Long Overdue Update From The Trenches

I suppose you could say that this is a long overdue update on everything going on in our lives, and I apologize once again for being missing in action. It would seem that I don't have enough days in the week, hours in the day, or just enough time in general. But, we're all doing well, and we miss visiting with all of our blogger friends.

At the end of March, we celebrated the one year anniversary of the day that Lucy and I brought Duke home from Dayton, Ohio. It's hard to believe that it's only been a year that our sweet boy has been with us. Somehow, I can't even imagine a day without my sweet companion, he's definitely Mama's boy! I swear he's one of the most loyal faithful dogs on the face of the earth. I never have to look around to find him, he's usually at my feet, just like he is now.

The year has been so kind to Duke. I think he knows that he's loved more than anything, and that he is a treasured member of our family. When he came to live with us a year ago, he weighed about 50 pounds. When he went back to the vet a few weeks ago for his annual check up, he weighed in at a whopping 82 pounds! You couldn't look at this boy and think that he doesn't eat well or often!

... And Lucy, well she's still most definitely Lucy! Always in some kind of trouble, and always needin to be "splainen".

Last week, I was in the office on the computer when I heard an odd crunching noise coming from the living room. My little darlin' was taking apart my reading glasses, bit by bit with Duke laying next to her looking at her like what she was doing just wasn't a good idea. The glasses were not able to be salvaged! Thankfully, I had already ordered new glasses prior to this happening. My father in law spent the night at our house last night, and this morning he couldn't find his glasses, and neither could I. I am hoping that his glasses did not suffer the same fate as mine did, but I couldn't find even a tiny piece of them anywhere on the floor, and he has a tendency to constantly misplace things.

Me, well, I've been busy. The Amish Furniture Store keeps me very busy. I seem to be in charge of at least 11 different departments in this business, and never seem to have a dull day. 3 weeks ago, I chipped a part of one of my molars off. I was disgusted to learn that my only option for fixing this tooth, was a root canal followed by a crown. My appointment for my root canal was last Wednesday, but I still don't have a root canal because as soon as they numbed my mouth up, I passed out and the endodontist wouldn't do the root canal. So, I'll be heading back there tomorrow high on some valium.... Hoping this attempt has the outcome that I need.

TOM-a-TO, TOM-o-Toe!

For the most part, Lucy and Duke will eat anything. The other night, I was making their Daddy a salad, and both pups were sitting at my feet just waiting for something yummy to come their way. So, I decided to give each of them a little tomato and see what happened. I got a lot of giggles out of them in the next 10 minutes. Who knew a tomato could keep a boxer busy for so long?

"What the heck is that? And exactly what is it that I'm supposed to do with it, Ma?"

"You want me to do what with it? Eat it? I don't think so, but I might sit here and look at it for a while to figure out what it wants from me."

"I'm not sure what to do with it. The human says it's edibles, but I's isn't sure abouts dat. It doesn't evens smell like food!"

"I guess I'll try it. How bads can it be? She's was puttin it on Daddy's plate!"

"Hey, Lucy! What did you do wits dat thing Ma gave you?"

"I ates it Duke! Its wasn't anytin exciten, let me tell you!"

In the end, Lucy ate her tomato, and Duke's too. But, she didn't seem very excited about it, which was odd because she typically loves veggies! I guess that my kids, like me, don't like tomatoes! (And I've finally found something that Duke won't inhale!)

I Spy Two Boxers...

On Monday, I pulled everything out of the drawers in the chest and the nightstand that were in our bedroom! Rob and I had picked out new bedroom furniture and it was finally arriving. I couldn't wait! I piled everything neatly on the bed, and just as I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to close the bedroom door... Along came Lucy and Duke. This was the exact reason that I should have closed the bedroom door. Don't they look comfy?



Did you notice that all of my neat piles were gone? Too bad the pups weren't overly eager to help me fold all of that stuff back up!

A Birthday Mop For Lucy...

The day before Lucy's birthday, Rob brought both kids to the store to hang out with us as we started to work on the tax information... Fun, fun, fun! I had a couple of errands to run and figured I had better take advantage of being able to leave the store while I could. So, I leashed Lucy and loaded her into the Boxer Mobile. 1st stop the bank: I don't like leaving Lucy in the car, so I went through the drive through window. About 5 tellers came to the window to check out Lucy, and the end result was a milkbone sent in that funny little tube.

Next stop, Fed Ex where I neglected to shut the alarm off on the car when I locked the doors. I was in the store, filling out paperwork when I heard the sound of my alarm and realized that Lucy had probably moved! Sure enough, it was the Boxer Mobile and Lucy, little darlin that she is, was sitting in the middle of the back seat looking around trying to figure out what the heck was going on! Note to self: remember to deactivate the alarm when leaving the vehicle!

3rd stop, Petsmart! I needed to get something to occupy the kids while we did paperwork and I wanted to let Lucy pick out a toy for her birthday! Petsmart is Heaven to a dog, all of the smells, the other dogs, the toys, the bones... It's just Heaven! Lucy is very good with little dogs, and there was a tiny little dog walking around the store with it's owner, all Lucy wanted to do was give that little dog a kiss, but the owner of the dog wouldn't let her get closer than 2 feet. I felt so bad! And of course, Lucy didn't understand, she kept looking back at me like "What's da matter wit dis lady, ma?"

Lucy did pick out a toy, and several different kids of bones and other things to chew on. Every time I take one of those boxer kids in there with me, I spend a small fortune! They're like little children looking up at me with those big brown soulful eyes, "Pleeeeeze, ma! We's don'ts have any toys ta playz wits!!!"

I held onto to Lucy's birthday toy till we got home on Saturday evening. She wasn't very patient with me as I attempted to cut the tags off without my glasses on, and there were several protests about the length of time it took me to do so. Finally, all tags were removed and Lucy took off running through the house swinging her birthday mop all over the place! Of course, Duke wasn't far behind her trying to get in on the action. Now if only that mop would actually clean up the mud that they deposit on my floors...

Lucy Lou Bugga Boo Is 2!

I can hardly believe it, but my baby girl turns 2 today! It seems like just yesterday that I was counting down the hours till I could bring her home. The time sure does go by quickly.

I thought that in honor of Lucy's 2nd birthday, I would take a look back through some of my favorite Lucy memories... Besides, I love looking at her baby pictures!

Happy birthday, lil' Angel! Mama, Daddy and Duke love you to pieces!

Lucy was 5 weeks old in this picture, and it was her very 1st puppy bone! I feel so lucky that I got to know her when she was so young! I miss that little pink nose with black spots!

This one was taken at 7 weeks old... with her mama counting down the days till she could bring Lucy home! My little princess!

Lucy's first night home with us, no need to worry that she didn't feel right at home. She curled right up between our two pillows and fell fast asleep!

This is definitely one of my favorite pictures of Lucy! She was very good at posing when she was a baby!

6 months old, and on the job with her mama!

10 months old, reunited with her favorite toy after it had a slight accident! This was the picture that I didn't know I had until I uploaded them! I was so excited by her flying ears!

The day after her 1st birthday! Lucy wouldn't be Lucy without a little bit of dirt, and some paint.

Hanging out with her new brother, and her favorite toy the day after we brought Duke home!

Looking for trouble in September of 2011! She just wanted her toy back!

In the kitchen with me last night, wondering when some good food was going to drop!