Jake Thomas 10/9/00-6/14/2013

This is such a hard day...

Tonight I am saying goodbye to my very best friend. He has been my constant companion of nearly 13 years.

I can't even express the amount of love that I have for him. I wish he could be with me forever...

He has lived in many states, traveled across the country, more than once. Flown in planes, ridden in fishing boats, ferry boats, and countless cars. If you have been part of our lives then you know that there is no other dog that can compare. He is our once in a lifetime pet and I hope he will be waiting for me...

Wordless Wednesday.

Make yourself comfortable...

Our crazy wonderful Buckeye found the prefect place to sleep. A pile of "show" pillows (aka the fancy ones with slip covers). He didn't even wake during the picture... Or he was ignoring me because he knew he shouldn't be sleeping there. Don't worry. I let him sleep.

Pick up your...

As a friend and I were heading out for a walk today, with our kids and my dogs, I was reprimanded by a neighbor who was driving by, "You need to pick that UP!" referring to the poo that Jake JUST left in MY yard. I replied, "I will. It's in my yard." She says, "you still need to pick it up!!" I say, (Oh forget it--I yelled! She was IN HER CAR and 150 yards away and clearly confrontational.) " I Will!! It is in MY YARD. It's. MY. YARD. I will get it when I get back!" She then attempts to drive off as I attempt to go speak to her (clearly she needs to have some dialogue with me about something.) She then yells at me while almost hitting our gate with her car (we live in a gated community. which I don't think I will ever choose again.) " people are complaining!" (About my dogs pooping in my own yard!?!What in the HELL?) "and they need to be on a LEASH." (Jake was off lead. He is old. He doesn't care about anyone else. Plus, IF there were other people (she was in her car) or dogs present he WOULD have been on lead.) I smiled while walking to her car, "Have a GREAT day!!!" The gate opened and she drove away.

Here is Jake. The troublemaker. How dare he go potty in the yard. What was he thinking?!? Yes, He is in the kids' sandbox. He hangs out there. It's more comfortable than the deck.

I was shaking mad. Wilson told me I had a mean face. (He has a way to put things in perspective.) I was angry. Clearly I need to keep working on my mantra...


**Background information that could have been the root of my neighbors temperament:
Someone- NOT ME- has been walking their dogs and throwing the poo AND the non-recyclable/ non-degradable bags out in the woods off of the trail. It is DISGUSTING and utterly disappointing! Clearly she must be assuming that it is me. I would love to talk with her like an adult because clearly we have the same concerns for our earth and community. But my dogs shitting in my yard is not the problem...

And all this just after I post about making choices... Good grief.

Dog House

Who said being in the dog house was a bad thing?!? Not this crew...

Nora is trying to convince Jake to open her Bunnies for her, but as you can see from her messy face she does not need to eat any more.  

Dog Hair

A good friend of mine asked me how I manage our dogs' hair, considering we have two large labs. The honest answer is... I do a lot. ALL. THE. TIME. (I used to be a little more relaxed about the hair before I had a crawler but I still seem to be constantly sweeping.)

Yes, this is a pile of hair!

Here are some of my suggestions, besides getting rid of your dog (totally kidding!):

1. Vacuum your rugs daily. This may sound crazy to some but it definitely helps me. We have a home that is all hardwood floors or tile so the amount that I have to vacuum is very small. (Four large rugs.) And if you know me, you know that I actually love to vacuum so this is somewhat stress relieving.

2. Keep the dogs out of the bathroom. I just started this within the past year and it has made me SO much more sane. Now when I step out of the shower I am not stepping onto a pile of hair.

3. Invest in one of those microfiber mop brooms. You know, the kind that you can push rather than sweep. I usually use mine after I sweep the majority up with my broom. It catches all the fliers (aka hair that flies all of the house when you sweep) and it helps you get to all those hard to reach areas. Like under the crib... I guess a Swiffer might work too but I would rather use something that I can remove and wash. I don't like the idea of needing to buy something ELSE to clean. I like it simple. Plus, it is less waste for the environment.

4. Run the vacuum over your tile AFTER you sweep. Maybe this is because I love vacuuming but I think it picks up little pieces that I miss when I sweep.

