Wordless Wednesday: Family Portrait

Holiday Family Portrait Day, By Olivia

For today's post I'm going to try something I've never don before. 'm going to let Olivia take the wheel... er, rather keyboard. She has a lot to say about today's outing.


Olivia here! Today started out like any other day. Mommy's alarm went off and then I helped Mommy wake up Daddy (she poked him and I stepped on his head. We make a great team). Daddy put my coat on and i went out to... take care of business. Then I came in and had a lovely breakfast before we went out and took care of those very large, very delicious smelling, funny looking dogs that Mommy calls "horses". Mommy told me that she had to make herself beautiful for the portrait but that since I am already beautiful (duh) there wasn't much to do to me.

I sat in my dog bed in the bathroom and watched as Daddy shaved off all the whiskers on his face (Mommy told him to). This always amazes me. Doesn't he realize how important those whiskers are? Mommy got all pretty and then she said it was my turn. My turn? She came at me with a dress. And she stuffed me into it. She called it my Christmas dress. I don't think I really like my Christmas dress but my Mommy, and my Granny made a big fuss over me when I was wearing it, so maybe it's not so  bad.

Mommy, Daddy, and I got in the car and I didn't realize until then that Mommy had also brought my sissy (Harley the cat)! Harley screamed the whole way to the store where we sat for a nice man who had bright light bulbs that flashed. Apparently this was what Mommy called the portrait. I love going to that store. I always get lots of home made cookies and everything smells so good in there!

After the portrait we walked around what Mommy calls "Downtown. Sissy was in her carrier bag and nobody even realized she was there. We went in a few stores and Mommy showed me off to the people she knows through her work. Then we sat outside at a cafe and Mommy and Daddy had breakfast. I got to sit on a chair at the table because Mommy says I'm well behaved.

I watched some little birds while Mommy and Daddy had
breakfast. Sissy is in that zebra bag.

There were two big English Bulldogs waiting for their person who was inside eating and everyone who passed made a big fuss over them.

It was a fun day, aside from the Christmas dress, and I always like getting to go out places with my Mommy and Daddy.

Mommy is excited to get something called proofs early next week. all I know is I'm exhausted from looking so cute all day!


Do your parents dress you guys up and take you for portraits?

And.... We're Baaaaack! Not-so-Wordless Wednesday

It's been so long since I've sat at a computer and opened up Blogger... and I feel so guilty. I think that guilt was part of why I haven't been on here in so long. I didn't want to admit it had been as long as it has.

But back in May I bought my 2015 BlogPaws ticket for Olivia and I and the other day I told myself I'd have to sell that ticket if I didn't get back to blogging. So here I am. Let me tell you about what we've been up too since... July.

I got a job. My first adult job since graduating college... my first job...ever. I'm the assistant to the executive director at my town's Downtown Development Association. Although having a job was something I was striving for, turned my life on its head. To be honest I'm still trying to fit everything I need to do into my days, especially as it gets dark earlier and earlier.

When I got my job the thing I felt worst about was leaving Olivia every morning to go to work.

I've learned a lot so far. I've had to step outside my comfort zone. I've met so so so many people. I had to figure out how to take minutes and type them up after our monthly board meetings. I learned how to use a dial-up credit card machine. I now know my town's Downtown area better than I could've ever hoped.

Unfortunately, one of the things that got cut when I'd get home from work, ride my horse, eat dinner, and crash for the day was this blog. But it never stopped nagging at me.... write me. Write me. C'mon, one paragraph and a couple of photos.... you know you want to. and I did want to! But I was just so tired that it never got done.

My pet crafting business has gotten a bit of a lift off. I sold my first item on Etsy (a Boston Terrier pin. A woman bought it for her daughter for a Christmas gift). And a new dog boutique, Downtown Dog, opened up Downtown and I spend a lot of time there. They are super nice and even bought some of my dog tutus to sell in the store!

Since July Olivia took another class at Petsmart. A trick class. She learned to roll over and stuff like that. the funniest thing that she learned, or actually taught herself, was to jump up on the stools... but we had her jump on and off the stool through her hoop.... while wearing her tutu.

We went to the local SPCA's Bark-a-Rita Ville fundraiser which was a lot of fun (last year it rained and we didn't stay long). There was food and beverages, music, and an awareness walk. Olivia spent the evening eating dropped snacks off the ground and thoroughly enjoyed herself. I wore a purple wig and Olivia had bat wings on.. .and surprise! We ended up on the front of the Sunday paper the next day.

For Halloween Olivia and I had matching Steampunk costumes, both made by my wonderful mom. Brian had a few Steampunk accessories to go with us. We won third place at Downtown Dogs' costume contest, ate snacks, had our photo taken, and received tasty looking dog cookies.

I'm excited to be back blogging. I really have missed it. I can't wait to re-connect with everyone!

Olivia's Florida Vacation

This past weekend Brian, Olivia, and I all took a trip to Florida to visit my aunt, uncle, and grandparents. The last time my grandparents saw Olivia in person was almost a year ago to the day and Olivia has certainly grown and changed a lot since then!

We left on Friday morning and got to Florida in time for dinner. Saturday we spent time together with the family, found a local dog park, and went swimming. Sunday passed similarly. We left Monday morning to come home.

I was so amazed at how gentle Olivia was with my fragile diabetic grandpa. It's like she knew he needed her to be calmer in order for her to interact with him.

My aunt who is very choosy when it comes to whose dogs she likes absolutely loved Olivia (they'd met before at our house) and even let Olivia on her furniture.

