Lesson 57: Max and Ruby Learn to Share

Lesson 56: There is Joy in a Peaceful Christmas Weekend

Christmas this year was great. We spent lots of time with family and my favorite parts were the quiet time at home with Tyler, Max and Ruby. Max and Ruby got lots of fun new toys for Christmas. I have videos of them playing with their new toys which I will post later. These pics are the in between times when we were all just lounging around enjoying the day :)
Max and Ruby are even able to calmly lie next to each other.... even if it is only for a moment. These poochies are just like toddlers and they have been learning to share especially with their great new chew bones and stuffed piggy.

Max is not glaring he is actually falling asleep while sitting up. It may not look like it but Ruby was also just about to zonk out at this point.

Lesson 55: A Puppy For Christmas

Tyler surprised me last night with a pug puppy for Christmas! She is from the Seattle Pug Rescue and I think Max has finally met his match! Her name was Indy (as in Independence for her July 4th b-day). We changed it to Ruby! Ruby Kinkeroo.... kink for the kink in her tail and aroo because she hops around like a kangaroo, and of course Ruby for the children's show Max and Ruby :)
They were playing most of the evening but there is one thing that can calm even the craziest of pups.... the smell of cooking omelets :)

Here is a video of her first night at home.

Lesson 54: Max's Methods of Tennis Ball Massacre

Alright Maximus Oreo are you ready for some fetch???
Keep your eye on the ball

Open wide

Keep low

Bob and weave

Stretch that long chiweenie body of yoursFocus...

Intimidation is key

Good dog Max :)

Lesson 53: Get there by any means necessary!

I have wanted to go to the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker for YEARS! For one reason or another each year I don't go. This year I finally bought tickets for Tyler and me to go and I was PUMPED! :)

Tyler and I were scheduled to meet with a lady Saturday morning which was the day we were planning to see the matinee Nutcracker showing. The lady was supposed to show up at 11. Well... AT 11 she called to say she was not going to arrive until 11:30. That was okay we still had time. She did not show up until 12:15.... she did not leave until 1PM! The show was at 2PM... in Seattle! Getting to Seattle is at least an hour commute for us out here in cow town. We rushed out the door. Using Tyler's GPS we watched as the commute time seemed to be increasing while our time until curtain was rapidly diminishing. At one point I think there was 3o min until the ballet and 50min until we even reached Seattle. This is not taking into account horrendous Seattle parking the last weekend before Christmas. After hitting dead stop traffic, Tyler changed the route and we knocked off 15 min from the commute.

When we finally got into Seattle there were Santas EVERYWHERE! Big, small, short, tall... and lots of hoochy Santas too. Cars were slowed to a crawl as Santas not only roamed the streets but took up all the parking spots! Curses Santa! In my frustration I can remember saying something to the extent that the real Santa would not be so RUDE!

At this point the clock showed 2:05 and I was fighting back tears. I had waited so long to see this ballet and paid lots of money and the tickets stated there would be NO LATE SEATING allowed.

Eventually we got a spot in a parking garage and halled butt sprinting to the theater. I tried to imagine I was in an intense action movie where it was life or death that I get to my seat. (You know, those intense movies where they are rushing to not be late to a ballet :) )

Wonder of wonder, miracle or miracles... and a lot of tender mercies from the Lord, we got in! We were about 12 min late into the show but it was still the holiday party scene and the crazy godfather had not shown up.

It was amazing!

The sets and costumes were beautiful. And it was so much fun to see professional dancers. :) And having the live symphony there was incredible. I told Tyler that was one of the more fancy things I have done in my life and I loved it!

I would like to also give a shout out to my wonderful husband Tyler who made this day possible! His driving and "failure is not an option" attitude saved the day! :D

Lesson 52: Gingerbread Houses and You

Tyler and I built a gingerbread house with his family this past weekend. Each couple in the family built their own house. I love working with Tyler :) He is super nice and fun and we worked together on the entire house. My favorite part is Snoopy on top of his little doghouse on the side of the main house. The Skittles on the roof are the lights and Chex made up the shingles. Over on the side of the house is snow covered cookie hill with a sled on top.



Snoopy even has a dog food dish and lights on his house as well. :)

Lesson 51: When in Doubt Ask a Veteran (R.I.P. Bottle Buddy)

The Bottle Buddy served its purpose. Max was able to play with it while I was out and a bit after Tyler got home. After not too long Max ripped open the bottom and tore off the lid. At this point Tyler suggested we retire Bottle Buddy. We told my parents the fate of Max's new toy and they suggested we try tying up old socks. This was their go to toy for dogs dating back to when my dad was little. As you can see above Max loves his new sock toy. AND it has now lasted 6 days! (This is a good thing)

Tyler and Max ready to go for a night jog.

