Fun In The Snow

It was A LOT of fun.

Lost Teeth And Snow--Oh My!

I'm afraid if you're on my email list (and pretty much every one of my readers is!) all of this will be old news to you. But I'm kind of at a loss for what to blog about, and it's been over a week so I felt like I needed to put something up!

The first thing to report is that Laura lost her first tooth yesterday at school. It had only been loose since Sunday and I really didn't think she would loose it so fast! It happened during playtime in the gym, right before I arrived to pick her up. The teacher said Laura thought she broke off a different tooth and got pretty upset. There was more blood involved than I recall experiencing as a child, and added to Laura's generally dramatic nature, you probably won't be too surprised to hear that when I arrived she was coming out of the bathroom, being attended to by her teacher and the director of the school, both of whom were desperately trying to calm her down.

Once she saw me she became even more upset and it took a while to get her to settle down. I think all the attention wasn't helping either...I can tell when my daughter is actually starting to calm down but is continuing to ham it up for the attention. Sigh. Such is the life of a Mommy to a drama queen. In the end, the suggestion that we email Daddy with her big news was enough to calm her down, and she showed off her new gap to all of her classmates. We took a few pictures at home, something that proved to be much more difficult that I expected.At night Laura wasn't too sure about how she felt about the tooth fairy coming. She had lots of questions-the most important being would the tooth fairy wake her up when she lifted up her pillow. Luckily we had just had a dental appointment the day before and Laura was given a litle plastic tooth, so we used that to house the tooth. Even better news is that after raiding Laura's piggy bank, the tooth fairy was able to deliver the goods in the form of a $2 bill. The tooth fairy also left a teeny tiny little note thanking Laura for her tooth. The tooth fairy thought this was quite a bit of inspired theatrics, and sure enough, Laura loved it.

So not only did Laura wake up to money this morning, but snow too! We have about an inch of snow, but it's very icy and not that great for playing in. Surprisingly it continued to snow for several hours this morning, and the governor of the state has declared a state of emergency-apparently there is about 15 inches in the mountains! We are lucky to not have much snow, but the ice has made the roads pretty yucky, so we are staying home today. Still, I wish I could have seen all the snow plows out on the main roads-definitely not something we ever see here in our part of North Carolina!

Laura attempting a snow angel

Moxie thought licking the snow was the best idea everChecking out what the front yard had to offerMoxie blowing in the windOutside for a second round of fun. It was much colder!

One Year Later

About a year ago, the Army Man and I (okay, mostly me) decided it was time to add a dog to our family. Through the power of the internet, I located a shelter that had the most adorable little Australian Shepherd puppy I had ever seen. Rocket was his name, and I knew I had to have him, because I only like Australian Shepherds, and I only like boy dogs. Off we went, driving almost an hour and getting horribly lost, all in search of this dog we had never even met. We arrived at the shelter, met Rocket, and were immediately horrified. Adorable, yes, but he was also jumpy, crazy, hyper, biting....mostly, a puppy. All that, combined with the fact that he was about to be fostered at another house, led us to change our minds and look for another dog. I mentioned to the worker a cute orange dog I had seen on their website, and she scurried back to get her. Out came a skinny, silly looking dog that they were calling Foxy. She sniffed us, licked us, let Laura pet her. She came home with us the next day.

Moxie changed everything I thought I knew about having a dog. Having a dog as a child and having a dog as an adult are two completely different things. My childhood dogs were wonderful, and hold such special memories for me. They were fantastic playmates, they were all so nice to us kids, and they would always let me hug them and cry on them. But the experience of having a dog as an adult is so much better. Is that silly? Maybe, but I really don't care. Moxie has enriched my life so much, and I'm so grateful to have her in it. She's my running companion, she's here in the house keeping me company during the day, she's here at night and keeps me from getting too lonely when the Army Man is gone. She is so cute, so fluffy, and SO entertaining. She never judges me when I eat late at night, as long as I share a bit with her. She sleeps right at my feet under the computer, and will follow me from room to room. She causes her fair share of trouble, and seems to enjoy ignoring me when I call her. She is far too obsessed with squirrels for her own good. The way she greets me after a separation of any length is truly flattering. Love from a dog is a wonderful thing to have in your life.So, Moxie celebrated her "birthday" on December 28th. I decided that she is 3. I hope I'll continue to be loved and harassed by her for many more years.