Here are some of the things Olivia got to do this weekend!

• swim
• go on several golf cart rides (that's one of the ways the residents get around the gated community where my family lives)
• play with her relatives
• go to a "town center" that was western themed
• take a photo with mommy in a wooden head cut out
• go to a new dog park
• watch TV with her great aunt and uncle on their couch
• go on vacation with mommy and daddy
• eat at a McDonalds

  

  waiting for handouts at McDonalds

  
  

  

  swimming and chilling out with her new ceramic friend

  
  

  

  eating dinner with her great uncle

  
  
  
  
  

  

  checking out great grandma's screen porch

  
  

  

  exhausted

  
  

  

  playing with her great uncle

  
  

  

  her great uncle loved spending time with her
  walking in the "town center"

  
  

  

  inside the lobby of the themed movie theater

  
  
  

  

  visiting with her great grandparents

  
  

  

  golf cart ride

  
  

  

  doggie water fountain at the dog park (I had brought her own
  water for her)

  
  

  

  at the dog park

  
  
  
  
  

  

  family portrait

  
  

  

  playing with and being held by her great aunt

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  wiggle butt

  
  

  

  playing with her great grandpa

  
  

  

  golf cart ride

  
  

  

  watching TV with great aunt and uncle

  
  

  

  sleeping on the way home

• 
  

Wordless Wednesday: Eating in Style

For a while my mom and I had joked that it would be funny/cute to get an antique high chair for Olivia so she could join the family at meal time. My mom found an old wooden high chair in a second hand shop for a good price and brought it home. Then this happened.

Olivia Goes to The Ballet

This past Monday the local ballet was doing a performance in one of the parks as part of a summer concert series that the park puts on. Since my leg was still in a cast with my tendonitis, I wasn't getting out much and was a bit stir crazy. I decided Brian and I should take Olivia to see the ballet for something to do.

It wasn't anything spectacular but Olivia really enjoyed herself. She seemed to like the movement from the tutus that the dancers were wearing and was captivated by one dance in particular. Over all it was a nice night out for our little family :)

Olivia's favorite of the dances

captivated by ballet

hanging out in her tutu

"mom! there's turtles in here!"

family portrait!

Olivia and her daddy

Thoughtless Thursday

By Ruckus the Eskie and co-host Love is being owned by a Husky

Another Fun Day

Yesterday I spent my morning like I bet most people are these last few days leading up to Christmas. I was shopping. For my mom. My mom has accumulated a lot of knick knacks over the 30-40 years and I'm sure a lot of them are gifts I picked for her. This year I wanted to give her something she would actually use and enjoy and was having a hard time. I ended up getting her software for her one sewing machine (she loves to sew). But after witnessing some truly spectacular grid-lock and the best *cough* sarcasm *cough* driving I've ever seen, I was ready to unwind. That morning I'd promised to take Olivia to the park and I planned to make good on that promise.

I went home to get her and headed back out to town. I'm not sure our walk was relaxing... Olivia was trotting along cheerfully which forced me to power walk, but we had fun together. She found a stick (she loves sticks) and really enjoyed sniffing out all the smells. I had a good time watching her enjoy the park so much. This all caused me to come up with an early New Year's Resolution:

To take Olivia out for walks at the park, etc. more often.

It's not something I really think of because Olivia and Fern get so much exercise running around our farm. Unlike a lot of dog owners, I can just open the back door and let them run free instead of having to walk them every time they have to go potty. But it's not about exercise. It's about spending time with my little Olivia, putting the phone away (except to take photos), and enjoying being outside playing together.

After the park we headed to Petsmart to make up the first two classes of the Advanced class that we missed. Olivia's trainer was so excited to see her, and Olivia was excited to see Debra as well! We worked on sitting when meeting a friendly stranger, loose leash walking going into heel, waving, and touch. We go back on Friday for week three and Olivia FINALLY will get to meet her classmates.

happy to be back in class

Last night after we got home and took care of the horses my parents, Olivia, and I (Brian's in NJ for work) went to the local five star hotel for the Christmas caroling party (they allow well behaved dogs in the hotel bar/lobby/lounge). Olivia wore her Christmas dress and got to have her photo taken (again) with Santa. Everyone fawned over her and everyone wanted to tell me how their sister's boyfriend's great aunt's nephew's uncle has/had/is getting a Boston. It's so funny to me that it seems every where I go with Olivia some stranger(s) comes up to me to tell me about their experience with Bostons (or sometimes with Frenchies). We had a great time, although my arms did hurt a bit from holding Olivia all night. There were a lot of people and I didn't want to risk her getting stepped on but she was also tired. Olivia weighs a whopping 15.8 lbs now!

Olivia Goes to See Christmas Lights

Last night Brian and I took Olivia to see Christmas lights at this place we have here in town called Hopeland Gardens. They boasted 100,000 lights over 1.5 miles of trail.

We had to park the car at a park and take a shuttle over. I didn't know this in advance and was a little worried they wouldn't let Olivia on board. Good planning on the town/whoever was in charge of this event because they actually had one dog friendly bus! We were the only ones on board it. Olivia thought it was great fun and really enjoyed trotting around the park. I'm not sure she loved having to pose every two steps with various light displays but oh well, and I'm sure Brian (who was holding her leash) must have gotten tired of hearing "pose her with [fill in the blank], yes, right here, no not there, here". With other people around and distractions I couldn't always convince Olivia to look at the camera... oh well.

Here's the photos: