Take A Few Minutes Out Of Your Day To Say Thank You

Lisa gets up for work around 4 a.m. By this time, I've made her lunch, a hot breakfast and 2 cups of coffee. One in a travel mug. The other for her to have with breakfast. Once up, she takes the kids outside. I shut everything down in our home office. Close the door. Take my glasses off. Brush my teeth. Pee. Crawl into bed and give the kids their morning lovin'. Belly rubs. Back massages. They've come to expect it. I do this while Lisa makes their breakfast.

The Jagged Lines Of Separation

I am feeling worlds better than I was yesterday. Big girl panties on. I'm back to jumping over those big ol' piles of shit. Exhale. Last night's post reminded me of something. Remember the tidbit about not quite fitting in despite putting my best foot forward? I have a lot of those moments, however, there's one that will forever stand out.

I'm Too Old To Be Stepping In These Piles Of...

It's Friday night. Late. Lisa and the kids are sleeping soundly. I'm in the living room. On the sofa. Typing on my Chromebook that's resting on a makeshift TV tray laptop table. Hot cup of coffee. Finishing off a pint of Ben & Jerry's Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz. Slightly high from the combination of coffee ice cream, chocolate bits laced with crushed coffee beans and strong coffee.

Throw Back Thursday: Mama & Coco Napping Soundly

This photo was taken several weeks after we adopted our sweet Coco bug back in late summer of 2012. He was so sick. Slightly underweight. A bacterial infection in both ears. A severe case of Giardia. The onset of Sarcoptic Mange. He was on quite a few medications and a prescription shampoo.

David Lynn Krieger Restored My Faith In Humanity

Last month, a story was featured on the BarkPost site about David Lynn Krieger. He's the man who was fatally shot after confronting someone in a parking lot who was beating his dog. You can read the full story here.

Not Much Has Changed Over The Years

I didn't know there was a collection of my artwork stashed away until about 4 years ago. There was a folder in a box o' stuff my mom had put aside. The folder was stuffed with masterpieces from when I was in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. Every depiction of the sun included smiley faces. Birds looked like the letter "M". Grass was always green.

If It's Too Cold For You, It's Too Cold For Them

During the summer months, an abundance of stories surface about dogs who die because they're left in cars for lengthy periods of time. I read the titles. I don't need to read the rest. When there's a photo accompanying these stories. I close my eyes. Tight. Turn away from my monitor and scroll. I've seen too many already. I don't need another image burned into my brain. I give way to the lump in my throat and reach for the tissues stashed in my desk drawer.

Coco Isn't The Only One Who Uses My Laptop

Our Coco bug isn't the only one who likes to use my laptop when I step away from the desk. Earlier today I stepped away from my desk to do a few things around the house. When I returned to our office area, this was the scene. Lobo was concentrating on something. He didn't even look up when I reached for my camera.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary To Our Lil' Lobo

On this day, a year ago, Lobo arrived at our home mid-morning. The day after his surgery. He was nestled in his doggy bed and covered with a blanket when he arrived. I held the doggy bed as John ran to his vehicle to gather supplies and medications. Lobo looked at me groggily as if to say, "Hello human." It was love at first sight.

A Year Ago Today...

A year ago today Lobo underwent surgery to remove his hind leg. It was infested with gangrene. Most of the flesh was gone. He was on death's door. The day prior, he was rescued from his nightmare. They weren't sure if he was going to make it through surgery. There were a lot of unknowns. What we did know was that he'd be recovering at our home as a foster.

I Felt Like The World's Worst Dog Mom Ever

Meet Stinky. We purchased this medium Skinneeez somewhere between 2 and 3 years ago for Coco. He has a tendency to rip apart plush toys for the sole purpose of pulling out every ounce of stuffing. And, he likes to chew socks. A Skinneeez was the ideal solution. No stuffing and it was the closest thing to a plush sock.

Random Rant: It's Winter. It's Going To Snow. Simmer Down.

I'm in dire need of a social detox today. If I see or hear one more thing about the incoming potential-historic-storm, I'm going to lose my shit. It's insane. Winter Storm Jonas. Blizzard Jonas. Our local weather site doles out their own names for winter storms. This time around, it's Winter Storm Anna.

Pardon The Tongue Art On The Stick Of Butter

Lisa and I eat dinner at the table. Sometimes we play cards. Sometimes we'll just sit and chat about our day. Exchange banter. Vent. Rant. Laugh until we 'bout near choke. Coco very seldom hangs out in the kitchen. He could care less what we're eating unless it's grilled cheese or a whole roaster chicken fresh out of the oven. Sophie and Lobo lounge on their pet pillows we put on the kitchen floor while we're eating. They watch our every move. Quietly. Hoping we'll drop a morsel of food.

Lisa's Brave Escapade Behind The Lens

This happened earlier today. A nap. I haven't been sleeping well as of late. Why my brain opts to come up with awesome blog topics and patterns for tote bags when it's time to sleep, I'll never know. I spend the first 20 minutes in bed emailing myself so these bits of inspiration aren't lost by the time I wake up. Two hours later. Unable to fall back to sleep.

About A Month Or Two After Christmas...

Whenever I hear a sentence that starts with, "I'm getting a puppy for Christmas" or "I'm giving a puppy for Christmas," I cringe. Shudder. It's 'bout near impossible for me to keep a poker face. I shake my head. I know all too well what's going to happen. Not with all, but some. There are quite a few who could up that number to most.

