“All the world is birthday cake...” George Harrison

Thank you, everyone, for the amazing outpour of love and support with regard to last month’s blog post! Your emails, cards, and phone calls were and are very much appreciated. Thank you!

I am doing really, really well and, to be completely honest, I have never felt more alive! I do, of course, miss my friends at the firm, but I very much like being back in school and, like I’ve said before, I’ve really been enjoying this time to myself.

As a matter of fact, I’ve been keeping myself rather busy and taking pleasure in doing some of the things I’ve always wanted to do but never made time for because of my 110% dedication to the job and those who employed me. That said, I signed up for my very first cake decorating class in November and plan to take sewing classes in February! Whoo-hoo! You can see a photo of one of my cakes in the upper right hand corner of this post. I’m also registered for another semester at the community college (a mixture of medical and just-for-fun classes) and Dan is (cross your fingers and toes!) considering taking an evening dance class with me! Darby and I also continue to run the agility obstacle courses at his school once a week and I’ve also been busy re-arranging and updating some of the house décor, including furniture, fixtures, and GASP! Paint! Yeppers! In the not so distant future, Erin is actually going to put color on her walls! Look out!

Another thing that I was able to fully enjoy this year were the holidays. You see, I’ve never been able to take leave from work for the holidays and this year, for the first time in 25 years, I went back home to Minnesota to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family and, for the first time in 16 years, I was able to completely relax and enjoy the week between Christmas and New Year’s, which was absolutely wonderful!

This past week, Dan and I were also able to watch my 2-year old niece, Myah, for 3 days while my sister and brother-in-law took a quick little road trip to the Grand Canyon (something I would never have been able to do if I were working)! Here are a few photos from our adventures with Myah. Special Note: Thank you, Myah, for being such a good kid for us while you were here and for playing so well with your four-legged cousins. We miss you!

In closing, let me just say that this is truly the happiest I’ve been in a long time and, although I’m no longer bringing in the big bucks (ha, ha), I know I’m rich in both life and love and, for that, I am very grateful!

Happy New Year!

Back, Back, Back to School Again!

Howdy! Howdy! Just a quick update to let you know that, after ten years of dedicated service to the law firm as a legal assistant (and 16 years total in the legal profession), I’ve decided to re-career and try something new! Yes, indeed!

I started back to school in August with an eye on obtaining an occupational therapy degree and I’ve really been enjoying the challenge of being back at school and learning something new. Why the change? Well, after having lost Dan’s grandma, Bandit, and my grandmother to cancer all within a year and a half, I decided that life is just too short and you have to enjoy it while you can.

In mid-September, I took some time off from work to really think about what I wanted in life, both personally and professionally, and decided that it was time for a change. I needed to find my happiness again and, much like the professionals who were there for our grandmothers and faithful friend, caring for and helping others has always made me happy.

For several weeks, I continued to work full-time (and was taking classes at night), but those days have now come to an end. I’ve postponed and cancelled way too many things in the name of work and, just last month, after a disagreement with my boss over the duties of my desk, I was relieved of my responsibilities and asked to leave the firm.

Truthfully, I absolutely love the firm and the people working there, but, to be completely honest, I haven’t been very happy with the actual job for quite a while and, after a decade, it was simply time for me to move on and, in my mind, find something a little more rewarding. That said, I’m happy about the change and I’m very much looking forward to what the future will bring! I have no ill feelings towards the firm and/or my ex-boss and I wish them continued success.

So! There you have it! I am no longer a working woman and I’m officially a student and stay-at-home dog Mom! Yippie! What a welcomed opportunity!

The Magic Continues!

Well, here we are! It’s the end of October and Dan and I are celebrating our very first wedding anniversary!

We spent all day last Saturday taking in the beautiful fall foliage with the dogs at Fourth of July Canyon, stayed at the spectacularly amazingly Hacienda dona Andrea de Santa Fe on Sunday night for our actual anniversary, and then puttered around Santa Fe all day Monday. What a gorgeous time of year! The leaves were in full peak and the air was cool and crisp!

We, of course, had a fantastic time at the canyon and Dan and I very much enjoyed Santa Fe and our return visit to the hacienda for our anniversary, but, to be completely honest, I had really hoped that Dan and I would be celebrating with Mickey and Minnie again this year! Unfortunately, for a number of different reasons, an anniversary trip was simply not meant to be, and, in the alternative, we decided to spend the week fixing things up around the house (installing new light fixtures and faucets) and, on Wednesday afternoon, we had our 1-year anniversary photo session with our wedding photographer! How fun is that? I’m so excited about the faucets and fixtures and I’ll be sure and post a few anniversary photos a little later!

