Go Elf Yourself

Elf Yourself, this Christmas. Office Max and Jib Jab are offering multiple ways to elf you and your family for free!!

Click here:
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/xOQ3cWL8cmCDU3srR0iG

Happy Elfing!
Wyatt and Stanzie

U-cut trees with Wyatt

Today, I'm going to work on the family Christmas tree farm.

I'm going to be in charge of customer service.

I will help the families pick out a tree.

Dad will cut the tree for the customer....

and then we will all have Christmas cookies and cocoa!

 
 Some of the trees go in the baler.

 Dad shoves them in one end.....

 I wait over here, because it is kinda scary.

 ...and out it comes, all skinny!

 Ready to tie on top of your Lexus car!

Another satisfied customer!

 These are being shipped to California and Texas. Maybe to Benny and Lily's house or Minna Krebs and Lucy's Place!

 I promise, I did not pee on any of them!!

 We are also selling wreaths and cedar garland.

 Most of these are shipped out of state too.

 I spend a lot of time in the mud, chewing tree branches.

 Whose muddy dog is this? Mom pretends she does not recognize me, because I am a mess and now I have to ride home in the truck.

Hope you all get a little greenery in your homes this holiday!

It smells way better than plastic!!

Wyatt

Slippers !!

My shopping list....

One Word

SLIPPERSI vow :

1. Not to take new slippers outside and bury under the shrubs.
2. Not to chew the cozy fleece out of any new slippers.
3. Not to use new slippers as a tug toy...did you hear that Stanzie?

                                    Happy Shopping!

Wyatt

So thankful we Gotcha!

Stanzie was born on Dec. 3rd and we made the 5 1/2 hour journey to bring her home in late February 2002.

When we first saw our new pup, she was cuddled up in a bean bag chair, with her litter mates.

The puppies were watching the 2002 winter Olympics.

She has been a fan of winter sports ever since.

Leo, our 5 year old Airedale, came along to see the puppies.

We did not choose Stanzie. Stanzie chose us, (actually she chose Leo).

She ran up to Leo,  the big brother, she had always dreamed of!

 
She loved Leo so much, and would give up anything for him....food, toys, her bed.
 
She rode all 5 1/2 hours home, in my lap. If we tried to put her in the crate, she howled something fierce and Leo would join in the song.
6 years later, our dear sweet 'Leo', was diagnosed with cancer and crossed the rainbow bridge in March 2008.
Stanzie missed her brother and we were all devastated. That is when I started looking at dog blogs, as a way to cheer myself up. The first blog I started reading was, 'Bogart Handsome Devil' and 'Oscar' the Airedale, in the UK. I silently followed Bogart, through California and then on to his new home in Oregon and mourned the loss of Bogart's Dad. I spent hours reading the blogs and crying my way through Airedale rescue websites. At one point, we applied with NW Airedale Rescue for a dog. We got excited and waited and waited and e-mailed and waited some more. But they did not reply and we felt that we must have failed the application...(turns out, that there are just so many people on the waiting list, we were contacted about 1 year later) .....but in the mean time... 
Wyatt was born,  August 23rd, 2008. He was born at the Rock'n A Kennel, in Washington State. He came home to live with us around Halloween. His first leash said "trick or treat". Our first meeting with Wyatt was a little rocky. He was actually frightened of us.

Well. that lasted for about 2 minutes. 

Here is a picture of his first Thanksgiving.

Gobble till you wooble....then pass out!

 
So thankful we Gotcha!
And so thankful for all of our great blog pals too!
Wyatt's Mom and Dad

Graupel Time!

 What's half snow and half hail?

 
Graupel and I like it!

 Making a paw poke in the ice, to get a drink.

 

"Stanzie, stop biting me!"

 

 Checking in on the neighbors.

Let it Graupel

Let it Graupel

Let it Graupel

Wyatt

Stanzie on Canvas

Back in the good old days, when Mom and Dad had more green papers...

they were enjoying a pizza and a brew at the Lucky Lab Brew Pub.

As you can imagine, the place is decorated in all things Labrador.

 

Hanging on the walls, there are beautiful oil on canvas, dog portraits. So one year for Dad's birthday, Mom contacted the artist and had Leo's portrait done.

Then several years later for Mom's birthday.

Dad had Matt Warford, paint Stanzie's portrait

Click here:Matt Warford, to see the entire gallery of Matt's work.

What about Meeeee, Wyatt?
Mom says, we are out of wall space and green papers. Doggone it! :)

Wyatt

In search of winter blooms

Even though it is 40 degrees and raining, there are still plants that give it their best shot, all through the winter!

Like this Sasanqua Camellia

Looks like a fried egg to me!

 
 The Sarcococca 'Sweet Box'.  With little berries and a very fragrant bloom.

The Edgeworthia 'Paper Bush'

It's just starting to bloom, we will come back for a peek later.

 
Many of you asked about the Callicarpa, 'Beauty Berry'. 
It is a deciduous shrub, that is cold hardy to zone 3.
Attractive to wildlife and drought tolerant too.

Happy Digging!
Wyatt and Stanzie

Macy's New Balloon!

Be sure and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year.
There is a new giant balloon!

SUPER STANZIE!

Boy Oh Boy 

Asta is going to get an eye full this year!

Color me Poinsettia

Remember when Poinsettias only came in red?

I helped my mom make this today.

 
Poinsettias are not as toxic as once believed, BUT should still be considered an irritant, not to be digested. We will put this display, up in the windowsill.
Happy Gardening,
Wyatt