Bad Hair Day

We have issues with our hair in my family. Whether you're born into the family, marry in, or are adopted (I'm talking to you, Moxie), our hair is crazy. My hair is ridiculously thick and wavy-but not curly, because that would be cute and much easier to go with. I'm one of those people who gets her hair thinned intentionally, and still probably has more hair than most normal people. The Army Man's hair is thick and poufy. Laura's hair isn't thick yet, but it is wavy once it passes her chin, has a cowlick in the front, and it generally looks like I NEVER wash or comb it. Moxie, as I'm sure you can all tell, has her own set of issues. Namely that she has incredible amounts of fur.

May 2009

I know you can all tell that for yourselves based on pictures I've shared in the past. But there are depths to her fur that can't be gleaned from photographs alone. I'm sure you'll take my word for it when I say that girl has serious fur. She hasn't had her fur cut in a while, and her mane is coming back with a vengeance. It really cracks me up, because what other dog do you know that looks like that? She really is in a class by herself. I prefer Moxie with longer fur, but the Army Man doesn't (hence the shaving debacle of the summer). Since he's not here right now, there's nothing he can do about it, and my dog will continue to look like a lion for as long as I desire.

One problem about letting her fur grow that I didn't forsee: her fur starting to mat. Mostly behind her ears, since that has such a high concentration of fur. Even more curious (and cuter) is that her fur back there is wavy. She really is a member of the family! Petting her today revealed a gigantic mat that I couldn't let go unchecked. I decided it was time for me to perform some minor surgery and cut that sucker out. Of course I unwisely decided to do this a) while wearing black pants b) while Moxie was still wound up from playing and c) while Laura was in possession of a squeaky toy. Getting Moxie to lay still was the most challenging thing I've done all week, and I was so worried she was going to squirm right as the scissors were poised above her ear, and next thing I knew I was going to have a one-eared dog. In the end she finally calmed down, the mat was cut out, and Moxie's right ear felt considerably lighter. The thing that cracks me, and the whole reason I had to share this, is that despite the giant amount of fur I cut out:

You still can't tell!! She looks EXACTLY the same.

She really does have a lot of fur. I think January will find Moxie at the groomer getting a shave and a hair cut. I think she looks so goofy with short fur, but the upside is that it's always fun having people stopping to ask me if she's a fox.

Moxie The Goofball

At night before we go to bed, Moxie usually turns in for the night, exhausted from a full day of chasing birds, eating treats, and being harassed by Laura. It amuses me so much that a dog who is so full of energy during the day can be so exhausted by 8:30pm. This whole summer she has chosen the entryway as her place to rest and I've found her in a number of interesting positions. These pictures are from a few days ago. I was sitting at my desk and looked over and saw her laying down like this...And she stayed that way for quite a while, through many pictures and much laughing on my part. Eventually I called her name and she rolled over a bit, and laid like this for a while, which basically made my day...She looks like a fox posing as a rabbit. Dogs putting their front paws like that just kills me, and the ears completed the overall look for me. I laughed and laughed, and I think I offended her because she got up, moved over about a foot, and sat there looking at me like this...I'm not sure what message she was trying to send me, but I shaped up immediately and stopped laughing at her.

A Shave And A Haircut

Today, much time, energy, and money was spent on procuring hair cuts for Laura and Moxie. Poor Moxie's mane had become unmanageable, and after her mean dog run-in, I found several matted sections around her neck. So off to the groomer she went, with the instructions to cut her fur very short, to get those matted sections out. Right after we dropped her off, we went to get Laura's hair cut.

