Miss Laila

Lunch for breakfast

2012-01-04T10:43:00.000-05:00

The look on my mom's face told me that I shouldn't have eaten her lunch while she was in the shower...

but in all fairness, she never has time for lunch anyway.

I was doing her a favor!

Kid-tested, Mother-approved

2011-12-25T02:15:00.001-05:00

Holiday parties are super fun -- new people to meet, yummy food (hello sir, can you spare a crumb? I can twirl and spin and sit and stand), and little strawberry- and milk-flavored kiddos running around. They have delicious fingers and cheeks. The kids loved me, and my mom has been pleasantly surprised with how well I have handled the gaggle of kiddos (four little girls under the age of three).

Pet me in the eye? I wiggled my tail.

Hit me with a bouncy ball? I wiggled, went looking for the ball, and brought it back to the baby so she could throw it again.

"Borrow" my crate to use as a playhouse? You got it, little lady.

Grab my tail?

I am one patient pup.

No problem at all! I ignored Miss Ada for a few minutes, but then turned around and gave her a big kiss.

The kids all loved me, and I gotta say -- they were all pretty cute as well.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas from Baltimore!

Brrrr...

2011-12-09T08:11:00.001-05:00

No way, Mom! Did you see the thermostat?

It is WAY too cold to go outside.

I think I will just stay here in bed and hybernate until springtime.

Big news!

2011-12-06T08:25:00.002-05:00

I celebrated my fourth birthday on November 8th with a Tivoliz family vacation. It was awesome! I love all of my redheaded family members, especially my cousin DiTa. We went hiking, wrestled, cuddled with Debbie, ate chewies, did not steal shoes or toilet paper, and drove all the way to Salisbury, MD for a dog show. Hotel time!

The hotel was fabulous. Squishy beds that aren't mine. Lots of weird smells to sniff. The perfect girl vacation, with Jaeger-baby and Wrigley as honorary girls for a few days. Mani/pedi's anyone? I wanted pink nails, but Debbie said maybe later. Pink is fierce, Debbie. No one can stop a girl with pink nails. Anyway, it turns out that pink nails weren't all that necessary. Wrigley and I were signed up for three days, but we both finished our Championships on the very first day! Wrigley won Winners Dog, and I won Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and Best of Breed! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I am a new AKC Champion. Just call me:

Ch. Captivatin' She Bee-Stingin' CGC

Congratulations and huge thank you to my breeder Melissa Green of Captivatin' Vizslas and Debbie Stern of Tivoliz Vizslas.

Safety first

2011-08-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

I went to visit my grandpa Steve and Michele on the Fourth of July this year to watch the fireworks. I had forgotten my hunting gear, so Michele gave me a snazzy jacket and hunting collar to keep me safe.

Safety First!

I think orange is my new color!

Lai-yoga

2011-08-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

There is no denying it. After a long hike, I L.O.V.E. to sleep! Sometimes my mom and dad laugh and wake me up. Rude. I can't help it that I like to get super comfortable and stretch out in different positions. It is sort of like yoga -- while sleeping.

Bunny rabbit, belly-up

Leaping gazelle, sideways

Fish Need Water

2011-08-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

My mom and dad bought me a fish when they were away for their wedding anniversary.

I love my fish and carry her everywhere: the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, bed, and outside on my walks around the neighborhood.

Love my fishie! *squeak, squeak*

Anyway, my cute perfect little fish stopped squeaking a few days ago.

Poor fish... what is wrong, fishie? What is wrong?

I did everything I could to fix her. I gave her kisses, threw her in the air, and shoved her in my mom's face.

And then... eureka! I had a brilliant idea...

blub, blub, blub

FISH NEED WATER!!!!

Hey fishie, how are you feeling?

Well, it turns out that it didn't make her squeak again. But it did make her smell super yummy!

Pillow thief

2011-05-10T08:54:00.004-04:00

Dad: "Laila, where did you come from?"

Um, sorry dad, but I like your pillow better than Mom's. Why don't you move over to the other side of the bed so that I can sleep here tonight.

PSA: Puppy Service Announcement

2011-05-09T11:01:00.002-04:00

My mom, dad and I went for an amazing hike on my favorite trail up in Carroll County over the weekend. I wish my mom had brought the camera, but it was sitting on the dining room table with a dead battery. I hiked over hills and through the woods, squeezed through narrow trails, raced through the open fields, hopped like a kangaroo through tall grasses, hunted for small critters, swam in the creek, and ran back and forth, back and forth, back and forth on the foot-bridge as my dad tightroped across the river/creek on the suspended wire. Crazy dad.

Apparently, I had so much fun that some "friends" decided to hitch a ride back to my house. Deer ticks. Yup, you heard me. The teeny-tiny-microscopic kind that can make you very, very sick. My dad found one on my ear in the parking lot before we got in the car. After searching for ticks for over 15-minutes (on me and themselves), we headed home sure that we were in the clear. But my mom found three more ticks at our house on Sunday morning. They are out in full force, so make sure that your flea and tick prevention meds are up to date. Lyme disease is nothing to sneeze at.

Just a Puppy Service Announcement.

Now it's time to get out and enjoy that beautiful weather!

One shoe, two shoe, three shoe, new shoe

2011-05-05T09:00:00.002-04:00

There should be a law against Vizsla parents owning any shoes except sneakers and hiking boots.

I have decided to enforce this rule. One shoe at a time.

Unfortunately, my mom used my nibble-session as an excuse to buy new ones. Cuter ones, she said. Drats. Not the outcome I was hoping for.

Laundry day

2011-05-02T09:15:00.000-04:00

Laundry day is the best. I love lounging on freshly folded clothes right out of the dryer. It's like spa day for puppies.

Ahhhh.... so warm, so fluffy. My dad hates when I lay on the clothes, but I just can't help it. It is too comfy!

Dad, just be thankful that I actually left the towels in piles this time instead of digging until I made them into a nice warm nest. And be VERY thankful that I got a bath earlier today.

Every day should be laundry day.

Peanut butter jelly time

2011-04-29T08:40:00.001-04:00

My parents are saving money to buy me a yard, so every morning, my dad wakes up early to make my mom the most delicious sandwich to take to work for lunch.

Peanut butter and strawberry preserves.

Every. Single. Day.

I am so jealous! I usually stand next to him, drool hanging down past my shoulder in my statuesque pose. I learned a few months ago that my best "please, please, please" whine just got me banished to the stairs, where I didn't even have a chance of smelling the deliciousness (or catching any nibbles if he was messy and dropped a few crumbs).

But this morning... THIS morning... oh, it was glorious.

My dad stepped outside to load a large box of supplies into the car for my mom. I only had a few moments, seconds really, but I tore through that sandwich baggie and swallowed half of that sandwich faster than you can say "Bob's your uncle." Ahhh... totally worth my dad's stern words when he caught me trying to swallow the second half of the sandwich pelican-style. No big deal, dad. I left the baggie. If you make mom another sandwich, she will never know the difference. Well, she might wonder about the large hole in the side of the bag, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Time for flipflops, not hats

2011-04-27T08:38:00.004-04:00

Hey mom, it's seventy degrees outside.

It's time to finally pack up your winter hat and break out those flip flops.

And you know what flip-flops mean... almost time for summer. Ah, how I love summer. Watch out pool, here I come!

Blame my mom

2011-04-25T09:15:00.006-04:00

It is all my mom's fault.

She got a new job and has been a real slacker. All she does is get up, go to work, come home, take me to the park, come home to make dinner, feed me, and then go to bed. I mean, come on! A little help on the computer would be very much appreciated.

And when my mom finally has time to let me use the computer, well...

There are so many fun things to see and do outside.

V-Day Present for Me!

2011-02-14T21:18:00.003-05:00

It's Valentine's Day! It's Valentine's Day!

I can't wait for my Valentine to get home.

I waited by the front window for hours and hours. He was really late. But when he got home, he had a surprise for me.

Hey Mom, are you jealous? I got FLOWERS!?!?!

Dad, you are the BEST Valentine EVER!

Wait, what do you mean these flowers aren't for me?

Kisses for my Great-Grandmom

2011-02-09T09:56:00.007-05:00

I love visiting Grandmom Bonnie's house! Lots of family, friends, and great food. One particularly lovely lady is my great-grandmom Cover. She is so sweet, and we don't get to see her (or my other great-grandparents) often enough.

I love you, great-grandmom!

My great-grandmom gives me lots of cuddles and always steals yummy food for me (chicken, sweet potatoes, salad, deviled eggs, apple pie, and cheesecake!) when my mom isn't looking. I have to be careful not to be overly wiggly around her, but I love her very, very much. It's hard to resist jumping on her lap and covering her face with kisses.

Too chilly for swimming?

2011-02-07T11:25:00.000-05:00

It's definitely too cold for swimming in Maryland right now, but back in November, I didn't think so. In fact, I jumped down a little cliff to get to the water. Twice.

It was chilly, but so worth it.

Patience has its limits

2011-02-03T11:54:00.002-05:00

I am a patient girl.

When my mom puts my dinner or some veggies (I love lettuce and asparagus!) in my bowl, I wait patiently until she gives me the "ok, go ahead" signal.

But sometimes she forgets to give me the signal. Sometimes she leaves the room and forgets about me and my bowl full of deliciousness. Cruel, mom. That's just cruel.

Today, she put some pieces of fresh asparagus in my bowl and went upstairs to do something. A million and a half hours later, she came looking for me, but it was too late...

I had already flooded the kitchen.

Ultimate frisbee-flying fun

2011-02-01T09:17:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, we took a trip up to Westminster for a hike and stopped in a field for the ultimate game of frisbee!

My dad is the best frisbee-thrower in the world. Did you see the air I got on the first jump?

But my name is on it. . .

