Grandma Continues to be the Best Gift Giver

Grandma arrived on Christmas Eve with the most interesting contraption. It was a plastic container. Mom said it looked like one of those fancy serving dishes. The plate was a Frisbee and on it where soft squeaky food toys. Katy and I were very impatient as Dad and Mom worked to open the package and release our toys. We were very disappointed when Dad said not only could we not go outside to play with the Frisbee right then, but we couldn't play with it in the house either. However, the potato and the roll have become our favorites. The potato has this fleece on the top that Katy loves. I am not sure where her fleece obsession comes from, but it has not subsided since her visit with Santa.

We hope all of you had a wonderful and happy Christmas. Katy and I have been very tired. We have had constant visitors and have not had a moment to blog. We will be catching up with everyone next week.

Merry Christmas

We wish all our blogging friends and their families a Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas Hide Out

We mentioned one of our favorite things about Christmas is it gives us a new hiding spot. Mom decided to take pictures of us in our Christmas digs before the crowds arrive. Katy was not pleased. She has a strong belief about privacy, but felt better after Christmas cookies were provided.

Wordless Wednesday: I Wanted to Try on Dad's New Hat

Second Christmas Card Wreath Almost Filled

We are so thrilled that so many people sent us cards this year. We even got our own card and doggie bakery cookies from a crochet swap Mom was involved in this month. We got to share a ginger bread man last night. These cookies were huge. Mom had a swap partner with three shelties!

Santa preparations continue. Both Grandmas will be in the state today. Daddy's Mom arrived Sunday. Mom's will be here today. Neither stays here, but they will both be here on Christmas Eve. One always has treats in her pocket because she has a dog. The other brings the most amazing toys on Christmas Eve. We cannot wait to see what she brings us this year.

Santa is so Awesome

We do not have our Santa pictures to post yet. Mama says they will be picked up later and emailed to us for additional copies. It turns out there was a professional photographer there after all.

While I have visited Santa many times, this was only the second time Katy has visited Santa. She was so scared, but one of Santa's helpers came out to meet Katy while Santa was on a break. He fed us liver snacks and he actually got Katy to let him pet her!!. Katy said he smelled a good deal like Santa when Santa came out in his red suit. She loved Santa's fur and his soft suit. While she was scared at first when she felt that suit, she melted. Who knew all it took was a beard, soft coat, and liver treats to win her heart. Mama is hoping the photographer got the shot where Katy was whispering in Santa's ear. It was the cutest thing ever.

Now Katy and I just have to hold it together with all the temptations on Christmas Eve. Mama's big Christmas celebration is Christmas Eve. With all those people in the house, you can only image the temptations to beg and get into mischief. We are hoping Santa fills our stockings with treats and toys.

Visit with Santa Tomorrow

We are off to see Santa tomorrow and contribute to the local Labrador Rescue as part of our outing. Mama has been much more serious with this whole naughty and nice thing so we have much to discuss with Santa. Dad and Mom said they were off to discuss things with Santa last weekend and came home smelling like bully sticks, so perhaps that means we are on Santa's good list.

Mama has mentioned something about singing dogs, I do not think she is talking about us as Katy and I have curtailed our barking since that snowman fountain keeps going off every time we bark.

Frankie thinks he is being terrorized. This thing starts up every time we bark! Mom finds it very amusing.

Our second card wreath is filling quickly although Mom is spreading the card out more than in the first one, as Christmas gets closer. She does not think it will be as full as the first.

We have received cards from:
Chewy Deravi, Bella and Daisy, Bert King, Miley and Maggie, and Dakota & Cody, Frankie Furter, Freedom, Casper & Nikki, Maggie Mae and Max, Sweet William The Scot, Finn, Urban Hounds, Julep & Derby, Remington, Max, Bugsy and Knuckles, Reggie and Lola Baker, and Douglas, Oskar Hoerauf, Brandon, Tessa the Maltese, Erika, Blair, Koda, Sophie, Indy & Jack, Minnie and Mack, Harley, Gibson, Wolf, Chloe & Bandit, Bailey & Nala, and Jacque and Pippen.

The Snowmen Invasion

Frankie has been blogging about the snowmen invasion at his house and we wanted him to know he is not alone.

We have not seen snow since Halloween, but that has not stopped Mama from bringing the snow creatures indoors and decorating the house with them. We even have snowmen toys. Grandma bought us more for Christmas last year. Mama finds this all very amusing.

We do find snowmen tug-o-war to be a good work out and we are glad Mom found our Christmas toys. It seems to amuse Mom. You can tell from all those spy camera shots she keeps snapping with that phone of hers.

