Thursday, October 30, 2008

FIRST BATH!!!







Scout had her first bath tonight...adorable!
We have been pretty dilligent about keeping Scout from going upstairs without us. We have carpet upstairs and I HATE cleaning accidents up off the carpet, but tonight was bath night and the tub is upstairs, so up she came. While Marty and I were discussing "strategy," Scout turned around and headed back downstairs. I followed her, and to my surprise, she headed right for the door where she sat until I opened it. She promptly walked outside and...peeed! Yipee, I always feel soo proud of her when she does that, because in my mind, she is "asking to go out," yay!!! After her pee, we went back upstairs for, the bath!
She was scared ofcorse, but sooo good. We had put a towel down in the bottom of the tub for her to stand on for grip since we didn't have a bath mat and filled the tub with warm water. Marty got in the tub and sat on the edge with his pants rolled up and we lowered Scout into the water. She was very unsure of everything and eeerily quiet. We had read in "Dogs for Dummies," that you should, for safety sake, stay away from their heads at all costs, so we took a yogurt container and poured warm water over Scout's body from the neck back. We didn't want to risk getting water in her ears, so we were very careful. We had bought the scentless, oatmeal shampoo for puppies, so we poured some into our hands and lathered her up! After rinsing her off, we wrapped her in a towl and just snuggled her for a little bit. Funny how babies and puppies and sexy women and hot men just have that affect on people when they show up wrapped in a fuzzy bath towel...you just wanna wrap your arms around them and snuggle them!!!! After the bath, Marty and I were staring in amazement at the hair left in the bottom of the tub and Scout, well Scout, was busy PEEEING beside my bed!!!!! Yep, my little pup, who only 30 minutes before had ASKED to go outside to pee, was peeing on my carpet!!!!!! Oh well, take the good with the bad I guess eh???
Check out the bathing pictures, does she look scared or what???

Monday, October 27, 2008

L'HALLOWEEN

All the kids at school are talking about what they are going to be for halloween. They are excited and I can't blame them, Halloween is fun, dressing up in costumes is fun! I was at Walmart the other day checking out the huge array of costumes and make-up and wigs and I couldn't help but think about the costumes I used to wear as a kid. I have to laugh when I think back and I wish I could post mom's halloween album on this page. If I could, you would notice a trend in the DesRochers' costumes....they were always made of garbage bags, contuction paper and twine! We were all witches at least once as you could make a witch's dress from a black garbage bag, black twine made a great wig and a tall witch hat was easily created from construction paper by dad. Aim was a carrot once, not very Halloweeny, but you can be a carrot with the help of an orange garbage bag, a sharpie (to draw the carrot veins) and green construction paper! We all experienced pulling the orange garbage bag over our heads (yes a hole was cut first,) and stuffing it with newspapers to create a chubby pumpkin costume, and we could easily transform a black garbage bag dress into a wizard's cloak by adding a few yellow construction paper stars and moons. A wooden spoon covered in black paper with a tinfoil star at the end made a perfect "magic wand!" These costumes easily covered winter jackets and occasionally snowpants. They were safe, visible and...damn creative. Sure, the walmart costumes are pretty cute but they lack the creativity and love that went into our home made costumes. At least I like to think that parents who take the time to dress their kids in garbage bags for Halloween, do it out of creativity and LOVE!!! Here's hoping your costumes this year involve some creativity, love and garbage bags!!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

DUMPLING







I spent Friday and Saturday night instructing at a 4-H riding camp in Benalto, a small community near Sylvan Lake. I absolutely love teaching riding lessons to young children! I love the excitement they bring and the desire to learn and have fun that comes naturally with kids and horses. I accepted the instructor commitment before Scout was even a thought, so I had no idea that I was going to have to come up with "puppy care" for her! Marty's hockey season has begun and he had two games over the weekend, which meant that he could not be responsible for looking after Scout either. We finally agreed that we were going to have to find overnight care for her. The whole idea of it made me nervous. I felt like a new parent, worried that no one else, except my mom and sisters (who live way too far away,) could possibly take care of her the way I would. I was worried about her getting bad habits and losing the "poddy training" and kennel training, and the "sit" training that she has begun to learn....I was acting like the parents at school that I think are over protective, but I couldnt' help it! Marty reminded me "it's just a day and a half," and I tried to relax, but....



