Happy Halloween!!

Pancake Mouth

Tahoe enjoys a pancake breakfast just as much as we do. During a typical Sunday pancake-feed (served up by the pancake master himself), Blake accidentally dropped two pancakes on the floor, and Tahoe swooped in to reep the rewards. However, she had two full-size pancakes in her mouth, and wasn't entirely sure what to do about it. She started walking around and whining. I finally had to take the pancakes out of her mouth and break them up so that she could eat them. Silly, silly dog!!

Yet again, I have neglected my blog. But, with the nicer weather, along with a break from school, I should have some interesting and blog-worthy material. I tend to become somewhat of a hermit during the winter months. Although, this past winter we had alot of fun snowshoeing or walking on our property and watching the dog spaz out in the snow. She loves it!!

I should be hearing about the hygiene program this week. I was informed last month that I was not accepted into the program, which was not a huge surprise to me because I was told that I shouldn't expect to get in on my first attempt. I was a little disappointed, but I focused on the positive. Blake and I could really enjoy the summer, and not have to plan everything around homework, studying, and classes. A couple of weeks ago, I called the school to see if there was anything I could do to "beef up" my application for next year. The academic advisor asked me if I was aware that I am on the waiting list for this year. "Well.... yes...." I replied. She then informed me that I am one of the frontrunners on the waiting list, so I still have a decent chance of being accepted for this year. So, we'll see... I am honestly okay either way... whether it's this year or next. But I'll keep you posted.

Man's Best Friend

Ahhh, all settled in for a nice nap. Tahoe seems to be under the impression that she is a lap dog. She is still doing very well... the whole dog ownership thing has been a little bit of a learning curve for Blake and I. Our main concern was what to do with the dog while we are at work during the day. So, I got a baby gate to keep the dog on the first floor of the house. Then, the cat had a safe place in the upstairs portion of the house. This worked well... for about a day. (Tahoe is only 1 - 1 1/2 years old, so it's basically like having a 65lb. puppy.) On day two, Tahoe decided that she didn't like my offensive space heater so she chewed the plug right off the cord! Ok, now you're banished to the laundry room while we're away at work!! Well, that worked well, for a couple of days. Until, she scratched at the wall a bit. Nothing that can't be repaired, thankfully. Next step... you're very own cozy kennel!! I have never crated a dog before, so I felt like it was a little mean. But, I guess it's either the kennel or a savings account for home repair. We're hoping that we can eventually graduate her to the run of the downstairs again over time. She's still our baby, and we love her, we're still just trying to figure out what works best for her. We got the book The Dog Whisperer which has been a great help. It is all about positive reinforcement for training, and basically all of the what's, how's, and if's to dog ownership. It seems that Tahoe and Sheeba are slowly warming up to each other. And, I do mean ...s...l...o...w...l...y... : ) But, I think eventually that they will be just fine. Thank goodness!!

Meet our newest family member... Tahoe!

Introducing... Tahoe!! This past Friday, I decided to make a trip to the Humane Society "just to look around." They have a book at their front desk which contains profiles of all of their adorable mutts. I saw Tahoe's picture and asked if I could meet her. After they brought her up, we made our way to the play area where we ran around and played fetch. Not only was it love at first sight, but she also seemed incredibly well-behaved. After filling out the paperwork, I called Blake at work and asked if he would come and meet her. By the way, Tahoe is listed as a "border collie mix." During the whole meeting process, I failed to realize that she is obviously a "lab mix." Anyway, Blake came over to the shelter with me to meet this "border collie mix." When they brought out Tahoe, Blake asked "are you sure that's the right dog?" Well, despite Blake's desire for a big-fluffy-haired-dog, he also fell in love with Tahoe. She is about 1-1 1/2 years old, and she is house-broken, and responds to some commands. She loves the snow, and jumps all around in it. When she smells something curious, she sticks her whole head in the snow to get a better whiff. She is a character, for sure. Sheeba is less than thrilled about the dog, but I think she'll come around. She's a little nervous around Tahoe... the dog gets really excited around the cat and wants to play. So, we've definitely got some training to do with the whole cat/dog relationship. Tahoe has a very gentle nature, so I think we'll be just fine. But, for now, Sheeba prefers to steer clear of what she considers to be the product of a bout with temporary insanity.

Sheeba's got the right idea...

Sheeba wants to be famous, so I promised her I would put her picture on my blog. This is her new fleece bed that she got for Christmas. It's a whopping 14 degrees outside, but it feels like 3 degrees with the wind chill. I'd like to be curled up in a fleece bed, too!!

For Christmas Sheeba also got some homegrown catnip - grown by Blake's boss and his wife. She goes nuts for this stuff. She knows where we keep it, so every time you open this particular cupboard, she jumps in and starts looking for it. I told Blake that when she runs out, we're going to have to contact her dealer for some more or things might start to get ugly.

The snow looks so pretty outside. I'm planning on taking some more photos this weekend, which I will post. I ran a couple of errands today, and I will say it is a bit of a challenge getting around. The snowbanks are so high that it is difficult to see around them, and they also make the streets much narrower than usual. But, everyone seems to be in good spirits, despite the recent challenges. Everyone stay warm!!!