NFL Experience

Last Sunday, we got tickets to go to the NFL experience here in Tampa and my nephew Skater Boy and his buddy came with us. The four of us headed out to to tampa. The first thing we did when we got there was stand in line for the games. It was pretty crowded so all the lines were long.
The first game we played was the Touch Pass, where you had to pass the ball into these nets at intervals of 5, 15, or 25 yards away. You get three chances. Skater Boy and Special K had a bet going on that I could beat Skater Boy at all the games. :) This first one we both missed all three. Special K got 2 out of 3 in.
Skater Boy post pass.
We then walked around for a bit and saw all the history of the NFL and checked out the other games. We then picked the Let it fly game, which you had to just throw the ball and see how far you got it. And the waiting in line began....

We got to watch a bunch of people go...and you'd be amazing how many people can throw over 50 ft. :)

Again, Skater boy and I had a bet. He went first this time since I went first the last game. He threw it over 25 ft. I threw about 18 ft or so. Not enough but I had fun. :)
I actually took video of Special K's throws. He did so great! :)

Well, after the games we headed over and went to check out the memorialbillia. Special K got a bumper sticker and Skater Boy got an old steelers superbowl patch. We then walked around and I saw some old friends from Panama and said hi.

And then we headed home!
It was a fun way to spend a sunday. I'm glad we went.

Well, we are getting ready to head to this weeks fun. The Ultimate Superbowl Pawty with the pups. We are actually bringing Jackjack to a doggie event and I'm a bit nervous but Special K will be there to control him. I have to have faith that he'll at least try to behave. We've both already talked about if he can't settle down we'll leave but we're all going because we don't want to leave him home by himself. Wish us luck. As I've mentioned before, he's not aggressive just has poor greeting manners. So, I'm not worried about anyone safety but just my embarrassment. :)

Have a great day! Happy Superbowl weekend!!

GO STEELERS!!

Thanksgiving Cheesecake

For this next post we are going to go back to thanksgiving. We had our first Thanksgiving dinner at my families house and the second with Special K's dads family. So...I decided this year I was going to bring pumpkin cheesecakes. I had made them before from a recipe on Cookinglight.com and here is the link to the recipe. It was good the last time I made it so I decided to try again. Well...I made two. One for each house. It was the first time I got to use my Kitchen Aid mixer which I had gotten as a wedding gift. Love it!! So, they were baked a couple days in advanced and they were perfect! I forgot the eggs in one but realized before it actually baked so was able to rectify the situation.

So...I brought them over to my sister's house and we placed them on the pie table and went about our business. And then...this really sweet looking dog...check her out here with my sister Gina. This is Lucky, Fleas' schnauzer and isn't she just so cute.
Well...she decided to try this said cheesecake before anyone else! She got a big chunk before we noticed. Here I am removing the "dog" tested part.
And this is what it ended up looking like. :)
Let's just say my cheesecake was a hit!

And just because I can. Here is a picture of my pups sprawled out on my sister Fleas' couch like the own the joint. :)
And the last one for tonight is Jackjack modeling my aunt's clapotis for me. He is just too cute!!


Well, I am finally off to bed. I need to get some sleep but here is a hint of what's to come...a taste of span, five brother-in-laws and more!

Gnat!

Knitting friends!

Ok...so I just got back from knitting night and afterwards I swung by my sister Fleas house and raided her pictures and got pictures off the camera she had lent me.... So...let's just say the next couple posts are going to be catching you up on not sure how long with pictures of fun stuff!

So, we are going to start with a knitting meet up at my house a couple Saturdays back. Now that we have room, I invited a couple friends over to hang out, check out the new house, and of course knit. :) I didn't get a picture of the White Bean Turkey Chili I made or my sister, my niece, her friends, my nephew, and my cousin's son who stopped by to eat. Remember they live in the neighborhood. But here are some pictures.