2011-01-26T14:06:00.000-05:00

I spent a wonderful few days at my grandpa Steve and Michele's house up in Westminster while my mom and dad worked all weekend. I got to play with my bunny and raccoon, ate peanut butter and krunchies out of my kong, tunneled under the covers in the middle of the night and kicked Michele out of bed, stole Poppy's toys, slept in Poppy's bed, and genuinely had a grand ol' time.

When my mom and dad left for work this morning, they made a fatal mistake. They left my "overnight bag" out on the counter. Yup, the bag with all of my goodies -- my toys, my food container, my empty kong, my stuffies, my leash and collar, and more importantly . . .

the peanut butter jar for my kong.

Well, don't look at me. The goose did it. I swear.

I'm sorry Mom, I really am. But how was I supposed to know that I shouldn't eat it. It was pretty clear that the jar was meant for me.

Look, the lid clearly says:

"LAILA"

Snoozing, snoring

2011-01-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

At the end of a long day (and especially after a long hike), I love napping with my dad on the sofa . . .

in the "nook" of his arm . . .

and sandwiched between my dad and the back of the sofa.

Santa, You're Late!

2011-01-14T17:38:00.001-05:00

Santa, you were late. And I was upset.

While I waited, I "borrowed" Mr. Santa stuffie from my mom to cuddle for a little bit. His beard tickled my nose so *might* have shaken him a little bit. Sorry grandmom. I was a little upset.

On New Year's Eve, we went to visit my grandpa Steve and Michele.

My new bed from grandpa Steve and Michele.

They gave me a awesome, smushy, fluffy bed. Things were looking up!

Then, a few days ago, the UPS man *finally* delivered the rest of my Christmas present!

Hellooooo, Mr. Hooter! Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

Santa brought a Hooter-owl and a huge bag of Vanilla-flavored rawhides.

I squeaked Mr. Hooter for about 15 minutes until I killed both of his squeakers, and then I moved on to my vanilla rawhides. I do love vanilla rawhides.

Hey, Mr. Santa, do you think you could come early next year? I will accept presents once a week starting on September 1st.

NOT Santa

2010-12-25T13:10:00.001-05:00

Christmas morning started with the tradition of opening gifts. As the youngest in the house, I went first.

I was super-excited to open my gift that came earlier this week. I've been so good this year.

Hey Santa, did you forget something? Something stuffie-like?

So, I think I have the answer to my question. No, Santa does not drive a UPS van because if he did, he would have brought ALL of the presents on my list. You can't have Christmas without new stuffies. Santa, why do you tease me?

Does Santa drive a UPS van?

2010-12-24T14:36:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure, but I think Santa just came early. The UPS guy just came and dropped off a package from White Dog Bone. I jumped up and down and gave "Santa" loads of kisses and V-hugs. He didn't look much like Santa, but he left a package that smelled a whole lot like the stuff on my "Dear Santa" list. I started scratching at the box and trying to open it, so my mom put the box on top of the china cabinet.

I sure hope there are stuffies in there. Only a few more hours until Christmas morning. Then, you will be mine!

Racing with blinders on

2010-12-17T08:38:00.001-05:00

My friends and I found a new hiking trail last weekend. We loved it so much that we went back again this past Saturday. I think it's going to be a regular hiking trail for us.

The trail winds through a forest and around really pretty waterways.

Khan, Colby and I had fun exploring the water and riverbanks, and the trail offered great opportunities to play chase games.

Colby (yellow collar) and Khan (red collar)

The boys ran around like mad men, and I raced through the woods the opposite way to cut them off.

I ran and ran and ran and ran.

And then, I made the silly mistake of closing my eyes as I was leaping over a small patch of leaves.

BAM!!!!

And, I ran smack into my mom and her camera. Ouch.

After a day like today, the only reasonable thing for a girl to do is to wrap up in a blanket and lounge in her bed under the heating vent. Ahh....

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2010-12-14T08:48:00.000-05:00

Brrr... so cold outside. Yet, the weather forecast said rain?

It's about time that we had some snow in Baltimore, even if I have to make my own.

So I did. Snow, soft fluffy snow.

* snow created while my mom washed the covers for the two decorative bedroom pillows *

'Tis the Season for Trees and Stuffies

2010-12-06T13:30:00.002-05:00

'Tis the Season to be Jolly . . .

Well, it's that time again. My dad went digging in the shed and brought out five plastic tubs full of shiny red stuff that my mom started hanging up all over the house. Christmas carols are playing on the radio, and classics like Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer, the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Year Without a Santa Claus, and Frosty the Snowman flash across the television. My mom is baking cookies, making the house smell like cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.

Our neighbors got together for a "party" on Sunday afternoon to decorate the street. They had a great idea to string colored lights between the houses this year.

I think it turned out great. Very festive!

After the decorating party, my mom and dad put up a tree in the house and hung stockings by the fireplace.

I know. A tree! In the house!

They won't let me bring sticks into the house, yet they bring in an entire tree? Hypocrites, I tell you. Although, I will admit -- the twinkling lights, shiny balls, and special ornaments make the tree very pretty.

My mom also put some holiday stuffies up on a shelf that for some reason are "off-limits" to me. I don't understand how a stuffie could sit on a shelf and not be loved.

Dear Mr. Reindeer, sir, wouldn't you like to hop down off that shelf and play?

And Mr. and Mrs. Bear, stop that mushy stuff and come cuddle with me instead.

Banana & Bread = Delicious

2010-11-30T17:43:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, my grandpop Steve, Michele, Dan and Dawn visited us for a Turkey dinner. We all had a great time. There was turkey, homemade stuffing, gravy, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, glazed carrots, green beans, rolls, and apple pie. Michele baked Banana Nut bread.

Mmm... Banana Nut Bread

I love Michele. And bananas. And bread.

Drool....

Hey mom, can you please cut a piece for me? Michele told me that she baked it just for me. Oh, she didn't tell you? It must have been when you were upstairs doing something. You can go into the other room and call her if you want, but uh... why don't you leave the banana bread with me while you call her. Don't worry. I'll keep it safe.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving?

2010-11-27T21:43:00.001-05:00

We spent Thanksgiving Day with my mom's family down in Southern Maryland. I always have a fantastic time and spend most of the day zooming from room to room to get pets and cuddles from my grandparents and human aunts and uncles. Thanksgiving was even better than our usual visits -- it was a wonderful day full of delicious goodies, which my human grandparents were all too willing to share.

The Turkey was a magnificent bird.

Since all of my aunts and uncles made the trip, the turkey was about 25 pounds. Nine people (plus me) are a lot of mouths to feed.

Smells yummy, grandmom! When is the taste test?

My grandmom did a great job basting the turkey all day. I was her ever-vigilant helper.

But by far, the best dish of the day was...

Carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and cucumber, oh my!

The delicious vegetable tray.

My favorite is probably cucumber. No, broccoli. Wait, carrots. Umm... I changed my mind. Cauliflower is my favorite. Oh, who am I kidding? I love them all!


Veggie-lover Vizsla -- will perform tricks for vegetables

I sat under the vegetable tray for hours begging for a piece of broccoli or cucumber.

At one point in the evening, someone left the kitchen trashcan with some turkey trimmings and vegetables unprotected in the middle of the kitchen. My mom heard a rustling sound, and rushed to the kitchen to find my head in the trashcan up to my shoulders munching away. Boy was she mad! She pulled me away from the trashcan, pulled the food out of my mouth, started to scold me for eating out of the trash, but then started to laugh. I wasn't eating turkey; I had a mouthful of sliced cucumber. Yeah, I know the turkey was on top, but I really wanted that cucumber!

Secret Kiss Attack: A "How To" Guide

2010-11-24T08:38:00.002-05:00

Here we are on a beautiful fall day, and my dad is talking on his cell phone and ignoring me.

Yes, that's right. Ignoring me.

Time to bring out my secret weapon: the Secret Kiss Attack.

The key is the element of surprise. First, you have to go up to your "victim" with the cutest "wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, roo, roo, roo" that you can muster. That will catch him off guard, and he will lean over to pet you. It is at that moment that you strike and initiate the patented "Secret Kiss Attack" move.

First you go for the nose, and then the chin, and then right in the mouth!

Gotcha! Super Secret Kiss Attack for the win!

Dad, why do you look like you just ate a lemon? Don't you know that my kisses are super-sweet?

Squirrely College Park

2010-11-22T16:23:00.006-05:00

My mom and dad had to pick up my dad's cap and gown and graduation announcements last week.

Oh, did I tell you that he graduated from his Masters program in July/August?? Congratulations, Dad!

So we took a detour to my mom and dad's alma mater after our hike last week to pick them up.

I came along, which was really fun. My mom and dad met in college, so I got to see where they went to school -- and my mom even took my picture in front of Testudo for good luck. By the way, why do people leave trash for Mr. Testudo? Do they think gum wrappers and empty coffee cups will really help them pass a test or get an "A" on a paper?

Anyway, the best part of the trip, in my opinion, can be summed up in one word:

SQUIRRELS!

There are literally squirrels everywhere.

Grey ones,

and black ones.

Who knew squirrels came in different flavors? My mom had mentioned these legendary black squirrels, but I didn't think that they actually existed.

I watched them hop around looking for food, totally unsuspecting. My mom said that the students feed the furry things. Silly move. A squirrel actually came up to my mom and begged for some food. It wasn't scared of me at all. Foolish squirrel. If you lived near me, your days would be numbered. My puppy friends would nibble your fluffy tail for breakfast.

Here, squirrely, squirrely....

I stood around very politely for a long time, but then something caught my eye. Oh my gosh. There are five squirrels right over there. In one spot! Mom, did you hear that? Five. Five as in one-two-three-four-five! Wow!

