And we wait............

It's day 62 and Mattie is still going. Tomorrow is the "official" due date from her first day with Ace. She just delivered early last year, so I guess I was just assuming the same this go round. But, she continues to grow and enjoy her time indoors with us. My dad's birthday is Tuesday, so who knows, maybe these little boogers are holding out for a Groundhog's Day birthday just like my dad! I'm so excited for these little babies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll check in at the first REAL sign of labor. Goodnight ya'll!
Amy

Some pics...........

Have a few pics of Mattie from earlier. Snow is really coming down here now. We're just all hanging out, Laura and Cole are coloring, Mattie is laying there watching them and Clayton is playing with his new toy.....a remote control rock crawler. Not much going on........just waiting for the BIG EVENT! :)  I'll check in if/when we have any changes. She looks like she's dropped a bit more. Ya'll have a great weekend!
Amy

Still going............

Well, Mattie is still truckin'. Getting bigger by the day, her belly is now protruding outwards from her rib cage. She seems at maximum capacity! I just keep thinking any time now. She seems tired and her eyes look a bit bloodshot too. She's definitely getting spoiled here in the house! And the first few snowflakes have started to fall here. I think we're in for a doozy of a storm! Let's just hope we keep power, especially if we have newborns! Otherwise, we'll all be camped out downstairs by the fireplace........puppies and all! I'm REALLY getting anxious for these babies but do hope they hold off until this snow is over. Don't want to do a vet rush in a foot of snow! I'm just excited!!! I'll be checking back in soon. Hopefully this video from earlier today will show up of Mattie. Have a good day!

Getting close...............

Mattie seems to be really feeling it today. She's quite uncomfortable, restless and you can just see it in her eyes.........she's feeling rough. My poor baby. Her milk is increasing and her bones at the base of her tail are spreading, as well as her spine seems to be more noticeable. She's getting ready. We're to be getting another big snow storm in here Thursday night through Saturday, bet she goes during all that. I've got to dig out my heat lamp and the ceramic heater. She's laying here behind me and you can just see those little babies in there kicking and moving around.......her belly is going every which way! I love feeling them when they move. Ok, here are a few pics from a little bit ago. Wanna guess how many she'll have and when?? Throw me your guesses! 
Amy

WE KICKED BUTT!!!!

Our BBQ catering was "smokin'"! Things couldn't have gone any smoother. We had a blast with it all, food was out of this world (even if we did do it ourselves) and we had tons of compliments and people wanting to know where our restaurant was so they could come eat there!! LOL  All in all, it really wasn't that hard to do, just pulling that meat was the biggest deal. Between heating the meat back up and cooking the beans, we had my oven full, my brother's oven full and even my mom's double oven full of stuff. Good thing we all live real close by each other. I think we served real close to 150 people! Everything was all homemade, even down to the sauce........my brother did a great job on that! Now, we're just ready to go do another one! :) That was fun and we love to cook!
Amy

Mattie

I think Mattie is on the countdown! This morning was the first morning that I've noticed she's torn her bedding all around in the garage, scratching and rolling it all up and everywhere, nesting. She also had "dug" out all her food from her dish, in which she didn't eat either. Normally her bowl is empty when I go out. I put her out a little while ago, just to run around in her pen and stuff, but she's staying hoarded up in her doghouse and the other dogs seem quite interested in her.........which gets me to thinking they know or sense something. So, the watch will be on high alert until she delivers............think I'll go bring her back in with us. Stay tuned!
Amy

A quick update

Just thought I'd pop in for a minute. It's really late and WAY past my bedtime.......have been pulling smoked pork for a big BBQ meal come Tuesday. Me and my brother are catering a meal for like 150 people! Hope we can pull this thing off! LOL So, our house smells SOOOOO good right now, all the aroma of that meat......mmmmm! Funny because when I let Mattie in the house when we were all done, what does she do but go straight to the trash can that I had forgotten that had been left sitting out..........she grabbed her up a big 'ol shoulder bone from the pork and took off. She's like a really crazed pregnant woman on a craving frenzy when it comes to food!! LOL Course you all know how Heelers like their food anyways......she's just the worst one I know! I do believe she'd eat anything. When we first got her, Cole had left a plate of lunch on the table and it still had a pile of mustard in it, well, I left her inside for a minute while we went out. When we came back in, I found little "mustard" footprints everywhere. All around the table, in the chair and into the kitchen! And then she was funny because she had mustard all in her whiskers and on her nose. She's doing good. Still growing and really getting some milk in. All she wants is for someone to rub her belly. And she'll just "talk" and moan and whine. She's SUCH a vocal dog! Hopefully I'll get a few new pics in the next couple days. Stay tuned for more............it's getting close!!!!!! :) :) :) :)

