Enjoying my cupcake!

F O O D !!!!

Here is my birthday tuna steak and cupcakes. Great cupcakes for the Firefighter litter.

Cookie!

I can see the cookie in the bottom of the bag, now to get it out!

Birthday dinner

What a great day, lots of emails from my Grandma(s) and Grandpa, from my Mom, and all my litter mates. In fact, my sister Lily gave me an idea to add cupcakes to my birthday celebration. I even had some shrimp with my breakfast!

Before dinner I got my birthday presents, I was so excited and dug in my birthday bag to get the good cookies out of the bottom, then I chewed on my new bone.

While I was opening gifts, Gary was cooking my dinner on the grill. Wow, tuna steak just the way I like it. It was SOOOO good!!! Gary kept trying to sneak a bite and I would catch him - it is MY birthday tuna.

I hope Mom realizes that the "birthday week" does not end today... we still have 2 more days of my birthday week :)

My Birthday!!

Today I am 2 years old!! It is officially my birthday.

Another Great Day During Birthday Week

I am really enjoying my birthday week. It has been so full of surprises. Tonight Mom and I played bumper until dark and then came in to a big surprise - shrimp!! I did not expect shrimp tonight, but sure am glad Mom gave it to me. Y U M !!!!!

Birthday Week Continues

My second birthday gift arrived today. Grandma dropped it off at my house this morning. Mom made me wait until this evening before I could open it. NOT fair. I received some really good cookies and a fun toy that I took with me to see Dr. Karen! I love birthday weeks. I also received a gift certificate to Meijer's so I can go and get some REALLY good food! YUM!

I am a GOOD boy!

This morning when Mom was ready to leave, she put me in my kennel and then thought she should get another bone for me. She didn't latch my door since she planned on coming back and giving me the bone. Well, she forgot to come back and latch my cage!

When she came home at lunch I was in my kennel and the door was open about 2 inches. I looked at her and then the door and then back to her. I wanted her to see how good I am (it is my birthday this week you know...) She told me what a fabulous boy I am and then said "okay" and I flew out of my cage. I could have done so many things while she was gone!

Birthday gifts start arriving

I got my first birthday present. My Mom, Stormey, sent a package from California. She sent me a birthday cake cookie and a football cookie. And she sent me a birthday card and even signed it. See, I knew it was good to have a birthday "week!"

One last run before dark

Mom and Gary took me out back to run one more time before dark. I chased a chipmunk too! It thought it was hiding from me, but I found it!! And then I posed for pictures!

One last run before going home

I ran a little more after all the hunting before we started home. It is so much fun at Alum Creek as you can run and run and run!!!

Found It!

Hunting!

I really enjoyed hunting and did a nice job. It is so much better to hunt in the cooler weather, I really enjoy it!!!

Off to Alum Creek

After our fun morning, we got some work done and then headed to Alum Creek to hunt, run and play. When we arrived there was a man with 2 German Shorthair pointers. He stopped to talk to Mom and told her what a good looking boy I am. He asked what all we did, hmmm, could he tell we competed in things?? Mom told him that I am now training for my Senior Hunter and he was pretty impressed.

Then we were off!

A great day

We started our day by playing in the back yard early this morning. First we played bumper and worked on our "whoa" and retrieves to hand. I did a very good job and once I couldn't find it and Mom was able to call me back and direct me to it. That was fun! (well, after I figured out why I had to go back to her without it.)

Then I got to run around and play while she picked up all the apples that fell off the tree in the tornado winds. Our apple tree looked like a Christmas tree with the red blanket around it. They just all fell off. Now there are bees all over and Mom is afraid I will get stung.

Birthday week

Today starts my birthday week, I decided one day is not enough to celebrate and get enough good food. So if you have a birthday week, you can really enjoy your special "day." I have already put in my order for tuna steak and shrimp! On the grill of course.

Our Saturday Afternoon

Mom and I went out today and just walked and enjoyed the beautiful weather. It was so nice and a nice breeze that helped me find critters. We had so much fun!