First we have Kelly, a non-knitter but dog lover, and her baby Thea. Thea is wearing a bib made by me. :) I owe a lot to Kelly because she helped me train Jackjack way back when he was still unfocused. She helped me realize that he knew how to pay attention but was choosing not to. She helped me get him to focus and with her help we've gotten where we are today! She laid the ground work. Thank you again Kelly!!
This is one of her dogs, Trey, who is Jackjack's buddy! Besides Thea and Trey, Kelly has 3 other dogs and 2 cats. Oh and a husband. :) Her dogs are Champ, a boxer, and two dachshunds, Delila and Nicholi.Here we've go some crochet and knitting going on. This Thayn and Sheryl spreading out on the big couch.
And here we have Angela with Abby, who was making sure everyone gave her tons of love.

And then Jackjack got a turn on the loveseat with her. :)
It was a fun day and I think we will definitely have another knitting meet up at my house. :) It's nice to be able to have company.

Oh and yes, I did knit and here is proof!
Well..hope you enjoyed the first of many catch up posts! Loads of pictures to come!!

Dogs on Thursday!

It' s my week for a post so go over and check out my post about Sarah Wilson. :) Yes, I'm a big fan. :)

So...today I just wanted to talk about how Abby and I started Advance Basic Obedience last night and all our training this past year has totally paid off. We were pretty much the best behaved crew of the bunch. :) She did so great. I had worried with all the distractions I'd be fighting for her attention but from the moment we got out there she was spot on. She needed a little bit of a reminder when we did our first sit-stay but then she remembered it doesn't matter that there is an audience. She did so good! I'm proud of us. I'll try to get some video of our training sessions soon.

Well...when we got home tonight I of course had to train Jackjack too. So we went out front and played some Mother May I and some practice with recall. He is getting it when there are few distractions so that's good. One step at a time.

Here are my mentally tired pups hanging in our messy bed. :)


This weekend, Special K and I are heading to the Ultimate Superbowl Pawty! It's up in Clearwater and it's a fun event for people and dogs. There are going to be two players but none in the Superbowl this year. Abby will be coming with us but since Jackjack doesn't do that great in a crowded place...he'll either stay home or maybe go visit a cousin. :) We'll see.

Hope you all have a great week!! Happy Dogs on Thursday!!

Gnat

Vote for JACKJACK!!!!! This week only!!

Please go vote for Jackjack!!! This week only! You can add your puppy too for next week! I'm adding Abby for next week but please please vote for Jackjack this week!!

Thank you!!

Wedding Wednesday!! More pictures!!

Since it is another Wednesday and I got some more great pictures of my wedding. I figured we were due for another Wedding Wednesday post!! The following two pictures are links to the pictures that I uploaded to facebook. There are two different albums so don't forget to click on both!

I think this is my favorite picture of my dress. I love how long my train is! There are tons more favorite pictures in this album. Especially one of my dad and me and tons of great ones of Special K and I and my family!

This next one is a picture of the greatest toast ever!! I hope to get a copy of the video I think someone took but haven't gotten it yet! He did a great job and of course he had some sports in there. He's always been great at pep talks before games...and he gave me the best pep talk before the rest of my life as a married woman. :) I love my dad!


Ok...well. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Tomorrow is Dogs on Thursday!! Abigail and I start our first class of Advanced Basic Obedience tonight! Wish us luck! We haven't been to a class in over a year so I expect a little bit of distraction but she's so smart...she'll do great!!

Have a wonderful Hump day!!

Gnat

New Podcast!! I'm Back!!

Just wanted to let you know I posted a new episode of the Barknknit podcast.

I mention two books in it and I couldn't get the links to work on the podcast notes so here they are. Check these out!! Both great books!!

Well...we are off to the NFL experience with Skater Boy(my nephew) and his buddy. We got tickets and they wanted to come along. :) I'll try to take some pictures and share them!

Have a great sunday!!

Gnat

A COLD Dogs on Thursday!!