Marty's buddy in Red Deer agreed to keep Scout overnight. I was glad because I like Marty's buddy and his girlfriend and I have met their dog. Actually we puppy sat Dumpling, yes that's HIS real name, once last spring. He was an adorable French Bull dog puppy then and we had a lot of fun with him. At the time, he did not walk on a leash, he was not "house trained" nor did he embrace the idea of his kennel being his beloved "den." To be honest, he was a holy terror, but because it was just for the weekend, and because he wasn't our dog and because he was sooo damn cute, his crazy antics were no big deal, infact, they were kinda funny. But, now that my puppy was gonna go "hang out" with him, I was worried. Would he be a bad influence? Has he calmed down since then? Is he "house trained?" Will he make her hate her kennel? (She totally buys into the idea that her kennel is her den and she loves it!!!) Marty has seen Dumpling, since our puppy sitting experience (I have not,) and he assured me that Dumpling has grown up a lot and that he and Scout would probably have a lot of fun together! I knew in my heart that he was right, Scout needed to play with another dog and this was a perfect opportunity. So, Thursday night, as I packed my riding gear, my overnight stuff and my lunch, I packed Scout's overnight bag. I carefully measured her food and sealed it in a ziplock bag. I put a handful of treats into the front pockets of the diaper bag. I rounded up a zillion toys, the leash and the deoderizing spray (just in case) and hung the bag on the door knob. Marty would be taking Scout to Red Deer, and I wanted everything to be ready.



I picked Scout up Saturday afternoon at 4:30pm. I was met at the door by 2 bounding, happy puppies...well on puppy and one tank!!! They were super excited, peeing and drooling everywhere! I was excited too, however I showed my excitement by squealing in a high pitched voice, not by peeing and drooling. We hugged, we snuggled and we spent 15 minutes packing up toys! I was assured by Dumpling's parents that they had had a lot of fun together, and that Scout had behaved herself. I was proud! She had no way of understanding that when I picked her up and carried her to the car, she would not be seeing her new BFF again for a long time, but she fell asleep in her kennel on the backseat, before I could tell her. She was exhausted! I sure wish I could have spent more time watching them play, they were "laugh out loud" entertaining! Ofcorse I was the crazy lady who had to run out to her car to grab her camera so I could try to capture a picture of the two of them, but...it is virtually impossible to catch 2 wound up, high spirited puppies at play with the camera I have! We tried to get them to sit for treats, but even that proved challenging. I have posted the best photo I could get of Dumpling and Scout in the same frame. I have also posted a couple of photos of Dumpling, from when we were puppy sitting him....adorable!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

VEGGIES!


We took Scout to the Vet today for her second round of shots. The Vet is within walking distance of our house, so we walked Scout there. She was an angel the whole time at the Vet's. She weighed in at 7.9kg which Marty said is almost 20lbs! I can't believe how much she has grown in the three weeks we've had her! The vet said he doesn't think she is a pure bred boxer, which didn't surprise us. He thought she might be crossed with a border collie, which he said is beneficial. He said boxers are prone to eye problems and tumors, so here's hoping she has collie eyes and skin....He also told us that we can give Scout carrotts (the baby carrotts) as treats. He said they are healthier (duh) and that dogs love them! I was skeptical, but couldn't wait to come home and check it out. I got a carrott, asked her to sit, she did and I gave her the carrott. She took it, layed down on her blanket and spat it out! She stared at it for a while, then she chased it across the floor and it rolled under the fridge. I gave her another one, I am pretty sure she didn't eat it because I heard it rolling into the living room. I have this feeling that one day, should I decide to move furniture while sweeping, I will come across rotten carrotts!!!! Guess puppies prefer "Scoobie Snacks" to carrotts....no surprise, dont we all?

