Our Christmas Card

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Do you want to see our Elf Dance?


http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/pGH6eQrRSitpXqsoKqL7

Momma even joined in!

'Twas the Dog’s Night Before Christmas

'Twas the Dog’s night before Christmas, when all through the doghouse

Not a doggie was stirring, not even a mouse;

The dog's stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The puppies were curled all snug in their dogbeds,

While visions of cookies & bones danced in their heads;

And Ma Dog and I curled together,

All warm and cuddly, out of the cold weather.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the dogbed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I jumped (I'm an agility dog),

Tore open the curtains and looked into the fog.

When, what to my wondering eyes should I see,

A sleigh, and four reindogs all cute as can be.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

Then faster than flyball dogs they came,

And he whistled, shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Rudolph! Now, Casper! Now, Buddy! Now Nikki!

Run on, run on! We must go quickly.

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

Hurry on, hurry on, reindogs all.

And then, in a twinkling, upon the roof I saw,

The prancing and dogprints of each little dog paw.

And St. Nick filled the dog’s stockings with toys,

And balls and stuffies for all the dog girls and dog boys.

And he even left us extra things too,

Like bones, collars and leashes for the dogs in rescue.

Then he sprang up to his sleigh, and gave the reindogs a hoot,

And away they all flew to deliver the rest of the loot.

And that’s when I heard him exclaim, as he flew out of sight,

Happy Christmas to all dogs and to all a goodnight!

Woofs, from Casper, Buddy and Nikki's Momma

Doggies Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

This is a pawsome video!

Do They Know It's Christmas? From Dog's With Blogs

We just love this. Hope you enjoy!

THANK YOU TO MEEKO

Hi doggies,

Momma is dedicating this post to Meeko who is doing awesome at his furever home!
She found this letter posted on a rescue site. It says it all.


THANK YOU

Thank You for bringing this foster dog into my life.

Had I not made the decision to participate in rescue, I would never have had the chance to meet him. If I had sat here comfortably in my home and said "I already have four dogs and I know that I couldn't take in another - even on a temporary basis," I would never have met this dog.

Yes, it takes time to rescue and foster... but who gave me Time in the first place? And why or what was the reason I was given Time? To fill my own needs? Or was there another reason ever so small and seemingly insignificant, like rescuing this one dog that could make a difference in another's life? Perhaps to add joy, hope, help and companionship to another who is in need?

With great sadness, I sat down on a footstool in my kitchen this morning and watched as this foster dog bounced back into the house and skidded across the floor to sit ever so perfectly in front of me. He was the picture of health, finally. He was all smiles for me.... and I smiled back at his happy face. Deep in his eyes, the storm clouds of illness and generalized poor health had blown away, and the clear light of his perfection radiated out from his beautiful soul. He holds no ill will toward man. He forgives us all.

I thought to myself as I impressed this one last long look of him into my heart, what a very fine creature you have created. Tears slowly pooled and spilled over my cheekbones as the deeper realization of how wonderful this dog is sank into my internal file cabinet of Needful Things to Remember. Lord, he's a dog - but he's a better human being than I am.

He forgives quickly. Would I do the same?
He passionately enjoys the simple things in life. I have often overlooked them.
He accepts change and gets on with his life. I fuss and worry about change.
He lives today and loves today. I often dwell in the past or worry about the future.
He loves no matter what. I am not that free.

This very lovely dog has gone to his new home today and already I miss him.
Thank You for bringing this dog into my life.
And thank you for the beautiful and tender lesson on how to be a better human.

[Author Unknown]



Guess what ? Nikki and Momma are going to visit Meeko today!

They can't wait! I'll make them report back ASAP!

Woofs Casper

Thanks Poopsie Blue !!!

Hi doggies,

Do you remember our previous post on PAY IT FORWARD?

Well look what we received from Mr. Postman? Now we ususally don't like Mr. Postman and when we see or hear him coming we bark and bark and bark and bark and bark and bark and bark and bark ........ ( you get the idea- it drives Momma nuts ). Well Mr. Postman brought us this:

We were so excited.

We immediately knew it was for us!

How did we know?

Well there were 2 clues on the envelope.

Clue # 1

It says "Royal Mail" therefore it has to be for us doggies

- we are the only royalty in this house ;)

Clue #2

It says DOG TOYS !!!

And here they are:

A frisbee, a football that glows in the dark and a pretty flowered diary.

Nikki immediately took the football and won't let any other doggies play with it.

She just loves it.

Momma tried to teach me how to catch the frisbee but I just couldn't figure it out.

I kept looking inside it

So Momma put it on me as a necklace!

Hey I'm a boy dog.

Why does she like doing stuff like this?? :)

PS Thanks Poopsie !!

We are gonna let Momma use the pretty diary ;)

Welcome To Our New Eskie Friends At DWB's

Hi all DWB-ers, Have you met all our new Eskie friends that have joined us?


There's Nicholas the sanctuary dog from Tennessee

and Mochi from California

and Destiny from Maine

and Aspen and Tango ( Eskies) and Dakota the Samoyed from Austrialia

Aren't they all adorable? Please go visit our new Eskie friends ;)

MEEKO IS ADOPTED :)))

Well it's official! MEEKO IS ADOPTED! YAY!