Amy

Mattie update & pics

I've got Mattie in the house with us. Boy does she ever enjoy that! She appears pretty uncomfortable and looks it too. She's beginning to lay all stretched out on her side as well as laying flat on her belly, getting those puppies lined up for their big debut. I just really think she'll go before her due date of Feb 2, but let's hope not too early. She's also getting some milk in. Climbing the steps from the den in the basement is proving hard work for her at the moment. She's laying here behind me and you can just hear her heavily breathing, almost a little moan to it. She's just as sweet as can be here in the house. The kids are liking it and wanting to "make her a full time house dog".........I don't know though. I do enjoy having her in here though......and when it comes to animals, the kids don't have to twist my arm very hard!! LOL  Cole is begging for a parakeet for his upcoming birthday. I have no problem with that, but Chris just don't know about it. I had a couple growing up and loved them. Plus, we are to be getting some chickens this spring/summer. Boys are the kids REALLY excited about that.......me too!! :)  

Here's a few pics of Mattie from just a bit ago. You can see she's just enjoying herself.......no matter how miserable she is. Goodnight ya'll!
Amy

 

Coyotes

The coyotes have been running pretty wild here this week. We hear them every night around 10:30 to 11:00. Sounds like there may be more than one pack roaming out in these hills, you can hear them calling back and forth. And they are coming in pretty close too it sounds like. Needless to say, they get the dogs completely torn up. Ace especially........they just bark and bark and go on. I'd love to actually be able to see them but so far no luck. Our local coyotes are pretty good sized ones, almost more wolf like. I think they're such beautiful and mysterious animals. 

Another dreary rainy day today. Dogs are all quietly sleeping, not much else for them to do though at the moment. I'll head out in a little while to check on little Miss Mattie. I'm getting anxious! I've pretty much got everything ready to go for her. Just need to re-wash up some of the towels and blankets. I'll probably start bringing her in over the weekend, that way I can keep a closer eye on her. I don't want her doing what she did last year........she just out of the blue went into labor and had 4 pups in her doghouse before I knew it! I had been watching her, but she was showing really no signs of labor that morning, so I left her out to enjoy the sunshine. Oh and a few hours later, I kept wondering what all the other dogs seemed so interested in, looking towards Mattie's pen. I think my stomach hit the ground when I realized she had puppies in there! So we had a scurry bringing them all inside......it was cold.......and she ended up delivering 2 more in the laundry room. She's a quick and calm birther, so one to watch extremely close. Unlike Cookie and Jasmine, who liked to whine around and drag their deliveries out for hours on end! Ya'll have a great day!
Amy

Look at Mattie!

I swear, I think if she would be still long enough, you could probably just sit and watch her belly actually grow! LOL  What's she going to look like in another week?? She's just too cute with her (big) pregnant belly. So far, she's doing great. Here's some pics from today.

 

A nice day

We've had a good day today. Nice weather........a sunny and "balmy" 52 degrees! LOL  Just gives me spring fever, but I'm sure there's cold to return soon. All this thawing out sure makes for one heck of a mud hole in the dogs' pens. It's just a mess for them and I hate they keep their feet muddy.......but there's no keeping  grass growing in there for sure. I was looking at Jasmine's dog house and I think it's shifted and fell down some........she has dug herself a "basement" under it and with all the soft ground, I think it's moved some. I'll have to get Chris to lift that thing back up, too heavy for me to budge!

Speaking of thawing, my brother lost one of his steers who tried to cross a thawing pond, fell through the ice and didn't make it. That just tugs at my heart, poor thing, to think of what it went through. 

On the 26th I'm helping my brother cater a BBQ meal for 150 people! Sure hoping we can pull this off!! He's putting his new smoker to work.........and I'm just totally looking forward to eating that meal! YUM!! It'll be some work, but nothing too bad I don't think. We both like to cook, so it should be fun nonetheless. Let's hope Mattie doesn't decide to deliver really early.....on that day!