WANNA BE FRIENDS


I always thought that living in the city automatically meant lots of new friends. It seems like that should be true. With all of the people in a city, you would think that your odds of meeting people would be pretty good. Marty and I have lived in a condo park since July '07 and we had barely seen any neighbours, let alone met any....until Scout! My sister told me that in order to meet people in your community, you need a yard or a dog. People are always out in thier yards or walking thier dogs and it is easy to strike up conversations with them. I had no idea how true her theory was, until....Scout!
I had to race home at lunch today to let Scout out as Marty was in Edmonton and unable to be home in time to give her a poddy break midday. Thanks to an after lunch prep, I was able to come home, let her out and even take her for a quick walk. Well, I thought it would be a quick walk, but we ran into several of our neighbours who were walking dogs or kids or themselves and they were all eager to chat and pet my puppy! It was a wonderful break from the stress I was feeling about having to race home and back to work in the middle of the day. People's faces lit up when Scout bounced around them and kissed thier faces. Big dogs seemed to almost grin as Scout raced in and out of our legs around them. I had older gentlemen telling me stories about how having dogs saved thier lives, I listened to older ladies tell me what a good friend my puppy was going to be and I watched children giggle as Scout blew her horrific puppy breath in thier faces! I chatted with all of the 2 legged friends we met at our lunch break today, but to tell ya the truth, it is only the names of the four legged friends that I remember! Funny eh?!

Monday, October 20, 2008

OUT TAKES





We got the CD with our "family photos" back. They are adorable and I intend to use one of the best ones for our Christmas card. I am not ready to chose the exact photo yet so I can't post any of the good ones, instead, I will post some of the flubs. The ones that are less than flattering, the ones where Scout isn't looking, the ones where it looks like we are choking her!!! Let's call this collection: "Christmas Card out takes!!!"

Sunday, October 19, 2008

RUN GORILLA RUN!





Today, Nic, Troy and I got up very early to participate in "The Gorilla Run." The Gorilla Run, is a 10mile (16.5km) run to raise funds and awareness for endangered animals, specifically the gorilla. "Because you run, the Gorillas live!" That is the slogan that enticed several hundred runners to come out on this very chilly, Alberta morning to run, run, run for the Gorillas. We dressed in layers and headed to the indoor facility where we were allowed to gather and stay warm, before the start of the run. I don't know if you have been to many races, if you have you will know what a great opportunity for people watching they provide. You will see more spandex on more body types than you can imagine! You will see people waering everything from specially designed shorts and tights made of special "wicking" materials,with fancy patterns and strategically placed pockets, to those wearing good old fashioned cotton sweat pants to those wearing cargo pants and wool sweaters! No matter what you witness in terms of fashion on race day, you are sure to get or provide a laugh or two! You will see people carrying water bottles, gels, and various other energy potions...and you will see people wearing, fanny packs!!! Fanny packs always make me laugh and I am not sure why. In a race they are a conveniant thing to carry, infact I have one that can hold a water bottle and some energy gels, kleenex, mitts and other things I always feel I need to carry on long runs, but I hate it! It bounces around and rides up my torso, it never seems to sit properly on my waist. It is so uncomfortable that I have had to abandon the conveniance of it in exchange for stuffing kleenex in the waistband of my tights, carrying my mitts in my fists, safety pinning my gels to my jacket and forgoing the water bottle all together. Now I am sure my lack of fanny pack provides laughs for some, but I can't help giggling when I see fanny packs bouncing off the booty of the runner in front of me. This whole fanny pack thing sparked conversation between Nic, Troy and I. I explained that at school all the kids who need to carry an epi pen wear a fanny pack and carry the it in there. We discussed how awkward it is at school, all day with this fanny pack on. We tried to think of another, cooler way to carry the epi pen, but in the end, we had to admit, the fanny pack really is the best idea. The fanny packs allow the children to keep the epi pen on them at all times while allowing them to be hands free, so that they can play and function in the classroom. The problem is, fanny packs just don't seem to be "cool" anymore. I actually think it is a shame, I used to have a fanny pack and I loved it! My sisters and I all three had matching ones in the early 90's. They were black with fluorescent pink zippers. They had one large pocket with a smaller one in the front. We could carry a lot of stuff in those fanny packs and we used them a lot! We could go into stores, try stuff on and never have to worry about leaving our money on the bench in the changeroom, our money was attached to our waists, safely zipped into our fanny packs! We could ride the roller coaster and log ride in Disney land and not have to worry about hanging on to our wallets and the hand rails, our hands were free since our wallets were in our fanny packs belted around our waists! Fanny packs provided a hands free freedom that was unbeatable! We never had to buy food at concession stands as we always had several snacks tucked away in the large pocket of our fanny packs. If we ever got bleeding noses, we just reached into our fanny packs for the box of kleenex we toted in there!
Those were the days whne the fanny pack was the new "purse" we kept our money, our candy our pens and our stickers in them. But somewhere along the line, fanny packs became uncool and we, like the rest of the stylin' chicks in North America, traded in our fanny packs for awkward, heavy, never big enough over the shoulder purses!!! Now when I leave my house, I have two choices, I either carry a miniscule purse that can barely hold my wallet, but that does not interfere with my "outfit" or I carry an enormous "diaper bag" that weighs a tonne but can hold all my snacks, kleenexes, pens, money and other paraphanalia but hides my outfit entirely!
You know what? I think we should bring back the fanny pack! Whose with me? Let's bring the fanny pack back!!!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Family Photo