5. Put your dogs in the garage when you leave. If you have one and, of course, if the weather is conducive. I recently started putting our dogs in when we leave and I have to say there does seem to be less hair in the house. If you don't have a garage maybe keep them in one room.

6. If you have the money, which I do not, get your dogs groomed regularly. If you have a good groomer then they will remove a lot of hair and your dog will shed less in your house. When we lived in Spokane I had our dogs groomed more regularly (every 2-3 months) and I noticed a change in their coat and the hair left on their beds. Note: not all dog groomers are created equal. Do NOT waste your money if your dog looks just as good after leaving the groomers as he does when you give him a bath. He should be fluffy, shiny and his skin free of dand-ruff.

7. Try changing your feed. Some dog food is better for the coat and may help with shedding issues. I don't really have a suggestion for feed. We use Nutro dog feed and I am very pleased with our dogs coat condition.

8. Lower your clean meter. This is hard for some, myself included, but hair with dogs is part of life. You WILL find hair in your pots and pans, no matter how well you clean. You WILL have dog hair in your children's play dough. You WILL feel like you need to sweep daily. BUT...

Your life would not be the same with out that big ball of fur greeting you at the door. So take a deep breathe and embrace the hairy loved one.

The dogs whose hair contributed to the pile. Jake, Buckeye, and Bailey. (We have been dog sitting sweet Bailey.)

What makes a double breast infection feel better?

Ice packs, supportive family, antibiotics and this face.

  Good ole' Jake. The best damn dog in the land.

These sweet faces help too.

Little Nora caught Wilson's cold and she had an infection in her eye.

Poor girl.

Last week we had to go to the doctor twice. Once for her cold and once for her eye.

Thankfully we all are all feeling much MUCH better!

Camping...

This week my little boy has seemed to grow up before my eyes... Last night my little "man" slept in our tent, in the dining room. all. by. himself. Well, that isn't true because Jake kept him company. (Good 'ole Jake would never miss out on a camping adventure.) I can't believe how big he is getting. He didn't need any help from his Momma AT ALL to go to sleep: No story. No tucking in. Nothing.

I set the tent up on Monday and Wilson has enjoyed playing in it all week. We have driven cars, made tunnels, and... filled it with snow. What snow? Well that is a story for another post. You'll have to guess what HE did. Mommy had no role in the snow making.

Until next time, enjoy the camping pictures from last night and have a good weekend if I don't talk with you...

A Boy and His Dog

Words to be added later...

Still a Champ

Wilson still loves daycare. He has been there for the past three days now. Before I leave him every morning he says bye, gives me a kiss, waves and then says bye again (as he walks off looking for something to play with AKA-trucks, trains, and/or a red monster truck toy). When I pick him up he is never ready to leave. In fact, I have to stay for at least 15 minutes to let him finish playing. They have been going outside alot so he really is in heaven. Wilson, thankfully, has a polar bear at daycare now so he has been falling asleep within minutes of laying down. He isn't sleeping long though (1 hour 20 minutes today) so by 7pm he is exhausted and begins to display multiple personalities that look something like this-- Cry. Laugh. Whale. Laugh. Fall down. Cry. Scream. Silience. Laugh. Cuddle. Gulp milk. Cry. Laugh. Ask for paci. Run around the house. Cry. Sleep. He has been out by 7:15 the past 2 nights. Last night he slept 12 hours. We'll see how tonight goes.

School is good. My first assignment is due tomorrow. It feels great to be back. Mostly because I know it is my LAST SEMESTER of academics!!!!!! Hell yeah! After tomorrow I am one week down.

Tomorrow night I am having a back to school bbq for the first and second years in our program. It is crazy to think that I am a second year now! Awesome. Anyway, my house will be full of people I am sure.

I had to take the boys, Jake and Buck, to the vet today. They both have small ears infections and Buck has an eye infection. Our bill was $145. Really, if I think about it, it's not too bad. I pay $68.40 for Wilson to go to the doctor when he is sick, and we have insurance. I don't have any insurance for the dogs (maybe I should) so $145 for 2 dogs to see a vet and get medication isn't that bad.

Alright, I need to get to bed.

You ask and I shall deliver.

Yesterday Wilson took the Jeep for a spin.

