That'll get your morning going!

A cup of coffe?.......nah..........mountain dew.....nah..........reading the newspaper.....nah........how about ALMOST stepping on a snake IN YOUR GARAGE?!?! Talk about freaking out!!! This was a jolt to my day, having just gotten up. I saw that Bella, had at some point, dumped her water tub, and decided she just had to have a drink and dug her way out of her pen to do so. So, a little on the aggravated side with her getting out, I put on my rubber boots, grabbed the shovel and went to put her up and secure her in. I got her situated and decided while I was out and in my "dog attire", I'd just feed the others and be done. Well, little did I know there was a guest in the garage beside the bag of dog food!! I just about stepped on the darn snake, because just coming in from outside, you know you can't see the best, so things were a bit dark. Something caught my eye, as if it were moving. I first thought it was a leaf, or maybe a mouse, but I looked a little close and saw that this "thing" looked to be about 3 feet long! So here I am screaming and jumping up and down, freaking out. It backed on up and coiled up behind the big can I keep all the other dog food in. I hollered at Cole to bring me my cell phone..........I was calling my brother to come get this thing OUT! I stood in the garage, determined that this thing would NOT get out alive and I would not loose sight of it. Guess what.............I lost sight of it for a split second and didn't know which direction it had moved. My brother arrived along with his buddy Robert. They had flashlights, shovels and a rake..........we couldn't find that snake anywhere!!! We moved stuff out and everywhere, it was just like it had disappeared. My brother was about to decide I was going insane and seeing things. So after a while they left and I was determined to find that snake if it meant dragging literally EVERYTHING out of the garage, piece by piece! I did NOT want it getting into the house..........the kids sometimes leave the door open that goes into the house from the garage............I couldn't stand the thoughts of that! So here I start, moving even more stuff out and I saw it, all curled up under a rug that I had rolled up that I use when we have puppies. My brother had moved that a little but we didn't see it the first time. Ended up calling my brother back and here they came. It ended up being a rat snake, a young one, but still decent size, almost 3 ft. Don't know if anyone has ever dealt with these rat snakes before, but they are rather mean and wild. This was the smallest we've seen around here, most are 5 to 6 ft that we've seen!! And vicious! One actually tried to attack the tractor tires when my brother was in the hay field not long ago. It would lunge it's whole body at the tractor, flying and raising up like a cobra ready to strike. I think it even took after one of my brother's buddies coming to see what was going on, it put him back in his truck! So I'm glad at least this was a smaller one. But I still don't like snakes of any kind..........YUCK!!!!!!!!!

I ended up cleaning out the entire garage (it needed it bad anyways!) and worked non-stop until about 7:00 this evening. Now things are a little more organized and neater out there. Guess there could always be a snake hiding somewhere out there, but at least it don't have as many places to do so now!!! LOL Hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. :) I'm off to sit down and relax for a minute. Goodnight!
Amy

New Diesel pics.

A few from the other day. He is sitting nicely and pretty much has gotten the hang of "lay". He had trouble figuring that one out! LOL He's just too concentrated on that T.R.E.A.T!!! Enjoy!

He loves chewing on the water hose!

You know it's hot when............

you can walk outdoors, up the driveway and not ONE dog hears you because they are all konked out and dead to the world around them!! This heat is CRAZY!!! Heat indexes for the next few days are to be 100 to 105 degrees!! No wonder we're all dragging here. Yeh, but I had decided I'd go out, get Diesel and bring him in for a bit. I walked up to his pen and he was SO konked out that I decided not to bother him, none of the others heard me either. So, I just figured I'd go back to the house when some clanker of a truck went up the road, with a couple young guys in there, who felt the need to yell me a big "woohooooooo girrrllllll"..................and wouldn't you know it, woke ALL the dogs up and they were going crazy, barking.........so much for being quite! LOL Ruined their naptime, didn't it?? LOL 

I've been letting them play in the water hose, which they LOVE!! Thank goodness they are sheltered by all the trees here and have full shade all day long. The humidity makes you feel like you can't breathe! We've had some rain, just barely enough to make some of the yard appear like it's greening up, but not much. For the most part, everything is still fried around here.

Guess I'm off again with Cole to the Dr. This poor child is complaining with ear pain again! I just want him to get over this stuff. TGIF.........ya'll have a great weekend!!
Amy

A new gal coming! :)

Announcing that our new girl will be here soon! We are still working out some names, but guess we'll get there soon. Everyone likes something different. Us girls are leaning towards Tess, Chris likes Daisy and the boys like Storm or Rain. But anyway, we're so looking forward to our newest addition in about 3 weeks!!