Max was a bit more ready to go than Tyler.

Pretty flowers from Tyler. Max is actually trying to eat them here not sniff them.

" Brr mama I'm cold"

"Much better!"

Lesson 50: Necessity is the Mother of Home Made Dog Toys

Poor Maxi is too tough for his own good. He destroys his toys within days and as he gets older he becomes more efficient with his destruction. We are down to a few tennis balls (which require a friend to play with), a rawhide bone (which we are weaning him off of for a bit) and his rubber Kongs (which are only entertaining until the treats inside are all gone). His true love it stuffed animals. Not wanting to leave our loney pup home with nothing to entertain him I came up with this little beauty. It is an empty water bottle inside a little fleece package... with ears :) I will be honest that the concept is not my idea. Tyler and I saw water bottle toys at the store and I figured I could just make something like that instead of paying $15. We had left over fleece from a blanket Tyler made.

Max was whining the entire time I was sewing. He knew this was a special treat for him.

The cracking noise in the video is the water bottle.

Lesson 49: It is flippin cold today brrrrrrrrrrrrrr

It feels like there is a lot going on... or possibly I am just not managing my time well enough.

Tyler got a new job! He starts there next week and it is so exciting! He... and I guess since we are married I should say "we" had a hard time making a decision about this job but everything came together and in the end we even get to stay in our apartment for at least the time being.

Monday was Halloween. I dressed Max in his dinosaur costume and we passed candy out at my parent's house. Quinn and Cooper my niece and nephew were a dog and cat. I wore my birthday dog ears the entire day.

Yesterday we went on a double date with another couple we know through church. We went and saw this awesome movie called "In Time". It is the kind of Twilight Zoney movie I would love. After the movie we went to a local small cemetery to see it all lit up for All Saints Say. I was freaking out. I have never been to a cemetery after dark and all I could think of was "They're coming to get you Barbara!" Tyler lost all feeling in his right arm from my death grip which I suppose he brought on himself.

Lesson 48: Hippo Birdie To MEEEEEE

Yesterday was my birthday!!! It was a long birthday weekend!!!! Tyler surprised my by not only arranging to have Jenae fly up from Utah to visit but also throwing a puppy themed party at Red Robin for me. :) No one actually took pictures at the restaurant so I set up all the decorations at home afterward.

For the puppy theme there were napkins, balloons, a sign, gift bag, stickers, candle, hats and I got to wear dog ears and yes I wore those during dinner at Red Robin.

I could not convince Jenae to put her hat back on for the photo.

On my actual birthday Jenae and I went out to breakfast in town. I tried to take a few pictures of us and since none of them turned out I just took a pic while we were walking. Action shot!

Easily the highlight of Jenae's weekend visit here: I have been getting my free scoop of Baskin Robbins ice cream for a few years now. Yesterday I had my coupon and suggested to Jenae that we stop by the BR on our walk to get my free scoop. I showed the man at the counter my coupon and he said he needed to see some ID. The coupon has Whitney "Mann" as the name so I showed him my licence with my old name on it. Since that ID had a hole punch in it the man said it was no good. I showed him my new ID and mentioned how I got married recently and that is why the name change...

He replied: the pictures are different...

I know, I just got married so I got a new ID

The first name is different....

No it's not

One says Whitney and one says Frances

No, they both say WHITNEY FRANCES as I mentioned I just got married

Well since this ID is incorrect I can't take it because I am not in charge and the manager is not here so you will have to come back when they are here.....

We left and Jenae burst out laughing, the very idea that I had to show two forms of ID to get a free mini scoop or ice cream was too much for her. You would think I was trying to get alcohol or something. Jenae laughed for about 2 hrs. I was more in the mindset of YOU RUINED MY BIRTHDAY!

Upon returning home we found Tyler and he joined us to the next town over where I was able to get my free scoop no questions asked AND no ID necessary.

This BR even received the patronage of Tyler and Jenae.

On the way up to drop Jenae off at the airport we stopped at Coulon Beach to walk around.

Jenae was in love with the trees here and all the pretty colors.

Let's take a picture imitating the trees with our arms out....

Wait that one was no good take one as a tree flowing in the wind.... yes I think we got it.

Before walking around the water we three stopped by Kidd Valley to get some hot chocolates. There was a random statue so we all took pictures next to it in the same pose.

I don't think Jenae got the idea...

A beautiful fall day :)

A beautiful fall day.... from another angle.

An open interpretation of LIFERING

Tyler and me imitating Jenae scrunching her neck in photos.

Jenae and the modern art

Sculptors must at some point while making art realize that their work is just going to be used as a means of creating funny pictures for tourists.

The result of running out of poses.