In the meantime (and as promised months ago), here are a few photos and a quick little update on last year’s honeymoon trip to Disney World in Florida. As mentioned previously, this trip was a total and complete surprise and planned entirely by Dan. We stayed at Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter and, despite the rough start described in my November 2009 blog post, we had an absolutely wonderful time and covered quite a bit of ground during our stay. We visited all four parks and took in all that there was to see, do, and enjoy, including a Cirque du Soleil show in Downtown Disney. Oh, and talk about magical! Dan and I were even selected to serve as Grand Marshals of the Main Street Parade at the Magic Kingdom! Yep, Grand Marshals!

Dan and I had just entered the park and taken a few photos when a man with a Disney badge approached us and asked if he could talk with us for a few moments. The conversation went a little something like this: “My name is Dean and I’m the [something or something] coordinator here at the park. I see from the pins that you’re wearing that you are both first time visitors and that the two of you just recently got married.” Dan and I are, of course, a wee bit skeptical, but this is DisneyWorld and the man is wearing an official-looking badge and seems harmless enough, so we confirm that yes, we are, indeed, first time visitors and that we just got married a few days ago. “Well, the two of you really seem to be enjoying yourselves (Heck! You’re wearing a top hat and veil on Main Street!) and I was wondering if you’d like to be in the parade today at 3:00 p.m.” Seriously? “You would ride in Mickey’s limousine and be Grand Marshals with another group of people, a lovely family of five.” What? You have got to be kidding? Grand Marshals? What’s the catch? “There’s only one condition, you can only be Grand Marshals if you agree to wear your gear and smile and wave at the crowd the entire time. Do you think you can do that?” Absolutely! “Meet me by the gates to the right of the Fire Hall at 2:45 p.m.” Wow! This is unbelievable! Dan and I are going to be Grand Marshals in today’s parade!

When we arrived at the Fire Hall, Dean happily greeted us and gave us each a set of mouse ear hats with our names embroidered on the back and a special certificate. We snapped a few photos with Dean outside the Fire Hall and then, a couple of minutes later, he brought us to a staging area behind the gates and helped us into the limo. A short while later, the music began to play and off we went! As the parade moved down Main Street, we heard our names being announced over the loud speaker and the crowd began to clap and cheer with excitement. After traveling down the parade route and waving to all the smiling faces in the crowd, we were dropped off at a special viewing area and watched the remainder of the parade, which began at Town Square and finished near Splash Mountain. The whole experience was absolutely amazing and I couldn’t have wished for a better thing to have happened on our honeymoon! What a magical day!

Dean took this awesome photo of Dan and me just before the start of the parade and the snapshots of us riding in Mickey’s limo during the Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! parade on Main Street were taken by Trip, the Disney PhotoPass photographer assigned to the parade route.

The First Day of Fall

Technically, the first full day of fall is tomorrow, but the actual autumnal equinox occurred this evening...

In any event, last year on this very day (September 22nd), Dan and I were in Santa Fe with our wedding photographer shooting our “First Day of Fall” engagement session.

I realize September may seem a bit late for us to have been taking engagement photos, but, if you think about it, September really did make perfect sense! Dan had only proposed three months earlier (in June) and, since we were having an autumn wedding, we wanted fall-themed engagement photos and therefore picked the first day of fall for the session. Why Santa Fe? Well, we chose Santa Fe for the shoot because we wanted to incorporate a bit of New Mexico’s southwestern charm and history into our photos and then tie it all back into the wedding, which, as many of you already know, was held high atop the Ortiz Mountains overlooking Santa Fe, the colonial capital of New Mexico.

Anyhoo, back to the story about the actual photo shoot. It was a gorgeous autumn day and, with the sound of rustling leaves and the scent of roasted green chiles rising into the air, we began our photo session on Canyon Road in Santa Fe’s art gallery district. If you have not yet been to Santa Fe or are simply unfamiliar with the area, Canyon Road is a one mile stretch of road just off Paseo de Peralta between Old Santa Fe Trail and East Palace. It follows the south side of the Santa Fe River and is home to over 100 art galleries and studios, as well as many beautiful flower and sculpture gardens. The architecture along Canyon Road is absolutely amazing and a large portion of the galleries and studios are housed in 250-year old adobe buildings. The photo to the upper right was taken just outside one of these galleries.

From there, we decided to head up into the mountains take in the fall foliage near Hyde Park. As expected, the colors were spectacular and we posed for several more photos amongst the trees. This, of course, is where the story becomes a bit more interesting. You see, during the middle of our shoot, a man wonders up to us and says "Hey, I'm with the Santa Fe New Mexican and they sent me up here to take photos of people enjoying the first day of fall. Would you mind if I took a couple photos of you for the paper?" Unbelievable! The man wrote down our names, took a few photos, and told us that we’d be featured in Thursday’s edition of the newspaper. Isn’t that crazy? To be completely honest, I was entirely skeptical of the man (and even asked for a business card before giving him our names), but, two days later, we learned that the long-haired stranger we had encountered on that Santa Fe mountainside was indeed telling us the truth! Our “First Day of Fall” engagement photo session made the paper and, although it seemed a little strange and awkward at first, it is, of course, WAY cool now!

