Birds fly South, ETS and Pups Play Date

Let's start in reverse. On Saturday, Chris, Bethanie and their pups Maggie and Baron came over for a pups play date. The weather was not too bad. We managed to miss most of the rain showers. The kids had a ball playing in the yard.

Moo Moo is waiting to play.After a long romp around the yard Baron and Cueball decide to rest for a moment.
The boys and Maggie wait patiently for Mitch to get them some water after their romp around the yard.
Maggie leads Baron, Booyah and Maggie. They were all chasing the green squeaky toy.
And, Maggie and Baron chase after Maggie. We muzzled everyone in the beginning just as a precaution. Everyone got along really well. Our kids had a ball chasing Maggie around. She has tons of energy and wore the kids out! =)
Cueball suprised us one evening when he got ETS for the very first time.
On Saturday morning while I was vacuuming the floor and washing the covers for the couch, the kids decided to lay on top of the dog beds on the couch. Cueball got up there first then Maggie figured out how to join him.
Saturday morning while I was picking up the living room and dusting I heard a loud Whoosh of wind go by. Well....I thought it was the wind. It turns out that it was hundreds of birds flying by the window and then landing in our yard. They were everywhere. I watched them in amazement.
Not only were they covering the front yard and side yard, they also covered the back yard as well. They stayed about 15 minutes and then they all took off in flight. That was quite amazing to see as well. I guess they are flying South for the winter?

Merry Christmas

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. We sure did! It's our little family tradition to exchange presents on Christmas Eve and then spend Christmas day with my family, since Mitch's family does not live in this state (some live in FL, some in CA and some in ME). We hope to travel to CA and FL in the very near future for Christmas. I have never been to CA, so I am looking forward to it. We just don't know what to do about the pups, it would be a very long car ride to CA with the pups. And, I refuse to be without them at Christmas. But, we will figure something out. =)

We had a very nice meal with my family today. We watched A Christmas Story. I love this movie, Mitch is not the biggest fan, but he watched and we shared some laughs. The kids got their presents yesterday morning. They had a ball playing with all of their new toys, both inside and out! And, we had a ball watching them. Grandma got them some very yummy treats and they got to enjoy these today. We have a whole jar, so they will be enjoying these yummy treats for a while! Thanks Grandma!!


So how do you give lots of new toys to 3 very curious, excited dogs? (Yes, 3....KC does not play with toys anymore, but did enjoy all the yummy treats!)


Hmmm......, well Mitch decided to put them in a brown paper bag, then dump them out on the floor and stand back to watch.Mitch hands Boo Boo a toy. He was a little scared by the loud noise the toys made when they hit the floor.

The kids outside enjoying their new squeaky toys.
About 20 minutes later, the kids are pooped.
KC did not know what to think about all of the excitement.
And, Misty....well...she thinks she still rules the roost. Here she is keeping a watchful eye on all the activities.
We tried to take a family photo, ha. If you think it is easy, give it a whirl.

It was a lot tougher than we thought it would be. The cat was so frustrated from me holding her during the initial shots that she clawed me and then bit me. I got the hint that she had had enough so I let her go. KC can barely stand anymore, her arthritis is pretty bad, so we did not force her to be in it and decided just to let her sleep on her bed. So it ended up being just us and the hounds. We had to put their leashes on just to hold them steady for the shot, they of course wanted to look at us instead of the camera. After about 10 tries, we ended up with this.......
We are looking forward to New Years, even though Mitch has to work 12 hours new year's eve and 12 hours new year's day, we still have lots of goals for 2008 and many life time goals, which we are looking forward to acheiving.

Follow your heart!

Remembering Hank, Snow in April, Cutie KC

Hank.


This time of year, I can't help but think about Hank. Last year, to help out, we fostered Hank (Whistler's Hank) for a few days. Hank was a very good boy. He is a beautiful brindle boy. Oh...the brindles...they are so unique looking, just beautiful. And, he fit into our family very nicely. At that time, there was no way I could have talked Mitch into adopting another hound. A lot has changed since then, he now fully gets the "Greyhound Cult". =)

When we first brought him to our home, he was a door rusher and was not very good at walking on a leash....he was a puller! He was a very good racer and very strong. I worked on the leash pulling the best I could, and he was showing some improvement. And the door rushing had minimized some too. Mitch took him back to Trina's when they had returned from their trip out of town and they continued to foster him for a while.