Fixen' the mirror for a better view.

That's better.

Then he fixed the sink... Only kidding, he knew that he could get to contents of the drawer another way. (I was holding the drawer closed with my knee and telling him that it was locked. He looked up at me then grabbed the door, opened it and grabbed my hair brush out from the drawer.)

What? I'm not doing anything. There's nothing to see here.

Ha. I've got it. You can't trick me. And you said it was locked.

Tonight he took his rocket for a spin. Before I got the camera he was sitting backwards on it and pushing along with his feet.

He wasn't moving fast enough so he decided this was more efficient.

Jake being Jake.

Jake

To my loyal readers and Jake lovers,
Ole Peg Leg is doing well. His entire right hind leg is in a cast, but that hasn't stopped him from moving around. In fact, yesterday he jumped on the bed! I'm not kidding. Obviously Ole Peg Leg is unable to make healthy decisions regarding his recovery, so he is now contained to the master closet.

He goes back on Wednesday, the 5th, to get his cast replaced. I am going to see if he can get a cool color. Like bright green or something. Hey, you might as well make it fun!

Off to the books,
Jame

Happy Birthday and Poor Jake

Today! Wilson is one year old. I can't believe it. Thanks to the little bugger, it has been the best year of my life.

My dad fixed Wilson his favorite dinner (spaghetti) and we all took part in making a delicious chocolate cake. (We plan on having a decorated cake and “party” this weekend.) It was one special day, Wilson received many calls and has heard happy birthday at least 100 times. Thank you! He may not really know enough to appreciate it today, but he will. None-the-less, I appreciate your warm wishes and thoughts. This was a special day, a true milestone.

Jake, on the other hand, has had better days. After a walk on Sunday I noticed Jake would not bear weight on his right hind leg. So, Monday, I took him to our vet to only be referred on to an orthopedic specialist. Jake had a torn (mangled really) Achilles tendon and a chipped bone in his hock area. He had a successful surgery today and will be home tomorrow. He has 3 months of cast wearing but we are hoping he heals well and that he will return to swimming this summer...

I hope to upload Wilson's one year video soon (I am having some editing problems) and will keep you posted on Jake's recovery status.

Off to finish a paper. Good night.

Second Rate

Jake's bithday was yesterday and he had his ears tugged by Buckeye, paws poked by Wilson and went on one short walk. He didn't get any presents; no toys or bones....
Last year, on his birthday, we found out we were having a boy and were so excited about the event that we almost forgot about his birthday, but luckily my mom remembered and UPS arrived at our door with a box full of goodies for Jake. This year when UPS rang our door bell with a box full of goodies, for Wilson, I realized how much life has changed for Jake Dog. He has lost rank in the house. Poor guy. He was once spoiled with toys and walked religiously....
Then Buckeye came (who drives him crazy)and then Wilson came (who bugs him more than Buck). Now we go on a walk once a week, if we're lucky, and the fun toys are for the baby.

Nap Time

Will was sleeping on the floor beside me at the computer when Jake Dog went to join him. What a picture! The flash woke the little guy up but I had to share anyway. Jake is such a lover.

Lazy bones

These two are hilarious. The entire other half of the couch was open and Buck had to squeeze his little 60# bottom right between Jake-Dog and the arm of the couch. I wish I had taken the picture from further back, then you could really see how curled up Buck had to get. You would think that Jake would have gotten up too. They didn't care too much because they slept like this for over an hour.

Buck and Jame: WARNING huge stomach photos!

I thought I would give you an update before I headed to bed...

Buckeye is doing well. He is, as expected, acting like he never had surgery- running, jumping and chomping. You would never guess he was under the knife yesterday.

Tonight, we went out to eat with our friends Courtney and Jason. We haven't seen them in awhile and it was great to hang out again. It's refreshing and comforting to be around someone who is going through everything that I am. (Courtney is 32 weeks pregnant.) In a few months we will both have screaming little boys!! :) The fun is just beginning!!!

(Angie, the belly shots are for you.)

Gosh I am freakin HUGE!

