Super Dawg, able to leap over small sofas in one bound.

Years six and seven were kind of a bust too.  I had surgery on my knees those years (probably because of all that leaping as Super Dawg the previous year!).  I guess you could say I went as a Cone Head both years!

My eighth Halloween was an election year, so I showed my support for my candidate by wearing a patriotic bandana that matched our jack-o-lantern.

For the last two years I have been the horse ridden by the world's smallest cowboy.  I like this costume best since it stresses me out the least.  I have the feeling it will make an appearance again soon.

Stay tuned for this year's surprise . . .
Hunter