Tag archive for Iris

Our first doggie birthday party happened on Clem’s 10 year birthday and Iris’s 5 year birthday. We finally succumbed to the party-pull and did the unthinkable a couple of weeks ago – invited our real-life friends to a party for our dogs in which they were encouraged, but not required, to bring dog toys and treats for showering upon said pooches in a blaze of birthday glory. We are officially THOSE people who treat their dogs like their kids, and well…. aren’t they?

We had party hats… OH we had party hats. There were even pup-cakes and a doggy friend (Pugsley) to help the tenacious two enjoy their special day. Our dogs LOVE their people, and that includes people who are important to their parents/pack leaders. The dogs were super pumped to spend the day with their friends and we generally let them misbehave a bit (but of course no begging, incessant butt-licking, humping, malicious stealing of other dog’s bones etc).

Pugsley won the pup-cake eating contest by a landslide and Iris made our eardrums bleed with the incessant squeaking of her new birthday toys. Clem was his normal self; genial, smiley and generally relishing the limelight. The pups were too pooped to see the last guests out the door, but I’m certain their dreams were speckled with gracious ear rubs, backyard frolicking, and memories of warm friend snuggles.

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I REALLY get into bluebonnet hunting. Here in Texas, the arrival of the bluebonnets along our highways and country roads are much anticipated. They signal wonderful weather (for about a month) and showcase the rolling prairie hills and rocky cacti-speckled landscape. Last year the bluebonnets were less than spectacular, largely due to the insane drought we’ve been experiencing, but this year… OH THIS year… they have been just stunning.

A couple of weeks ago the hubs, the dogs and I set out on a driving day trip from Austin to Brenham, on the hunt for those elusive bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes. We found them! And took gads of ridiculous pictures of the dogs posing in the roadside flowers. The scenery was wonderful, the air smelled grassy and flowery like a typical Texas spring day. With windows down and dog tongues slobbering half way out of mouths, we made our way in the ole FJ up to…

… the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory! I love ice cream, and as a kid growing up in the lone star state you eat a LOT of Blue Bell. I taste tested some cookies ‘n cream and rocky road, we took a couple of pics and then we were off on the road back home.

We don’t have kids, we have dogs. And the whole bluebonnet-picture-taking thing reminds me of when I was a kid. My mom might spot an especially good bluebonnet patch on the side of the road and before you know it, the car was careening towards the shoulder for a quick park and photo shoot.

Aahhh. Texas in the spring.

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Every year in the spring, usually around April, the highways in Texas explode with bluish purple and red color of the Bluebonnets (Texas state flower) and the Indian Paintbrush. Lady Bird Johnson, LBJ’s wife, championed the spreading of wildflower seeds throughout Texas and that tradition still stands.

As the geeky pet parents that we are, we decided (okay, it was strictly MY idea to do this but Brett went along with it) to take a wildflower drive with the dogs to see if we could find a good patch or two. We drove south to Marble Falls and back up 71 to Austin on our search. Unfortunately the blooming bluebonnet fields have yet to fully develop, but we did find some decent patches along our way.

We pulled over, drug the panting dogs out on the side of the highway and made them take pictures. It was TOOOO good. I loved it. Look at those smiling faces. Just LOOK at ’em!

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My husband is 35 today. He doesn’t feel like he’s 35. This is him with our two dogs, aka children, on the coast of Oregon. I have so much love for these three. In some ways, Brett was the beginning of my life. He entered my life when I was in a constant state of flux, changing everyday almost. The imprint that this man, and these dogs, have made on my life is ENORMOUS. There are no words…. so I won’t even try.

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If I were to be completely honest, I’d say that the creative well has been a teeeensy bit dry these days. I have project ADD: I can’t focus on one gosh darn thing long enough to get it done. I’m always grasping for something to do, some way to be productive. I feel like maybe this whole time I’ve been crafting, when what I really want to do is find my art. I guess I don’t consider myself an artist of anything.

So. I think maybe I’m going to start blogging a little more. I want to stop worrying a little less about making sellable products and just try to enjoy myself while making and creating. That’s how it began, and how it shall remain!
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We love dogs. We’re INSANELY in love with our first born son-dog, Clem. He has been the best thing we’ve ever done together. When we adopted our second born daughter-dog, Iris, we knew she’d be a challenge. She is, after all, a Pit Bull / Catahoula Leopard Dog mix. She is loving, sweet, comical and very intelligent.
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I just want to take a second to mention my lovely husband, his cooking endeavors (he’s similarly obsessed with cooking as I am with crafting) and his long awaited food blog, Gristly Bits. Brett, that’s my husband, used to be married to a chef/cook lady before he met me. When we started dating I realized how fortuitous (another big word!) this was for me.
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Puppy Clem

January marks the birthdays of both of our canine children, Clem and Iris. Felix Cumpleanos mi perros!

As of (approximately) the 6th of January, 2010, the love of our lives, Clem-dog, turned six years old! He has been the best thing that ever happened to us, besides each other, and we feel SOOO fortunate to be able to love on this cutey everyday.

Grown-Up Clem

Clem is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever/Husky mix. Brett got him from the Dallas SPCA and surprised me at work at the record store! We had only been dating about two months, but it was the best decision we ever made. He’s been a buddy dog, a best friend, a cuddly fluffy and a wonderful son.
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Baby's first Christmas!

I’m flying back to the great state of Texas tommorrow for a week to visit family. I feel Texas calling to me, and this trip is a long time coming. I miss my family and my friends and how fast people drive in Texas. I miss the sweet tea and how people wave at you when you drive by (okay, maybe that’s just in rural Texas, where I’m from).

Don’t miss me too much… I’ll be back before you know it.

I took this pic after we put up our lopsided Christmas tree. Iris was very curious, it being her first Christmas and all. Isn’t she cute in her little sweater?

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