My mom gave me a little bit of slack so that I could walk around the grass and sniff around, and then . . .

Must. Get. Squirrel.

... my self-control was gone.

What is the popular saying? "Give an inch, take a mile"?

Do Not Disturb

2010-11-18T09:16:00.016-05:00

My bunny and I really need our beauty sleep. My mom thinks it is cute when I take my bunny to bed with me and use it as a body pillow. She wanted to take a picture, so she told me not to move and ran off to get the camera. I was tired, and the flash hurts my eyes. So I thought of the perfect solution:

I stole my mom's eye mask. Sweet dreams, bunny.

Hiking with the colors of fall

2010-11-16T14:55:00.002-05:00

I went on a super fabulous hike with my Vizsla meetup friends this past weekend. My friends Khan, Colby, and Tia came -- and I met two new friends named Winston and Phoebe. We all had a great time. The weather was perfect, and the leaves were beautiful. We saw two mountain bikers. I thought they were fascinating and started doing zoomie circles around our group as soon as they left.

We hiked, ran, played chase, swam, and then -- just when everyone thought that the hike was about to be over -- we decided to stick around near the stream and bring out my favorite thing in the whole wide world.

Zoom! Chasing the leader with the flying squirrel!

Yup, you guessed it: My flying squirrel.

At first my mom got it stuck in the tree. My dad saved it. And then, my dad got it stuck in a tree. That is the hazard of playing frisbee in a forest, I guess. Anyway, I was awesome at sneaking in and getting the flying squirrel every time. And by every time, I mean EVERY. TIME. I wasn't about to let those big boys grab it.

Full steam ahead! Girls rule, and boys drool!

At some point, Phoebe snuck in and snagged it before I did. I didn't even see her coming! If she was a super-hero, her superpower would be speed. Come to think of it, maybe she is a superhero. She is super-hero fast. And awfully good at playing with the flying squirrel. Anyway, Phoebe snagged the frisbee, and then Tia snagged it from Phoebe, and then the boys gained control of it. And then, I didn't stand a chance. I was the total lightweight of the group.

Winston and Phoebe playing tug, as I wait patiently for one of them to drop it.

Hey, Winston, can we play “flying squirrel” with the flying squirrel? Pretty please.

Such a fun day.

Sing Along

2010-11-08T11:29:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to me,

Happy Birthday dear Laila...

Lookin' good for three years old, don't you think?

Happy Birthday to me!

Hey mom, you are going to bake a cake for me, right?

For you, mom

2010-10-29T09:17:00.000-04:00

I found a flower on the floor of the living room. It must have fallen out of the vase over the fireplace. I picked it up and ran over to my mom. Entire-body wiggle, wiggle, wiggle while I shoved the flower in her face!

Mom! Hey mom! I found this flower! Isn't it awesome!

I found it just for you! Aren't I the best redheaded daughter in the whole world?

(Don't worry. No flowers were harmed when taking this picture. My mom caught me before I nibbled it. Bummer.)

Raccoon alarm clock

2010-10-26T09:54:00.001-04:00

Why is my dad ignoring me?

I think it's kind of rude that he is gone all day, and then comes home and falls asleep on the couch.

Now, I get that he works 40+ hours a week, and that he is studying for the Maryland Professional Engineering Exam, and that he is exhausted beyond belief, but does that mean that he is allowed to nap when I want to play?

Incoming!!!!!!! Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!!!!!!!

Maybe if I shove my raccoon in his face, he'll wake up and play with me. Hey dad, hey dad, hey dad!!!! Are you awake yet? Are you awake yet?

Political Pup

2010-10-22T15:22:00.005-04:00

One of the coolest things about being a city pup is that famous people come to visit my neighborhood all the time!

Yesterday, my mom came home from a busy afternoon of meetings. One of the ladies that she had met with mentioned that former President of the United States Bill Clinton was going to be speaking at a park in South Baltimore at 3:00pm. She thought it was Riverside Park, which is one of my favorite parks. Well, it was 3:30pm by the time my mom got home, which wasn't enough time to take me on a walk and also go to the rally, so she popped into the house, grabbed me, and we ran down the street toward the park. As we got closer to the park, it was obvious that we were going to the wrong park: no security points, no secret service vehicles, no crowds. Just life as normal. Oh, well. We must have been mistaken. My mom figured that they were probably going to hold the rally at Fort McHenry, which was too far to walk to while wearing a nice suit. On our walk home, we saw a bunch of neon-green flyers on the ground. My mom picked one up.

"Bill Clinton to speak at Federal Hill park on Thursday, October 21. Gates open at 3:00pm."

She checked the time: 3:55pm

Shoot. She hoped that it wasn't too late. Maybe we could still make it if we hurried!

When we got to the park, it was obvious that we had come to the right place.

Who cares who is running for office! Famous people are coming!

I mean, look at the park! They even set up a huge stage and even a spot for media.

Former Mr. President wouldn't have minded a few licks and wiggles.

For some reason, I was not allowed in the media box. I could have gotten some up-close and personal shots of the former Mr. President, but I guess having red hair is a bad thing. Discrimination, I tell you.

Luckily, even though we showed up an hour after the gates opened, none of the speakers had shown up yet. So, we waited.

Line up, people. Kisses for free!

While we waited, lots of people stopped to say hello:

"what kind of dog is that?"

"she's beautiful!"

"can I pet her?"

"how old is she? I bet she's just a puppy."

"I bet she's fast when you let her off-leash."

"she is the calmest Vizsla that I've ever met!"

"do you want me to take a picture of you and your dog?"

How nice! Yes, please!

A proud momma with her political pup.

An older gentleman who owned a Vizsla for 14 years before he passed away offered to take a picture of my mom and I. Thank you, Sir!

Lots of Political Babies.

A lot of parents brought their babies to the event. The babies liked me a lot: "Goggie!" I was so good and sat like a statue as they patted and prodded and mispronounced my name. The older ones got kisses -- especially the little girl with the lollipop. I liked her a lot. She tasted like strawberry.

And then finally, he arrived...

Former President Bill Clinton speaking, with applause from Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, and U.S. Representative for Maryland, Elijah Cummings.

Yay for famous people!

Ok, mom, we saw him. Now we can go. It is C.O.L.D.

Chatter, chatter, chatter.

We did a stop at the "super secret" dog park on the way home, and I found out that Tucker, another South Baltimore Vizsla, has been coming to my park without me even knowing about it! I met him when he was just a puppy, so hopefully we can play at the park together soon.

Squeeze

2010-09-20T12:44:00.000-04:00

Dad, I know you love me, but...

if you squeeze me any harder, you're going to pop out my insides!

Carb Overload. Again.

2010-09-17T16:21:00.003-04:00

My dad took my mom out for a quick trip to see his new office earlier today, so they left me home to guard the house. I hate guarding the house. It's lonely, and so naturally, I went looking in the kitchen for some munchies to pass the time.

When my mom and dad got home, my mom decided to make a sandwich and checked the top of the refrigerator for the bread.

Mom: "Hey, Jeff... have you seen the bread?"

Shoot! The bread!

Guilty as Charged.

I immediately darted into the living room and tried to sit on the evidence. But no, I wasn't quite fast enough.

This time, it was my mom that left the bread on the counter. Didn't she learn a lesson from last time?

Mud Art

2010-09-14T16:14:00.006-04:00

My mom found some old pictures on the computer.

Last fall (2009), I got down and dirty playing frisbee in the mud after a heavy rainstorm. Mud, mud, glorious mud! I got muddy, gloriously muddy...

from the tips of my toes...

to my trendy outfit.

"Wait, bath?!?! Did you say bath?"

My mom said that I was so dirty that I needed a B-A-T-H. She tricked me into coming into the bathroom, closed the door, and started the water.

"Nooooo way! I'm out of here!"

Oh no, I was not having it! No bath for me. Didn't she ever hear that dirt is good for the soul? I was so out of there!

*turn and pull*

(Did I mention that I can open doors?)

(See all of the dirt that I left in the tub? Gross.)

My mom caught me. I guess I wasn't quite fast enough. Well, at least I got a fun rub-down after my bath. Plus, now I smell like a beautiful flower, probably lilac and lavender or something.

You should have seen all of the dirt all over the shower, walls, and the floor! And the mud-water in the tub?!?! It was everywhere! I can't believe all of that was on my body ten minutes ago.

Now, that's what I call a successful day!

Homemade Frosty Paws!!!

2010-09-08T08:21:00.006-04:00

My mom started making homemade frosty paws earlier this summer.

Homemade peanut butter frosty paws frozen in mini-disposable cups.

She has made a couple different varieties, but the simplest has been the plain peanut butter frosty paw.

(Mix 32 oz. plain yogurt + approx. 1 cup peanut butter. Blend all together and freeze in either 3 ounce paper cups or ice cube trays.)

Yummy!

My mom holds the cups and lets me lick it. If she gives them to me, they don't even last a full two seconds -- I swallow them in one bite.

"Frosty paw? Yes, please!"

That was delicious!!!!!! Can I have another one?

Feeling better

2010-09-02T19:30:00.028-04:00

I'm happy to announce that I'm ten thousand times better!!!! No surgery!!!!

But, ummm... I'm a little embarrassed to report that the "foreign body" causing the partial blockage was in fact one of my, umm...

((((earmuffs))))

panti-liners.

I blame Mother Nature.

Super Sick -- Blockage?

2010-09-01T08:10:00.074-04:00

I was super sick on Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm out of the woods now, but it was pretty scary for a little bit.

I woke my mom and dad up at about 5am on Tuesday by screaming at the backdoor to be let out. My belly didn't feel well. And then, I threw up seven times in five hours. Weird yellow stuff. By 10am, my mom was scared, so she called the vet, and they said to come in right away. It was an emergency. We couldn't wait until my dad got home from work at 5pm -- we had to go NOW!