I really need to get the website updated. Have a ton of pictures to post from past puppies. It just takes time, QUIET time, to get updates done. I can't work on it when I've got kids pulling me this way and that, I loose my place and then totally screw the whole site up. Definitely takes some concentration. Hopefully we can all get back on our usual schedule here this week and I can get some things caught up. Will let you know! Ya'll have a good night!
Amy

John Deere dreamin'..........................

Little man here, with his new cap and tractor (thanks Loretta and family!), just snoozing away on our way home from town last week. I couldn't resist taking his picture..........and it didn't even wake him up! He is John Deere EVERYTHING!

And a few more from outside, of course, all decked out in his John Deere gear and his beloved Carhartt overalls! And oh yeh, can't forget his John Deere boots and camouflage sunglasses! :)

 

A few Mattie pics

Just have a few pics of Mattie from the other day.

You can see a little bit of her belly. But I tell ya, she has just blown up once again overnight! I think she has a boat load in there. She looks like a little pot bellied pig! LOL  I couldn't believe the difference in her this morning. She's just too cute and as fast and hyper as she still attempts to be, she wears out pretty quickly now. She pants and huffs and puffs, like she's way outta shape! We're on the countdown now, not much longer. Hopefully I can get more pics tomorrow.

 

Eventful week...........

A week full of events here............Clayton celebrated his 13th birthday Monday. Can't believe our oldest is now a teenager!! And in braces now too, if I haven't already mentioned that. Then Tuesday, my sister had her baby girl! That was an exciting day for everyone. All is well and healthy. Wednesday the kids finally went back to school.........they were 5 days short of being off for a month (that includes their Christmas break)! It's been hard getting back into that routine, think we're all tired. Cole was over the top with excitement at his tumbling class starting back up Thursday. This child could NOT be still all day long, even in class, he was just bouncing and jumping everywhere! And so here we are, it's Friday and I could so use a nap. Nothing planned for today, just the usual everyday stuff, which is enough in itself. Well ya'll, let's head out to feed, water and play with the dogs. Have a great weekend!
Amy

Bella and her water dish

She is absolutely driving me crazy with her water dish!! It's a big rubber tub, actually a feed dish, and she will NOT leave it alone. She dumps the water out! For whatever reason she has now decided that's her "new toy" for the moment. I'm thinking I'll rig it up, since it does have a place to hook it to something and tie it to the fence so she'll quit..........I'm getting tired of going out there to get her water whenever she dumps it or to look out just to see her using it as a seat! These dogs are insane! LOL

They all are fully enjoying the sunshine right now, just soaking it up. Laying on their porch roofs, all stretched out. Thankfully it's warming up around here. Some snow still laying around, but I'm just glad it's above freezing for a change! I'm sure there's a lot of winter yet to come though.

Mattie is ever growing! I watched her sitting on her porch earlier, and she just looked like a beached whale! LOL  Sitting there, her legs spread trying to hold up the new and extra weight, belly just plopping out........she was too funny! I can't believe how close she's actually getting! I'm going out soon to water so I'll have to get some new pics.
Amy

 

Mattie

I cannot believe the difference in her belly overnight! It's like she's expanded in a few short hours. I can see some signs of milk production starting too. She is quite feisty at the moment, running around, wanting to play and giving us a "talk". She is one very vocal dog! I swear she says "mama"!! I've got to get a video of it. We can tell her to talk, and away she goes, just jabbering/howling and making all sorts of noise. We're definitely spoiling her being inside!

Drum roll please............................

Announcing a due date of February 1st for Mattie!!!! Yep, she's got pups in there! I'm just so excited and very much looking forward to these little ones. I have thought for a few days this week that just maybe she was, but didn't want to call it just yet. Yesterday while she was laying there, on her back wanting a belly rub, I felt all these little "golf balls" in there, simply by just rubbing over her stomach and petting her. And I've felt them again today, so there is definitely little ones in there. YIPPEEEE!!! She did deliver a few days early last year, so she may go more towards the very end of January, we'll just have to keep a very close eye on her. So, I will definitely keep everyone updated as things get closer........are ya ready?? :)
Amy

Going stir crazy

Man, these temps around here are insane! This is definitely a winter we've not seen in a long time. We are all feeling a bit cooped up, even the dogs. We let them out while I bust water, but then the rest of the time, they're curled up in their houses. I have doubled them up, except Mattie, since she makes an uneven number, and she's in the house (lucky dog, huh?) Actually she's in between being in the house and in the garage. She also was chosen to come in because she's just a little more well behaved being a house dog than the others. She thoroughly enjoys this.....follows me with every step and lays behind my chair anytime I'm on the computer. Like right now, she's just laid out right behind me, snoozing away! She's a real sweetheart.