We are missing our holiday snow cookies with the lack of snow this holiday season. Mama promises us there will be plenty of snow cookies all winter to make up for the ones we missed at Christmas.

Our second Christmas wreath continues to fill up with cards.
We have received cards from:
Chewy Deravi, Bella and Daisy, Bert King, Miley and Maggie, and Dakota & Cody, Frankie Furter, Freedom, Casper & Nikki, Maggie Mae and Max, Sweet William The Scot, Finn, Urban Hounds, Julep & Derby, Remington, Max, Bugsy and Knuckles, Reggie and Lola Baker, and Douglas, Oskar Hoerauf, Brandon, Tessa the Maltese, Erika, Blair, Koda, Sophie, Indy & Jack, Minnie and Mack, Harley, Gibson, Wolf, Chloe & Bandit.

Wordless Wednesday: Checking out the Christmas Cards

We have to break the rule of Wordless Wednesday and thank all of those who continue to send us cards. We have received cards from:
Chewy Deravi, Bella and Daisy, Bert King, Miley and Maggie, and Dakota & Cody, Frankie Furter, Freedom, Casper & Nikki, Maggie Mae and Max, Sweet William The Scot, Finn, Urban Hounds, Julep & Derby, Remington, Max, Bugsy and Knuckles, Reggie and Lola Baker, and Douglas, Oskar Hoerauf, Brandon, Tessa the Maltese, Erika, Blair, Koda, Sophie, Indy & Jack, Minnie and Mack.

Christmas Toys

Mom has this thing about rotating our holiday toys. Tyler the turkey was retired until next year, but then this magical thing happened this box of toys emerged we had forgotten about. You see not only do Santa, Mom and Dad buy us toys at Christmas, but we have a Grandma and an Aunt who also buy some of the coolest toys to play with, some that only make an appearance at Christmas. Mom tried to collect our toys to take a picture this morning, but we protested thinking she was going to box our toys again and she used that spy phone on her camera to catch us in action. She has not mastered the focus, but we still are not sure, when she is taking pictures and when she is texting Dad, so we cannot always be on alert to avoid the pictures.

After Mom took the time to gather our toys together, it seemed like a great chance to nap with friends.

The Christmas cards keep coming in and Mom has officially started on her second wreath. We have received cards from: Chewy Deravi, Bella and Daisy, Bert King, Miley and Maggie, and Dakota & Cody, Frankie Furter, Freedom, Casper & Nikki, Maggie Mae and Max, Sweet William The Scot, Finn, Urban Hounds, Julep & Derby, Remington, Max, Bugsy and Knuckles, Reggie and Lola Baker, and Douglas, Oskar Hoerauf, Brandon, Tessa the Maltese, and Erika, Blair, Koda, Sophie, Indy & Jack.

Card Wreath

Mom has been decorating with our cards and decided to experiment with her new phone camera. Papa is truly the Paparazi in our family, but with her new phone Mama is trying to come out of her shell. She decided to try something simple.

We received more cards over the weekend. We have received cards from:
Chewy Deravi, Bella and Daisy, Bert King, Miley and Maggie, and Dakota & Cody, Frankie Furter, Freedom, Casper & Nikki, Maggie Mae and Max, Sweet William The Scot, Finn, Urban Hounds, Julep & Derby, Remington, Max, Bugsy and Knuckles, Reggie and Lola Baker, and Douglas.

Mom Finished the Tree Skirt

Well Mom finally finished the tree skirt. This picture not only shows the tree skirt, but also my hiding spot I have with my couch now behind the tree. Mom has a point it is rather a unique hiding spot only available at Christmas. When I sit on my couch nobody can see me, but I have a great view of everyone in the room.

We received more cards yesterday. We have received cards from:
Chewy Deravi, Bella and Daisy, Bert King, Miley and Maggie, and Dakota & Cody, Frankie Furter, Freedom, Casper & Nikki, Maggie Mae and Max, Sweet William The Scot, Finn, Urban Hounds, Julep & Derby, and Remington.

Visit to Santa Paws

This was our visit to Santa Paws last year. It was Katy's first trip ever. We must have been good because he filled our stockings with toys and treats that Mom was still giving out to us months later.

We are having a late visit with Santa this year. Mom says that with the busy holiday schedule Santa cannot fit us in until December 17 when Santa is taking pictures to raise funds for the local Labrador Rescue. We have several Lab friends so we think that Lab rescue is a wonderful idea. If getting our picture taken with Santa can help, we are happy to do our part.

Mom almost has the tree skirt finished so the decorating should begin soon.