My mom called my dad to let him know what was going on, and he told his boss that he had to take a long lunch and came home to take my mom and me to the vet's office. I threw up again in the car. And then again in the waiting room at the vet's office. I was really, really sick.

The doctor did a quick exam. I weighed only 36.4 lbs (I'm usually 38.5), so that's not good. I was really dehydrated. My belly is obviously unhappy. And what's that... she feels a weird mass in my belly? She wants to do an Xray???? Oh, please mom! Not an Xray! They are cold!

The next thing I know, the vet is pulling me out "the door." You know -- the bad one. The good door is the one that you get to walk through when you leave the vet's office with your mom and dad. The bad door is the gateway to thermometers, Xrays, MRIs, surgeries, saline solutions, stitches, and eek... shots. I don't mind going through the "bad door" when I'm with my usual vet or vet tech because they always have the most delicious treats, but because this was an emergency, this was a different vet. I don't know her, and she doesn't have the delicious treats. But to be honest, no amount of treats is going to make it less scary. I didn't feel good, and I wanted to stay with my mom and dad!

The Xrays themselves weren't that bad, though.

The initial Xray did not immediately show any blockages, but looked suspicious. The doctor asked my mom what sort of string I may have eaten. String? I don't remember eating string? Apparently, my intestines bunched up in an odd pattern which spelled trouble. The vet wanted to do a barium treatment with progressive Xrays every 2 hours to chart its progress through the intestines. This meant that I would have to eat a barium "milkshake" (a chalky liquid) that adheres to the intestines, revealing potential problem areas such as tumors, ulcers, and polyps. If there was a blockage, it would light up like the fourth of July.

My mom agreed, so they did the barium films. The first few looked normal(ish). But, then...

The vet told my mom and dad that the films (especially the 7pm film) showed a large "foreign body." Not a full blockage, but still might be a problem.

The vet's best guess is that it is some kind of fabric, but the barium seemed to have helped to move it through my intestines. As of 7pm, the "item" had reached my colon, so it looks like we're almost out of the woods. The vet discharged me Tuesday night at 7:30pm with a bunch of drugs, and I had to return to the vet's office for another Xray on Wednesday morning to make sure that the situation is "progressing."

I was so happy to see my mom and dad when they came to pick me up last night from the vet's office. I had definitely gained weight/volume from all of the saline and barium that they had pumped into me. The initial excitement burned out fast though, and I was back to feeling sick within a few hours of being home. No throwing-up sick, but just "ick-I've-been-through-hell-and-feel-awful" sick.

When it was time to go to bed, I refused to go to upstairs. I curled up in my donut bed in the living room and wouldn't budge. My mom spent the night on the couch so that she could stay right next to me and hold my paw. I think she was afraid to leave me alone.

Crabby Soup

2010-08-20T09:08:00.019-04:00

There were some crabs left over after the massive feast at my grandmom's house, so she let my dad take them home. My mom and dad made crab cakes with most of the crab meat, and then decided to make some soup.

Soup, please?

The soup smelled really yummy, so I tried my best to see if I could get a taste. I was so patient the entire time they were cooking the soup. I tried my cute "sit on the floor without making a peep" trick. I tried "moving closer without making a peep" trick. I tried my "little ears." I tried showing my mom my tricks: spin, sit, stand, hind-legs, down, around. Anything, anything for a taste of that deliciousness that I was smelling...

And then I had my chance. My dad was in the kitchen getting water, and my mom ran upstairs to get something. The soup was unsupervised on the dining room table.

I popped up on my mom's chair to take a look, and...

??????????

What is that thing in the soup?

Aiiee!!! Alien!!!!!!

Oh my dog!!!!! Run away! Run away!! There is a monster claw in your soup!!!!

Crab Happy

2010-08-18T09:04:00.034-04:00

I love visiting my human grandparents' house. They always have food that they are willing to share, and I, of course, am always willing to try whatever they are cooking. Their dogs don't always like me, but that is a minor issue compared to the glorious food and pets that I get from everyone. Bring on the loving!

Two weeks ago, my human grandmom called to ask us if we wanted to come down to visit. My mom's aunt, uncle, and cousins were visiting from Pennsylvania. We already had a really packed weekend: a Vizsla Meetup, a wedding, plus my mom had just finished her bar exam on Friday. So, my mom told my grandmom that we were really sorry, but it was just a little too much for one weekend.

But my human grandmom is a smart cookie. She knows that if she mentions crabs, my dad will get up out of a bed, pack up the car in the dead of night, drive the two hours down to Southern Maryland before the sun comes up, sing the alphabet backwards, juggle hula hoops, and generally do just about anything for Maryland crabs. He loves eating them that much. So, she did what every good grandmother does:

"Oh, that's a shame. We were thinking of having crabs."

They look scary, but my dad says they taste delicious.

Then I heard my mom whisper to my dad: "They are going to have crabs."

My Dad: "Crabs? Crabs??? Of course we'll be there. Tell her we're coming."

So, my mom made sure to take it easy so that she didn't get any migraines, and we jumped in the car on Sunday morning and headed South for the day.

The first thing I did when I got to their house was greet everyone with licks and wiggles. The second thing was to burst through the back door to the back yard to play ball. The third thing was to play volleyball in the backyard by myself (fling the ball in the air with my front paws, bounce on nose, repeat). The fourth thing was to leap into the swimming pool while my mom was asking my grandpa permission (sorry grandpa, I didn't want to wait). The fifth thing was to play frisbee with my Uncle Mark. The sixth thing was to play football with the kids, trying to make interceptions and tackle the other players to get to the ball. After each interception, I ran a victory lap around the field before dropping it back in front of the quarterback so that we could do it again.

Then, the crabs arrived, and it was time for dinner.


Beer and crabs -- the true Maryland past-time.

I had to have a "time out" inside while everyone was eating crabs so that I didn't accidentally eat a broken shell if it fell on the ground, but I was so exhausted from all of the ball playing, frisbee catching, and swimming that I didn't care.

After they were done eating, I was allowed to come outside again. It was awesome because all of the best food was still out.

"Puh-lease, can I have some watermelon?"

I worked hard for my food, too. I did lots of tricks: sit, stand, twirl, down, through the legs, around, up on my hind legs... you get the idea. The more stubborn people got "little ears" until they gave in and shared some of their yummies. And before I knew it, my belly was full of watermelon, strawberries, carrot sticks, potato chips, hamburger, and all of the Charlee Bear dog treats that my mom had brought to keep me on my best behavior. Ahhh...

What a great day! Mom, when can we visit again?

Bunny dream

2010-08-16T09:48:00.000-04:00

Zzzzz...

Sometimes I dream that I'm a bunny rabbit.

Planet of the Giant Squash

2010-08-13T09:13:00.001-04:00

My mom and dad brought home some vegetables from Pop's garden, including this big guy:

The squash was 16 inches tall -- almost taller than I was!

Looks kind-of weird. My mom said that I couldn't nibble it, but I wanted to see how heavy it was.

Ughh... so heavy!

I think the squash weighed like five billion pounds. Mom, you can have it back so that you can bake your zucchini bread now.

Chapter Two: Pawprints and Memories

2010-08-11T14:40:00.003-04:00

We parked the car, got all of our stuff together, and headed to the beach. I was really excited. I hadn't been to a real beach since our trip to North Carolina two years ago.

My mom said that Assateague Island has 37 miles of pristine beaches.

As we were walking towards the beach...

Ew. Really? Those horses have no etiquette.

Hello??? Horses? Are you coming back to clean that up? If a puppy left a pile like that in Baltimore City, we would be fined a ka-jillion dollars.

My mom wasn't lying about the beach, though...

It was big, and wide, and beautiful, and wonderful!

And it was teeming with all sorts of wildlife,

Like this little froggy that I rolled on,

and birdies.

Here, birdie, birdie, birdie...

Hunting birdies is hard when you're still attached to a walking leash.

So... dad, when are you going to let me off this leash? What? What do you mean "not a chance"?!? I know it is against the rules for me to be off-leash here, but don't you always break the rules? Why do I have to stay on a leash when the horses get to roam free? Can anyone say "species discrimination"? So unfair!

According to my mom, she said that I had to stay on the leash for my own safety. The wild horses might hurt me if I ran up to them, so it was best to keep me under lock and key. Besides, we can still have fun even if I'm tethered.

I had lots of fun racing through the waves with my mom, and then my dad had an idea.

My dad suggested that we should go swimming. I love swimming -- anywhere, anytime. You want to swim? I'm your girl! But that morning, I just wasn't so sure. It had been a few years since I swam in the ocean, so the waves were kind-of scary. Plus, the water was really cold. So, I decided that no, I most decidedly was not going in the water. But, as soon as my dad ran into the water, I immediately changed my mind. I started screaming, flailing, and spinning. And, before my mom knew it, I flew so fast that I ripped the leash out of my mom's hands (it was looped around her arm), spun her around, and leaped "frog-like" through the waves until I got to my dad.

Then, almost as suddenly as I jumped in, I realized that I had left my mom on the shore (plus it was really, really cold), so I raced back out of the ocean and ran smack into my mom.

"cold, cold, cold"

My mom was a little freaked out about my off-leash tryst because about a half-football field away from us were:

Five wild horses chilling out on the beach!

Sorry, Mom, I didn't mean to scare you, but I promise that they wouldn't eat me. Once my mom calmed down and realized that, no, the horses are not interested in eating me, I took advantage of the opportunity and took some pictures with the ponies.

Dad, make sure to get my good side!

See, Mom, the horses aren't scary at all!

All in all, it was a great day.

Making pawprints in the sand, making memories...