Tomorrow Marty and I are getting a "family" photo taken. As a fundraiser for a program at our school, an amateur photographer is offering to take family photos for a 30$ sitting fee. She will give you the CD of photos when she is done and you are free to print off as many copies as you want! I thought this would be fun, so I signed Marty and I up for a 6pm appointment for Oct. 16th. Marty was less than thrilled, but because he is such a good sport, he agreed he'd comb his hair, slap on a smile and show up, but....we got a puppy! Now the whole event takes on a way more fun meaning. For some reason, since it has become the three of us, I consider us a family and now this is not just a photo for a Christmas Card, it is a Family photo!!! I am sooo excited!

The photo was supposed to be taken outside, in the beautiful automn scenery, however, the leaves have dissapered from the trees! There is no snow...yet and no leaves, no scenery at all! Not sure what the background to the photo will be, but you can be sure that between my chubby cheeks and Marty's gorgeous smile, there will be a wrinkly, fawn forhead and the brightest brown eyes you have ever seen!!!


I have attached a couple of photos of our little family that were taken over Thanksgiving....what should I wear for tomorrow's picture????????

Monday, October 13, 2008

SCOUT ON THE FARM






Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!! What a fantastic LONG, holiday weekend! This was Scout's first Thanksgiving, her first long car ride and her first trip to "Grandma's house!" Ofcorse, because we are humans, we thought it would be fun to hold Scout on our lap while driving, so we could show her all of the cool sights, but she was scared and wanted to ride in her kennel. Smart puppy eh? She wanted to be safe and secure in her "den!" She rode the three and half hours to mom's house without so much as a peep. We let her out for a pee in Red Deer (half way) and we fed her yummy puppy food while we chowed down on our "Bad Ass Jack's" take out. Scout travelled like a champion! We got to "Grandma's" and mom scooped Scout up and they both melted into eachother. Mom has this "way" with dogs, they all seem to instantly be drawn to her. They follow her around and crawl in her lap as soon as they meet her.

Tucker, mom's dog, is older. He is not much of a puppy fan, but he seemed to tolerate Scout as long as she proved to be submissive, although he did growl at her and chase her under the table more than once! Scout slept soundly all through the night in her kennel beside our bed. She had no idea what an exciting weekend was in store for her!!

Mom, Scout and I got up early Saturday morning and her exploration began. She met the cats, the horses, the barn, the manure! Crazy how much puppies love to eat horse manure. I am sure that over the weekend Scout ate twice her weight in horse shit!!!

Nic came over with Duke and Scout couldn't stop following him around. Wherever Duke went, Scout followed...adorable! Scout loved being a farm dog. She spent Saturday and Sunday outside following Duke and Tucker around. She chased kitties, dug holes and rolled in the dirt! We had sooo much fun watching her, and watching eachother watch her. Puppies can't help but make everyone happy and smiley!!!