Now on to my doctor appointment: It turns out that I am already 1 cm dialated which is kind of scary and exciting all at the same time. Scary because I am only 34 weeks and he isn't ready to come yet (37 weeks is considered full term; however, 40 weeks is my due date). My doctor has not put me on bedrest but has advised me to slow down and take it easy. I am to play work by ear and may or may not be able to work up to my goal date (Feb 8th). We need this guy to stay in put for another 3 weeks, at least. I am going back on Friday to see if I have progressed. Many woman stay at 1 cm for weeks but some move faster. Who knows?! Everyone and every pregnancy is different. (I am SO tired of hearing that!!)
The exciting part is that I am progressing and this little guy is going to be here soon (Hopefully, not too soon but soon none-the-less). Luckily, I am registered with the hospital now so if anything happens all we have to do is go to labor and delivery. Speaking of the registration- I had one of those Oh My Gosh moments during the registration. The nurse was discussing with me the security information and told me that Chris, the baby and I would all be given matching bands to wear and there was something about knowing that this little guy would be wearing the same number as Chris and I that made everything real. We made a little human that is part of Chris and I. We are about to change from a couple to a family. We are going to have a baby boy and I can't wait to meet him.

Buckeye no longer a man?

Well, not that he was ever really a man but after today he will be missing somethings that all men can't think of parting with... Yeap- that's right he is getting fixed. I just got back from dropping him off with the vet. The funny thing is that I don't feel sorry for him at all. He is such a spunky little guy that there is no way this will stop him. I am sure he will come home ready to run- literally.

I'll let you know how it goes.

In other news- I am preregistering with the hospital and have a doctor's appointment today. Exciting!!

Not much is happening...

here in Montana. This week has been busy and yet not much has been going on. I don't know how that happens- but it does. Work for me was good. All the kiddos seemed to miss me. My stomach apparently tripled in the past two weeks because the kids can't stop looking at it. One of my students asked me- why my stomach was still getting big? After I explained that the baby was growing he quickly responded with- when he is done growing they will cut him out at your belly button. I remember thinking the same thing when I was little...

I went to the Dr. this week and all looks well. Junior's heartbeat is strong and I am doing well. My Dr. prescribed me something for my heartburn so I really can't complain.

It has been super windy lately (so bad that I thought the house was going to blow away) and yesterday it snowed. Chris has worked on the basement most of the week- including yesterday. I helped him in the evening and I'm very happy to report that most of the plumbing is now DONE. I will try and take a picture later.

Chris leaves this week for a TDY. On his way home he is stopping through Denver to meet up with the USAFA crew and his brother for a little ski trip. With all the snow that CO has had lately the skiing should be awesome. I know that Chris is excited to see everyone and try out his new ski boots. I would love to go too but I am not actually in the best ski shape. I could see me now- rolling, literally, down the mountain. There’s always next year.

Today Chris and I are planning on going to see The Good Shepherd. I’ll let you know what we think…

Until then, I will leave you with a picture of the boys. Hope you all had good weekends.

Life is hard!

Who's the top dog?

Today has been an adventure and it is only 11 am... While sitting at the computer (trying to enhance my future) I hear a big bang. What was that? Hmm. I'll check in a minute- I didn't hear any crying. This was my first mistake. Buckeye had decided to take on the shoe rack and I really don't know who won. From the looks of it- it might be a tie.



I found the culprit hiding out by my bed chewing on a sandal... my Rainbow sandals. (This dog has some serious learning to do. You don't mess with the Rainbows.)

After I found him I of course say "NO" very firmly and proceed to get the shoe. Buckeye decided to bolt. ( See what I mean about some serious learning... You 1. don't chew on my Rainbows and 2. don't run from ME!) There are only two ways this dog will win... No way- NO HOW!!

I chased after him. Around and around we went; around the couch- around the table- and around the couch again. Buckeye would stop and look at me and then scurry off. Jake was following me with a toy in his mouth because he thought that we were playing. Quite the sight... I ended up asking Jake to sit while I continued to chase the little one around... and around....and around! Five minutes later I won!! I got a hold of Buck and used some Dog Whisperer skills on him. (Who’s the top dog now?) Maybe he finally realizes that I AM THE ALPHA!!! We'll see- right now he is asleep at my feet beside Jake.


I took this picture a few minutes after our little run in. I can't stay mad too long. Look at that face.