Ashby's Puppy Book

I'm happy to report Mom and I found Ashby a "Puppy Book" Friday!

Dave and I have been trying to keep up with Ashby's important dates, events and measurements and though we've been putting everything in a file folder in our portable filing box (ha - we need a cabinet badly, but haven't had anywhere to put one), she needed her own special book just like any other new addition to a family!

It comes complete with places to put her picture at various times in her life, questions about things she likes and dislikes, her favorite toy, her vet, and even a portion specifically titled "Dog Sitters"!

We love our puppy and are so exicted to have this sweet keep-sake to remember special times with!

...Now I just need to start writing things down!

TK9: Week Four and Pick Up

Ashby Girl is officially H.O.M.E.!!!

We picked her up this morning around 11 and couldn't have been more excited! We took some time with Red, her trainer, to go through all the cool stuff Ash has been learning and making sure we understood how to keep instilling the positive obidience traits she's learned thus far! Red gave Dave and me the ultimate compliment when she said she could tell Ashby had a good foundation and was super easy to teach. That made us feel good! When someone pays you a compliment like that, it makes you even more motivated to continue working with your puppy!!! Even before we got Ashby, we had always said if we ever got a dog, we wanted her to be polite and affectionate... I think we've managed to get both! On our way home, Dave felt like Ash needed a little sip of water! It's always a treat for her to get to stick her nose in our cup for a little slurp and today proved no different! :) The poor thing was so excited she lost just about her whole face in the cup! Even though Red had given her a bath before we got there to pick her up this morning, Dave and I decided on the way home she needed another one - OUR kind of bath... with sweet baby shampoo to make her smell good and get a.l.l. the dirt out of her quickly growing coat! You could tell immediately she was thinking, "Hey, I got one of these this morning. Why am I getting another one?", but the sweet girl just stood in the bathtub and let us have our way! Though she's getting bigger, that was the easiest bath we've ever given her!!! And you can definitely start to tell she's got a little Poodle in her when her hair is wet!

After our bath, we MUST break out the hair dryer or else she'll never get completely dry! Before we took her to camp, she didn't exactly like the hair dryer, but she didn't fight it either. Today, however... She was n.o.t. cooperating (but that could've also been due to the fact she also got dryed this A.M. - and I know what some of you are probably thinking, "You can't give a dog two baths AND blow her dry! You're going to dry her skin out!", but had you brought your sweet pup home after being at camp for four weeks, you'd do the same thing!)! With me and Dave taking turns holding her and the other brushing, we got the job done. NOW, she looks like our pretty girl.

...Except for the fact that we probably got a little soap in her eyes (Baby Shampoo, though, so it wouldn't burn!)...

...And that she needed to scratch and shake off - per usual!

Her Daddy sure was excited to pick her up today! He's been talking about it for the last week! When Monday and Tuesday afternoon came around, he made mention many times that he wished he hadn't planned on Wednesday... But I think it made today's pick-up ever better!

*Please excuse our "Wedding Central" index card front door behind Dave and Ashby. That was the only way we could get organized for our special day! I'm happy to note there aren't but a few cards left to be moved to the bottom of door!*

As for me, I'm tickled "pink" to have my pretty girl home! As silly as it sounds, I feel so much better knowing that she is all cleaned, primped and with her new collar on!!! We're just waiting on her bed, babies and the outter portion of her crate to be washed and dried :) No buggies are coming home to live with us (hopefully)!

I wish we had taken some pictures of her with Red one last time before we left, but I forgot. Thank you to everyone who has said a little prayer that she would enjoy her time at puppy camp! I think she was a little sad to leave Red and all the friends she's been playing with over the last month! I feel like this was the best decision we could've made for her - both socially and behaviorally!

Here's to hoping she's the wonderfully behaved pup we've always wanted to have!

Baby Chicks for Sale: $2.89

Monday Dave and I were on a hunt! We had noticed the last time we went to visit Ashby her collar was absolutely N.A.S.T.Y. - which was fine, we shouldn't have sent her to camp to play outside in the dirt and mud for four weeks in a white grosgrain collar.

While on our journey to find her a new girlie collar, we found ourselves at the Tractor Supply. What should we see walking into said establishment?

So we meander inside to look for a new collar, and I hear this chirping... Of course I start looking around trying to figure out where it's coming from and I see this:

AH!!! There were four of these big feed tubs full of little chicks in them - heat lamp and everything! Dave asked what one was supposed to do with something such as this, but for someone who's never been around someone who raised chickens, I don't guess he made the connection :)

They were super cute and made Easter seem even closer (though I'm not sure why baby chicks are associated with Easter, but they sure are cute)!

Marry You - Bruno Mars

So, in the midst of Dave being away on business, I've been trying to write my vows. We decided early on that we wanted to incorporate our own little touches to our special day and beyond heading up the Northeast coast to get hitched, we wanted our vows to be special, too. Dave knocked his out in about two hours (which had me worried), but after being "reviewed" by one of the most special friends ever (*Thanks, Say!*) they were approved!

Now it's my turn. I always knew I wanted to write my own vows, but I never knew how hard it would be. Of course, there's so much I could say, but narrowing it down is proving to be the difficult part.

While going through this process of wedding planning and vow writing, I've kept a little playlist running with songs that remind me of the day ahead and I wanted to share this one with you today. It's fun, upbeat and perfect for the beautiful sunshine God's going to bless us with on May 14 in Central park!

Happy Thursday!

Wedding Wednesday - 38 days To GO!

The Daily Home 03 Apr 2011

Happy Wednesday, Friends!!!

Our engagement announcement was in the local paper back home this past Sunday and I just thought I would share! We're between two others on the top of the page! I don't know if anyone else has actually sat down to count how many days we have left before the B.I.G. day, but it's actually only 38! Yep, it's coming quickly!

And it's only like 35 days before Dave and I leave for NYC because we've got to be in the state of New York prior to getting married.

AH! Super excited.

I. CAN'T. WAIT.

UA's Regional Meet

After a VERY busy week, Dave and I wound down with a lovely visit from my mom and a little adventure to the NCAA Regional Meet tonight!

Some of my most favorite father-daughter dates were when my daddy would pick me up early from school on a Friday afternoon and bring me to Tuscaloosa for a gymnastic meet! I've loved gymnastics since I little girl and spending such special time with Daddy made it even better!

Though I may be a little older, I still love watching Alabama gymnastics! When Dave asked me earlier in the week if I was interesting in going tonight, I of course said "YES!" and immediately called mom and dad to see if they would join us.

Dad wasn't able to make it this time around, but Dave and I had a blast with Mom! From sharing popcorn and stadium dance moves, to our adventurous walking trail to and from the car, the night was nothing short of a success - for UA's gymnastics team and us!

TK9: Week Three Visit

We headed to Camp to work with our Ashby Girl this afternoon and man were we excited! Ashby kept her head a little better this week and was 100x's better about jumping up on us when she finally realized we were there! Because we miss her so much, I'm just going to let this be a post of pictures. She's learning a lot and having a blast, but we're counting down the days until we get to bring her home next Sunday! It's hard to believe she's been there almost a month, but at the same time, we've felt every day of it!

We've been trying to make sure to get a family picture each week before we come home, but Ash didn't quite cooperate this week. Sorry, too for the poor picture quality :( I didn't think we needed to take our big camera... Maybe I was wrong.

REUNION coming on Sunday, April 10th!