In the last few days Laura had been telling me that she wanted her hair short like our neighbor Mary, who sports a cute bob. I was surprised since Laura has always been consumed with her desire for long hair, but I figured this was the first of many times I would need to let her make her own decisions about harmless things like hair. She told the hair cutter (her words) exactly what she wanted, and did a great job of sitting still for the almost 30 minutes it took to create her new look (that child is just like her mom-lots of hair!).

So the results are: Moxie and Laura both have short hair! Moxie's fur is really, really short, which makes her ears look bigger than ever. And I can't figure out why the groomer saw fit to keep Moxie's tail so full-it looks like a feather duster stuck to her rear end. I tried trimming it a bit myself, but left it mostly intact so the Army Man gets a good laugh tonight when he gets home from work. Laura looks completely adorable, I have to say. I told Laura I thought that she look liked a fairy, and the pleased smile that burst across her face told me that she is pretty darn happy with her new look.

Laura wins the prize for cutest cut (sorry Moxie, you look pretty ridiculous), but up for grabs is the biggest change. I'll let my readers decide!

Laura giving me a goofy smile. I found it really hard to get a good picture from the front.

A side view

The back

Poor, goofy looking Moxie

Now she really looks like a fox

Smiling even though I was laughing at her

Rottweiler+Moxie=Bad News

Something happened this afternoon that the Army Man and I have been nervously anticipating for a few weeks. While the Army Man was running with Moxie, the neighborhood Rottweiler managed to pull free of his backyard tether, and attempted to attack Moxie. Don't worry, everyone is fine, but I'll be blunt: I'm pissed off.

Let me start what will be a lengthy post by saying that I had a Rottweiler growing up. Sheba was a sweet, fuzzy, bear of a dog, and had the advantage (some would say disadvantage, but not I) of being a long-haired Rottweiler. The general public usually didn't discern that she was a Rottweiler since she didn't have the traditional look, and therefore people usually weren't scared of her. Which was good, because she was sweet. So I don't mind Rottweilers. I think that if they are well-trained, properly socialized and exercised, they can be great dogs. That's true of any dog really, big or small. If you don't give your dog attention, affection, and playtime, it will quickly become bored, destructive, disobedient, and even aggressive.

Now that I've started running in our neighborhood, I'm pretty cognizant of which dogs look like they could give me trouble. Top on my list is the house with what appears to be 5 or 6 large dogs, all "contained" behind a 3 or 4 foot fence. When I used to run by with Moxie the barking and growling was deafening. So I don't go that way anymore. The other house is up the street, and about six months ago the Army Man reported that that house was now in the possession of the most adorable Rottweiler puppy. When it was a cute little puppy, the family walked it all the time and it was usually kept inside.

We watched that puppy turn into a big Rottweiler. We were sad when we realized the family stopped walking it as much. And we started to get worried when we saw that they were now tethering it in their unfenced backyard for the entire day, and well into the evening, even when they were home. The bigger it got, the more ferocious it got, the more it would pull at the end of it's tether to bark and lunge at people who walked by. We took a short family walk last night, and saw the dog react in that way to another family walking by. We opted to not walk down that street, and the Army Man and I discussed and worried what would happen if it broke free.

So yep, that's what happened today. Moxie and the Army Man went for a run, and passing by the house, the Rottweiler pulled the tether out of the ground, and charged Moxie. From what the Army Man says, it sounds like her giant mane of fur protected her from a full-on bite, but there was definite yelping on her part. The Army Man managed to get a hold of the tether and had the dogs separated, but really had no good solution to how to get rid of the Rottweiler and get Moxie safely home. Luckily for him, a very nice young man came along who knew the Rottweiler, and took it from the Army Man.

Once he got Moxie safely home, he went back to the house, only to be greeted by a teenage boy who seemed completely clueless. He left his number, and we did get a call a bit ago, from the mother. She really didn't seem to care that much. Apparently she did her part by tethering her dog. The Army Man telling her that we often run that way with our young daughter didn't seem to matter to her. He advised her of the new law going into effect on August 1st (not a moment too soon) that will bar people from tethering their dogs when there is no human present. She never really apologized either, which blows my mind. Her only words of comfort were that it would "never happen again".

