Can I survive MAY?

IT'S MAY 31st PEOPLE!! How can it still be only 6.8 degrees celsius outside? and raining... which really feels more like snow *~*. The cats have all gone into hibernation mode and are holing up in the greenhouse where it's warm. Even the dogs don't want out. I've been using the treadmill for both dogs in this weather mostly because I'm too whimpy and then have to clean up two big dogs after. It's a perfect win win situation for me... I get to watch T.V., fold laundry and the dogs go for a half hour walk each and we're all dry and happy. I hope this is not a preview of what our summer will hold.

My Favorite Videos

 

I love this dog! He makes me smile every time and I've watched this a lot!

His voice is perfect for his look. Unlike the Garfield cartoon where his voice is nowhere near what I imagined in my head from the comics.                                                           

 

Most neurotic dog I've ever seen! 

It's funny but man if he's that stupid 

what would he do to some unsuspecting person who reaches out?

                            
Another great voiceover video... the guy who does these is good!

Kids!

It was a beautiful June evening in 2005. I was busy doing something in the house. Ben, then 6 and Landen 3, were playing somewhere. It took me a while to realize everything was a little too quiet. You know that feeling as a parent when you just "KNOW" your kids are up to no good.

Who would think these two cute boys could get into so much trouble!?

Well, I went in search of my youngest two to see what they were doing. As I entered the kitchen I heard muffled giggles. Approaching the back door of the house I met the boys coming in from outside. Their startled gazes met mine and now I was certain they were getting into something. I asked what they were doing, then I noticed my flour scoop in Ben's hand. Ben's immediate response was, "Nothing!" Landen - being a true little brother parroted Ben's "Nothing" with one of his own. I asked again, "What were you doing????? ", as I opened the door to follow the trail they had just come from. I was greeted with flour all over the deck and sitting in the middle was a very - 'white' dog!

Bessie after her attack! :- }

Bessie!!!! Poor Bessie, the unwitting victim of two little boy's terrorist attack with flour. Although I was really mad, Bessie's pitiful face looking up at me - blinking through her attack of flour dust was just too funny. I grabbed my camera but she wasn't seeing the humour in taking pictures at a time like this so she beat a hasty retreat to shake off what she could. I got a few pictures to prove the deed for later evidence. The boys have no excuse for wanting to flour the dog. It just seemed like fun at the time... - the things our pets have to put up with from the kids!

Not amused!

What a Great Card!!!!

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I was able to share my day with my husband, all of my children and my three Grandsons. Can't get better than that! ( Except if my son-in-law could have come too!)  I wonder why some people don't celebrate these special days - birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day? Are we too busy to care? Too self absorbed to think of someone else? My Mother-in-law used to say to my husband, "You're not my father!"- excusing herself for not acknowledging him on Father's Day. He was her only child giving her her only four grandkids, but he wasn't her father so the day didn't need to be celebrated. That always makes me sad. These days are meant to be celebrated! I watch my daughter with her three young sons. She is so young and has so much responsibility already yet she has risen to the occasion! Mother's Day is only one opportunity to let her know she doing a great job, that I notice she's doing a great job, I'm proud of her and I love her. It is also an opportunity for my kids and I to draw together even if we've had disagreements or I have had to discipline them - to put it aside for a time and appreciate each other. Mother's Day isn't just for moms to receive it's a day to celebrate the lives God has given to us. To let our kids know we love them back.

I got the coolest card from my son yesterday! Actually I got two wonderful cards from him. This one I share here because it is uniquely connected to this blog, and our present situation since we adopted Gracie, our rescued German Shepherd (read her story on the page entitled, Gracie). This is the card my son gave me!

                        

Isn't that the coolest card? It's a Hallmark. They do think of everything don't they?!

So you see... everyone can celebrated on Mother's Day.  

Happy Mother's Day

My mom's been gone for fifteen years already. I can't tell you the number of times I have wished she was around to talk to. "Mom, what did you do when I was a teen and I did that?", "Mom, how did you make that crumble on top of those fruit-filled buns you used to make?", " Mom, do you ever stop worrying?"
There have been those Ahha! moments when life replays itself through your children and you have a flash back of yourself doing the same thing. Only now you're on the other side of the fence as the parent. "I get it  mom! I understand how you felt - now!", and you share a secret smile as you say the words you hated hearing but you now speak, "Wait 'til you have children of your own."or "When I was your age...."
Two of my children are now adults and the younger two are gaining momentum in reaching that goal too. My eldest, our daughter, has three babies of her own. It surprises me now and then, when I stop and pay attention, that she is actually a mother of three children! That makes me a Grandmother of three children!
How is that possible? (I mean I KNOW how that's possible *-*), just how can I already have lived so much of my life - I should still be newly married, having babies myself. Well, maybe not quite *!*

I had a mother to mother connection with our neighbour's cat. She was a lovely calico kitty that really belonged to the neighbours but seemed to prefer our place so we named her, "Patches" and gave her love and food and the freedom to live where she chose. This cat and I understood each other. She had had a number of batches of kittens in our greenhouse and allowed us to let our children learn about birthing and allowed us to help raise them. She and I just had an understanding, she seemed to know when I needed her and I knew when she needed me.
One morning, I awoke to Patches crying at our second story, bedroom window. She had never climbed the roof before so I was at the window in seconds when I heard her cry. I knew she had had a new batch of babies because I had seen them frolicking on the driveway the evening before. They were playing under and around my mother-in-law's truck. That morning, when I went to the window to open it and talk to Patches, I somehow knew that she was trying to tell me something had happened to her babies. I somehow also knew, that I had to go to my mother-in-law's place and look for the kittens. She only lived down the road. I hurriedly got dressed and drove over to her house. Sure enough there were three healthy little kitties playing around my mother-in-law's truck. I don't know how they did it. How they all got from our place to her place together, and unharmed, but there they were. So I packed them up and brought them back to their mama. We had many fine years together, Patches and I. Sharing motherhood between the species! When she lost another batch of kittens to an unfortunate accident she again appeared at my bedroom window with milk bags full for kittens that weren't there to drink. I had so much empathy for her as a nursing mom myself, I went and got warm compresses to place on her swollen underbelly and stroked her silky head knowing there was nothing to do for her but to let her know she wasn't alone and that I cared. Funny, to think so many miss out on having animal friends.

Victory!

Hope is finally catching on to walking on a leash WITH me. I was starting to think it wasn't going to happen. Every walk was a major ordeal and I was tiring of trying but not getting anywhere fast (literally!)
We would walk, jerk, stop, turn, jerk, turn, walk, stop, jerk in front of our house back and forth and not really getting too far. Today! Hope got it! We actually were able to walk from the house - half a mile down the road and back, with very little stopping. It's empowering I tell you... makes me want to walk every where now just so we can do it together.