Meet little no name:

 

Updates!

Hello all! Hope everyone is off to a good day so far. Me, I just can't seem to get to moving today for some reason........have too much swirling through my mind I think! Anyway, thought I'd swing in and leave you with some updates from past puppies and what they're up to at the moment. We LOVE the updates..........thanks ya'll!!

First off, little "Bingo" from Bella's litter, who is now Ruby. What they have to say:  Did I mention that we love her?!! She is doing great, she loves the beach, digging the sand. We've been camping a couple of times and she did very well. She has met a lot of people, took her to a party Saturday, she did awesome! As you can tell by the pictures she is SPOILED!!

From "Tucker", who is now Tag, from Bella's litter. No pics yet, but seems like he's the boss around their place. He's caught a few varmits from the fields, rides the tractor and keeps everyone hopping!

From "Kylie", who is now Ella May, from Bella's litter. No pics yet, but here's what her new family says:   Just wanted to let you know that "Ella May" (Aka Kylie) has turned out to be a great puppy. Her personality has been perfect for me; brave, friendly, etc.  She has adapted well into the summer camp routine and she tolerates the kids swarming to pet her.  I take her everywhere with me so she is becoming adapted to many situations, including riding school buses through the windy gravel mountain roads with kids singing loud camp songs. I already have her registered as a service dog since she has already passed all the basic skills necessary (sit, stay, come, lay down, act calm, etc.).

Seems Miss Ella May is doing a superb job and will soon be accompanying her owner on a flight to Grenada! Good luck with your veterinary schooling!

From "Annie", who is now Rainer, from Bella's litter. No pics yet but seems she is very much a fish and LOVES her water. Enjoys going to ballgames and roping. Her new family says she is lots of fun! 

Here's a few extra pics that have come in over the past few months from past litters:

 Jake from Mattie & Ace's 2009 litter:

Sydney from Mattie & Ace's 2009 litter: 

Bandit from Mattie & Ace's 2009 litter:

 Gracie also from Mattie & Ace's 2009 litter:

 This is Roo from Cookie and Ace's '09 litter:

Babe from Cookie & Ace's previous litters:

Also one from Cookie & Ace, this is Fausto:

Bindi, a Cookie & Ace littermate with Babe:

Cena from Mattie & Ace's 2010 litter:

Copper, a Cookie & Ace litter:

Maggie, (on left), from Mattie & Ace 2010 litter:

And I think that is all I have at the moment. Hope ya'll have enjoyed! I am still working on re-vamping the website, hoping once school is in I can whip that out much quicker than what I'm doing at the moment! LOL I can't wait to get it all done and out there for everyone to see. :) Have a great day!

Amy 

 

Gone fishin'..............................

and seems all we caught was a big ol' mud puppy!! :)

As you can see, Diesel had a blast, splashing and swimming, dunking under water......he LOVED it! The kids however, weren't too thrilled. It was too hot (95 degrees), fish weren't biting and you know kids......they don't like to listen to their parents.......we told them it wasn't good fishing weather! LOL

And here, Clayton was thoroughly PO'd with me for letting Diesel go wide open in the pond.........."he was scaring the fish away!"

Headin' back home, Diesel's in the lead! You can barely make him out! LOL

Goodnight for now.  :)

 

A few Diesel pics......................

Just have to share some of our little guy........

Taken the other day:

I swear, does it not look like he's smiling?!? LOL

He LOVES the air vents!

 

Mr. Personality

SO tired!

 

Past due updates.................

Where is the summer going?? It seems to be flying right past. Kids start school back in one month.....oh I dread it! 

Hope everyone had a good 4th! We, once again, had another awesome BBQ cookout and fireworks. I seriously think my brother outdid himself this year on the fireworks...........the best yet! Everything went off without a hitch, food was superb, 60 or so people came to eat and way more to watch the fireworks, weather was perfect........so we just had a great time with friends, neighbors and family!

Weather has been insanely HOT here! All last week in the upper 90's, mainly 99. It's also so very dry here. We finally got some rain last night, first in about 3 1/2 weeks! You can imagine what the fields and yards look like........fried! My brother has lost 18 acres of corn he  chops up for silage. And the poor garden is kept going barely from us watering every other day. 