I called the after-hours Animal Control number to report the incident. I may be a sweet, nice person who doesn't like to cause trouble, but this was unacceptable to me. What if it had been me, Laura, and Moxie? I would have essentially had to sacrifice Moxie to protect Laura. What if the dog thought Laura was even more appealing to attack than Moxie? I really am trying not to think about how bad it could have been. I am feeling so lucky that it was the Army Man, and that both he and Moxie are okay. It turns out that the Sheriff's office is the after hours Animal Control, and a nice young officer (so young, like maybe 12) came to our house. There isn't much he can do so I have to call again tomorrow to make sure Animal Control is aware and can make a record. The bad part is that when the Sheriff was here, the teenage boy owner of the Rottweiler walked by, taking the poor dog for a much needed walk. So now they know where we live AND that the Sheriff was called. I just hope it doesn't turn into a bigger mess.

The Sheriff advised the Army Man that if this ever happens again, he is completely within his rights to defend himself however he sees fit. I would hate for it ever to come to that, but I will protect what's mine, whether it is Laura or Moxie, and I know the Army Man will do the same. I suppose some sort of protective device is now in my running future.

If you made it through that entire post, I commend you. I was extremely riled up when I sat down to write, and it was very calming to share all that information with my readers. I think the situation had pretty much the best outcome possible, and I'm grateful for that. Everyone is fine, and Moxie had a huge, delicious dinner tonight. Probably a great night, in her book.

My Dog Is More Popular Than Me

I have a way of seeing who visits my blog. Neat, huh? Don't worry, I usually don't look at it except to see the total number of people who visit each day. For all I know, it could be my mom coming over and over again to inflate my ego. My numbers have been down lately (as have my comments, boo), but I figured it was due to it being the summer and everyone having more important things to do than wait around and see if I will post something new.

So imagine my surprise when I checked this morning and A LOT of people came to my blog yesterday. I was curious, so I started trying to figure out who the heck these people were. And oddly enough, almost all of them had clicked on the "Moxie" label so that they could read all of the stories about Moxie. Person after person had come to read stories about my dog. Kinda weird.

Now I think it's great that people would want to read about her, but the coincidence was just too much that that many new people would come here on the same day, just to read about Moxie. But the problem is, I can't figure out who sent them!! It's driving me crazy. Was I mentioned on a blog somewhere? Did someone tell their friends? I must know. So if you are one of my new visitors, welcome. And thank you for visiting. And PLEASE tell me who sent you. I figured I'd better give the people what they want, namely a new picture of Moxie. This is from a few weeks ago, showing her slow progression to a lion. Look at that mane! The Army Man has decreed she is to be shaved for the summer, but I don't know if I can damage her self-esteem like that. A hair cut is in order, for sure, but up for grabs is how short the hair cut will be. Then again, Moxie has figured out a way underneath my high-tech chicken wire barrier, and can get under the deck no problem. The amount of filth she collects in that mane is horrible, so maybe a shave is the way to go. I fear poor Moxie has sealed her own hair cutting fate.

Murphy's Law

It's kind of known among Army wives that once your husband leaves, even for a few days of training, something will go wrong. The worst part is walking around for a few days, waiting for the bad thing to happen. Every time you hear a thump from your child falling down, you cringe and wait for the scream that signals a broken bone. You hold your breath every time you start the car, waiting for the click of a dead battery. Perhaps someone will steal your debit card and drain your bank account. Maybe the toilet will overflow. It's almost as exciting as playing the slots! What will come up this time? How lucky (or unlucky) will I be?

For us, I knew it wouldn't be that big, since the Army Man is still in the state and could easily come home if he needed to. So when I ran home today for a quick bite of lunch and was brought to my knees by a disgusting smell, I knew my time had come. It was almost a relief-the bad thing has happened, let's deal with it and move on.