So...we'll start today's post with a little bit of Abbs. I got home from work yesterday and was a bit shocked to see that half of Abby's mussel was swollen. It looked like a bug bite so I quickly gave her Benadryl and let them out back. She seems to act normal and run around and want to play. It still worried me so I decided to stay home and watch her. I was supposed to go to Knit night for the first time in a while but I felt watching her was a little more important. After about 30 minutes her face started looking normal. She's fine today. Speaking of our knit group, we are thinking of moving it to Thursday night because it's just been hard on a lot of people to show up on wed. And Abbs and I start our Obedience class next wed. I'm super excited!!

Ok...well..on to today! Today we woke up and it was cold!! As we went on our walk, we passed a lot of frost and poor people trying to warm up their car to get the ice off the windsheild. Us Floridians are not used to ice on our cars. :) I took these pics to show you. Not sure you can tell it's frosty. :)


So, when we got back from our walk, I let the pups out to romp in the yard and they were having too much fun chasing each other! It was cute. Oh, and ignore the neighbors yard.

When I wanted them to settle down, we practice some sit stays so mom could take a picture. :) They are do darn cute!!
Well, off to work I go! Hope you have a great day!

And just so you know. I'm obessed with reading the Twilight series at the moment and I'm head to the movie with my niece Surfer Girl and her mom Fleas tonight! I'll let you know how it goes!

Gnat

An interview.

Ok...let's start off by saying "Go Steelers!!" It was a interesting evening...stressful for a little bit but turned out good. Special K popped open the last of our wedding champagne bottles after the win. :)

Well...I have all this fun stuff to talk about from the weekend and pictures to go with it but the pictures are stuck on my sister's camera and I want them!! So, I'm going to head over there tomorrow after work and/or guitar and see if I can get them off so I can share all the fun stuff that happened this weekend! I even have links to videos and all kinds of fun stuff!! :)

Ok...well...today's post is an interview. My interviewer is Chan. :) If you want to participate, do not answer the questions below but put in a comment and I will send you personalized questions. :) Fun right!! YEAH!! Ok...here we go.

1. You've just started taking guitar lessons, something you've longed to do for a long time. Why the guitar? I've always wanted to learn an instrument. Since I was little I longed to play the piano actually but never got lessons. I taught myself to "fiddle" with my aunts and ours when I was really young but I never learned an instrument. As I got older I realized I'd never learn to play the piano because pianos are expensive and LARGE! I am fascinated by those who can play the guitar though and always have been. Over two years ago when my niece, Surfer Girl and nephew, Skater Boy began their lessons...I started fiddling with it. I even borrowed my sister's guitar for a bit. Then two Valentine's Days ago, our first, Special K bought me a guitar of my own because I showed interest. Well..if you've ever tried to teach yourself how to play the guitar..it's not easy!! So I ended up putting it down and always saying one day I'll get lessons. Well...when we moved into my sisters' neighborhood and also their kids guitar instructor's...I decided now is as good a time as any. When we started the lessons, he asked why I wanted to learn and what my goal was and I told him that I've always wanted to learn a instrument and this is one I really like and my goal was to be able to play a song for SK and if we go camping with the youth at church or in general, I'd like to be able to play campfire songs. So...that's our plan.

2. Surprise! A magic fairy has made it possible for you and Special K to have a two-week honeymoon. Where would you go? (Money is no object...) Hmm..this is really hard! My two big dreams are I'd love to backpack around Europe or go spend the time visiting Italy! But when I was young I always thought I'd honeymoon at this cabin up in the mountains of Vulcan in Panama. When I was there with my friends, we went hiking and came to this cabin that was cylindrical and was two stories on the side of this mountian. It had a balcony around the whole upper half. The inside was so comforting as well. There was an old wood stove or whatever you call it heating the room...because yes, even in Panama, Vulcan got cold. The top story only covered half the cabin and had a cute little room upstairs that was open. I loved that little place and that is where I always imagined having my honeymoon. But all these are without my dogs and even if we had all the money in the world...I wouldn't want to leave my dogs for that long. But, I guess if money was no object we could bring them along. ;)