Christmas Moves Forward

Well as most of you guessed our protest did not work out too well. The tree is up and has lights on it. Mom is crocheting a tree skirt and has completed about half of it. She does not want Katy chewing on the pretty cross stitch one her sister made her.

We got 5 more Christmas Cards yesterday. Mom and Dad got none. Our first Christmas card wreath is starting to fill up. We may have our cards spilling on to the extra one Mom has for big years.

We have received cards from:
Chewy Deravi, Bella and Daisy, Bert King, Miley and Maggie, and Dakota & Cody, Frankie Furter, Freedom, Casper & Nikki, Maggie Mae and Max, Sweet William The Scot, and Finn.

This is proving to be a very exciting Christmas season.

Protesting Christmas

What is it about Christmas that causes our entire lives to be upset? We are staging a sit in. In this picture, I am sitting in the place Katy's crate used to occupy and if you notice, my couch has been moved to a far corner. Katy was trying to block the Paparazi from snapping photographs and gaining enjoyment from our legitimate protest of taking our space and replacing it with of all things a Christmas tree.

Dad hastens to remind me how much I love hiding behind the Christmas tree and spying on everyone from my couch. He mentions that I stage an equally strong protest in January when my spying tree is removed. I have no memory of fighting to keep the tree. He also points out that Katy has a better view of the front door where her crate is now giving her an advantage she does not have during the other seasons of the year.

We were forced to give up our protest and Katy gave in and has tried out her new crate position a few times now. She seems pleased with her door access. I will not admit to using my couch until Mom documents it with photographic evidence.

We were excited to get our first Christmas cards ever. We have heard from Chewy Deravi, Bella and Daisy, Bert King, Miley and Maggie, and Dakota and Cody. We have all our cards displayed in Mom's Christmas card wreath. Wait until Grandma sees all our Christmas cards.

Wordless Wednesday: Katy claims Her Spot

Help Save Tyler the Turkey

Mom wants to send Tyler away to some place called the attic. She already took away our Halloween toys, but we keep hiding Tyler. She promised he could stay until Dad brings out the Christmas toys. We do not remember the Christmas toys she keeps discussing. Then again, there always seems to be something for us in those boxes she drags out. Now she says that all the holiday boxes will include something for us since we now have Halloween and Thanksgiving toys.

How can we give up our favorite gobbler? Then again, Mom says we will appreciate him more if he is only around during Thanksgiving. We have a horrible feeling that as soon as the Christmas toy box comes out Tyler will disappear into that attic thing. Mom is convinced we will not even notice once the Christmas toys are distracting us. Does she really think we are that shallow? Then again she claims there is a box of toys in the attic that I do not even remember.

Now We are On Christmas Cards

First it was mugs and t-shirts, but now Mama has had Christmas cards printed with us on them.  (Not this picture, she wants it to be a surprise.)  Dad went and picked them up Saturday at Walgreens.  Do all of you have to go through this with the Paparazi?

Mama did promise us a trip to Santa.  Dad always gets us a treat when we visit Santa.  Not a bad trade off for another picture trip.  Especially since Santa does always fill our stockings with such nice treats.

The Christmas card list gets started today.  Mama says she is starting with family first and then will see how far our cards go before she has to dig into the boxed cards.  We are so excited to get our own Christmas cards this year.

Wordless Wednesday: Thanksgiving Bows

Christmas and Holiday Cards

After reading about the holiday card exchange on Finn Howard's Blog we were thrilled to realize we could send and get Christmas/holiday cards. Mama went out today and purchased a specific holiday card and Papa is out mailing it because Mama does not have any cards for that holiday in her collection of cards. She plans on getting started on the rest of the cards when Papa digs out the holiday boxes with all of her holiday supplies.

We are so excited to hear from our friends and to send out cards of our own.

Wordless Wednesday

Tyler Turkey

We got mail! Our first every Thanksgiving toy arrived. Mom has been on a kick to bring back Thanksgiving as it has been passed by since both sets of parents have moved out of state. This was a good thing for us because it meant she was on a quest to find holiday themed toys to keep us and the Thanksgiving visitors amused.

First up is Tyler Turkey who arrived yesterday. Mom had been looking everywhere for local Thanksgiving toys, but everyone has moved on to Christmas. As she approached the Internet, she found many places were already sold out. She originally found Tyler on Amazon.com, but you could not place an order directly through Amazon, you had to go to Entirely Pets to get him. They had a Pilgrim Dog Toy made by Kyjen available for direct order from Amazon through the same company that hasn't arrived yet. It is supposed to be here a couple of days before Thanksgiving. Mom will post pictures and let you know how he worked out.