The way Moxie was wiggling in her crate, I knew the bad smell was courtesy of her. Sure enough-explosive diarrhea. All over the wall, the crate, herself. It dripped down the wall and formed a puddle on the carpet. I feel the need to share these details just so you all can understand how horrible the scene was.

Now I know that even if the Army Man wasn't in the field, I'll still be dealing with this by myself while he was at work. But throw into the mix some torrential rain and a tornado watch, and you've got yourself something that just wouldn't happen if your husband wasn't gone . It's just the way it is-if the Army Man was coming home this evening, the weather would be fine and leaving her in the backyard while she was sick would be no big deal.

You just know that she will need to go out while it's raining or the wind is threatening to blow her away. Or, even worse, Moxie will not alert me that she needs to go out (since she hates getting wet) and we'll have to deal with the aftermath from that. I can hardly wait to experience how this all plays out!

3 Months Later

I know I just wrote about Moxie, but it was brought to my attention that today is our 3 month anniversary of having brought her home. 3 months doesn’t seem that long at all, yet as anyone who adopts a pet or has a baby can attest, 3 months is also a loooong time. We’ve spent that time getting used to having a dog in the house, figuring out her personality and quirks, and trying to bend her to our will as much as possible. So far that is going mediocre at best. Moxie is a stubborn dog, and fits right in at our house with that sort of personality. But she is also adorable, gentle, funny, and sweet (most of the time). I know some people don’t understand the joy that having a pet can bring, but for us, having Moxie in our lives has really brought increased happiness to our home.

As we gear up for the Army Man being gone here and there over the next few months, I find myself even more grateful for her presence. There is such a feeling of added security and companionship by having a dog in the house. When Laura goes to bed at night, it doesn’t feel quite so lonely. Scary noises aren’t quite so scary if Moxie is there to protect me (although the Army Man and I still can’t decide how much actual protecting she would do). These days, Laura will actually go play in the backyard with Moxie for a bit, essentially giving us a third party in the home to break of the monotony of just Laura and me all day long. And although Moxie causes me grief on a daily basis (like how she is now so obsessed with the animals behind the house that she has to be forced to go to the bathroom), I can’t imagine not having her in our lives. Sure, I can remember what life was before we had her, but I don’t mourn that past.

And to prove what some love, exercise, and good food can do for a dog, I present Moxie from December, and Moxie from a few days ago. The Army Man and I are a little unclear on why we thought she was so cute in the beginning, but we figured we saw what we needed to see to convince us to adopt her.

The current picture of Moxie (which was taken by Laura, by the way) really doesn't do justice to just how different she looks. Her fur has grown with a vengeance and now she has a mane of sorts. Her tail is so fluffy compared to that pathetic little thing she used to have. She has gained at least 8 pounds, which on a dog her size, is pretty significant. She just looks and acts so much happier. It's hard having a rescued dog, because I think aspects of her past will haunt her for the rest of her life. Dropping her off for a bath has become a heart-wrenching ordeal. Each time she resists so strongly that I am convinced she must think I am abandoning her. When I arrive to pick her up, she is so hysterical that she can barely control herself, and has knocked me over more than once. I cringe to imagine what it will be like when we have to board her this summer.

Sometimes Moxie almost seems to have flashbacks to her past, because if she is not listening and we become more stern with her, she turns into this pathetic, scared creature who runs and hides, flops on her back in supplication, or worse case scenario, pees inside. It's much worse if it is the Army Man who is the one trying to get her to do something. She acts terrified of him which is just ridiculous-he would never hurt her. But somewhere in her past, those sort of situations obviously resulted in physical abuse for her, and she can't forget about it. I can only hope that the longer she lives with us, the more she comes to understand that she will always be safe at our house.

So here's to many more years of happiness with Moxie, and I'd better refer back to this post frequently to remind me that I do in fact love her, because so help me, it's 9:19 in the morning and she has already dug a hole in the backyard.