Here are two other photos from our engagement session in Santa Fe.

Hello Pretty Girl!

This is Daisy Mae.

Daisy is the laid back sister of Scout and Darby and she has come to be known by many different names, including Crazy Mae, Mae Mae, and Maester.

Daisy is a gentle giant.

Standing approximately 4 inches taller than each of her brothers (and out weighing them by a good 10 or 15 pounds), Daisy is gianormous. She, of course, doesn’t realize that she’s gianormous and will often times try and cram herself into teeny, tiny spaces and sit on top of you. She also likes to sleep stretched out and is a bit of a bed hog. Daisy likes hugs, kisses, and pats on the head, as well as snuggle time with Mom and Dad. She also likes lounging around on her cool-a-roo dog cot and has very ticklish feet! Daisy is a pretty, pretty girl and is extremely well behaved. This is a photo of Daisy on her cool-a-roo.

When we adopted Daisy in February of 2007, we were told that she was part border collie, an intelligent, medium-sized breed of dog filled with tons of energy. Well, three years and 60 pounds later, we’ve found that Daisy is not anywhere near the medium-sized, athletic dog we expected. Nope, she’s an adorably cute, super smart… MULE! What do I mean by that? Well, I know the term "mule" doesn’t come across as being very nice, but trust me. I say it with the utmost amount of love and affection! To be completely honest, I usually refer to Daisy as a horse, but, for the purpose of this blog, it just doesn’t work because, to me, calling her a “horse” would imply that she’s quick and nimble and somewhat coordinated which simply isn’t the case for our Mae Mae! That said, let’s just say, Daisy doesn’t go anywhere in too much of a hurry and tends to be a little more independent than each of her brothers. Basically, she’s a little pokey and has a mind of her own. You know, much like a mule! She’s also a little more clumsy (because there’s so much of her) and not as obedient as her brothers (because she does what she wants and when she wants), but she is, as I said, super smart and incredibly sweet.

Daisy is a puppy school graduate and does the most awesome “downs” I’ve ever seen, plus she knows how to open and close her crate door (as well as our sliding glass patio door) and has the best manners, an extremely gentle mouth, and the patience of a Saint, especially when dealing with her obnoxious baby brother. She’s also quite curious about things and is a fantastic hunter. So far, she’s cornered two mice and caught three birds (two of which she didn’t kill, but rather brought into the house and gave to Dan). She’s also caught and eaten a countless numbers of bugs and flying insects and tracked down a frog through the tall grass on one of our walks along the bosque. Daisy also likes to play and, when she does, she plays hard, but only in short bursts. You see, Daisy LOVES to wrestle and be chased, so, with a “rowl, R-O-W-L, rowl,” a quick pounce, and a flick of the tail they’re off! Down the hall, through the living room and kitchen, and out the dog door, barking and running back and forth across the yard, around and around the Spanish broom, and then back through the dog door, up and onto the couch, back down the hall, and onto the bed for a little Wrestle Mania with Dan and/or her brothers, flipping, flopping and rolling around like a maniac! This, of course, is where the “crazy” part of her name comes into the equation! She also gets a little crazed around water (which she finds absolutely irresistible) and she can really zig, zag, and act a little kooky when you try and catch her for a good brushing! Daisy also likes to chase the laser pointer and is actually very quick about it. Man! If laser pointers were allowed on the field, Daisy would be an awesome agility dog! Anyhoo, because of her easy-going temperament, love of people, and gentle ways, Daisy is, however, a certified AKC Canine Good Citizen (which means she can go into nursing homes and hospitals as a therapy dog). This, of course, is something that Darby, her younger brother, will never be able to do! She is our smart, playful, and sociable Maester.

Needless to say, Daisy is unique in and unto herself. She adds balance to this chaotic, high energy household and, despite her intimidating size and stubborn streak, Daisy is one of the most friendly, loving dogs you’ll ever meet and we wouldn’t’ trade her for anything!

We love you Daisy Mae, our beautiful black and white St. Bernard!

Twelve and Two!

This month the boys turned twelve and two!

Scout, the short-haired cutie on the right, pre-dates Dan and has been by my faithful friend for twelve years. Darby, the long-haired fur ball on the left, is the baby of the family and he, too, is a mama’s boy.

What’s the difference between twelve and two?

Not too terribly much, except maybe a little glucosamine and the need for a few more dog naps throughout the day! You can read about some of Scout and Darby’s antics by reading the “Get the Puppy” portion of my April 2010 blog post.

As you know, I adopted Scout and his twin brother, Bandit, in September of 1998, and the two of them were quite the pair. Unfortunately, we lost Bandit to cancer in March of 2009, but Scout is still going strong.

As puppies, Scout and Bandit were a handful. The two of them munched a few pairs of shoes, chewed up a bit of linoleum, and put teeny tiny teeth marks in the legs of my kitchen table and the outer edges of my bookshelves. They also dragged mops and brooms out the dog door and perched themselves atop the dishwasher door to sneak a few licks of food from the plates and bowls!