Isn't that what life is all about?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Some believe that the horses arrived on Assateague's shores when a Spanish galleon ship (with a cargo of horses) sank offshore. Others believe the horses arrived by early colonial settlers that allowed them to graze there." - Assateague Island National Seashore

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter One: This Way to Assateague Island

2010-08-08T20:36:00.004-04:00

On Friday night, my mom and dad realized that for the first time in years, they didn't have any work plans for the weekend. So, they decided to take an impromptu day trip on Saturday.

I wanted to know where this "trip" would take us, but my mom said, "We can't tell you. It would ruin the surprise!"

I'm so excited! But I'm a little nervous about the "surprise" part. The last time there was a "surprise" trip, we ended up getting lost, and our 1 hour trip turned into a 3 hour trip.

I was trying to read the road signs to figure out where we were headed.

Berlin? Are we going to Germany?

Nope. I was wrong. We were going to Assateague Island!

This is a picture of the marshes as we were driving onto the island. Such a pretty place full of birdies. Anywhere that has wildlife gets an A+ in my book!

Further along the road, we came across this sign:

Haha... I think someone forgot their Starbucks on the morning that they made that sign. Horses aren't wildlife!

Whoa, whoa, whoa...

Did I really see what I thought I saw?

I can't believe that I just saw wild horses hanging out on the side of the road!?!

There were more horses in the parking lot! Wow! Ok, maybe the sign was a "little bit" right.

I'm having a really weird case of deja vu. Here I was dreaming of wild horses, and then we visit a place with wild horses. Mom, are you sure we're in the right place?

Apparently, about 300 wild ponies wander the beaches, inland pine forest, and salt marshes of Assateague Island National Seashore. The land and water boundaries of Assateague Island total over 48,000 acres in Maryland and Virginia.

So long, farewell, Bar Exam!

2010-08-04T14:33:00.019-04:00

My mom took the Bar Exam last week. She said it was the single most difficult and exhausting thing she has ever done in her life -- and I believe it.

Maybe if I put my head on your book, you'll have to take a break?

Preparing for the exam was a full-time job. She studied all the time.

This sock is not quite as fun as my mom.

My mom had to "schedule" playtime with me every few hours.

This is us sleeping on the couch in the office.

My dad and I barely saw her, and we often had to sleep alone because she would work so late. By the fifth week of studying, I refused to go to bed without her. I cried a lot. I laid under her chair, or on the futon in the office, or sometimes just sprawled out in the hallway. Either way, it equated to many sleepless nights for me and many lonely nights for my dad. We were a sad bunch, and all missed each other a LOT.

Then, one morning last week, no one else was in bed when I woke up.

I came downstairs just in time to see my dad hand my mom a lunch bag and say, "Don't worry. You've done everything you could possibly do to prepare. You're ready for whatever they throw at you."

My dad makes my mom the best lunches ever!

At that moment I realized the miraculous truth! Game day!

And even though we were throwing my mom into the lion's den, all I could think was:

Today is the day I get my mom back!!!!

(dance a little jig)

Dear God in heaven,

Thank you for helping me, my mom, and my dad survive the Bar Exam.

Kisses, Laila

Bread-napper strikes again!

2010-06-28T15:25:00.000-04:00

The infamous bread-napper strikes again!

Maybe someday my dad will remember to put the bread back on top of the refrigerator, but until that time...

"yummy in my tummy!"

Missing my mommy

2010-06-25T16:37:00.002-04:00

For the past four weeks, all my mom has done has been study, study, study all day long. Now, don't get me wrong. I keep busy. My mom and I go to the park in the morning, take a walk or two in the middle of the day, and my dad takes me to the park every night. I get to hang out with my friends until they get too hot, and I've got my baby pool in the backyard to splash around in and keep me cool. And don't forget all of my stuffies and chewies. But something is missing.

I miss my Mommy.

Hey, mom, do you have any room? Can I snuggle with you while you take your practice test?

Ahh... much better! I know that you haven't left the house, but I've been missing you!

Just Call me "Aunt" Laila

2010-06-23T16:40:00.008-04:00

I am an AUNT!!!!

My brother Rocky's girlfriend Daisy gave birth to seven beautiful and very healthy puppies on Saturday! Four girls and three boys. Just in time for Fathers' Day.

Welcome to the world, little ones!

Milk bar.

Post-milk nap with mom.

It's hard work being a puppy.

"Miss Purple." Cute, isn't she?

I'm not biased or anything, but I think my nieces and nephew are adorable.

Congratulations to Willorunn Vizslas on their beautiful litter!

Wish I was a country girl...

2010-06-18T16:19:00.004-04:00

My favorite thing to do is in the summer is to go swimming, but my second favorite thing is going for long hikes in the woods. The best is when I can combine the two, but I'll take what I can get.

A couple of weeks ago (before my mom started studying for the bar exam), my mom and dad took me for a hike up near where my dad grew up. It's not officially an off-leash area, so I won't tell you where it is, but I really love going there because there are lots of stuff to do.

There is a forest to zig-zag through, fields to hunt birdies in, hills to run up, and hills to run down, tall grasses to leap through, holes to pop my head into (don't worry, Mom, I won't get nibbled on), a lake to look at (not for swimming), a creek for splashing in, and lots of great smells and wildlife to check out!

We started out hiking a few miles through the woods.

Hmm... what is in here?

Let me get a better sniff...

Further along the trail, we came across the Raptor Cages, where the Nature Center houses several birds of prey which have been permanently injured and cannot take care of themselves.

"Umm... hello Mr. Buzzard, Sir. You look kind-of grumpy, so I'll leave you alone now."

No time to waste. Let's keep going!

Next on the agenda was a trip to the nearby open fields.

I hunted birds and chased bunnies for awhile.

... but then my mom and dad brought out my ball! Yes!!!!!!!!

Now, the key is not to lose your ball. Especially when the field is as big as this one.

But, you know what? Surprising, between my dad and I, we found it!

What a great day!

All treats, no stuffies?

2010-06-14T18:24:00.003-04:00

My treat and chewie supply has been running a little low, so my mom sent an order in to White Dog Bone, which is my favorite store in the world. They have super yummy treats, delicious chewies, and the world's greatest stuffies. Well, maybe I'm a little biased, but I think they are great. Especially the Vanilla rawhides and the stuffies!

I was really excited when the package finally arrived! I knew that my mom probably got me all sorts of great stuff!

Treats, chewies...

... and you know that she got me some new stuffies since I only have ~~seven~~ like one or two.

But wait, where are the stuffies!?! Did I miss them?

Are they over here?

Here?

Where could they be?

Wait a minute.

Mom, what do you mean you didn't buy any new stuffies?

Conestoga Vizsla Club's "Fun Day" Recap!

2010-06-08T00:35:00.015-04:00

This past Sunday was the Conestoga Vizsla Club's 2010 Annual Fun Day! My mom has wanted to attend the event for the last two years, but something always came up, so this was the first year that we went!

We missed the morning hunt seminar, but we watched the agility seminar and demonstration, tried out the agility course, did a lure course, went to a conformation seminar, ate a BBQ lunch, and played with lots of crazy redheads.

AGILITY COURSE

I've never seen an agility course before, but it was really fun! During the demonstration, my mom told me to look through the fence while they were doing the demonstration so that I could see what they were doing. As soon as I saw the demo dog doing some jumps and going through tunnels, I was hooked. I got really excited, popped my head up over the fence so that I could see better, started pawing at the fence so that I could get in, and then started my "let me go, let me go, let me go!" trembles. Once we were allowed inside, I was so excited to try everything out!
I had no idea what I was doing, but I had fun!

LURE COURSE

I loved the lure course also. I wish that my mom had gotten my run on video because it was awesome! They had a pulley system hooked up which ran a rope around a field pulling a plastic bag. I know, a plastic bag, how silly is that? I heard about how funny it was to watch, so my mom and dad decided to come down to see what all of the laughs were about. I was a bit curious about all of the fuss as well, seeing that it was just a piece of trash being pulled on a string.

But then I got down to the lure course field, and something happened inside of me, I don't know what it is, but it happened, and I just... fell in love with that plastic bag. I know, I know. I can hear how crazy it is as I'm writing it right now, but it is true! I know I said it earlier, but I really wish my mom had gotten my run on video. She said that it was amazing to see how fast I ran -- that after I reached the distance that I normally would have caught the chuck-it ball, I had a kick-back, threw it into high gear, and seemed to fly around the corner and through the rest of the course. I ran even faster the second time. The man running the course only let each dog run the course twice -- something about it being too much stress on our bones or muscles or something...
But I would have run it twenty times if they had let me! Now if only I could convince my dad to secretly build a private lure course for me at the super-secret dog park down the street...

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

There was a large fenced-in area where we could run around and be our typical redheaded selves, which was fun. I saw old friends and met a *lot* of new ones!
At one point, there were over a dozen of us romping around the enclosure, but of course, my mom didn't think to get out her camera. Silly mom. She was too busy chatting with the other Vizsla moms and dads. Thanks for making it such a special day, guys!

FAMILY REUNIONS

My brother Rocky came to the Fun Day with his mom Rachel. I hadn't seen Rocky in months and months, so it was nice to have a chance to spend some quality time together.
"Let's get ready to rumble..."

Of course, my mom wanted to get a "brother-sister" picture of the two of us.
So embarrassing... I hope none of my friends are watching.
Wait a minute... is Miss Rachel holding dehydrated Tuna? Yum! Take your time, Mom! Take as many pictures as you want! Just keep those treats coming!

I also officially met my 15 week old cousin Season and her wonderful mom Susan. Season is one of Brisztow Jones's puppies from Tivoliz's Kissable litter.
In addition to being a natural at agility (she loved the tunnels!), Season lived up to the theme of her litter by demonstrating just how very kissable she is. What a sweetheart!