Candid Photos Versus Selfies

There are several memes circulating on social media cracking fun at candid photos versus selfies. How many of us have fallen victim to candid photos taken by friends and family. Minutes later, they're plastered on Facebook. Of course, we're tagged in these photos. The world gets a glimpse of us with goofy expressions, stuffing food in our moths or picking a wedgie.

Our Kids Have A Laundry Fetish

Doing laundry in this household is no small feat. Whether it's loading the dirty clothes into the laundry basket or folding blankets fresh out of the dryer, our kids like to help us out.

I Choose To Go The Extra Mile

I was discussing this blog with an acquaintance of mine not too long ago. One of my goals is to populate it with my own homemade dog treat recipes. While there are thousands of dog treat recipes out there, I want to create my own and include photos. I want to also add photos of our kids, and other people's fur-kids, enjoying them. I'm passionate about homemade dog treats. My voice was laced with enthusiasm.

The Term "Pet Friendly" Can Be A Little Misleading

We don't travel far distances or take vacations. Weekend getaways are out of the question too. However, every so often, Lisa and I discuss how fun it would be to take the kids on an overnight trip. Preferably by a body of water. A dog friendly sandy beach. And, the most obvious, finding a pet friendly hotel. While we both know there's a 99% chance this will never happen, I occasionally like to amuse myself. What. If. For shits and giggles I did a little research on pet friendly hotels.

Chicken Soup For The Pup And Human Soul

After another bout of record breaking mild temperatures for this time of year, a cold front moved on in. During the winter months, when Mother Nature isn't doling out temperatures warm enough to warrant opening the windows and wearing summer clothes, I make soup. Lots of it. Total. Winter. Comfort. Food.

Random Rant: The Problem Isn't Your Fur-Kid, It's YOU

Our Lobo loves to steal shoes

One of the most pathetic excuses, out of the many, I've heard by someone who had surrendered their "dog" to a shelter was, "He wouldn't stop chewing my shoes. I don't buy cheap shoes. The final straw was when he chewed up my brand-new $200 heels."

How Family Snuggle Time Came To Be

Our kids thrive on routine. Monday through Friday, for the most part, the kids have a schedule. The weekends are more lenient. A small portion of this schedule we created. The rest fell into place over time. Their doing. Even if my tentative schedule for the day has crumbled into barely-salvageable pieces, their schedule remains intact.

You Have A Three-Legged Dog...How Cool!

Since adopting Lobo, when people discover he only has 3 legs, one of three things happen. The first, they say nothing about his disability nor do they question it. The second, in a genuinely compassionate tone, they'll say something along the lines of, "Oh, poor sweetie. What happened?" The third is a response that gets under my skin. In a much-too-excited voice, "How cool! You have a three-legged dog!"

I Didn't Do It Mom. Really. What Makes You Think I Did?

Unlike Coco, our first kid, Sophie, our second, is very food motivated. She. Loves. Food. Prior to Sophie joining our family, we didn't have to worry about leaving food on the end tables or within reach of Coco. We could have left a plate of food on the floor, left for an hour, and come back to the plate of food untouched. That all changed when Sophie joined our family.

Sophie's Throw Back Thursday Bubble Bath

For those of you on Facebook, you're probably familiar with Throw Back Thursday (aka #TBT). When this trend started quite some time ago, I didn't get sucked in right away. I don't have a lot of before-the-digital-age photos in my possession. After seeing photos, from as far back as the 60's, scanned and posted by others, I didn't think my digital photos dating back 3 or 4 years ago would qualify as Throw Back Thursday.

This Treat Jar Is Our New Table Centerpiece

Last week we received an incredible gift from Bruce (otherwise known as Daily Wood) and Christine and their two fur-kids, Maximus and Titan. We've never met them. One of these days, we will. It's imperative. These two humans have a heart of gold and since almost the beginning of our adventures with Bodacious Biscuit Love, we've formed a bond with this family.

Nap Time On The Kitchen Floor

After spending the morning working at my desk in the home office, I decided to grab my Chromebook, notes, pens, make a fresh cup of coffee and work at the kitchen table. A change of scenery. Lobo was napping soundly in the doggie bed beside my desk.

I've Been Sitting On The Idea Of Making Apparel For The Kids

Lobo arrived at our home, as a foster, the day after his amputation surgery. He had very little fur from the neck down and was covered in deep scabs. To protect his exposed skin, he needed to wear shirts at all times. While outdoors, he needed something heavier. At the time of his arrival, he weighed 5 pounds. Now, he's up to a healthy 8.

Goodbye Bed Frame

I had my first apartment when I was 18. A small, newly renovated efficiency. One big room. Most of it was carpeted except for the kitchen area. Shared bathroom with the occupant in the other efficiency. Yuck. I know. However, given that this was nearly 25 years ago when I was young and very seldom had 2 pennies to rub together, it was home. I had a few kitchen essentials, a tattered lounge chair and a bed that consisted of 2 mattresses on the floor.

A Mental List Of Un-Resolutions For 2016

New Year's Day. A blank 365 page book. A new year. Resolutions. For some, the first day without a cigarette or carbs. Others, the first day of juice cleansing, a trip to the gym or embarking on some new diet craze out there. A new beginning. A fresh start. Me? I'm sitting on the sofa. Writing this. Sipping wine. Leftover peppermint bark melting in my mouth.