Katy took off the first time the turkey gobbled, but she is starting to get curious. Dad says it does make a unique gobbling sound. I have been carrying it around since Mom took it out of the bag. Dad finally made me let Katy have time to play with it, too. Our time with our Thanksgiving toys will be short. Mom will pack them away and bring out the Christmas toys she packed away last year. However, next year we will have a longer time to visit with them. Perhaps they will even have new friends if she thinks to look at Halloween instead of waiting until November.

Thanksgiving Toys

Mom knows there are some great shoppers out there and we are on the hunt for Thanksgiving toys. Mom watched as the Halloween dog toys went on clearance and the Christmas toys came out. Mom wants to track down some dog friendly Thanksgiving toys. If you have suggestions of where she can find these very necessary holiday items, please share. She already put our bat and mummy away and it will be another month before the Christmas toys come out of her holiday boxes.

Wordless Wednesday

The Cold Sends Bailey to the Vet

One of the big frustrations with the cold was keeping the dogs warm, thus their new fleece coats. Bailey hates it when we discuss the idea that he might be aging, getting old, or the joke in our house was we were discussing the counselor who was running for reelection, Elder to avoid hurt feelings. Bailey still believes he is a puppy and there seems no reason to change his perspective.

Bailey is by no means ancient, but as he turned eight last spring, we did notice the wet spring weather was starting to effect him more than it had in previous years. We were quite concerned when he started limping during the power outage. A trip to the vet on Tuesday led to a diagnosis of bursitis likely brought on by his physical activities in a cold house. The doggy version of Motrin has helped. However, last night I had to resort to putting him on a leash for the delayed trick or treating. During the excitement, he kept jumping on and off couches and running around. Sure enough, his limp was back. After his evening dose of dog Motrin and restrictions on his reactions to excessive doorbell ringing, his limp seemed to disappear again. He has been happily playing with his toys and taunting Katy all morning.

Fleece Coats

By now most of you know of our obsession with fleece blankets. Mom loves to talk about it to everyone. However, as the temperatures in the house dropped to the low 50's the blankets were not helping. After all, it is hard to walk around, jump on things, and patrol with a blanket strapped around you. A Sheltie has work to do and cannot be tied down with a blanket, no matter how cold it may be inside the house.

When Mom and Dad got the word it would be Thursday before power was restored, they went to the camping store to get supplies. While they were out they stopped at Petco and Bailey got the Blue Fleece Coat and I of course got the Princess Pink One.

Mom was thrilled on two counts. First, the items were on-sale and second we actually wore them and did not try to tear them off when she put them on us. Then again we have not worn them since the heat came back on so we will have to see if they work as well when it is not freezing in the house, it is just cold outdoors.

Thankfully, heat was restored earlier than predicted. However, we now have our emergency coats.

Dad Discovers the Fireplace

When the power went out over the weekend the heat stopped working and it got really cold. Dad and Bailey often visit a friend and have outdoor fires during the summer and fall, but we have never seen one indoors. When it started to get really cold, Dad's friend offered him some firewood to use in the hole in the wall Mom calls a fireplace.

Bailey and I were both a bit nervous. In all the time he's lived here Bailey says Dad has never tried to bring fire indoors. It was a rather scary experience. Fires get angry. They spit, they yell, and they jump around a good deal. The tempting part that was hard to avoid was that it was so warm. Mom moved our bed a safe distance away from the fire and you feel the heat when you sat on the bed.

While we weren't crazy about the fire in the beginning, by the time the power came back on, Katy and I were curled up in front of the fireplace, resting. We are glad Dad conquered fire.

Halloween Sent Us A Trick

Yes, folks this is me, Katy sitting in snow over Halloween weekend. There was no heat in the house and snow on the ground. It was supposed to be a lovely fall day. While I was not looking forward to strangers banging on the door demanding candy, I also was not prepared for freezing in the house when the heat went off on Saturday and did not come back until Monday night. Mom keeps telling Bailey and me we should be quite grateful as the power company was predicting we would be without electricity and thus heat until Thursday. She was doing the happy dance when it came back yesterday. She also says the strangers will not be coming to the door until Thursday either as the City postponed trick or treating.

We have many stories to tell all of you about our adventures in house camping. We hope all of you are safe and warm.

The Papa Razi is back

Here we were enjoying a little fall cuddling after the colder night air is settling in when what should happen, but Papa sneaks in with the camera. We have been very good at avoiding the camera the last few weeks, much to Mama's dismay. However, we let our guard down and now look what happens?