Bella is keeping us hopping with her escapes. Geez, what am I going to do with her?!? LOL You talk about "escape artist"! She has been put up 3 times today already. This is what she's doing now since we've got "her" pen pretty well secured.........she's digging INTO Mattie's side since they neighbor, then digging out from there. Is it not insane what these dogs think of just to get out? I don't think she'll get out now.......I took care of those holes pretty darn good this time!

Jasmine wasn't acting quite right for about 3 days there, right after our BBQ. We found like a TON of walnuts thrown into her water tub and I'm thinking where she drank some of the water it's made her sick. By the time I discovered them the next evening, I'm sure she's drank from it. She was very weird acting, couldn't hardly move around, just wanted to lay, definitely not herself. I mean, she does act very old somedays, but this was NOT her by no means. Thankfully she's better and back to normal now. We'll have to watch carefully next year and make sure no one throws those into the dogs' water!!

Diesel is doing great. Man, what a ball of fire and personality!!! He's learned how to sit. I'm slowly working on some others, but he is SO "food crazy" that I can't get him to concentrate on ME, all he can think about is "getting that treat"!!! LOL These heelers like their food don't they? LOL His most favorite place to go is in our closet and get out Chris' shearling wool house shoes! He has a thing about shoes too. He chewed off about 6 inches of  shoelace off of Chris' work boots! Chris wasn't too happy about that. He is quite a chewing machine! Oh man he LOVES water big time! He wants in the shower or tub all the time. Yesterday while I was changing out everyone's water tubs, I had Bella's just filled up, when he comes over, gets IN the tub and lays down!!! All you could see was his head bobbing up and down! LOL Too bad I didn't have the camera. 

Kids have been sick but hopefully on the mend now. Cole had another ear infection, plus everyone is just bogged down with yucky upper respiratory junk.....I think from this horribly dry weather. We're just trying to take it easy here this month, enjoy it before school starts. Hopefully hit my aunt's pool a few times too! Well, everyone enjoy their weekend. I should be back soon with more updates and pics. I'm slowly working on an all new, updated website.......can't wait but it's a slow go! :) Take care!
Amy

A letter from Dixie Boo....................

I wanted to share a letter I received from little "Boo", from Bella's litter, and pics she sent me. This is too cute! Enjoy!

Hi Amy and Family,
I just wanted to send you a letter from my new home. I am really enjoying my new parents and have learned to clip the heels of my older, but now quite a bit smaller yorkie sister. She got mad at me yesterday. She turned around and ran back at me barking. I am learning that she doesnt like me biting at her at all.
 
I have learned how to potty outside, sit and stay. They keep telling me "down" ...I kinda get it, but I like to be big and see what is happening. Since I have been here, I have also learned how to jump on the couch. It just happened today....and I didnt even realize what I had done. I still have some gates and barricades in areas of the house....but, here is a little secret... I found out where the toys go when they go to the "hospital". I happened to sneak around a barricade and they were in a basket to be fixed. I just gave the toys a few more internal injuries to be repaired. My favorite toys for the house are the tennis ball and the ones that squeak REALLY loud. I still like taking a toy to the vent to play and cool at the same time.
 
They have given me 2 basketballs to scoot around in the yard. I am beginning to really like those now that I am getting bigger. I try to steal the ball away when my mommy plays with her feet like a soccer game. I am not a fan of the little pool. I much prefer to splash around in the big water bowl they have for me by the pool. I do like to look thru the fence at the 3 puppies on the other side. We have found a board that is not quite as close so we can stick our noses together and say "hi". They are nice. The other neighbor has a friend that has (2) 4 month old puppies and they come and visit some times, too. We play soooooo good together. Mom says I am really a "social butterfly". I love everyone. I have also noticed these things called fireflies. They fly around and light up....I am mesmerized by those. I also chase flies in the house...I am gonna be a good fly hunter!
 
They sometimes call me McGyver Pup and I am unsure why.....I decided I wanted to go visit our neighbors so I chewed threw a lead and then snuck between the cars in the driveway and went to their house and sat at their front door. Now I have big girl leads vs. those easy to get out of nylon leads, so now we just walk with a leash and visit the neighbors. They like all the spots that are growing on my back and my white tail is really getting some pretty spots as well.
 
Well, it is time for a nap. I still like to nap several times a day cuz I am ALWAYS BUSY! I will write soon and send more growing up pictures.
 
Love Always,
Dixie Boo (McGyver)