Moxie The Bird And Squirrel Destroyer

Darn Spring, arriving with its chirping birds and chattering squirrels, all seemingly on the same mission-to torture my dog. The Army Man and I could tell from day one that Moxie is a bird dog. It’s obviously in her blood, and according to her, birds are the most exciting thing on the planet. If we’re on a run and she spots one in a yard a few houses up, well you’d better just pick up the pace, because she will literally drag you to that house in an attempt to capture the bird. And if the bird only flies to the next house in its escape attempt, then yep, you’ll be dragged to that next house too. Have I mentioned before that running with Moxie isn’t always that pleasant?

Since Moxie came home with us in the dead of winter, we didn’t really see right away just how hell-bent on capturing a bird she is. Now that the birds are out with gusto, she can think of nothing else. We have a small patch of woods behind our house which is now teeming with wildlife. The birds and squirrels are all so grateful to use our bird feeder, and this has created an unpleasant situation for everyone.

Moxie the bird and squirrel destroyer CANNOT allow any animal to linger in her backyard. They must be chased off, or preferably, caught. If Moxie is not allowed to be outside defending her property, then the only position she can be in is at the back door, looking out menacingly. Every time someone walks anywhere near her, she is sure to go into full body convulsions of excitement, thinking she is about to be let out the back. If she is not let out the back, she starts weeping. When she is out the back, it’s amazing to see her instincts at work. She hides, she low crawls, she sneaks. She is determined. Yesterday she hid on the deck behind the grill and when a bird finally landed, she catapulted herself off the deck through a small opening. She walks on her back legs attempting to see over the back of the fence. She is starting to worry me. She never wants to come inside anymore, something which used to be so thrilling to her that she would wiggle while sitting. Her one-track mind is not allowing her to enjoy life anymore. Normally during the day she would take some naps, look out the front window, play with her toys, and get petted excessively. Now she is obsessed and cannot relax when she is inside.

Today I thought perhaps if I closed the blinds on the backdoor she would forget about everything in the backyard and just lay down. Nope. That actually brought out the whining and pacing. So finally I gave in and let her out the back. I should have had my camera ready, because this time there were TWO squirrels on the premises and she actually threw herself against the fence in her attempts to capture them. When we adopted Moxie, the story they told us about her leaping the four foot fence and returning with dead squirrels to feed her puppies made me tear up at the thought of her being such a devoted mother. In fact, that was even part of the inspiration for her name. Now I know, that just like a used car, every positive attribute of hers is just disguising a negative one. She’s so devoted to her puppies really meant she is so obsessed with wildlife that you will never again have a pleasant day until the winter comes again.

I know what you’re all saying-the backyard is fenced, so just let her stay outside all day if that’s what she wants. But therein lies the rub. Moxie is also a digger. There are creatures underground that require her attention too! Lately she has been so obsessed with the birds and squirrels that she ignores her digging responsibilities for about 20 minutes. That’s a long time for this dog who used to start digging after being outside alone for about 3 minutes. But I can never be quite sure-will this be the time she digs or doesn’t dig? Yesterday she dug up the one lone tree in our backyard, digging so deep that the roots were damaged. She sure is a champion digger, our dog. We’re so proud! I really don’t enjoy going to check on her every 10 minutes to make sure that she isn’t digging. I’d rather she was inside, where I can keep my eye on her. Inside, where she will be at the back door, freaking out.

The Army Man is convinced that soon she will actually attempt to jump our six foot fence. I’m starting to consider injuring a squirrel and putting it in the backyard for Moxie. This afternoon I took the bold and unpopular step of completely removing the bird feeder from the backyard. Moxie the Bird and Squirrel Destroyer is not placated or deceived. She will keep at her post no matter what. Last night she lay there in the dark for about 30 minutes, in a perfectly crouched position, waiting for the kill that will never come.

I would feel bad for her if the whole situation wasn’t so annoying.