The Big Doll is Gone Now Mama is Working on a Smaller One

This one has headed back to the closet as we predicted yesterday. Only Mama's Aunt came and took her outfit away. We did not know that was on yesterday’s agenda.

Now this one has emerged. She is far more tempting. The big one might be nice to cuddle with on the floor, but this one you could travel with and move with you. However, do not think she cannot fight back. Those hands are sharp and pointy. Do not ask us how we know. We are pleading the fifth. We are not sure exactly what that gets us, but they always say that in the mystery shows Mom loves.

Mom even resorted to rolling the yarn into a ball because it was knotting. (Mom hates making yarn balls.) Katy was sure the ball was for her and every time Mom dropped it, Katy pounced on it. Mom was not amused. Yarn balling and untangling yarn are not her favorite tasks.

We need to resist the temptation to play with this little Ninja doll. Not only will Mom be upset, but that doll also packs a punch.

What is a Dog Supposed to Do With Dolls in the House?

What is it with these things that look like humans, but are not alive? Kids bring them to the house and the dolls sometimes make noises. That really freaks me out. Mom has them stored in the closet. She brings them out, tries clothes on them, takes pictures, gives the clothes away, and then they go back in the closet. They come in all sizes and she makes different kinds of clothes for them all the time. Does anyone know anything about these things she calls dolls? She lets us sniff them, but NO PLAYING with them. We played with one of the outfits she was working on yesterday and she was not at all pleased. Can we help it if it looked like a ball?

Mama Can't Make Up Her Mind

She always complains that we are not willing to be in pictures. So, this time I hurry to get into the picture and she keeps trying to get me to move. I know deep down she really wants me in the photograph. After all, isn't Dad always chasing us around with the camera? Won't I just make the item all that more attractive? As you can see, they just couldn't resist snapping the picture and Mom isn't even posting the other pictures on her craft blog until next week.

Next time they had better not complain I am not cooperating.

Our Weekly Book Review: A Prince Among Frogs

I was really looking forward to Mom bringing home A Prince among Frogs (Tales of the Frog Princess) for us to listen to together. This Tales of the Frog Princess is not as scary as some of the other series Mom reviews for her education blog. I like the happy romantic stories.

I was disappointed that this story was not as fun as the previous books. I found myself wandering out of the room as the story of Millie and Auden trying to find her missing baby brother was not nearly as interesting as the previous books. While I will miss the stories of Eadric and Emma's family, if the author was no longer able to create the fairytale stories found in the previous stories perhaps it was time to finish the series.

Mom is listening to a rather scary Peter Pan prequel that has my attention at the moment. While I normally don't like scary books, this series has Bailey and I both paying attention.

Squirrels Seem Bolder This Year

Mom and Dad never seem to be quick enough to catch their faces, but we see them lurking in our tree house, using our fence as a highway, leaving unwanted presents on our porch. Yes, we know they are out there those varmint squirrels. Mom went to a place where you can get wanted photographs like those that they have for criminals. She claims that is not where she went. Why else would they have photographs of these nasty creatures?

One was actually arrogant enough to do stretches over the fence post while we were resting comfortably by the window, which of course forced us to have to rush outside and get him out of our tree house.

You have seen the enemy. Be warned. Last year we let one get in the basement and he created all kinds of problems. Even with two of us there seems to be an increasing problem. The population seems to have grown this year.

Photo Credit: Morgue Files

You Know What Fall Brings More Walks!

Dad loves the cooler weather and has been taking us on more walks. This weekend Mom even went with us to visit a neighbor. It has been so nice to get out and check the p-mail and even Katy has enjoyed the outings.

We are hoping for a long fall season. We need the winter weather to hold off for a while so we can enjoy more walks.

Happy Thanksgiving to Our Canadian Visitors

Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian friends and family celebrating today.


Mom and Dad are off again to visit King Richard's Faire to celebrate Columbus Day. We cannot get them to explain what King Richard and Columbus have in common, but there seems to be some yearly ritual involved.

World Smile Day

All our blogging buddies were posting about World Smile Day so Mom decided to get in on the action and dig out a couple of our smiling moments.

Hope these put a smile on your face.

Jumping Katy

Katy has really come in to her jumping abilities. This is from a dog that was afraid to climb the back stairs when she came here a little over a year ago. This morning she cleared Bailey when he would not make room for her on our bed.

As I watch her zooming through the yard, leaping plants as easily as if she was walking over an ant I am thrilled to see her joy and excitement. Her favorite obstacle is still Bailey. For some reason she loves clearing Bailey.

She is starting to stay in the room when guests are here. She slowly is reaching out and it is amazing to see this Sheltie who was so afraid get to be so bold.

Keep it up little girl.