WHAT A GREAT DAY!

It was a "fun day", but I was so exhausted that by 3:00pm, I was almost begging my mom to go home.
And if you are asking yourself if I fell asleep like this,

yes I did...

for the entire hour-long car ride.

(don't worry, I was wearing my doggie seat belt)

Was it Goldilocks?

2010-06-02T21:14:00.007-04:00

When I got home from my super-awesome-trip to New Castle, PA, with Miss Debbie, Miss Melissa, my dad Owe'n, my sister Georgie, and a bunch of my cousins (including little Joey Dozer) on Monday night, I noticed that something was different.

Everything was the way it was supposed to be, but something was different.

While I was gone, somebody had been napping on my blankets...
Sleeping in my bed....
And (gasp!) cuddling with my turtle at night....
Who could it be?
Oh, it was just my cousin Skoda-boda. Hi Skoda!

Dear Skoda, thanks for keeping Myrtle the Turtle (and my mom and dad) safe while I was away, and be sure to take extra-special good care of your new two-legged human baby sister Stella when you get home. You can come back any time you want -- I'll even let you play with my raccoon!

Great news!

2010-05-29T15:46:00.003-04:00

I won my first major on Friday at a show in New Castle, PA!!!! Big thanks to Miss Debbie for handling me!

AND...
My mom finally graduated!
No time for celebrating though; she has to start studying for the Bar Exam.

Vegetarian Toga Party

2010-05-12T13:10:00.006-04:00

Ever since my Mom started using a new medication a few weeks ago, she's been able to do a lot more stuff than usual -- like cook dinner!

I love when my Mom makes dinner because she normally drops little bits of food as she cooks -- mostly by accident, but sometimes on purpose.

I've heard that if you wish for something hard enough, it's bound to come true. Well, I wished for a head of lettuce, and I got . . .
. . . a Grecian Goddess costume.

Mom, hand me a dish towel. I'm late for a toga party!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T13:16:00.004-04:00

"God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers."
Jewish proverb

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mothers in the world, both with two legs...

...and four.

My first meetup with the DC/MD Vizsla Meetup Group!

2010-05-08T12:57:00.008-04:00

Today was my very first meetup with the DC/Maryland Vizsla Meetup Group and their humans. And of course my mom forgot her camera in the car. Hopefully some of the other RESPONSIBLE puppy parents (i.e., everyone else!) will share pictures with my mom. The playdate/hike was at McKee Beshers, a 2,000 acre tract in a mixture of woodlands, fields, wooded bottomland and managed wetland impounds. It was nearly a three-hour round trip from Baltimore City, but it was totally worth it to hike and meet new friends..

Four other Vizslas came to the Meetup: Colby, Khan, Ivan, and Franz. I tended to stay near the two-legged crowd since I was the only girl of the group (plus, that was where the treats were!), but the four boys had a blast running like mad crazy men through the grass.

Here is a video of all of us:

Colby (solid blue collar), Khan (blue and white collar), Ivan (orange collar), Franz (yellow collar), and me (orange collar)

I did beat them at one thing though. At the very end of the hike, a bunch of them jumped into the marsh, bounced around, and hopped out. Rookies!

I decided to show them how it is done, so I leaped right in and swam out into the marsh.
Haha! Beat that, boys!

Hope to see all of them soon!

Ginger, LuAnn, and Yikes!

2010-05-02T20:28:00.008-04:00

My mom and I have taking advantage of the beautiful weather by spending a lot of time at my super-secret dog park with some of my friends.

LuAnn, one of my doggie friends, is a super cutie!

Her humans named her after Countess LuAnn from BRAVO TV's show The Real Housewives of New York City.

One of my human friends named Karen owns a Hairless Chinese Crested named Isaac.

Isaac's nickname is Yikes. If you take off Isaac's coat, everyone screams, yikes! because he doesn't have any hair!

Another one of my good friends is Ginger.

Ginger is half Doberman-half German Shephard. She moved with her human to Baltimore from LasVegas over the winter. She loves to play ball!

I, on the other hand, love to eat sticks.
Once my Mom peeled all of the bark off of the stick, she let me chew on it all I wanted.

Once again, I am FAMOUS!

2010-04-30T14:15:00.006-04:00

A few (yes, more than one!) pictures of me will be included in a local exhibit running from May 3 through May 10 in Baltimore.

John Woestendiek--local writer of ohmidog!, photographer, and good friend--will be putting on an exhibit featuring pictures of 150 South Baltimore dogs, entitled

"Hey, That's MY Dog"

Opening night is Monday, May 3rd at 6:00 pm,
and the exhibit will be up all week.

at Captain Larry's in South Baltimore
601 E. Fort Avenue
No cover charge.

Here is a preview of the exhibit:

Unframed photographs will be available for sale.
Profits going to Baltimore Area Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS).

Hope to see you there!

The exhibit preview was set to music by David Israel and performed in April, 2010 at the South Baltimore Hootenanny, a semi-regular gathering of semi-regular musicians who congregate at Captain Larry’s in South Baltimore, Maryland

Revenge

2010-04-03T23:16:00.007-04:00

Dear Mr. Dremel, Sir,

I've told you again and again that I do not like you.

I hate the sound that you make when my dad does my nails, and I really hate how it feels on my poor toes. Beauty is supposed to be luxorious, not uncomfortable. Am I right, ladies?
I've often thought about what I'd do with you if I found you unprotected. So, when my mom and dad left me home alone for a few hours this afternoon, I thought "now is my chance!"
Lucky for you, you weren't very tasty and escaped relatively unscathed.
Too bad that I can't say the same about my "after nails" treats. Yum!
Oh hi, Mom. You're home early...

um...

I know what you are thinking, but I *swear* it wasn't me!

I cheated

2010-03-23T18:10:00.004-04:00

Last night, I threw caution to the wind, gave in to temptation, and cheated on my diet. Big time! I've been really good about my diet for weeks and weeks, so it was inevitable that I would cave eventually.

My dad left a whole loaf of bread on the kitchen counter -- just within my reach. No one was looking, so I hijacked the bread from the counter and took it to my secret "I-can-eat-food-here-without-anyone-noticing" place. I wasn't going to eat it, I swear. I was just going to smell it and play with it a bit. But it smelled sooo good! I nibbled a little hole in the bag to smell it better. Mmmm... So good! A little nibble off of a bread corner couldn't hurt anyone...

... and before I even knew what was happening...
... well, I'm sure you can guess the rest.

Springtime is Crazytime

2010-03-08T13:02:00.006-05:00

I do believe that spring has officially sprung in South Baltimore. The weather is so nice. I had a great time walking around Fort McHenry Park on Saturday with my mom and dad. I even got to flirt with a couple of other doggies on our walk. Their humans weren't too happy about that, though. Apparently my super-sexy pheromones are so strong that they drove other doggies crazy (in a bad way) from all the way across the park.

I don't mind wearing my fancy pants in the house,

but
I miss my friends!

Is it spring yet?

2010-03-05T13:38:00.007-05:00

I cannot wait until Spring!

Right now, the City is a combination of BLAH's.

All of the snow is gone, so I no longer have any snow mounds to use as my personal potty chair. The slightly warmer weather that melted the snow has made my "super secret" park into a thick, pudding-like muddy-mud-mud. And now that I've come "into season," I can't play with my friends in the super-muddy park even if I wanted to. Ugh...

I can barely remember what warm weather feels like,

but I do remember . . .that the grass turns green and soft under my toes;
that it gets warm enough to walk to Federal Hill Park without wearing a jacket (the winds whip around the hill and make it very chilly);
that the duck-birdies in the Inner Harbor start making little chickies and then taunt me by swimming along the docks;
that the City starts planting flowers; and
that my Dad would rather take long walks to the Harbor with us than stay home inside the nice warm house.

*sigh*

I wish Springtime would hurry up and get here!

Brizstow's Puppies!

2010-02-26T14:30:00.005-05:00

Great news for all of my friends. It's time to get your puppy fix!

My aunt Brizstow Jones--famous writer of New York City's Urban Mutt blog--gave birth to a litter of five beautiful Vizsla puppies on Tuesday, February 23rd.

Four girls, and one boy:
Elise, Alaila, Joey, Season, and Carli

Brizstow is writing a new blog about her babies, so you can watch them grow up over the next eight weeks at her offshoot blog:
Urban Mutt: The Next Chapter.

More Blizzard, More Riley

2010-02-23T21:59:00.008-05:00

I forgot to tell all of you about the fun times I had with my best friend Riley during the Blizzard--and about his hurt-ed tooth. Right in the middle of all of this snow nonsense, poor Riley had to take a trip to the V-E-T to get a tooth pulled. I think he said that part of his tooth had backed, or cracked, or something. Either way, that tooth had to come out. It is a very good thing that we live in the city! His mom was able to take him to Dr. T who lives and works just a few blocks away. Dr. T gave him some sleepy drugs.

What mom? Sometimes you wish that you had some sleepy drugs to give to me? Silly Mom! Haven't you heard? Drugs are for thugs. Oh, and for Riley because his tooth was so hurt-ed.

Anyway, after he was asleep, the doctor took out his tooth and put it in a jar to give to his Mommy. My mom got to see it, and she said it was huge!

Plus, Riley got all of his teeth cleaned, so now they are sparkling white! (I checked)

Even though he had surgery the day before, his Mom and Dad let him come out and play, so we had a chance to run, play, and wrestle in the street while the snow was falling.

We played snow-ball with my dad, did some racing games, and wrestled.I even caught a snowball. I caught it and nearly brought it back to my dad, but then it disappeared! Ugh... Where do those magical balls go?!?
Oh well, at least I know where Riley was. He was very well-behaved and waited nicely for me while I ran up the street to check out things for my dad. What a gentleman!