3. Where do you see yourself in five years? I could see myself with at least two kids and working from home. It would be nice if I was still working with the company I work for now because I enjoy working for them, yet being able to stay home with my kids until they go to school. I'd like to be dyeing fiber and yarn still and maybe actually making money from it. :)

4. What do Abby & Jackjack do during the day while you're at work? Well, mostly I'm sure they lounge around on the couches and sleep but I'm sure they get up and bark a bit if they see a dog or cat walk by or hear them. I do know as soon as we leave the house and they finish their kongs that Jackjack checks the counters and makes sure nothing was left out. He probably checks all the cabinets to see if we forgot to put the childproofing back on. After he gets his treat or realizes nothing is there, then I'm sure he settles into his napping. :) The whole process probably starts back up after SK comes home for lunch.

5. Back to that guitar. The same magic fairy is going to make your fingers play one song perfectly, right now. What would it be, and why? I'd like to be able to channel Jack Johnson and Dave Mathews! They are my idols when it comes to guitar playing!! :) The first song I'm learning is very popular and not from either of those artist. It's a special song I'm learning for SK! I can't share it now in case he reads this...but I will after I play it for him.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed the great questions Chan asked me! I know I have!!

Happy Monday!!!

Gnat

Double Dose of DOT!!!

Ok...had to share these pictures because when I was done posting the last post this is how I found my family.

Special K and Abby watching Seinfeld.


Jackjack moved the comforter to get to the good part. The sheets!


Happy Thursday!

Marriage Wednesday...JK. :) and Dogs on Thursday early.

Ok..seriously not going to start that!! So...today is actually Special K and my 2nd Anniversary of starting to date. We had our first kiss 2 years ago tonight. :) It was a special moment and I can't believe so much has happened in 2 years and I'm so glad that he's now my husband. To celebrate this day for I think the last time as I was told...we went to a local restaurant called Moon Under Water here in St. Pete. It was very nice and the food was great. The best part was the chocolate volcano dessert!! Oh MY!!

Well...here's where the DOT post starts. :) So, before we headed out we had gotten in the mail our "china" or as I will call it the start of our collection of Fiestaware!! Oh yes...Fiestaware!! I'm very excited about this! SK's aunt sent us a gift card to Macy's and I ordered it on Sunday night. I was very glad it already came! We are starting off and will probably continue for a while with the Cobalt Blue and the Scarlett Red colors. We had enough to order 4 place settings so that was cool.

Here is a picture before they were put into the dishwasher.


Well..you ask why is this a DOT post talking about Fiestaware. Well...let me tell you. Before we left we placed all four boxes on top of our new dining room table. The one you saw before. And when we returned...one of these boxes was no longer on the table. And you can probably guess that Mr. Jackjack himself probably got up there and pulled it down! He's such a bad dog when it comes to that. Oh well...nothing in the box was broken.

So...here is a picture of the culprit and his box. Abby had to be in it too because she doesn't like to be left out.


Well..I hope you are all doing well. I'm off to get ready for bed and read a couple pages or chapters of Twilight before falling asleep. (yes, I have fallen and I can't get up...I blame Surfer Girl and my BF from high school Panafisher.)

Happy DOT!! Oh and please check out the post this week and go say hi to all the other posters. It's our first week without Paula. She's still around though.

Gnat!

Dogs on Thursday!