As young adults, Scout and Bandit loved taking long walks and car rides to Grandma and Grandpa’s house where they spent quite a bit of time, as I was taking college courses and working towards my bachelor’s degree. Scout and Bandit also loved their stuffed hedgehogs and enjoyed playing catch and keep away. They also liked to wrestle with one another and always slept curled up together, side by side.

At age five, Scout and Bandit accepted Dan into our family and we began to travel together, visiting many of New Mexico’s state parks and camping. At age eight, Scout and Bandit went to school and learned a few new tricks and took their first and only agility class at age nine. Sadly, we never took any photos of them during agility class, but the memories remain fresh in our minds. Bandit was quick and nimble on the A-frame, Scout was fast and confident on the teeter totter, and Dan and I have never laughed or enjoyed ourselves so much!

Dan and I adopted Darby in August of 2008 and he, too, is quite the dog. Much like the rest of the gang (including Daisy), Darby has left teeth marks on the furniture and destroyed a few things around the house. Darby has, however, managed to leave the linoleum alone, but he did take a nice big bite out of the door jam and completely chewed off the corner of my armoire! Darby also likes to drag his blankets out the dog door and will gobble up anything that hits the kitchen floor.

Darby and Bandit were also the best of friends. They played chase and fetch together while Bandit was well and then Darby happily trotted alongside Bandit in his stroller and slept curled up next to him every night while he was sick, bringing him toys in the morning and playing gently with him until the end.

Darby also loves to wrestle, pester his sister, and take car rides to Grandma and Grandpa’s house where they feed him people food. He also likes stuffed hedgehogs, but prefers to shred and eat them rather than playing nice with them like Scout and Bandit! Darby travels well and he and his siblings have visited many different places, including the Petrified Forest (Darby’s very first family road trip) and, most recently, the Grand Canyon.

As you might remember from my April 2008 blog post, Darby’s life got off to a bit of a rough start, but, despite his troubled beginnings, he has overcome many things and turned into an amazing dog. Darby started school early and has successfully completed two different obedience classes and began taking his first agility class this month. Much like his brothers, Darby seems to be a natural on the agility course and he has already mastered most of the equipment, including the tricky weave poles! Here are two photos from Darby’s agility class.

Land of the Midnight Sun

Okay, okay! So I had to cheat a little on my June blog post in order to sneak it in for the month, but hey! “More to come..” was the best I could do, especially since I posted this photo on a super slow internet connection while on vacation in Alaska!

In celebration of the one year anniversary of our official engagement and the end of Dan’s 8-week sabbatical, Dan and I decided to head north and spend the first two weeks of summer exploring the Last Frontier and Land of the Midnight Sun!

What’s midnight sun? Well, let me explain. Believe it or not, the photo to the right was taken at 1:30 a.m. on the second “night” of our trip.

Yes, indeed! This is all the darker it ever got during our entire stay and, with that much sunlight, Dan and I really took in all there was to see and do!

We flew into Anchorage on June 21st and hit the road in a rental car. Dan’s dream vacation was underway! We drove north all the way to Fairbanks and then south to the Kenai Peninsula, visiting the coastal communities of both Seward and Homer and putting a total of 1,700 miles on the rental.

Fjords, Glaciers, and Sled Dogs!

We never did make it to the arctic circle (long story and totally Dan’s fault), but we did spend quite a bit of time exploring two of Alaska’s largest and most frequently visited national parks - Denali National Park in the north and Kenai Fjords National Park in the south. Unfortunately, Mount McKinley, North America's tallest mountain and the main attraction of the 6 million acre Denali park, was covered in clouds (as it is most days of the year), so we were not able to see the peak. As a matter of fact, it is said that only 30% of visitors actually see the peak during their visit and, sadly, Dan and I were not part of the fortunate few.

We also hiked two easy trails in the Chugach National Forest (one to a waterfall near Anchorage and one to a glacier in Seward) and enjoyed three separate boat tour adventures (one on the Chena River, one to Portage Glacier, and one through the Gulf of Alaska/Kenai Fjords). We also visited 4 of Alaska’s 35 named glaciers and saw many others; took a ride aboard the Alaska Railroad; rafted down the Placer River near Whittier; and went on an Iditarod-themed sled dog ride with 12 happy dogs leading the way! A video clip from our sled dog ride follows below, together with a few photos from our trip (some taken by me and some taken by Dan). Also attached is video footage from our Kenai fjords boat tour, which was filmed while our captain was doing a 360 degree turn near Striation Island.

Caribou, Moose, and Bears - Oh My!