Momma is a little sad to let him go. She says it's bittersweet. Huh ?? We ask you .... How can it be bitter and sweet at the same time?

Momma leaked only a little this time. Maybe 'cause she knew this was a good home for Meeko and 'cause she knew she would see Meeko again. He is going to live only 4 blockies away from us! In fact Nikki and Meeko have a play date tomorrow. Cool!


Here are a couple pictures that Momma took of Meeko last week just before she walked him over to his new furever home.

We will be sure to have Nikki report how Meeko is after she visits him tomorrow!

Sharing The Love

We are very late at getting this special gift from White Dog aka Siku on our bloggie. Momma has been so busy with work and 'Musical Doggies' (see post below) that she has been letting other important bloggie stuff slip. We gotta do something about that!

Anyway White Dog sent us this bootiful Sharing The Love award. Thank you White Dog!




The rules for this award are to pass it along to some people whose blogs you love. They make you laugh, smile, leave encouraging comments on your blog. You would like to share some love with them because they have uplifted, inspired, encouraged or prayed for you.
Please include this paragraph with the link to Memoirs of a Mommy so that everyone knows where this award originated from.



We are passing this award on to the 4 B's especially Bailey who is recovering from surgery on his leg. Bailey is on crate rest and so he really needs some love. Of course Baxter, Brody and Benson also need some love too 'cause they miss running and playing with Bailey. Goodness dogness they have to wait another 2 months and 3 weeks till Bailey can run and play with them again! We think they all need some love!

Momma's Been Busy Playing Muscial Dogs

Musical Dogs

Huh??

What do ya mean?

Could it be piano playing dogs?

Nope.

Maybe Ipod loving dogs?

Nope.

(but boy is he a cutie)

Maybe instead of musical dogs

it's a doggie musical?

Nope.

Hummmm....

How about

Dogs The Musical ?

Nope.

What then?

How is Momma playing 'musical dogs?

Well it goes like this:

Momma is the volunteer Foster Home Coordinator at a doggie rescue and soon it will be Xmas.

So Momma needs to make arrangements to move doggies around 'cause the foster people are going away for Xmas and their foster doggies need to go somewhere.

We told Momma that maybe all the foster doggies could come and stay with us.

Really, what's another 7 or 8 doggies visiting? But Momma said no way!

So here is how it's (hopefully) gonna work:

First of all a new Shih Tzu named Cuddles is coming in sometime soon and Momma will have to find a temporary foster home for him to go to till we can arrange for him to go to his new foster home in another city.

Then Momma is going to arrange for Yellow Buddy to stay at a foster home that doesn't have kids as he is not good with kids and there will be kids coming for Xmas to his current foster home.

But the foster home that Yellow Buddy is going to over Xmas is already fostering Mojo and temporarily fostering Chip, Tiara AND Roxy.

So Momma is arranging for Chip, Tiara and Roxy to all go to new foster homes till they are adopted.

Which is great but Tiara's new foster home is also going away for Xmas and so Momma is arranging for a different foster home to take Tiara while Tiara's new foster people are away.

And then there are the puppies Skittle and Hershey. They are currently in 2 separate foster homes and Momma is arranging for them to be fostered somewhere too while each of their foster home people are away.

Got that all straight??

And what have we been doing

while Momma has been on the phone

and computer playing musical dogs?

We will show you:

Hanging out.

Napping.

Sleeping.

All that musical doggies has us very tired!

PS If you want to see Yellow Buddy, Mojo, Chip, Tiara, Roxy, Skittle and Hershey go here

See ya.

Hi It's Meeko Here.....

Guess what?

Foster Momma has been taking lots of pictures of me in the last couple weeks.

Guess why?

'Cause a nice lady is interested in adopting me!

I've gone and visited her a few times.

Foster Momma likes her

and thinks it will be a good home for me.

We are hoping the adoption goes through.

The new lady only lives 4 blocks away

from Foster Momma.

Can you believe it?!!!

I'll still be able to see Foster Momma

once in a while!

Won't that be great?

These pictures were taken a couple weeks ago

before the snow came.

Here is a side view of me on the steps.

Here I am sniffing in the yard.

And running and playing.

Hanging out with Buddy.

After all that playing I like to curl up for a nap.

Sometimes on the couch.

Sometimes in the crate.

Look where Foster Momma

found me sleeping today.

Cuddled up to the wall.

Aren't I silly?

See ya!

Goodbye Girl Girl

We are saddened to hear of your crossing the Rainbow Bridge. We will miss you. Below is our favorite picture of you.

Rest Easy Dear GG!

NOVEMBER 11 - A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

WHY REMEMBER?

We must remember. If we do not, the sacrifice of those one hundred thousand Canadian lives will be meaningless. They died for us, for their homes and families and friends, for a collection of traditions they cherished and a future they believed in; they died for Canada. The meaning of their sacrifice rests with our collective national consciousness; our future is their monument.

From Veteran Affairs Canada

In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

Canadian Army

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead.

Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Happy Halloween

(this picture was found on the internet- it's not us, but it almost could be)

Momma was too busy to make us new costumes so we will show you last years costumes.

Here is a Nikki moose:

And a Buddy Canadian moose:

And a Casper bunny!

Hope you have a Happy Halloween!

PAY IT FORWARD

I am one of the lucky ones to be playing Pay It Forward with a previously blue friend from across the pond who is now a much more colorful Poopsie


So here are the rules.

"The exchange focuses on doing an act of kindness without expecting anything in return other than that the recipient will, in their turn, pass the kindness along and 'pay it forward' in their own way.

This is how it works...

I am going to agree to send something fun, inspiring or uplifting to the first 3 blog owners who post a comment on this entry [please leave your email address if I don't all ready have it].In turn you will then post about this on your blog, link to me, then send something to the first three people who sign up to play along through your blog.

There are no cost restraints, BUT don't go crazy!
The little something you send can be something you made, bought, were given or found.
No biggie, just a gift that will make the person smile.
Maybe something unique from where you live?

And, remember that kindness don't have to involve money; there are untold ways to help others every single day, everywhere you go - just look around."

SO PAY IT FORWARD...

TRIBUTE TO SANDY - MY FIRST FOREVER DOG

I've never written about Sandy on this blog except for the small Rainbow Bridge Tribute on the right side of my blog. I feel the need to write about her now after I have read the recent stories of Booker and Zen at the Zoo Crew . I've been there where you guys are with Booker and Zen.

Warning : this is a very sad post.

Tribute to Sandy- My First Forever Dog
Fall 1994- Sept 22, 2005

After wanting a dog for as long as I could remember I finally adopted Sandy a beautiful 6 month old long haired dachshund / cocker spaniel mix from the SPCA . Little did I know but she came with many issues. I was then a 'newbie’ dog owner and I know I made many mistakes but I do know that I did my best with what I knew at the time. And boy did I have to learn alot with her!

I loved her with all my heart and did everything I could do to work through her various issues (general fear, fear aggression, dog aggression, sudden unprovoked aggression etc). She also developed a seizure disorder which may have contributed to the problems.

As she got older the situation worsened even though I was actively working with her. She was a wonderful dog 95% of the time, but the other 5% was unpredictable, scary, and aggressive. Still I decided to keep her. I was committed to working with her. I was in a situation where I could do that as I lived alone and had no children.

I managed and controlled every situation with Sandy. It took huge amounts of energy and time. I kept her away from all children, and all people she did not know. I crated her frequently to keep visitors safe. I saw different vets, put her on medication, and saw dog behaviourists, worked on behaviour modification exercises. I socialized her with other people and dogs in safe places where the people were very dog savvy and aware of my situation with Sandy.

Basically I did everything I possibly could to manage, control, avoid her triggers and better the situation. Still there were many problems. I was bit many times. Sandy would draw blood but not enough to need stitches. Sandy would immediately be in an uncontrolled rage, bite and then 'come to', realize what she had done and run to her crate being very contrite, knowing she had done wrong.

I did this till she was 10 years old. In the last 4 months of her life she was becoming worse despite all my work with her. I could no longer safely take her out anywhere. Then one day she attacked me after I told her to get off the couch. It was the worst bite ever and I knew it was time.

I euthanized her 2 days later. I wanted her to have a peaceful quiet cross over to the Rainbow Bridge, but it was not peaceful nor was it quiet. She had to be sedated first. I fed her Snausages treats and she was happy as could be while I was alone with her waiting for the sedation to take effect. The plan was to have her fall into a coma from the sedation. She would then be given the final injection. The plan didn't work. Everytime the Vet came into the room Sandy became aggressive. The sedation started wearing off. So then we had to muzzle her for all of our safety, and 2 of us held her down while the Vet gave the needle. The whole time she was viciously trying to attack us. In the last few seconds her eyes were wide with terror. It broke my heart to see her so fearful and so aggressive even at the end, but I knew I had made the right decision. This was 3 years ago and still I am balling my eyes out as I write this.

I grieved for a long time over Sandy. I second guessed myself. I felt I had made many mistakes with her. I thought maybe I could have done more or had done things wrong. Then I thought that I kept her too long as she was clearly dangerous and unpredictable in the last few months.

One of the kindest things was said to me by a friend who also loves dogs. She said “Sandy had a great life with you because you were so committed to her. You were so willing to work with her. She wouldn’t have had those 10 years if she had been adopted by anyone else”. It was true. I felt better after that because I knew I had given her 10 good years and many wonderful times. I had done my best in a very difficult situation. I had worked with her until it was no longer safe to do so. I will always love her and remember the good times with her.

Rest easy, my girl.

Run and play at the Rainbow Bridge.

All is now well.

I will love you forever and I will see you again one day.

New Awards From Mango

Mango the maltese kiddo has sent us some awards. Isn't that nice? We think he is just so happy as he is crazy in love with Crystal It's so cute.

Thanks Mango!

Hummmm. Maybe we should start looking for some cutie doggies out there to fall in love with from afar...