So, first off I wanted to share that Paula of DOT is stepping down because she has a lot going on this year. She has asked Nichole, Chan, and me to take over and Mary and Sue to help us. I will miss Paula's posts but she promises to continue to post on her blog and stay in touch with us. She has done so much in the last year or so with the DOT blog and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to keep it going. I feel we have big shoes to fill. :)

Well...for this weeks DOT post...it's going to be about Abby...since Jackjack already had a post this week. Well...we'll start with cute pictures. :) To remind me that I love her! :)

In our house the couches are as much the dogs as ours. I had decided that long ago and Special K has followed suit. Since we recently moved(I promise to get more pics soon), and we were moving into a bigger house, we decided to get new couches but we really didn't want to go straight for the brand new leather. His dad works for Habitat for Humanity and they sometimes get some great stuff in their re-sell shop. He mentioned they had nice couches and off we went. We found a great sofa and love seat for pretty cheap in good condition so we bought it! So....here is Abbs enjoying herself on the new sofa!

She is just too cute! She loves those pillows. Jackjack just noses them onto the ground and gets comfy. He has claimed the love seat if he's not on the dog bed behind it. :)

Since it's an all about Abby post, here are some pictures of her and her Christmas present in our old house...which I don't miss for a second!! The house not the toy. She still has the toy. :)

So...that is my girl....and last a little story about her. So, Tuesday, the same day that Jackjack has his excitement...I guess Abby wanted hers. We took a walk with my sister, her son, husband and dogs after work and I handed the leash to Fleas for less than a minute and Abby almost dragged her into the lake we walk around and so Fleas let go of the leash. Abby spent 20 minutes swimming after the dogs in the lake that supposedly there may be Alligators. Once she got tired she came close to me and at this point I had a tennis ball which lured her to me. I was not happy that she swam in the lake but boy did she have fun. I praised her when she finally came to me, even though I wanted to scream!! :) I'm glad she had a good swim because she slept well that night. I don't plan to let her swim in that lake any time soon.

Well...there you go...a post all about Abigail Grace, my golden girl!

Last thing I wanted to share was another wedding related pic. Here's me getting my hair done the morning of the wedding!!
Have a great Thursday!!!

Gnat

Thankful Tuesday!

So...we'll start off with a pic of the view from our balcony the morning after my wedding. Special K's father got us a room on the beach and it was very nice. We got back from the wedding and were so tired and hungry. We ordered food and went to sleep. :) The next morning I was up bright and early and SK was not so I hung out on our balcony watching the beautiful view.

That's the continuing of wedding pictures. I'm trying to get the pictures from our rehearsal dinner and more from the wedding. I just haven't had time to get them all. We still need to do all our thank you cards!!! :)

Ok...so now for Thankful Tuesdays!! Today's big star is Jackjack....My boy! He surprised me this morning on our walk and I am forever grateful for all the training that we have done. I also need to say a big THANK YOU to my friend Kelly, who taught me how to get him to listen to me. We had our tough times but he is getting it I think!!

Ok...so here's a short version of the story.

A little background on Jackjack but he used to run away any chance he got. He would shut down and run. He hasn't had an ounce of freedom outside in two years since his accident and he tends to get excited and barks at other dogs when he's on a leash.... both I may have mentioned before. So...this morning on our walk I saw a lady with a toddler in her stroller and an old boxer. We are walking along and I get into the grass so she can pass and I have both dogs next to me. Well...Jackjack starts to stare so I grab his collar to restrain him and I hear a click...and I see Jackjack zoom over to the poor lady and her dog. He barks and jumps at her dog as she holds her dog and then Jackjack was done...I call him and he looks around and looks at me and calmly walks over to me!!! HE WALKS OVER TO ME!!!

This is huge!! When I first got him...he barely looked at me outside and he actually came over to me!! It's huge!! All our training has paid off. I felt bad for the woman but she was ok after it happened because Jackjack wasn't trying to hurt her dog...just bark at him. I'm so proud of my boy and after the lady walked away I praised him and he was like cool..let's walk. :) So. we walked home and I swear all the way home he knew he had done something right because he was walking calmly and proud.

Hope you like this story. I am thankful that we have been working hard on training and that he decided that he wanted to be with me more than run.

PS...the picture of Jackjack is at our new house with his new bed that my cousin Lisa gave us. He loves it!! The armadillo is from Kelly.