All That and A Box of Rocks

Well this past week we've been busy.

I removed the HUGE kennel from our dining room and replaced it with a more manageable and MUCH lower puppy kennel.

Maggie of course can get over it pretty easy, but hopefully the pups when they start jumping will still be contained. You can see Maggie enjoys the space and the quiet time, although ten hungry little mouths are just behind that curtain.

Just lift that curtain and there they be...... When they're finally big enough to come out and eat on their own.... all I'll need to do is slide the door open and they'll be free!!!

I tried it today and sure enough... it took them about 15 seconds to figure out nothing was standing between them and momma. Poor Maggie... she just rolled over.

I actually got them to eat from a pan this weekend. Ground up puppy food with formula.

They loved it... didn't eat it all, but it's only a matter of time!!!

Even when they're all barking and mad as hell because we've obviously taken too long to tend to them... they're still cute...... BUT, when they're sleeping..... nothing is cuter!!

Even Momma cuts her eyes at me when she thinks I'm about to turn them loose.

Last night I gave her a good nipple rubdown with some bag balm.... she was drooling by the time I finished.

When I got Maggie from the animal shelter, her paperwork stated she was an ill-behaved dog who should NOT go to a home with cats, and that was it.

I'll agree, she could use some training, but show me a pound puppy that doesn't!!

Plus the fact that she's just over a year old. I'd say she's pretty mature and responsible for being a puppy with ten HEALTHY babies. She loves to play with Dash and Roux.... for HOURS!!!

Our cats have all gotten used to her and even though she likes to stalk them.... she has never exhibited aggression towards them.

So much for animal controls doom and gloom prediction.

This weekend we got to test her temperament towards children. Cathy (our daughter) Bobby (her BF) and JR (our 4yr old grandson) came to visit. I immediately tossed him into the kennel to see mommas reaction and she was fine. Not even a lick...

LOL!!! NOT.

We let JR come in to see the pups and Maggie never did a thing. She's a very trusting girl. She never let us out of her sight, but she trusted us. She really is going to be a perfect little girl for someone.

Bedtime came and Cathy wanted us to know the pajamas we had gotten JR for his Birthday last year still fit him.... not for long though

I don't know how many of you got outside this weekend, but man the weather was nice. it hit 60 here both sat and sun. Steve took JR on a long walk of the C n O Canal on sat. They went to collect heart shaped rocks for a small valentines day project for JR's daycare.

He has 7 daycare friends and they managed to find 8 good rocks.

In the warmth of a 60 degree day they painted the rocks, both sides pink.

Cut out heart shaped stencils and painted them on with dark red.

I had bought JR wiggly eye stick-ons, and after all the paint had dried,

Doc sat by just to make sure nobody got burned and JR proceeded to glue eyes onto the rocks.

I'd say he's pretty good with a glue gun and notice what hand he's using.... GO Lefties!! Eyes in place, he'd set it aside and proceed to the next one.

I'm not sure what the kids will think when he hands them out.

It doesn't really matter actually because we had fun doing it.

and here we have a whole box full of Pet Valentines.

Sort of morbid when you think these are a symbolic replacement for giving someone

your heart for valentines day. So our week and our weekend culminated with a box of rocks.

Cute little pink rocks with eyes.

We've got a functional puppy compound ..... in the dining room.

We got a wonderful taste of spring .... a whole month early.

And to top it all off.... Steve and I sat and watched the Full Snow Moon, rise over the mountain tonight. Life is good!!