We, of course, saw a ton of wildlife during our stay. We saw 6 bears, 20+ Dahl sheep, and a pack of wolves during our shuttle bus tour of Denali (the best way to see the park) and saw whales, sealions, and puffins on our boat tour of the Kenai Fjords. During our travels, we also saw 10 moose, 30+ eagles, and several caribou. Dan and I also visited the Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center near Anchorage and saw musk ox, bison, and elk and saw salmon, sea stars and cucumbers, and a number of arctic birds at the Alaska Sea Life Center in Seward.

We also did a few fun and different things while in Alaska and met three Alaskan celebrities. We dressed up like Eskimos for an old-time photo in Denali, enjoyed a couple adult beverages at the Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer, got up close and personal with a 20 foot chocolate “water fall” in Anchorage, and visited two different ice museums in Fairbanks. While in Fairbanks, we met Dave Monson, the husband of the late 4-time Iditarod champion, Susan Butcher, and bought an autographed copy of their book, Granite, for the dogs. We also met photographer Mark Kelley at Denali National Park and purchased an autographed copy of his book, Alaska: A Photographic Excursion, as well. Last, but not least, we meet Hugo, the dog who played Shasta in the movie, “Snow Buddies,” at the Seavey Sled Dog Rodeo in Anchorage!

Did we miss anything? Yes, tons! Let me just say there is no way anyone could ever completely explore Alaska in a year, much less two weeks! There is just so much to see and do and a person simply cannot cover everything in one trip! For example, I would really have liked to have visited Katmai National Park, which is located across from Kodiak Island and famous for its volcanoes, the Bering Land Bridge near Nome, and the Aleutian Islands, but those areas are only accessible by bush plane or boat. I would have also liked to have visited Prince William Sound near Valdez and Glacier Bay National Park near Juneau, but there just wasn’t enough time. Hmmm… I guess we’ll just have to go back? Or maybe not… We also missed the 5.0 earthquake that hit Anchorage the Wednesday after our return home! The quake hit at 7:15 p.m. local time on July 7th in Willow, which is 50 miles north/northwest of Anchorage and caused some minor damage in the surrounding areas. Yikes!

In closing, even though Alaska was a pricier trip, it truly was worth every penny spent and I can honestly say that our Alaskan adventure will be one that we’ll never forget. I, personally, will never forget the sight of eagles soaring in the sky, bears roaming in the hills, or the moose meandering along the roadside. Similarly, I will never forget the sight of sea lions basking on the rocks, harbor seals resting on the ice floes, or whales surfacing for a breath of fresh air. I will never forget the colorful wildflowers or the contrast of green forest against a backdrop of snowcapped mountains. I will never forget the awe inspiring blue walls of the glaciers or the thunderous sound of them shifting and grinding down the mountainside or the sight of them calving huge chunks of ice into the ocean. I will never forget the beautiful places we saw, the amazing things we did, or the fun and wonderful people we met along the way, including our river raft guides, our Denali shuttle bus driver, Ranger Kate, and the couple we met on our 9-hour boat tour of the fjords. Simply said, I will never forget the awe and wonder of The Last Frontier.

Thank you, Boyfriend, for letting me be a part of your Alaskan adventure!

Another Great Dog Adventure!

Earlier this month, Dan and I packed up the spotted gang and headed off to northern Arizona to explore the south rim of Grand Canyon. Yep! The Grand Canyon!

This is a photo of Daisy, Scout, and Darby relaxing along the rim’s edge and attached below is a photo of all five of us just outside the park on our first day to the canyon.

Why the Grand Canyon and why bring the dogs?

Well, to answer the first part of that question, I had never been to the Grand Canyon before and Dan had only been there once as a child. Additionally, ever since Dan and I started dating and vacationing together, we had always talked about taking a road trip to the canyon, and, since Dan is currently on his sabbatical, we decided to create our own 3-day weekend and pay a quick visit to our neighboring state and check out this absolutely amazing natural wonder. As for the second part of the question (and as many of you already know), the dogs are pretty much our children and, as a family, we very much enjoy taking vacations together. I admit it’s not an easy thing to do, but, after all these years, Dan and I know just about all there is to know about traveling with our four-legged brood and, because of this, our “kids” have probably visited more places than most people. Basically, in addition to all the great places we’ve already visited in the southwest, our little fur family has also been to every state between New Mexico and Minnesota! As a matter of fact (believe it or not), our entire clan has actually been to Mt. Rushmore and Badlands National Park in South Dakota! We have also been to the Great Sand Dunes and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, and now, most recently, we have visited the Grand Canyon. We are very lucky to be able to travel as often and as well as we do. Next stop: Moab, Utah or San Antonio, Texas!

P.S. As an interesting side note for this trip, I have to tell you that Daisy, Darby, and Scout were very, VERY popular with the Japanese tourists! Yes, indeed! For whatever reason, the foreign tourists were absolutely fascinated with our dogs and, on a couple of occasions, Dan and I were actually approached and asked if it would be okay for them to pose for photos with our speckled assortment of tail wagers right there on the trail! Strange, huh? Never mind the big hole in the earth! All they wanted were photos of our black and white babies! Crazy (and, of course, extremely flattering, too!) I suppose it's not every day that you see two wacky Americans with three matching dogs at the Grand Canyon!