Our New Journey

Mom made a very tough decision today, but I think she made the right decision. She has really been struggling with agility for many reasons. It used to be her passion and she loved to play any chance she had, but after all that she has been through and a 2 year break, she just doesn't have that same passion for it. In fact, she says it feels like a job. And I could tell that too. She was very different in agility than in our other sports. Sometimes I just stood back and looked at her wondering what was going on. After a very emotional day today and the feeling that she HAD to go compete, she decided we were going to pursue other challenges.

I am happy about her choice as I LOVE my rally and my passion is HUNTING (in case you couldn't tell.) And the best part is that it is now bird season so we can start bird work right away. I am very close to my rally championship so we should be able to finish that this year too.

Maybe some day we will return to the agility field, but not until we are both excited to do it! We have an entire new journey ahead of us and I am excited!!

EXHAUSTED!

Cleaning and hunting all day is hard work. Time for me to rest!

HUNTING!

I enjoyed running and hunting during clean up time! :)

Clean Up Begins!

Mom and Gary spent the entire day cleaning. There was so much to be done. Gary even had to go up on the roof as it was covered in branches, twigs and leaves. He also had to get all the gutters cleaned out again. Luckily the leaf blower helped a LOT! You couldn't even see the gravel in my potty yard because of all the leaves. Mom took a broom and cleaned all the leaves off the side of the house on the deck.

When they went out in the back yard to pick up all the branches, I went out to help! Well, I helped a little, but spent more time hunting and then took a break in the shade to chew one of the sticks!

Hot Air Balloon

Mom and I were in the yard cleaning up sticks from the tornado and I saw the balloon and started running back and forth. Mom did not see it yet and wondered what in the world I was doing. Then she heard it and understood why I was so excited. It landed really close to our house - how exciting!!

Hornet's Nest

A hornet's nest was in our yard, we think the winds from the storm blew it out of the tree. Luckily Mom saw it before I did and redirected me around it. I would have got those bugs, you know. I really like to catch bugs that fly. Mom shut all the potty yard gates and would not let me in the yard until she and Gary could take care of the hornets.

Tornado at MY house

Mom was at work and I heard a lot of noise and then the radio went off so I could really hear it. There were trees going down everywhere and hail for 5 minutes non-stop. Then branches and leaves were flying and hitting the house. I really wished Mom would get home soon. She has been working late so I was not sure when she was coming home, but hoped she knew what was going on. It was almost 2 hours later before she came home, I guess she had no idea it was so bad at home. We went out to assess the damage. It seems like the tornado hit the high school and then kept coming straight east and hit a lot of houses in the path and right into our back yard. It only got our yard and one neighbor. Luckily our house was fine, but there were leaves and branches and hail all over. The leaves were even plastered to the house.

Mom and I ventured into the back yard with caution. Half our apple tree was on the ground and one of our big pine trees. Our neighbor lost 8 trees, all sheared off about 20' in the air. All my jumps and tire were twisted and turned over. The one side of the aframe and teeter were buried in leaves and branches, but luckily nothing was broken.


We took a lot of pictures as it was just unbelievable. Here is the slideshow: Storm Pix

I was so happy when Mom got home and we were very lucky that there was no severe damage. Just a lot of cleanup to be done!

Hotel

When we got to the hotel is when the trip started going downhill. They told us there were no first floor rooms, even though we have guaranteed first floor. He said everyone checked in on Friday so they were all full. Well, Mom was trying to get all our stuff upstairs and found out someone checked in after us and got a first floor. She was NOT happy, me either as I did not like being upstairs.

After dinner, we went outside and I found some really good smells. As soon as we got upstairs, I wanted to go back out. I did this over and over and over. At first Mom was worried I had UTI or something but then realized that there must be a girl in season. We got no rest as we were up and down and up and down. At 10:00 Mom finally made me relax and she massaged me a little. I did relax (as you can see) while I got my massage.

Although I was up and down all night and we got no sleep. Doors were banging and people were getting ice and there were good smells outside!! Wow, a lot of stuff going on!