Moxie guarding the bird feeder, in one of her more relaxed moments

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

We wanted to wish everyone a very happy St. Patrick's Day! If you're not wearing green, consider yourself pinched. Laura was very excited this morning to wear the shirt that Nana sent, so of course we had to take a picture. I'm about half Irish, so I know Laura has some in there somewhere. She definitely looked the part today. The Army Man always teases me about taking this day so seriously, but the joke's on him since he is wearing his uniform today, and it's basically entirely green!Moxie got in on the action too, although not very willingly. In the end I just draped a pair of Laura's green dress-up shorts on her. She looked very Irish to me, especially since she seems to be kind of a red head.And I have to share my favorite St. Patrick's Day picture ever, from 3 years ago. This is my sweet baby girl when she was about 17 months old.I hope you all have a great day! It's still so cold and dreary here that I might be tempted to celebrate with some Baileys and coffee tonight.

One Nice Weekend

This past weekend was ridiculously beautiful and warm, and after all of our cold weather and snow, we were more than ready. After a long walk on Saturday morning, the Army Man washed my car (isn't he nice!) and Laura played in a patch of dirt that is awaiting sod. The water from the car washing started to run into her dirt, and before we knew it, she was splashing around in the mud. She had so much fun, and if she was happy about getting dirty, I wasn't going to stop her. Even better, it distracted her from her recently acquired skinned knees, which due to the copious bleeding, did actually merit Band-Aids. All of the heat and exercise was too much for Moxie, who spent most of the weekend in this spot, stealing all of the air conditioning. And for your enjoyment and personal edification, I have some of Laura's early morning teachings to share. On the way to school, she told me:

Trees and bushes are living things, and they live outside. Humans are living things, and they live inside houses. If humans don't want to live in a house, they buy a tent.

Moxie Knows It All

In addition to Moxie knowing when she's about to go on a run, I think she has figured out when the Army Man is about to return home. The Army Man is a very considerate husband in that he calls me when he leaves work. It's for the best that I receive that call, because once I do, I'm a flurry of action. Things I should have been doing during the day are all tackled in a short 30 minute stretch. Dirty dishes are loaded into the dishwasher, counters are cleared off, the remains of lunch are disposed of, dinner is started. All that's left for me to do is to put on my pearls and lipstick, but I never seem to get around to that.

So where does Moxie figure in to all this? Once she seems me moving around the house, she gets excited. Really excited, the kind of excited that involves wriggling around. I'm sure some of that can be contributed to my bustling around, but it doesn't explain why she usually lays by the front door while I work, watching it intently.

Today, as she threw herself at the Army Man the moment he opened the door, I realized that she was on to my little routine. And I guess now the Army Man will be too.

A Pavlovian Response, Of Sorts

You know how most dogs go bonkers when the leash comes out, because they know a walk is coming? Well for Moxie, it's the iPod shuffle. The second she sees that little white contraption, she knows a run is coming. I wonder what she thinks the iPod is.

Random Pictures

In lieu of any sort of clever or funny blog post, I decided to share two random pictures with you. The first is of Laura, in all her glory, picking "flowers" in the backyard. This is one of her favorite pastimes, although seeing as it is only February, there's not much to be picked. In another month or two we'll have cute little purple flowers (that are actually weeds) everywhere in the backyard, and she can pick them to her heart's content.

Please note the jeans under the skirt. I told her that morning it was simply too cold for a skirt and this is what she came up with. She received several compliments at school. I was very proud of her creativity and daring.My next picture is of Moxie last night. I had left one of the couch pillows on the ground, and she assumed that since it was on the ground, she should feel free to curl up on it. Moxie's not a big dog, but she's not tiny either, and I was so impressed that she got her entire body onto it that I let her stay. And that, Internet, is the end of this lame post.