Let’s Talk About My Good Friend, Scout!

This is Scout. He is one of my oldest and dearest friends. You probably wouldn't know it by looking at him, but he'll be 12 years old in July. Yep, 12! He’s been a part of my life since he was 8 weeks old and, to be completely honest, I think only I can tell the difference between speckled fur and grey on his adorable little face, but, now that I've pointed it out, perhaps you can see it now, too!?!

I adopted Scout and his twin brother, Bandit, from the Animal Humane Society in September of 1998. Sadly, as many of you already know, we lost Bandit to cancer a little more than a year ago. It was an extremely difficult loss and I was really worried about how it would affect Scout, but, with his younger brother and sister by his side, he seems to be doing just fine. Scout is, of course, what veterinarians refer to as a "senior dog," but, let me just tell you, he sure doesn't act like a senior! He runs around like a maniac, barking and playing with the puppies (a/k/a Daisy and Darby, who are now 3 and 2), and takes in at least a game or two of "Get the Puppy" each day.

"Get the Puppy" is a game that the Scout, Daisy, and Darby really, REALLY like to play! Of course, as the youngest member of our spotted pack, Darby is the "puppy" part of the game and, believe it or not, he truly enjoys it! As a matter of fact, Darby is almost always the instigator! Basically, Darby kicks off the game with a good pounce or swat of the paw across the nose, followed by a whole lot of crazy barking and running around. Scout and Daisy then chase and wrestle Darby to the ground and, with tails a wagging, take turns biting and pulling at his tail and ears. They roll around, bark, and play like this for quite a while each morning and almost every night. By the end of the game, Darby is covered in slobber from head to toe, but he, too, gets in a few pulls of the tail and a nip or two at the feet, but no one ever gets hurt. This is just how they play. I've never seen a happier bunch of animals!

Thankfully, Scout's only ailments are his arthritis and the heart murmur he somehow genetically inherited, but I give him glucosamine and Coenzyme Q10 every day and that seems to keep him healthy and happy. He also has a few lumps and bumps and some bad back molars, but, because of his age and heart defect, we cannot risk anesthesia, so I brush his teeth and monitor the lumps. I love my little baby and I’d do anything for him. I love him and I want him to live a long, happy life. He is a good dog and a loyal friend, just like his twin, and I dread the day that we, too, have to say goodbye. I know the day will come, but that day is not today and, until then, I will kiss and love on him as much as I possibly can!

I love you Scout!

Grandmas are Something Special

Yes, indeed. Grandmas are something special.

My paternal grandmother turned 80 in November of 2008 and my maternal grandmother turned 80 in June of 2009. Both grandmas have homes in the same small town and I was lucky enough to make it back to Minnesota to celebrate with them on each occasion. This is a photo of my sister and me with (from left to right) our paternal and maternal grandmothers, as taken during my November visit. With the exception of only a very few family members, our entire clan returned home for each respective gathering and enjoyed a weekend filled with love and laughter. Both grandmothers have lived long, full lives and each raised five children with their beloved husband. Unfortunately, my paternal grandfather passed away when I was very, very young and maternal grandfather passed away five years ago this past February. All four were close to their children and grandchildren and all four were and are very much a part of our lives.

Until just recently, both sets of grandmas had been doing really well. However, shortly after her return home from our wedding in October, my maternal grandmother became very ill. She actually fell the weekend before the wedding, landing square on her rear and hurting her back, but she went to both the doctor and chiropractor and felt well enough to come to the wedding. She, of course, came to New Mexico for the wedding and, albeit a little sore and, at times, uncomfortable, she seemed to really enjoyed herself. Upon her return to Minnesota, however, she started having circulation problems in her legs, followed by blood clots and swelling. She went to the doctor a number of times and tried several different things to improve her circulation, but it just wasn't getting better. Four months (and several hospital visits later), the doctors, in a last ditch effort to try and pinpoint the problem, decided to take a CT scan and that’s when they discovered that Grandma had extreme, stage four, liver cancer.

With the exception of her October fall, Grandma was never in any sort of discomfort or pain and her body had shown absolutely no signs of the disease. That said, the doctors believe she’s probably had the cancer for years. Unfortunately, since the disease had gone undetected for all that time, it metastasized and completely spread throughout her tiny little body. The cancer was everywhere and there wasn’t anything we could do about it. No longer able to get around on her own in her large country home (due to the weakness and swelling in her legs), Grandma moved into a nursing home and I immediately made arrangements to visit. Grandma was diagnosed with liver cancer on Monday, March 1st and died Tuesday, March 23rd. I am so very fortunate to have been able to spend time with her earlier this month and, of course, to have had her here to celebrate our wedding in October.