Unfortunately, Hank had some potty issues (he would mark in the house) and after a while a decision was made to send him to a place (I believe a place in North Carolina) where some people could work with him on this so that he could be placed into a forever home.

Hank was our first foster. He will always be very special to us and we hope he has found a good forever home, wherever he may be.
Hank showed us what a wonderful impact you can make in a dogs life when you open up your heart and home. Since then we have fostered a few and those hounds have all found good forever homes. We hope to continue to foster in 2008 and touch the lives of more hounds! There is nothing more rewarding in life, than the feeling you get when you touch a life. =)

After all, isn't that what it is all about?





Snow.

April Showers brought May flowers?

Ahh..yes, snow showers in April of 2007. Only in VA, would this happen. We can't get snow on Christmas, but we can get snow on the weekend of Easter!

But, there is just something so serene about snow. Don't you agree?



Cutie KC.

Need I say more?

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!!!!

You either enjoy Christmas or you hate it. As I get older I enjoy Christmas more and more but not for the commercial aspect of it. My religious beliefs are my own and I never try to push them on to anyone, but I am thankful that Jesus died for me. I didn't grow up in a religious family. In fact I didn't attend a church service (that I can remember) until I was in my twenty's (which wasn't that long ago.... ;)). But life has a funny way of affecting everyone differently and I found myself on my knees back in 1994 accepting Christ as my savior. You probably wouldn't know it to look at me but for me it's a very personal thing. The day I got baptized was one of the most profoundest days of my life, one I'll never forget. And to top it off my testimony that day brought another to her knees in acceptance, and she had lived with her Christian husband for many years. So Happy Birthday Jesus and thank you for believing in me.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!
Give without the thought of receiving and see how you can change a life.
Mitch.

We have been busy.......let's catch up.....

Let's start in reverse, on Saturday I helped with VAGA's last haul of 2007. VAGA brought up 8 hounds. Here is a shot of the hauler at the meeting point. The hounds were all shaking from the cold when they got out of the hauler. It was bitter cold Saturday morning. What a shock from FL weather. When Pat got out of the truck she immediately went to the restroom to put some warmer clothes on. =)Two were adopted here in the Richmond area and the other 6 went up to Fredericksburg for their adoptions. I believe only one will be in foster waiting for a home. And, Alex, who came up with the delightful dozen back in September was returned to FL to go to his forever home. He rode back to FL with the hauler. We are fostering Tyra Overdue (AKA Cleo) for a few days to help out her family. They are in the process of moving into their new home. She is a beautiful, sweet 2 year old fawn. Yes, she is very much a puppy!!! She loves to run all over the house playing with squeaky toys. She learned stairs in one day! She is wicked smart! She will be going to her forever home this week. Just in time for Christmas.
She loves to chew on bones and play with toys. And, isn't she pretty? Way too much energy for us, but she is a good girl and going to a good home to a family who is very used to a hyper active dog! And, they are thrilled that she has a lot of energy, so I think she will be a good match for them. They came over on Saturday to do all the official adoption day stuff and to of course meet the newest member of their family. They love her already and can't wait to bring her home. =)
We have also been decorating the inside and outside of the house. Mitch decided that he wanted a plain tree this year. Just white lights. So here is our tree and Cueball laying in his daddy's chair. Oh wait...it's Cueball's chair....I forgot!
Here's a better shot of the tree. Remember it is pre-lit, so I put it up, Mitch helped spread out the branches and well......ta..da....
Credit to Mitch for the outside decorating. Here is a shot of the house all lit up. We also have garland and bows on the porch and bows on the fence.
And, here is just a quick shot of Cueball being so tolerable of Maggie's feet in his face. What a good boy!!!
Our spare time has been spent getting ready for Christmas and of course working. We had our best friends over last night for a holiday meal. We had rib roast, butternut squash risotto, home made cheesecake, green bean casserole, beets, my homemade grape leaves and of course wine!! It is always fun when we get together, we had a blast!! Thanks again Ernie and Deb!! We love our new wine bottle opener (we will put it to good use) and of course we always enjoy your company.

Merry Christmas all! I hope your holiday is wonderful and cheers to a wonderful, happy, healthy, prosperous New Year!!!

Walk a mile in my shoes

Okay, so nobody is really going to walk a mile. Let me explain the title. Mitch has thought I was silly for the last year because I usually sit on the floor or on dog beds so the hounds can have the couch and chair. But now Mitch has walked in my shoes, so who is silly now?