Come to think of it, he was looking kind-of handsome in his blue jacket with the popped collar. Combine that with his super-duper sparkly teeth, amazingly fast running, and...
Ladies, move out of the way because I am in L-O-V-E! Hey Riley, I have a present for you. I know I left it somewhere . . .

*dig,dig,dig*
Yum, just where I left it 20 minutes ago, fresh snow! Here, Riley, do you want a quick bite before I...
Zoom!

I hear that boys like it when you play hard-to-get.

Blizzard of 2010 Recap

2010-02-18T16:07:00.002-05:00

So far this winter, Mother Nature dumped a total of 79.9 inches of snow on Baltimore. Yes, you heard me. Over six feet of snow.
Trees fell down. Cars were covered.

No one could get their cars out of the snow for days. I even had trouble navigating the snow.

I almost buried myself when I jumped into the snow the first time I went into the backyard. Flop!
But, after a few runs through the snow in the street, I started having some fun. Especially because I could play anywhere I wanted! On the sidewalk, on the steps, in the street . . .My neighbor Steven came outside to play with me.
Since we couldn't play with with a regular ball or frisbee because it got buried before I could get to it, we played "snowball."

Snow ball was a much better game because you don't really lose the ball; it disappears like magic! Sometimes I catch it, but it falls apart before I can bring it back

Later in the day, my mom and dad took me to my super-secret dog park.The snow was really deep.
I had to leap like a deer to get through the tall snow drifts.

We played snowball and catch with a stick.
Even when I was standing on top of the snow, there was at least a foot and a half beneath my feet.

When we got home, I was so cold that my teeth were chattering, and my mom wrapped me up in two blankets.Hey mom, I'm just going to snuggle right here. Can you make me a cup of hot peanut butter?

Work out: Day 11

2010-02-02T12:50:00.006-05:00

Working out with Frisbee and Logs

My mom and I have been working out a lot lately. I'm having a blast running, catching, and wrestling; but I think my dad is a little sad because I'm usually too tired to do any zoomie-zoomie-play-with-me dances by the time he gets home. I get the most exercise when I have to race other dogs to get the frisbee, so my mom is really happy that we've reconnected with my old friends and made a bunch of new ones. The park is usually empty on our morning and mid-day/early-evening visits, which means one-on-one frisbee time with my mom.
I'm ready whenever you are, Mom.
Get, ready, get set . . .
Wahoo! My mom tried to get a picture of me jumping up and grabbing the frisbee out of the air, but her camera wasn't really up to the task yesterday, so you'll have to settle for a quick line-drive catch.
After about twenty minutes, I got bored of frisbee. I stopped bringing it back to my mom and went off in search of sticks until I made the ultimate discovery:
A LOG!
Haha! I got it!
Logs, yum!
I'm ready, Mom. Throw it!
Hey! What do you mean I can't eat the log? It's a great source of, um, vitamins....

New Year's Resolution: Exercise

2010-01-23T18:20:00.003-05:00

So, it's official.

My mom and I have been lazy, and I've become a fatty. My mom says that my food-vacuum ability probably hasn't helped, but that our daily walks and frisbee sessions just aren't cutting it.

She said we will still play frisbee every day, but that it's time to kick it into high gear and figure out a way to shed some holiday pounds and get my muscles back in shape.

Her solution? Set up a daily walk and a weekly play group.
So, calling all Baltimorean dogs out there . . .

Who wants to join my weight-watchers club?

And the winner is . . .

2010-01-07T14:02:00.003-05:00

Thanks for all of your nice congratulations on my blogoversary!

The winner of the contest is:

Amanda, from Texas!
(and her V-pups Zoe and Mia)

Amanda writes a wonderful blog called Click. The Good News. Her blog documents her life, travels, vacations, family events, and two Vizsla pups in beautiful pictures. Stop by her blog for a heartwarming smile.

Blogoversary Contest!

2010-01-05T08:30:00.001-05:00

Holy smokes, two years!
Remember when I just a little puppy?

My mom and I started writing my diary (this blog) when I was only eight weeks old, and today is our 2-Year Blogoversary!

In honor of today's event, I am going to have a little contest. The first person to correctly answer all (or most of) the questions wins a prize!

Ok, ready, set, go!

1. What is my official AKC name? (hint: look at the top of the page)
2. What city do I live in?
3. Name three of my favorite foods. (hint: I steal most of them off of the counters)
4. When is my birthday?
5. How many brothers and sisters were in my litter, and what my littermates' names?
6. Name three of my favorite toys.
7. Who do I live with?
8. Name two of my puppy friends.
9. Where is my favorite place to sleep?
10. What "dud" gift did I get for Christmas?
11. Who loves me the most?

After you post your answers, add a second post (don't worry, my mom won't put it up on the blog) with your email address so that my mom can contact you if you win! Good luck!

Go RAVENS!

2010-01-03T18:39:00.003-05:00

Sunday is "hang-out-with-my-dad-and-watch-football-all-day" day. We live in Baltimore, so my dad and I root for the Baltimore RAVENS!

Yay! Go birdies!

I like football days because I get to spend quality time getting cozy with my dad on the couch and eating snacks.
Like I said, football day is the best!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-27T00:27:00.007-05:00

Happy holidays to all of you from the city of Baltimore!

My holiday has been really fun so far.
My mom let me play with the cardboard roll left over after my she used all of the wrapping paper!
Mmm . . . cardboard wrapping paper roll.
My mom and dad finally decorated the tree.
Hmm . . . mom, I don't know about you, but
Is there a huge bald spot right here?

Maybe we should hang another ornament, like a peanut butter cookie or a mini-flying squirrel. I vote for the cookies so that I can snack every time I walk by the tree!
After my mom hung a new ornament to cover the bald spot, I couldn't help but notice that there were a lot of presents under the tree. I didn't think my mom would notice if a little one disappeared.
So, I stole one and opened it up on Christmas Eve. And, oh my dog, it was a brand new Kong!

The only problem was that it didn't have any peanut butter or treats in it. What good is a Kong with no treats?

Mom, you can have that present back. It's a dud.
Time to head to bed so that Santa can come and do his magic. I sure hope Santa gives better gifts than my mom.

Eva's first snow

2009-12-22T00:05:00.001-05:00

My aunt Joan and uncle Mike adopted a greyhound named Eva last week from a Greyhound rescue group called Greyhound Welfare, Inc. She sure is a beauty. She grew up in a kennel down in Florida or someplace warm where they grow oranges and peaches, so this is her VERY first snow.

And she LOVES it, can't you tell?

It'll B'More fun in the snow

2009-12-19T18:38:00.005-05:00

It'll B'More fun in the snow, ahem, blizzard!

There is a *LOT* of snow in Baltimore. And I do mean, a lot!

But I learned that snow can be pretty fun and useful.

All-natural Beer cooler.

Blankets for cars.
A great excuse to wear my coat and play with the amazing renewable disappearing ball.
Where did it go?

It's HERE! The snow is HERE!

2009-12-19T00:19:00.004-05:00

I guess I didn't get in touch with Mr. Heat Miser in time because . . .

the snow is already here!

It started falling at about 10:00pm last night.

I still don't like snow, but it was sort-of fun to lick snow off of the ground.
By midnight, it really started to cover the ground.
Maybe this Snow Miser guy really knows what he is talking about. I actually kind-of like the snow!
It turned the city into a blizz-onderland.
This is what it looked like when I woke up on Saturday morning. And it's still snowing!

Mom, get those boots on, and let's gooo!

Snow, snow, go away, come again some other day!

2009-12-18T15:34:00.010-05:00

It's going to snow, snow, snow, right here in Baltimore City.

Like I said, It's going to snow. And snow. And snow. And after that, it will probably snow even more.

I've seen snow before, and I'm pretty sure that I didn't like it. It's that white cold stuff that falls from the sky and makes my toes freeze, right Mom?

Maybe if I knew what it really is, I could figure out how to keep it away. I asked my dad because he is the math/science guy in the family. My dad started to tell me about snow, "Snow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of . . . "

Zzzzzz...

I'd rather find out about it in a cartoonish, sing-song way. The Year Without a Santa Claus is my mom's all-time favorite Christmas movie, so she suggested that I talk to THIS guy.

Hello, Mr. Snow Miser, sir. Can you tell me about snow?

Ok, so what I learned is: snow comes from a very scary-looking man in the sky with an icicle house, an icicle chair, and creepy snow people dancing around him. And I also learned that his red-hot brother could melt the snow off his nose.

Anyone have the telephone number for this Heat Miser guy? I think I might need his services tomorrow.

Why no holiday decorations?

2009-12-16T22:53:00.003-05:00

Mom and Dad, this is getting ridiculous.
I can't help but notice that our house is decorated with books and paper instead of trees and tinsel. Will you EVER be done with work and school?? It's almost Christmas for Dog's sake!?!?! Time to whip it into shape!

Humongous news!

2009-12-15T12:07:00.001-05:00

Both my MOMMY KAYLA and my DADDY OWE'N are showing in . . .

wait for it . . .

The Westminster Kennel Club's 134th Annual Dog Show
Madison Square Garden in New York City
Monday and Tuesday, February 15-16, 2010

Such a huge honor.

Obviously, I have a huge paws to fill.

Congratulations to
Miss Melissa of Captivatin' Vizslas and Miss Debbie of Tivoliz Vizslas
on this huge accomplishment!!!

Kayla: Ch. Szizlin Aint She Captivati'n, NA NAJ TDI CGC
Owe'n: Ch. Tivoliz CC Joint Venture, JH

Meet Kailey!

2009-12-14T14:54:00.008-05:00

Today is a very happy day! My very first human-family cousin was adopted on Saturday!

