Merry Christmas 2009

A few favorites of our Christmas morning. We had fun opening presents and watching the puppy elves experience their first Christmas. Have a Great Holiday!

Winter Fun

The dogs are close to 8 months old and doing well. Ziva especially was not enjoying the cold weather so I got them some winter jackets to help keep warm. It took the girls a bit of time to get used to having a coat on but now seem to accept them as part of an opportunity to go outside. Included are a few favorite pics of Katie tossing snowballs to the girls this morning and my girl Abbie demanding some special attention from me recently.

Happy 12th Birthday Katie

Another year goes by as Katie turned 12 earlier this month. A few close friends joined Katie for a sleep over and enjoyed going to a bead making craft. The girls each designed their own bracelet and as you can see they turned out very nice. I joined the girls later in the day for pizza at Mimmo's. They have some of the best pizza in our area. We returned home in the evening and had some cake. The girls were up over half of the night watching movies and giggling. Happy 12th Birthday sweety!

Halloween 2009

A few favorites from our Halloween night. Katie and a friend collected their fill of candy and then attended a Halloween party. Rain came down heavy but fortunately stopped in time for the kids to make their rounds. It was a nice evening. Enjoy the pics!

Apple Pick 2009

I really enjoy apple picking season as the weather is cool and sunny and the air is fresh. We visited Vaillancourt Orchards this year and found a nice assortment of Macs and Cortlands. The pups came for the ride and as usual were well behaved. Each received an apple treat. My favorite pic is of Katie sitting with Abbie in the shade of a tree. My good friend Ray came with us and was nice to take a few family pics for our collection. We then enjoyed a few beers at home and watched the Sox hammer Baltimore followed by a good roast and homemade apple crisp from the pick today. A great day to remember!

Will Work for Greenbeans

Now that the girls are over 4 months old they have to earn their keep. Katie put the pups through their paces yesterday with some basic commands they have mastered. Sit, paw and beg are three of their best and are most willing to perform them on command for a fresh greenbean out of Brenda's garden. The girls will miss Katie as she starts school this Wednesday. Also included is a favorite of Katie hard at work in the kitchen with her Ben and Jerry's apron.

Thirteen Weeks and Going Strong

Today marks our first month with the girls. It's been alot of work but very rewarding at the same time. Abbie and Ziva are a joy to be around and are quick learners. Walks continue to be a challenge at times due to the girls preoccupation with their new surroundings. We found that a huge incentive for the come command is BB size pieces of balled up cheese. The girls are very responsive to us when we offer this special reward. House training is going very well. The girls are alerting us to the patio door when they want out. They are looking less and less like puppies and are growing rapidly. At first we were easily able to tell them apart but Ziva has been growing and now from a distance we sometimes get confused. Both have their own quirks as Ziva usually barks at her water dish before taking a drink and Abbie barks then turns her food dish over before eating. We usually monitor during mealtime as Abbie continues to try and dominate the food supply. We've been socializing the girls as much as possible and they are doing well with the neighborhood dogs. A few favorites of the babies at thirteen weeks.