Catch Up: December 2011

As mentioned before, this and the next post will help you play catch-up with our comings and goings during the past few months!


December was full of all sorts of activities. I'm sure lots of you had a very busy holiday season, as well. I got my mom a webcam for Christmas, so unfortunately, I forgot to take any pictures Christmas day, as we were busy using the cam on Google Chat. The boys love Christmas, and they really like helping me unwrap my presents. I wish I had gotten a few pictures of them with the wrapping paper!

Regardless of the lack of Christmas-day photos, I do have others to share. Swift and Kool got to visit Santa for the first time this year! They got to wear (read "were forced to wear") special holiday collars. I absolutely adore this picture of the boys. I'm definitely framing this and putting it up next Christmas.

Swift and Kool with Old-Fashioned Santa

We also joined a new meetup group called Pups 'N Pints. The group goes to a dog park to have fun and play and then heads to a dog-friendly restaurant or cafe for lunch or beer or coffee. The first meetup we went to, we skipped the park (it was a very muddy day) and just met everyone for lunch at Norm's Eatery & Ale House. Norm's is a bar in Ballard, well-known for allowing dogs. Its namesake, a golden named Norm, was there the day we showed up, wearing a Santa hat.

We knew that Santa was going to show up at Norm's, but we had no idea the kind of turnout Santa would create. It got crowded and hot really fast. We snapped a few pictures of the dogs with Santa and took off.

Hipster Santa (it was Ballard, after all)

After we left Norm's, we headed for University Village, an outdoor shopping mall near the University of Washington. Who knew most of the stores were dog-friendly? (Apparently, everyone but me!) The dog-friendly ones are indicted by a sticker in their window. We wandered around a bit, but we started to get chilly since it was December, and UVillage is an open-air mall. We stopped for one quick photo with all the babies.

Left to Right - Amber, Swift, Kool, and Tag

I think Swift and Kool are starting to get the hang of posing with their buddies. I love Swift's expression - he is just staring right into the camera. Tag, as usual, looks like he's too good for this, and Amber and Kool are looking up (maybe at a treat hanging in the air??).

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

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Wordless Wednesday #13

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Catch Up: November 2011 Trip to Whidbey Island

As mentioned before, this and the next few posts will help you play catch-up with our comings and goings during the past few months!


Every year, Spoiled Dog Winery on Whidbey Island holds a Spoiled Dog Contest. The winner receives wine and a complimentary copy of the book that is published with all of the entrants. Last November, one of our besties, Tag, won first place!

Winemaker Karen Krug presents Tag with his book and bottles of wine

The book featuring Tag in First Place!

The winery held a special event for all of the contestants, so we decided to take a little day trip to Whidbey Island with the dogs. I met Janis and Lindsay at their house, and we carpooled with 3 humans and 4 dogs.

Silly puppies on the ferry

View on Whidbey Island

Of course, our first stops were to the pet stores.

Myken's

Amber trying on a fashionable hat in Myken's

Amber and Tag got stylish scarves and Swift got a squeaky ball

We made quite a scene walking around downtown Langley. We made friends with all sorts of people.

After our walk around town, it was time to head over to the winery. Tag was presented with his awards, and we showed off how Tag won.

Yes, that is a stroller for the dogs.

It was a long day for everyone, but we all had lots of fun.

Sleepy babies

"Don't worry, buddies. I'll keep watch while you sleep!"

pictures courtesy of janis higdon

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Wordless Wednesday #12

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Catch Up: October 2011

As mentioned before, this and the next few posts will help you play catch-up with our comings and goings during the past few months!

In early October, we had our normal weekend meetups. But the most exciting event was when we went to Dog-O-Ween held at Magnolia Manor Park. I had never heard of this park before, let alone taken the dogs there. It was quite a nice area. They're working on developing the park and adding an off-leash area. It might be a new place for meetups!

Since it was October in Seattle, it rained the entire morning (surprise, surprise). I arrived a little early, so the boys and I waited in the car until we saw some friends. It gave me a chance to put the boys in their costumes and to observe some of the other dressed-up doggies. Some people got very creative, and some people had store-bought costumes like us. We finally braved the weather when our buddies, Janis, Lindsay, Jessica, and Deb showed up.

There were some booths set up, so we wandered around a bit. And then we turned around and went back the other way. And then we visited the booths again. It got a little boring. There was a little mix-up with the time of the costume contest, so we had to wait a few hours. It did give me time to take lots of pictures, though!

Little Red Riding Hood, the Hunter/Wood-Chopper, and the Wolf Dressed as Granny!
(Yes, the Wolf is a Dachshund!)

Hippie

Jolly Green Giant, a Can of Peas, and Two Peas in a Pod

Kool dressed up as a cute little pumpkin, and Swift showed off his bad side with a skull shirt and bad-to-the-bone skull collar.

Chester in a Halloween Jacket

Sienna Dressed as a Witch

Our friends, Tag and Amber, won Funniest Costume. They were dressed up as Hugh Hefner and a Playboy Bunny. Tag was Hugh in a smoking jacket and pipe, while Amber strutted her stuff in a bunny costume, complete with fake boobs! A shout-out to Lindsay for making the costumes by hand!

Lindsay with Amber and Janis with Tag aka Hugh

Amber Showing Off Her Playboy Bunny Boobies!

I felt really bad for the dogs to be out in the rain, but we made it up to them! (Can you find all 4 doxies in the stroller?!)

"No, Mom. We're not spoiled!"

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Wordless Wednesday #11

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Apology for the Absence

I would like to apologize for my absence over the last few months. I had meant to tell you all I was taking a break over the holidays, but time got away from me, and it just kinda snuck up on me.

So what have we been up to the past few months? I'm glad you asked! The next few posts will help you catch up with what the dogs and I have been doing during our hiatus from the blog.

Keep coming back for updates!

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