When we got to the trial, I realized that good smelling girl was there too. I could smell her!!! We tried to do JWW but my mind was not on agility, so Mom made me leave and go to my cage. Hmm, I really did not like that as I didn't get my cookies??? We were able to work a little before our standard run and I was focusing better. I did have a pretty good standard run, but a few bobbles here and there in the middle. We had a great opening and a great closing, but some issues in the middle.

We packed up and came home so we could get some rest. It was a LONG two days.

Off to Cleveland

We got up really eearly this morning and drove to Cleveland. Since I am in Open JWW now, we didn't have to get there quite so early. We found a pretty good spot and set up our stuff. Mom went to walk our course and told me it was pretty difficult, especially the weave entry. I was really excited to play today. We had a great run and I even hit my weave entry on the first try!! Unfortunately, Mom and I miscommunicated on one jump as I thought she was sending me to the wall to a tunnel and I got there and there was no tunnel?? Just tunnel bags, I looked at her like "what???" where were you sending me?? Guess she needs to pay more attention when she walks without me. I did a very nice job but had 2 refusals - BUT I hit my weave entry and did really well on a tough course.

We had a long wait until standard, but played, took some walks and had a good lunch. I had a pretty nice standard run, again, Mom messed me up :) She walked it one way and ran it another and we had a big boo boo section. But I did great before and after AND hit my weaves on the first try again. Twice in one day!! Mom was so happy with me, she said it was better than Qs - I thought so too!!

We just finished standard and it was time for Mom to walk FAST. And I was second in the ring, so we were VERY rushed. I was not too happy about that. I did do a good job and earned my first Open Fast leg, and I even won the class.

no outside play tonight

I really wanted to play outside tonight, but Mom would not come with me. It was thundering and lightning and I stood out in the yard waiting on her to come open the back gate for me. Come'on Mom - let's play!! I just don't understand, she was trying to put me in the bath tub this weekend, but won't go out and play in the rain with me. Sometimes I really wonder about her...

The day got much better

Thank Goodness! We all went out to run and later I played agility with Mom. We worked on sends, discriminations and weave poles. Mom said I was a super star :) And I thought so too! I got good chicken from the grill for my treats, that was great. We also did some rally and worked on my utility exercises, they are fun!

The good afternoon was followed by a great evening with a cookout. In case nobody knows - I LOVE cookouts! :)

I am so glad the day got better after such a rough start. And now only a 3 day work week and then off to Cleveland for agility.

Holiday - I think not!

What a morning, I thought I got to enjoy a nice Holiday. Then Mom and Gary decided I needed a bath?? What, no bath on a Holiday. No fair!!

Then, if that was not enough, I had to have my nails done. So much for a "holi" -day??

I sure hope they don't think of anything else THEY think I need...

Weaves are FUN!

Mom and I went out and played agility this afternoon. We worked on sends and discriminations and WEAVES!! We did tunnel/aframe discriminations and I did every one perfect!! Then we did fun weave pole games and Mom was silly. She sat on the ground by the middle of the poles and sent me to weave. It took me a few sends to figure out what we were doing and then it was fun. We also did some weave gambles and she told me I was "super smart!" That made me smile.

Then I went in the house to take a nap before dinner. It has been such a fun, busy day and the best part is we can do it all again tomorrow too!


Maybe Gary can video my weave games tomorrow so I can share with everyone how much fun it is.

Holiday Weekend

We have had a lot of fun this weekend and it is only half way through - YEA!! More time to run and play with Mom.

We are enjoying this cool weather soooo much! We can train during the day and not get really hot within a couple minutes. We played agility several times and went out to run too. I really enjoy the weave exercises we are doing and start practicing as soon as we get outside. But I keep an eye on Mom to make sure she sees me!

I had some down time but didn't know if I wanted to play with my toy or chew my bone. I kept switching back and forth!

Gary went golfing today at Firestone (he was really excited about that!) and Mom and I went to run at Alum Creek. That was a lot of fun too since it was cool. Mom said I "ran big" whatever that means, but she was happy that I was confident to do that.

It was really funny last night. The people that live way behind our house had a camp out. They were watching Finding Nemo on the big screen outside. It is really far behind our house but I noticed it as soon as I went out to potty. It was weird seeing fish swim in the back yard.

Off to play....