A Dog's Life

Moxie the dog has a very rough life at our house. In between all the runs, treats, playing with the Frisbee, being petted, more treats, and more playing, she is occasionally expected to entertain herself. She does not like this at all and usually retreats under the computer desk to pout. We were finally able to capture this pouting on camera. What mean owners we are to ignore her!That reminds me--I can't forget to tell everyone about our new dog! She appeared in a box on our doorstep, addressed to Mommy and Daddy Ourlastname. The box was wiggling and we had to open it right away. When we did, a puppy named Susie popped out! Here are our two dogs together.And on a more serious note, can I tell you how bossy talking puppies are? They never like the way you play with them and feel free to tell you so. And they relish popping out of boxes over and over and over, demanding each time that you say, "What's in the box?" before you open it. The Army Man wants to take our talking puppy on tour around the country to earn money, but the puppy nixed that idea. Seems like we are stuck with her for now.

Cupcakes and Milkbones

Last night I was working on my sewing machine while Laura played on the floor near Moxie. After a little while Laura started barking, something which is frequently heard in my home, and is usually courtesy of Laura, not Moxie. So I didn’t really pay attention to what was going on until a minute or two later, when she was still barking. I look over and saw that she was kneeling next to Moxie, barking at her. Moxie, who continues to prove herself to be the most patient dog in the world, was just laying there looking at Laura. When I looked over, Moxie gave me a look that said, “Lady, this kid is seriously crazy. Unless you start giving me more treats each day, I may have to hide under the deck for the rest of my life.” So in an attempt to keep Moxie from moving in under the deck, I asked Laura what she was doing. It turns out she was “talking” to Moxie and asking her what kind of treats she wants to have at our Valentine’s Day party.

So I learned two things. That Laura can speak dog and that I am having a Valentine’s Day party on Saturday which will feature both human and doggie treats.

Moxie Waves. Kind Of.

I’d like to share with all of you one of my biggest accomplishments as of late. I taught my dog to “wave” her paw. I embarked on this mission with visions of her being on a TV show, waving her paw in the air to bid farewell to her owner as she set out on a dramatic mission to rescue the President. As time wore on, I decided I would even settle for her being in a dog food commercial. While I finally came to my senses and now doubt that fame will ever actually happen, it was very satisfying to bend my dog to my will and force her to do foolish things in exchange for treats. She looks a little goofy while she waves, but we’re working on that. However I’m concerned that since she’s my dog, the goofy may be incurable.

Claire To Moxie Translations

Now, I've only had a dog for about a month, but I have quickly figured out that what I say and what Moxie hears is totally different. Things are getting lost in translation, causing plenty of confusion. Moxie is a sweet dog, but this is getting ridiculous.

Read on for the translations I've recorded thus far. Are there any pet owners out there who can offer some more?

Claire says: Leave it!
Moxie hears: Leave it, but if you really, really want it, feel free to take it.

(Moxie riding in the back of the car)
Claire says: Thank you for being such a good girl back there!
Moxie hears: Please come sit up here next to me!

Claire says: Come out from under that deck this instant!
Moxie hears: Come out from under that deck, and be sure to roll in the dirt on your way out!

Claire says: Watch me!
Moxie hears: Watch me and sit perfectly still, making me think I have the best dog ever. Then, just as I am about to praise you for being so good, start squirming like a maniac in your attempts to say hello to the dog that is walking by, giving the owner a heart attack.

Claire says: Sit!
Moxie hears: Please wait to sit until I actually force your behind down. Then stand right back up!

(Trying to get Moxie in the crate)
Claire says: In!
Moxie hears: Run around the room a few times, getting progressively closer to the crate each time, convincing Claire you are about to enter, only to go halfway in to retrieve the treat Claire dropped and then sneak back out quickly. Repeat as needed.

Claire says: Hold still so I can brush you.
Moxie hears: Please perform some sort of odd doggie dance that allows you to be brushed but causes your poor owner wrist pain while she contorts herself holding you still.

Claire says: Come!
Moxie hears: Only come if there is a treat or a walk involved. Otherwise, this command is merely a suggestion that need not be heeded.

Claire says: I love you, you crazy dog.
Moxie hears: I love you! You are the best dog over and my dearest wish in that you lick my face.