Meet Kailey (or Haley)!
My aunt Dawn and uncle Dan haven't quite decided on a forever name yet.
Hopefully she doesn't compete with my cuteness at family gatherings, but even I can't deny it: she is so darn cute!

Kailey is a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. She lived with another family for five years, but they gave her up because they couldn't deal with her food allergies. I don't know what "allergy" means, but my mom says that I have to be good when I'm around Kailey. I can't teach her the secret stairway to the kitchen counter (the chairs!) or my magic tricks of sit, stand, spin, and twirl to "wow" the guests into sharing their scrumptious yummies. We have to wait to see what the allergist says about what she can and can't eat. Good thing aunt Dawn knows all about food allergies; it is a match made in heaven.

I can't wait to meet her!

Which one is not like the other?

2009-12-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

My mom came across this picture and wants to know:

. . . which of these three is not like the other?

My dad says that the one in the middle is the odd one out. He said that the other two keep him toasty warm during the winter: his boots when he is working outside, and me when he lounging inside the house.

Christmas Cupcakes

2009-12-09T21:21:00.008-05:00

The holidays are finally here, and so are the Christmas goodies!

My aunt Joan gave my mom some really good homemade cupcakes as an early Christmas present. I smelled them the minute my mom walked in the door. They smelled soo good. I bet they tasted good, too. I was absolutely sure that my mom would share with me.

I politely asked for cupcake at first, but when my mom ignored me and walked into the kitchen to put some stuff away, I climbed up onto the couch to get a better look at the cookie tin.

Mom, puh-lease can I have one?!? How could you say "no" to this face?

Where, oh where . . .

2009-12-06T13:59:00.004-05:00

Where, oh where, is the cord that plugs my mom's camera into her computer?

It's not under the pillow, mom,
but I'm going to stay right here until it shows up, zzzzzzzzzz....

Dad, wake up!

2009-12-02T16:12:00.000-05:00

Dad, wake up! I want to get under the blanket with you!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful . . .

2009-12-01T11:29:00.009-05:00

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,

But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Brrr, it's cold outside! Winter is definitely in my top four favorite seasons. Even though it is not snowing here in Baltimore yet, it is definitely time to unpack those coats, hats, and gloves. And, I for one am a huge fan of coats!
I loved my first little pink plaid coat. Look at how cute I was!
And my khaki plaid helps keep me snuggly warm when I'm in the field or lounging on the couch at home. I never want to take it off.

But apparently my puppy friend Spencer who lives with my human Grandmom doesn't really like his coat.

He kept fighting with it and trying to eat it.

Now Spencer, don't be rude to your coat. Sometimes puppies need coats to keep themselves warm. I mean, don't you want to run and play outside? Coats are great for keeping you warm when it is super cold and windy. Give it a chance. Who knows, maybe your coat will become your friend for life.

Snug as a . . .

2009-11-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Snug as a . . .
. . . Vizsla!

Cleaning, Shmeaning

2009-11-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Mom, I know you are trying to clean the house, but it's time for my nap.

You don't mind cleaning around me, do you?

Pictures with Santa!!!!

2009-11-20T13:49:00.006-05:00

It seems a little early in the season, but . . .

Santa is coming to town!!
Again!

I'm still not sure who this "Santa" guy is, but he can't be all that bad. I mean, he dropped off all sorts of goodies for me last year. Anyone who brings me a Chuck-it flying squirrel and Kong frisbee is a friend to me!

Anyway, this "Santa" guy is going to be at both Federal Hill Park and the Canton Dog Park tomorrow morning from 10am to noon for "Pet Photos with Santa." Now, how he can be at two places at once is weird, but hey!: if he can pop down my chimney with a bag full of gifts, I guess he can do anything.

Last year, our holiday card (featuring me!) was a big hit, so my mom wants to take another Santa-tastic picture this year.
It is kind of fun meeting the "Mr. Santa" himself. But hopefully my Mom doesn't make me wear antlers again. I sort-of looked like Max from The Grinch Stole Christmas last year.

Proceeds benefit The Franky Fund.
The Frankie Fund helps pay for surgeries and medical care for puppies and kitties who don't have humans of their own.

Breaking in?

2009-11-18T14:08:00.000-05:00

No thanks, I want out! Let me out, let me out! I want to play with my dad!

Trying to sleep

2009-11-16T15:55:00.000-05:00

Excuse me Mom, but you are ruining my beauty sleep.

Chapter Three: Getting Pretty

2009-11-11T20:44:00.004-05:00

So, before my party, my mom made me super-pretty. I got a bath and a pedicure.

I put on a pretty pink bow.

I put together the party favors for my puppy friends: a vanilla rawhide retriever from White Dog Bone.

And since it was such a beautiful day outside, I got a quick suntan by the window.

Chapter Two: Birthday Cake!!!

2009-11-11T19:42:00.009-05:00

What is a birthday without cake, right?

Doggie birthday cakes are expensive, so my mom decided to try her hand at making a homemade Peanut Butter Carrot cake for my birthday this year.

And I got to help!
I cleaned up the mixer after shredding the carrots.
And then cleaned up the mixer bowl.
We popped it in the oven.

And then, there was cake!

Some of the humans wanted to try my cake. I didn't want to share at first, but since it was such a big cake, I figured that it was ok if they had a little taste.
John said it tasted like a peanut butter cookie, only drier.

I thought it tasted like heaven. I finished it in under 12 seconds. Yum, yum, yum!!!!

My birthday: Chapter One

2009-11-10T21:22:00.011-05:00

Happy Birthday to me!

I had a fantastic birthday!

It all started with a yummy, yummy biscuit doughnut from Doggie Style!

I had to run upstairs to my favorite step to enjoy my tasty treat.

Only 3 days until my birthday!

2009-11-05T14:26:00.005-05:00

I will officially be two years old (whoa, that's old) in three days, and my mom said I could have a birthday paw-ty!!

Invitations are out.

Now, I just have to figure out what kind of cake I want . . .

Babies in strollers

2009-11-02T16:24:00.006-05:00

I met a lot of "kidlets" and babies at BARCS-toberfest last weekend. I especially loved the babies riding in strollers.

They were perfectly at eye-level and usually had yummy treats to share, like lollipops and juice cups.
That's weird. Do you see what I see?

Does that baby have floppy ears? Oh My Dog! That's not a baby at all!

Hello, Mr. Dachshund. How did you convince your mom to push you around in a stroller?

BARC-toberfest Costume Parade

2009-10-31T21:59:00.009-04:00

Cutest Pumpkin in Baltimore
Aiiee! A two-headed Dog

Scuba Diver

Athletic Pug and his Cheerleader Friend

Rooing Rooster

Starlite, and her human Rainbow Brite
A Huntin' GSP

Robin Hood, Princess of Treats
Escapees from BARCs
Super Dachshund
Golden Superhero
Darth Vader and Minnie Mouse
Bee-autiful Dachsund
Bee-autiful English Bulldog, and . . .and his Human Bumble Bee

and last, but not least . . .
Buddy the Therapy Dog dressed up like, well, Buddy the Therapy Dog

Hope you enjoyed the show!

All proceeds from the event went to BARCS
Baltimore Animal Rescue Care Shelter

Halloween pictures

2009-10-31T12:56:00.001-04:00

Time to carve pumpkins!The first thing to do was to get all of the guts out of the pumpkin.

I let my dad do that job.

*sniff* *sniff*

Gross!
My dad carved a crazy-scary jack-o-lantern, but I helped my mom carve a kitty popping out of a pumpkin. Some of the little kids got scared when they saw my dad's pumpkin, but they all loved MY pumpkin.

Trick-or-Treat, 2009!

Miss Laila

Lunch for breakfast

Kid-tested, Mother-approved

Brrrr...

Big news!

Safety first

Lai-yoga

Fish Need Water

Pillow thief

PSA: Puppy Service Announcement

One shoe, two shoe, three shoe, new shoe

Laundry day

Peanut butter jelly time

Time for flipflops, not hats

Blame my mom

V-Day Present for Me!

Kisses for my Great-Grandmom

Too chilly for swimming?

Patience has its limits

Ultimate frisbee-flying fun

But my name is on it. . .

Snoozing, snoring

Santa, You're Late!

NOT Santa

Does Santa drive a UPS van?

Racing with blinders on

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

'Tis the Season for Trees and Stuffies

Banana & Bread = Delicious

Vegetarian Thanksgiving?

Secret Kiss Attack: A "How To" Guide

Squirrely College Park

*Do Not Disturb*

Hiking with the colors of fall

Sing Along

For you, mom

Raccoon alarm clock

Political Pup

**Squeeze**

Carb Overload. Again.

Mud Art

Homemade Frosty Paws!!!

Feeling better

Super Sick -- Blockage?

Crabby Soup

Crab Happy

Bunny dream

Planet of the Giant Squash

Chapter Two: Pawprints and Memories

Chapter One: This Way to Assateague Island

So long, farewell, Bar Exam!

Bread-napper strikes again!

Missing my mommy

Just Call me "Aunt" Laila

Wish I was a country girl...

All treats, no stuffies?

Conestoga Vizsla Club's "Fun Day" Recap!

Was it Goldilocks?

Great news!

Vegetarian Toga Party

Happy Mother's Day!

My first meetup with the DC/MD Vizsla Meetup Group!

Ginger, LuAnn, and Yikes!

Once again, I am FAMOUS!

Revenge

I cheated

Springtime is Crazytime

Is it spring yet?

Brizstow's Puppies!

More Blizzard, More Riley

Blizzard of 2010 Recap

Work out: Day 11

New Year's Resolution: Exercise

And the winner is . . .

Blogoversary Contest!

Go RAVENS!

Happy Holidays!

Eva's first snow

It'll B'More fun in the snow

It's HERE! The snow is HERE!

Do Not Disturb

Squeeze