Project 52 {26}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your compassion

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This week has been tricky.  As you've no doubt heard, we've been dealing with some pretty aggressive wildfires in the area.  In the area being about 15 miles away from the house - both a scary close distance and a whole world away.  Tricky because I had a need for information, but also felt like I needed to protect my kids.  I feel like they're still a bit young to start thinking about the losses of so many in this town, so I did my best to shelter them from the worst of it, but intuitive as Haley is, she picked up that this was a terrible thing.  I wanted them to know that our home was a safe place to be.  I didn't want them to think about this happening to anyone else's home, I just wanted them to feel safe.  Even when there were moments where I wasn't as sure.

Like I mentioned, Haley was aware of the situation.  But in her kind little huge heart she was beyond concerned about the "critters".  Have I mentioned she's sure she wants to be a zookeeper one day?  Yeah - her mind's made up.  She worried herself about the animals at the zoo (which are also safe).  She was worried that the wild animals were being forced from their habitat (her words), scared that they would starve as she realized that their food was being burned by the fire.  She was heartbroken.  We found on Facebook, a picture of a firefighter from Pueblo that had rescued a fawn and bandaged her hooves.  I showed this to her to help her to see that the firefighters were not only protecting homes but were helping to save the animals.  She was quite pleased and you could see the relief on her face when she comprehended that there was someone there acting on her behalf.  Like they were listening to her demands that the critters be taken care of.  She channeled her concern into the puppies, and is carrying her school of stuffed critters around the house with her - even wrangling Kale into babysitting them when she has responsibilities to take care of. 

We're safe, the worst is over.  Many have lost their homes, a few their lives.  We're thankful that non of our friends were among them.  We knew many who were evacuated (still are), but in the coming days they should be allowed back home.  It's been inspiring to watch the community come together over this, to meet each others' needs without a 2nd thought.  If you had something that was needed you gave it.   If you could take someone in, you did.  It's inspiring.  This city won't come out of this the same - but for all the hardship and loss, we've gained so much (easy to say though, with my roof over my head).  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {13}

My favorite thing about you is:

You love our animals.

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I've explained about Atlas, and how he was our wedding present.  We got him and Bella as (what turned out to be) practice before having real kids.  We thought:  "If we get the dogs years before we have kids they'll  be nice and calm, well trained, yet, still be young enough that the kids would love and remember them".  We were right on.  When they were puppies we messed with them while they were eating, we poked at them mercilessly, pulled on their tails... all in preparation of the day when we would have babies in the house.  We wouldn't stand for bad behavior with babies rolling on the floor, so we started early.  

Low and behold, the kids came along and they messed with the dogs while they ate (even ate the dogs food with them - KALE!), they climb all over them, dress them up, and yes, even pull their tails.  We correct the kids against the behavior, just like we corrected the dogs against their reactions to this behavior.  I'm proud to say that the symbiotic relationship between the kids and the fur babies is quite harmonious, and it gets better with every passing day.  

Haley is old enough to feed the dogs their breakfast and dinner, Kale lets them out when they ring the bell, and most days unintentionally share their breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks with them.  But for all the responsibility that they're growing up with by having the dogs around, I'm most thankful for the love they give them.  Kale fully believes that Atlas is his dog, and Haley knows Bella is hers.  They love them, cuddle them, take care of them.  

On the particular day of the picture above, we were out to a wildlife preserve shooting the kids' Easter pictures in their new outfits, and the dogs were lucky enough to tag along and run their hearts out.  We made them take a break from running to put on their Easter outfits:  A tie for Atlas, and some dress up necklaces for Bella (and maybe a pair of bunny ears too...).  Kale saw Atlas dressed up in his tie from last Easter and went over to give him a big hug, "My puppy" he said.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {6}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your big, sloppy, wet nose.

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Atlas is our first baby.  He was our wedding present to each other 8 years ago. We knew right away we wanted a Lab, the big debate was Chocolate or Yellow.  I wanted Chocolate.  When we went to the breeder in California, there was a whiny needy Chocolate and Atlas, who wandered the goat farm/breeder and didn't need anyone (there was $h!+ to be smelled... literally).  I made the first sacrifice for our marriage that day and went home the loser (you may note that we never did get a Chocolate,but that's another story for another day).  We thought we were smart in picking the independent one.  Oh boy.  OH. BOY.  Fast forward a couple months and this monster of a pup would look at me, steal the pillows off the (brand new) couch and run out the giant sliding glass door waiting for me to chase him down and corner him.  He would only drop something for a piece of tri-tip.  Screw you and your dog treats, Mom.  He was a handful who was gaining about 10 pounds a month.  Let me let that sink in... Ten. Pounds. A. Month.  He currently weighs in at a healthy 100 something pounds - that's enormous for a healthy Lab, his chin sits level with the dining room table.  At the encouraging of one of the parents I worked with, we joined up with a gun dog trainer and got to work.  It was comical, but he came around and became manageable at home.  His energy was spent running in a field, swimming in a pond, and focusing his attention on birds - what Labs are meant to do.  We (with the help of some professional trainers) worked with him so much that we (Jeff) eventually competed and titled him.  I called the breeder back that summer to let her know what a great dog he is, and she made the comment that a lot of his litter had behavioral problems, one was even returned.  We made the right choice with that independent pup with the huge GIANT paws that day, and  can't imagine our family without him.  Owning a dog takes work and commitment and he was the perfect primer for having kids.  Seriously, you've heard it:  Owning a dog is perfect practice for having kids, we totally believe it.  

8 years later we thought he would calm down and for the most part the picture above is his normal day (save for maybe a change in location from the on couch to behind the couch or on our bed).  But I dare you to ring our doorbell, or try to pet him (or worse, Bella).  He loves people.  LOVES.  He is 100% Jeff's dog, his doggy sun rises and sets with Jeff, as evidenced by the giant hairy flat spot on the carpet on Jeff's side of the bed.  He care's that I'm in this world only when Jeff's not around, obviously he's the 2nd in line Alpha Male and has to keep his pack in order.  His wet nose will sniff your butt, drool gallons of water on you, and make all kinds of funny snorting sounds.  He's our Atlas and he's amazing!  For all his goofball quirks we just wouldn't be the same family without him.

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Our Other Kids

I realized that I've spent a lot of the last few posts putting up info and pictures of the kids. I guess that's how it goes now for the dogs since the kids have come along. They used to be #1 and you never could have convinced me it would ever change with kids, that I would ever have less time for the pups. I don't think we love them less (they still get to have their places in our room at night), but we just love the kids so much more. Anyway, here are some pictures I took of our other kids the other day.

Poor Innocent Atlas, or maybe he looks guilty - it's all about the same for him. I could have killed him the other day when he unloaded all of his bladder on Haley's toy box. But for the most part he's a pretty good guy. Our wedding present to each other, but he and Jeff are two peas in a pod. Probably one of the most handsome guys I've ever met, he's 5 years old and still isn't done with his puppy behavior (when others are around anyway), but when it's just us, he likes to lay around on cold floors.

My Bella-Smella! Haley thought that she should wear her wings the other day, and since Bella is so laid back and will do anything for attention, I put them on her. I think she's hiding in this picture.

This one shows her real opinion of having her pictures taken with fairy wings on. Bella was my birthday present in 2004 when we first got out to Montana. She's the perfect dog, her temperament is ideal, she's smart as a whip and just wants to hear you call her a good girl, tell her she's been bad and her head falls and she pins her ears back. She's spends most of her time under my feet - if I'm on the couch, she's right below me on the floor, at night she sleeps on my side of the bed (right where I put my feet down to get out).