When I saw Grandma the week of March 8th, she was still settling into her new home, but she was very alert and as feisty as ever. Grandma received many cards and letters and enjoyed the company of several visitors during her short stay. The nursing home was super cute, complete with gorgeous murals and hallways lined with white picket fences and porch lights. During my visit, we laughed and giggled and talked about lots of things, like about her middle name and its origin and her fury four-legged friend, Angel. We also looked at photos, including a few from the wedding, and held each other’s hand in silent support of one another. We also enjoyed a nice lunch together (as well as a supper or two) at the care center’s indoor park and attended a Catholic service there on the property with some of the other residents. For the most part, Grandma seemed content at the nursing home. In her mind, this was just her temporary home and she was going to get better and walk out of there very, very soon.

On my final day with Grandma, I tried to be strong. I did really well up until it was time to say goodbye and then, despite my best efforts, the tears fell anyway. As I began to apologize and explain that I had hoped I could say goodbye without crying, Grandma wiped a tear drop from my cheek and gave me a little smile. I hugged her and told her that I loved her. “I love you, too,” she whispered, and we said goodbye with a soft little kiss.

Grandma had a happy and satisfying life and, up until just a few weeks ago, was active and lived as she wanted. She was very close to, and involved in, all our lives and she will be sorely missed. We love you Grandma.

Tails of Adventure

This time last year, Bandit was officially diagnosed with cancer and we, as a dog family, decided that, so long as Bandit was able, we would take as many weekend road trips and car rides together as possible. In the blog post titled, “Don’t put off ‘til tomorrow what can be enjoyed today,” I promised that I would blog about those adventures and, although it’s been well over a year now, that’s just what I plan to do!

I kept a journal in my nightstand while Bandit was sick and, when he and the rest of the family were sleeping or off doing other things, I wrote about the events of the day. I cried when I initially wrote them and I tear up reading back over the entries today, but I am so very thankful for those memories and I’m glad I had the strength to write about our experiences as they happened - both the good and the bad.

Here are five of those stories:

Land of Fire and Ice - On January 24th, 2009, the dogs, Dan and I set out for El Malpais National Monument, near Grants, New Mexico . The area is known as the " Land of Fire and Ice" because of its proximity to both the Bandera ice cave and volcano. We didn’t visit the ice cave or walk any of the trails in the Bandera area, but we did take a nice long drive along the lava flows within El Malpais itself and stopped off at La Ventana Natural Arch. Unfortunately, the lava caves at El Malpais were closed due to snow, as were the craters, but we will try to circle back and see them another time.

Journal: “Let me just say that this first trip was an emotionally draining and difficult one for me (and for Dan, too), but I'm glad we did it. Hard and trying times like these will only make our relationship stronger. Bandit did very well in the back of the Jeep and settled in on his heated dog bed relatively quickly and Darby only tried once to escape by jumping out the back window while we were stopped, but I caught him nearly mid-air and just before his landing by grabbing a hold of him by the fur of his nape and tail and quickly tossed him back into the Jeep within seconds! The day was, nevertheless, filled with a whole lot of "Lay down, Bandit," "What are you doing, Darby," "Take it easy, Bandit," and "Stop that, Darby" moments, but thankfully Scout and Daisy were less of a handful! We, of course, had to lift Bandit in and out of the Jeep and carry him to different points along the way, but we didn't mind and he seemed to enjoy the car ride and being in the great outdoors with his family. All and all, this was a good trip.”

Here’s a photo of our entire family at El Malpais.


Billy the Kid and the Spotted Hounds - On Saturday, January 31, 2009, we decided to pack up our sleeping bags and head out for a quick little road trip. As you can see from the photo below, we wore our best giddy up gear and visited the gravesite, a couple of historical markers, and the stagecoach at the Billy the Kid museum. It was a beautiful day and, despite the morning’s rocky start, I am glad we decided to make the trip.

Journal: “You see, earlier in the day (and just as we’re getting ready to head out for our little road trip), Darby decided to gobble down an entire days’ worth of Bandit’s pills. Yes, an entire day’s worth! I was helping Bandit out the back door to go potty and had just set the pills out on the counter so that I could pack them into our bags when Darby came running in from outside, propped his front feet up on the counter when my back was turned, and scarffed them down. Needless to say, we immediately called our vet and then the Animal Poison Control hotline. After paying $60.00 to access the hotline, the vet with poison control told us to induce vomiting with peanut butter and hydrogen peroxide. Boy howdy! That concoction really did the trick! Darby was hurling within minutes and we got all five pills back instantaneously! Thank God! Here’s the recipe: 2 slices of bread, ½ inch smear of peanut butter, and 2½ tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide. We ended our journey by tucking our tails in for the night at the KOA in Tucumcari, spending the evening in another cute little KOA Kamping Kabin. You might remember that we first discovered Kamping Kabins in Hillsboro on our trip to Winslow and the Petrified Forest . I can’t say it enough – those cozy little cabins are just awesome! So, despite the excitement of Saturday morning, we very much enjoyed our trip to Ft. Sumner.”

