Deer Creek Evening

We just got back from Lake Tahoe yesterday. Tomorrow is Jahde's birthday and we had plans to meet up with everyone for an evening of canoeing and paddle boarding at Deer Creek reservoir to celebrate. Lucy and I were out running errands when we pulled into the driveway to see that Dae was mowing the lawn and had the truck and canoe all neatly strapped down and ready to go. A rush of thankfulness and love enveloped me as I quietly smiled and watched him out there working alone. Lucy immediately exclaimed, "Oh!!!!...Now I know why you love him so much! Look at how cute he is!!"

She is so right.

We all wanted to bring Jack. He had just barely gotten home from a 10 day sleepover away from home and away from us. We missed him and we didn't want to leave him just yet. We brought his doggie life vest, even though you don't see him wearing it now, he was most of the time. Damon ended up getting yelled at for bringing Jack in the water and even on the beach at all, so we had to tie him up the rest of the time. 

 We still ended up having a lot of fun and the kids were out on the water practically the whole time.

Yellow Specticles

Lucy and Breanna helped me take these pictures of Jack last Sunday. What do you think?...I wanted a funny one to enlarge and put on our TV room wall next to our family picture. Taking pictures of dogs(or any low attention spanned animal) is not easy and I was prepared to act fast. We literally only had about 30 seconds at most to get what we needed until he was done being our model. After the 30 seconds, Lucy brought out some dog food to bribe him not realizing he would immediately turn into a full blown hunting dog with a purpose. It was then that it was all over. But look what we got!!! I am SO incredibly happy with them. He looks so cute and fluffy. We all had the hardest time deciding on a favorite, I love them all. Thanks Lucy and Bree!

(We chose this one)

Birthday Platter

For Jack's seventh birthday this year we are giving him a delicious poop platter complete with deer pellets, rabbit pellets, and fresh cow manure, which are all his favorite things. I decided not to add poopy baby diapers to the platter(the thought of it is just too much and kind of grosses me out). I wonder which one of these he likes best? Don't you?

Just kidding...only in is dreams.
***
Jack, here are some things we all love about you. You are...
soft
cute
loyal
fluffy
nice
gentle(sometimes)
fun
a disc golf buddy
excitable
FUNNY
comforting
therapeutic
FUNNY
protector
warm
friendly
relaxing
lovable
and FUNNY!

Hot Dog and A Happy New Year

A Bribed Christmas Picture

I took these pictures of Jack and the kids on a whim the other day, just so that we could include them as gifts to grandparents for Christmas. Actually, the truth is that I had been dreaming up the idea for quite some time and I bribed them into letting me for my own selfish desires! The Christmas present part was just an excuse, really.

They were all extremely willing. Most of them. 

The Chess Championship

On this day, we all decided to play chess. I don't really remember all of the rules to the battle, all I know it was pretty fun. This went on for at least 2 hours. We all sat down by the fire and had a sort of chess championship. Of course dad won, cuz he's da numba one at chess. I remember that we were listening to classical music some of the time. I also remember one of the songs that played was from Lord of the Rings. This picture is when I was going against dad, and when Lucy and Deac were playing each other. Also Jack was laying by the fire.

Blah, Blah, Blah.

It's Halloween hour...

The 3 Of Us Here

Deac, Jack, and I are home alone while the rest of the family is far away, across the states. 

(The 3 of us in a selfie, sent to our family.)

A New Grovecrest

I don't know if you can tell, but to the far left of the picture below is the Grovecrest, home of the grizzlies. Towards the middle of the picture you will notice the big brown building. That will be the new school this next coming year.

I hear Lucy's class will be one of the first to get to go in the new school when the move happens, as helpful 6th graders. I took these pictures of Deac and Jack on our walk together today while at the Jr. high.

Meaning Of A Clown and Where To Find One

~Clown~

Noun: A comic entertainer, especially one in a circus(Other places to find a clown could be at school, driving in a car, or your very own home).

Synonyms: comedian, jester, zany, performer, wisecracker.

Jack's Mustache March

On behalf of mustache March month, here be Jack with a festive mustache.
This marks the first year of the stache. This birthday makes Jack 42 in dog years!! 

Last picture taken and photoshopped by Lucy.

Alien Invades

Jack always seems to eat carelessly too fast. I don't know what the hurry is all about. Why not make it last at least a minute so you can enjoy the meaty flavors? 
The fact is we are all used to his wild eating habits around here and know what to expect. 
But today was different. It was WAY too fast.
Somehow he hastily wolfed down his dog food in 10 seconds flat. It was record breaking time. Then I swear, he drank 2-3 CUPS of water.

Within seconds I noticed him doing his revolting/gagging gesture that he does when he is about to retch his lunch. 

STOP...

I will spare you from too many descriptive details about what happens next. But, I will say that I felt as if I was watching a vile sci-fi film that ended with me having to wash the rug and curtains.