The kids haven't been in school all week, actually, they've been out since the beginning of their Christmas break that started Dec 18! Our weather isn't really improving any until the middle of next week either......I'm wondering if any schools will be in session come Monday?? We've got about 3 inches of snow on the ground right now and temps probably not even reaching 20 today.......think the wind chill at the moment is like 6 degrees, maybe. Ahhh, wouldn't a vacation at the beach right now be great?!?

Funny Bella!

It is SO cold here, snowing again, school's out and I'm sure they won't go tomorrow either. Of course this super cold lends to busting water dishes often. I think Bella was giving me a hint earlier that I needed to get out there ASAP! LOL  We look out and she's sitting smack in the middle of her frozen water tub! Just sitting there, surveying what's around, looking up in the trees and so forth. Clayton brought up a good point and said "what if she's STUCK there?" Hadn't thought about that one! But, I guess maybe she was taking matters into her own hands and trying her hand, umm, rear, at thawing out her own bowl! It was just too funny!

Bella pictures

A few pictures from the other night when Bella came in.

Mmmmm, this jerky is GOOOOOD!!

 

What ya getting dad?? More jerky? But I can't get my legs off the rug!!

 

I see something yummy!

 

Me and my girl!

 

 

Brrrrr!!!

Shoo doggies it's COLD out!! Not used to this! LOL Busting frozen water bowls and the dogs seems to be really restless.......just really bouncing with energy. Maybe they're trying to keep warm! I was having a time trying to lock their gates earlier as my semi wet gloves kept sticking to the metal. I can just imagine my skin actually freezing to that......OUCH! I need to pick up some more cedar chips for them tomorrow while I'm out. They've still got plenty, but a little extra won't hurt, right? 

Bella has gotten out the last 3 days. She's moving her water bowl and getting out from where she started a hole sometime earlier. The ground's so frozen I don't think she'll be digging anymore any time soon. It probably don't help when she does get out, as most of the time we let her in the house for a bit. And of couse, she gets a few treats. Chris gave her some deer jerky the other night.....she seemed to like that! She loves cheese too, especially the goldfish crackers! LOL And she absolutely cracks us up as she has a thing about hardwood floors and the finished concrete floor in the garage. They must make her feel unsteady because of the slick feel they have to them. She will run quickly to a rug and stand there. And IF she has to step off of it, she makes sure to keep her two back feet ON the rug and stretch out as far as she can with her front to get whatever she's wanting. It's just so funny! She's always had a weird thing with going in the  garage, so now we know it's the floor she don't like. 

Still watching Mattie. I just don't know but guess we'll know soon enough! I hope she's pregnant......missing some little puppy breath here!! I LOVE it!! Chris thinks I'm just totally crazy, but I could hold those little babies and smell their breath all day. LOL  

Looks like this week's gonna be a crazy one. I can't believe it but Clayton is getting his braces put on Wednesday!!! He is SO excited! Me and Chris, we're glad that he's looking forward to them, BUT......we're NOT looking forward to the chunk of money it's taking! It's totally insane what these things cost.........we could go buy him his first car! We don't have dental insurance either, so. And Laura has to have them as well, probably another year on her and she'll have them on. So, we have a week full of appointments and Laura and Cole's tumbling classes start back up. And too, waiting any day now on my new niece to be born.....I can't wait!!! So I'm kinda "on call" for that moment.  I've been with her for her other 2 deliveries and she was with me for all mine. It's such a wonderful moment. Everybody has always told me I should have been a midwife..........for people or animals! 

I've finally (I hope) gotten the kids better, Laura is much improved. But now, Chris is sick! He's not one to get sick, but some stomach bug hit him during the night last night and he's been in the bed ever since. It really hit hard. So, really trying to disinfect here so the rest of us don't get it. It's just crazy! School starts back tomorrow and I better round the kids up to bed. Ya'll have a good night!
Amy