Here’s a photo of our spotted gang in Ft. Sumner.


Pup Portraits - The weekend of February 7, 2009, Dan and I set up our own little photo studio and had some fun with the kids. Why no road trip you ask? Well, my bosses bought me tickets to the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra for my birthday and, instead of trying to pack a quick trip into just one day, we decided to take things easy and stay close to home. As for my birthday, Dan had to go into work for part of the day and the youngsters went to dog camp, but I enjoyed a nice relaxing morning with Scout and Bandit, cake with Dan and our friends Alli and Von in the afternoon, and dinner at home with Dan that evening, followed by a night of music at Popejoy.

Journal: “Now, don’t get me wrong, but WOW! What a difference between 30 and 35! When I turned 30, I had a big night out on the town, complete with a dinner party and dancing on the bar, and this year it’s dinner at home and an evening at the symphony! Ha! Who would have thought 5 years would make such a difference in a person’s life! Look out 40, here I come!”

Here are four portraits of the pups, as taken by Dan and I that weekend.


New Wheels for the Four Wheeler - Just in case you were wondering, “Four Wheeler” is the nickname Dan and I gave Bandit because of the way he’d jump into bed with us in the morning, climb up and over our bodies (and the bodies of his brothers and sister), and perch and teeter on the highest point possible, just like any other ATV on rugged terrain!

Journal: “We decided to go ahead and order a pet stroller from justpetstrollers.com after our last family outing. For our maiden voyage, Bandit and I took a quick spin around the block. He wasn’t sure what to think of the stroller at first, but it wasn’t long before he was happily sniffing the air and wagging his tail. As a matter of fact, he liked it so much that he even took a little nap in the stroller while he waited for Mom to figure out how to get him out! Anyhoo, now that we have the stroller, we can really get out and do things, like cruise the neighborhood or take a nice relaxing stroll along the Bosque. I'm certain this stroller is going to turn out to be one of the best investments we ever made!”

Here’s a photo of me and the kids enjoying a walk along the Bosque.


Four Dogs, a Stroller, and the VLA - For Valentine’s Day weekend 2009, we had originally planned to take a trip down south to Roswell, NM and visit the UFO museum (yes, dogs are allowed in the museum!) and stay overnight at the KOA in Carlsbad Caverns, but we decided the long drive of 5 ½ hours each way might be too much for Bandit and opted for a quick day trip to the Very Large Array (VLA) near Socorro, NM. The VLA is pretty much an astronomy observatory, consisting of 27 radio telescope antennas arranged in a Y-shaped pattern. Each antenna is 82 feet in diameter and acts like a zoom lens on a camera collecting data for the scientists. For me, the most exciting thing about the VLA is its ties to the movie industry. Much of the outdoor footage of the movie Contact (starring Jodie foster) was filmed at the VLA and, according to Wikipedia, the final scene of the alien-invasion film The Arrival and the beginning of the movie Independence Day with Will Smith also featured scenes shot at the VLA.

Journal: “To be honest, there really wasn’t much to see or do at the VLA (other than the fun whispering thing at the beginning of the walking tour), but the drive was beautiful and it ended up being a nice little outing for our gang. Dan got some really great shots of the antenna and several fun photos of me and the kids.”

Here’s a photo of the dogs and I in front of one of a VLA antenna, together with one of the antenna by itself.

Deck the Halls with Holly Doggies

I know it’s been a while since I've posted a photo of the kids or written about something other than wedding-related events, so I thought I’d start the year off right and post the attached photo. It was taken this time last year, shortly after Bandit was diagnosed with cancer.

We had fun setting up the shot and, as can be expected with four wild and crazy dogs (one of which was less than six months old), there are a ton of outtakes. As a matter of fact, Dan has been talking about putting together a time lapse video of the session, but I’m not sure where he is on that right now.

It may seem odd that we took this photo, but, since we’ve always taken some sort of holiday photo with our happy hounds, we decided to go ahead and take this one last photo with our beloved Bandit, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be here to celebrate with us at the end of the year. As you can see, Bandit was strong enough to sit up on his own at the time of this photo and was just as handsome as ever. I’m glad we took this photo and used a handful of them as Christmas cards this year.

If you didn’t receive this particular card, please do not be offended. The holidays were very difficult for me without Bandit this year and, to be completely honest, I didn’t even have the strength to design the card until only a few days before Christmas. I’m doing okay now, but I still get choked up when I look at this photo and think about the day we said goodbye. As a matter of fact, tears are welling up in my eyes as I write these last few sentences. We loved that little dog and miss him terribly.

Looking back over the year, I can honestly say that, for me, the phrase the “best and worst of times” truly encapsulates the year 2009. It started off with illness and the death of a good and faithful friend and ended with a beautiful wedding and bright new beginnings with a wonderful man.