We drove home late Sunday night and Scout slept like a log all the way home! I am pretty sure she had no idea she was going home, to the city, where Marty and I try to pass the little strip of grass behind out condo off, as the "great outdoors." We will definately have trouble competing with the farm experience! It is Thanksgiving though, and rather than fret, I am thankful that I have been blessed with the cutest puppy ever and a great man to help me celebrate her!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

SHE'S GOT A NAME!!!!!!!!!!!





Tonight we've been able to have normal conversations, the kind that don't start with, "How about.....for a name?" It has been wonderful! Yep, that means we finally found a name that really seems to fit! Now that we've found the name, it seems ridiculous that it was sooo hard!

Not only did Andrea, Marty and I spend 6 hours brainstorming last night, but I had been all over the net, scoping out dog naming sites I had found and ones that had been sent to me by those who understood my name choosing agony. I even had a piece of chart paper taped to my classroom door with smelly markers for students to jot down thier ideas, damn, those kids have some super cute ideas! I drove home, after work thousands of names spinning through my head, none of them seeming quite right.

I walked in the door, was met at the top of the stairs by a four legged bundle of love and energy and a big kiss from Marty! I was about to pull the piece of chart paper out of my satchel when Marty casually says, "Hey, Hamilton (his buddy) had a good name idea....how about, Scout?" That was it, a smile spread across my face and I got that feeling, the one I knew I would feel when I heard the perfect name! I squealed, "I love it!" Marty also thought it was a pretty good name! Marty's buddy said he would have picked that name after a character in "To Kill a Mockingbird." We've never read that book, so that meaning is irrelavant to us. To mom, Scout was the name of the Lone Ranger's sidekick, Tonto's horse. Since that show was before our time, that meaning isn't why we thought Scout would fit. Marty was a "beaver" growing up, but he never made it to "Scout," so that isn't the reason it fits either, though I bet Marty would have been an adorable Beaver or Scout!!! The dictionary has the following definitions for Scout:


explore, often with the goal of finding something or somebody
someone who can find paths through unexplored territory

lookout: a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

Those definitions all point to a brave, adventurous soul and that is why it fits, plus, it is a damn cute name!!!!

Ofcorse I have posted the latest pics....aint SCOUT one cute puppy?

Monday, October 6, 2008

STILL TBA....




Still no name! We are going nuts trying to think of a name! I have a friend staying with us tonight and seriously no one here has said a full sentence....all that comes out of our mouths are random name suggestions. We'll be sitting at dinner and someone will say "Stewy?" which will be followed by "Rocky?" "Camo?" "Tanner?" It has been going on like that since i got home at 5pm! I know we will know it when we hear it, but until then we are GOING INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!

To help me forget about her namelessness (is that a word?) I take millions of photos! Check out the cutest ones from today!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

TBA





So we did it! Marty and I expanded our family...we got a puppy! She is an adorable boxer cross and she is quickly becoming the center of our world! We got her yesterday afternoon, and it is incredible that it is possible to love her so much already! She makes us laugh outloud with her sloppy kisses, her bad puppy breath and her wobbly walk! She is bursting with personality already,but...we can't seem to settle on a name! Oh, we have plenty of ideas, we just can't seem to commit! It is nuts how hard it is to pick the perfect name, the one she is going to have FOREVER!!!! Actually, the whole "picking a name" thing has become all consuming and Marty and I are unable to have a conversation that doesn't begin with, "hey, how about this for a name..." We try to narrow down our huge list, but instead it keeps growing with each cute thing she does that inspires a namesake!!! I, personally am having troubles coming up with female names. I have never owned a female pet in all of my 32 years, so for me to come up with "girlie" names, somehow seems un natural. We continue to write down "maybes" and cross off "nevers" but the list does not seem to get much shorter! It seems weird to continuously refer to her as "the puppy," infact, I refuse to. I will not write about "the puppy" anymore until we have a name for her, instead, I will post some adorable pictures so at least you will have a face to go with the name, which is yet to be announced (TBA.)