Actually, that would be both of us!!


He says "Excuse me Cueball, I did not realize I was in your chair."
At least he gets to sit on a nice new plush dog bed with memory foam in it. They are quite comfy! =)

So.....Welcome, welcome Mitch to my world.
Yes, he could have sat on the couch with Moo Moo, but he hates our couch and loves his chair. And, I was sitting in the blue recliner until I got up to take the picture.

In other news, Gracie went to her forever home on Sunday. They are fostering with the intent to adopt. I don't think it will take long to make their decision, she is a perfect little girl! And, they are a wonderful family who will provide her with the love and care she so deserves!! Her family thinks she is the most bestest!! And, she is doing wonderfully! I miss her lots, she was such a good sweet girl! I got very teary eyed when I was leaving her on Sunday after the Home Visit. She touches the heart of everyone she meets, she is truly a very special hound. =) Debbie felt this when she met Gracie in Spain and knew she had to get her over here and find her a forever home. To read more about where Gracie came from click here.

Gracie already knew how to get on furniture before we got her to foster, she was taught this by a Scooby volunteer who did not know that this is a big no no. Once, we found out her family had no problem with Gracie sitting on the couch, we did not feel so guilty that our training to keep her off the couch was failing.
The next shot is credited to Mitch, who came downstairs Friday morning before he went to work and caught Moo Moo and I spooning. I had Friday off and after getting up at 5:30 a.m. to let them out and then feed them, I decided to lay down and take a quick nap. Moo Moo decided to join me.
And lastly in other news, I join the 30's club tomorrow at 6:36 p.m. A birthday I have been dreading for a year will be arriving soon. Today is my last day of declaring "I am in my twenties." Oh bother.

Photo Challenge - The hounds answer back

Ramona participates in a weekly photo challenge and posts pictures of her kids and the theme of the photo challenge on her site. I love seeing these shots of Katie-Beth and Carl!! The themes vary and some of them have been very interesting and pretty neat. I have been wanting to participate with shots of the hounds, but the themes I had seen thus far, I did not feel I could capture with the hounds. Last weekend, I finally saw one in which I thought even the four legged kids could participate. I am late on posting because I had to finish Cueball's coat first, I wanted it to make the "fashion show".

But first I must give a greyt big thanks to Amanda, who showed me how to sew a hounds coat, Trina, who hosted a sewing party earlier this year, which enabled me to get good practice in sewing coats, and both helped me pick out the fabric for Booyah and Maggie at Joann's fabric. Thanks a bunch Gals!!! =)

So here are the oh so enthusiastic hounds (ha) showing off their warm wear.

First up is Maggie. She is wearing a coat I made for her. It is a very cute giraffe pattern.
She decides she has had enough after about 2 minutes and heads for her nice new plushy dog bed. She is the queen you know.
She is so enthused!

Next up is Gracie, she is wearing one of Maggie's coats. I can't take credit for making this one though. We bought this in April when we went to GIG. I think it looks precious on Gracie though.

She thinks she is going somewhere. As she has been wearing this coat every day that it has been cold when we go out to walk and go potty. Excuse the basket of clothes in the background..it is laundry day. =)
Next is Cueball showing off his Psychedelic coat, made by his mommy, with a nice stretch.
Being a fashion model is exhausting work.
Next is Booyah in his camouflage frogs made by his mommy. I can barely get the camera ready before Booyah is ready to lay down.
Booyah is so cute in Green.
And lastly, Gracie shows off Booyah's flame coat that we got him at GIG.

Lazy Roo-ers

Getting off the couch is sooo overated!!!

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We spent the morning and early afternoon with the hounds, just relaxing and enjoying the incredible weather we had (close to 80 degrees). Cueball takes a well deserved nap on the couch.
Later, outside, Attack of the hounds! =) They love giving kisses!!!
Then we went over to Ernie and Deb's for their Annual Thanksgiving feast. Here is Mitch and Ernie cutting up while carving the bird.
The meal was delicious, as always!!! Then we enjoyed some time outside by the fire. Very nice!
Left to right....Debbie, John, Ernie and Mitch doing shooters at Ernie's bar.
And here is the whole gang for the group shot.
Mitch and Ernie preparing the bird for leftovers.
We have so much to be thankful for, but amongst all, we are very thankful for good friends!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!