 At first I found the abrupt noises he made to be alarmingly terrifying in which I yelled out, "Jack, are you okay?!!!!" 
Later, I found them to be goofy and bizarre. 
The sounds he made were equivalent to an alien being born. 

Happy Birthday To Our "Beast"

Fluffy Butt, Beast, The Family Goat....Jack Heister....Heimerdinger....

All of those would probably work. If you call for him, by any name, he will come. I've learned it all depends on the tone of your voice. 

He is now 4 years old in human years. That's 32 years old in dogs years!!

Kandus helped me pose him for these birthday pictures below and she also helped with the captions underneath. 

 Mr. "Pee-body"

 The "Butt-ler"

The Sleepy College "Toot-or"

New

A new year.

A new neighborhood.

A new house.

A new pooping spot.

A new threat(Hurley the cat)...

Dog Humor

THE REASON A DOG HAS SO MANY FRIENDS IS THAT HE WAGS HIS TAIL INSTEAD OF HIS TONGUE. -Anonymous

FROM THE DOG'S POINT OF VIEW, HIS MASTER IS AN ELONGATED AND ABNORMALLY CUNNING DOG. -Mabel Robinson

IF ALIENS SAW US WALKING OUR DOGS AND PICKING UP THEIR POOP, WHO WOULD THEY THINK IS IN CHARGE? -Anonymous

(Picture of Damon teasing Jack, and Jack loving every second of it)

Folla Yer Nose

The new fence the neighbors put up last fall between our house and theirs blew down during that last wind storm 2 weeks ago. Since then we have had to keep Jack in the house more than he likes. If he must go out, he has to do his business while being tied up and he HATES it.

I sort of feel bad for him.

We have had to be better about taking him on more walks until the fence is fixed. There has only been a time or two that someone has accidentally let him outback by habit, only to realize later when they see a flash or a bolt of something that looks somewhat like super dog, out yonder. Usually he is running happy as a squirrel in the back pasture eating things that will most likely make him vomit tomorrow. I was once told that if a Beagle's nose starts tracking something yummy, there isn't much that will call him back. It's true. There is only one thing that will snap Jack out of it and that is the sound of his master's voice(Damon). The rest of us can yip and holler all we want, but if he is tuned out and far enough away, he just can't hear us.

Today Jack got out by accident again. This time Deac realized and tried to chase him down on his own for as long as he could, bare footed through the prickly weeds. When Deac realized there wasn't a chance, he came back sobbing and broken hearted. He said, "Mom! I was lost and I tried to get Jack, but he wouldn't listen. He ran away and he is going to be lost forever!!!"

Immediately the kids and I formed a search party.

It turned out that he was only two backyards away. Leave it to Lucy to find him and tackle him down...in doing so, she lunged herself right into a patch of dry cockle-burr weeds. Her hair was plastered with them.(Too bad I don't have a picture for proof)

When we returned, Kandus made monkey toast for dinner while I got the other two sliver free, washed up, and de-prickle-ized.

Question of the day....

After Lucy found Jack she asked me....."What if this isn't really Jack, mom? What if it's another dog that just looks like him? Like another Beagle? Let me see........Jack!"

She bent down to take a good look at him. Just then he licked up her mouth and nose. Immediately she knew....

"Hep. It's Jack."

Jack's Special Day

Happy birthday Jack-ie Poo-poo.

Washing Bucky Because He Stinks

I think these pictures are pretty cute.

Our kids always fight over being able to help with Jack's bath time. For some reason or another they think it is some kind of treat if they are the ones picked for the task of washing our stinky(but lovable) dog. They especially like it when they get to tell him to shake off behind the shower curtain.

I hope they stay liking it just this much.

(Kandus having a really good time drying Jack off after a much needed bath.)

FYI: In case you ever wonder about me...I still like Jack. A lot. I think he likes me...

He is a lot of work sometimes(like an extra kid except for it's fine if I leave him home).

I have learned to really appreciate what he offers our family, and I would be heartbroken if we didn't have him with us anymore.

Even though his breath stinks when he yawns way too much in my face while I'm trying to wash his muddy paws out in a bucket for the 10th time in a day...I know he can't help it.

Most of the time he is really lazy, which turns out is just my kind of dog.

I call him Buckie sometimes, eventhough he doesn't have buck teeth and his new dog bed makes him smell just like my cedar chest.

Guess what?...

I have a dog that I love and I call him Bucky,

but his name is Jack.

****

Comment of the day...

Deac: I sure have lots of friends...

maybe I have more friends than you.

Annie: Who are your friends?

Deac: I don't want to say, you have to guess.

Annie: Am I your friend?

Deac: No.......You're somebody else's friend.

Teasing With Bananas

It's quiet in the upstairs part of the house...

I walk by what I think is a deserted kitchen and sneak a look at this going on...

For some weird but cute reason, Kandus is sitting on the kitchen floor eating a banana next to Jack.

Jack is sniffing at her banana breath like it's a sirloin steak.

Jack is very serious.

And this is as close as he can possibly get without getting into trouble.