Twelve Days of Christmas -- by Sage

We're going to take some time off (back in 2014).  So Sage wrote a little Christmas song...it sounds vaguely familiar, but I told her I would publish it (by the way, it's Sage's birthday on the 28th!  She'll be 10!).


On the first day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
a soggy tennis ball on my bed.

On the second day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed.

On the third day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the fourth day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the fifth day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
5 Golden retriever friends
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the sixth day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
6 cats they chased
5 Golden retriever friends
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the seventh day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
7 sticks to swim after
6 cats they chased
5 Golden retriever friends
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the eighth day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
8 barks at the mailman
7 sticks to swim after
6 cats they chased
5 Golden retriever friends
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the ninth day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
9 requests for belly rubs
8 barks at the mailman
7 sticks to swim after
6 cats they chased
5 Golden retriever friends
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the tenth day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
10 mad dog chases in the living room
9 requests for belly rubs
8 barks at the mailman
7 sticks to swim after
6 cats they chased
5 Golden retriever friends
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the eleventh day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
11 begs for scraps from the table
10 mad dog chases in the living room
9 requests for belly rubs
8 barks at the mailman
7 sticks to swim after
6 cats they chased
5 Golden retriever friends
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed

On the twelfth day of Christmas
my three labs gave to me
12 wonderful days of love
11 begs for scraps from the table
10 mad dog chases in the living room
9 requests for belly rubs
8 barks at the mailman
7 sticks to swim after
6 cats they chased
5 Golden retriever friends
4 AM wake-up kisses
3 throw-ups in the night
2 broken toys
and a soggy tennis ball on my bed.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  We'll see you in 2014!

The Nose Knows

Sage is all nose.  She is driven by her nose.  Fortunately, she isn't a hound, so she is not getting lost following her nose, but I've watched her amble pretty far while on a scent.

I don't remember Murphy being like this as she aged.  But I have made a note to myself...keep an eye on the Nose.

Murphy's Day.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday to my crazy, fun, intense, crazy...Dad.

I miss you.

Murphy's Day.

Stating the Obvious

The girls thought the first snows at Nahahum Canyon were their Christmas presents.

Labs love snow.

And Willa?  She thinks it was made just for her.

Who can blame her?

Murphy's Day.

Bundled Up

It was cold last week.  I worried about Sage until I finally wrapped her in a fleece blanket for the night.  She tolerated my concern...but when I came downstairs in the morning, she had slipped out of the blanket and had made it into a "nest."

Labs are tough dogs.  No need for a blanket for this girl.

Murphy's Day.

Somedays....

Oh, what the girls have to tolerate.

Murphy's Day.

Advent Calendar

I have this gorgeous Advent Calendar that I bought years ago from LL Bean.  It looks like a log lodge, with 25 doors...at the beginning of December we're all assigned days.

Annie is waiting patiently for her day.

Murphy's Day.

Top Dog - Apprentice

If Donald Trump had a show about apprentice top dogs...Willa would win hands down.  She follows Sage, the top dog, around, mimicking every single thing she does.  Poor Annie...waiting her turn patiently to be top dog...

Murphy's Day.

Willa

A day doesn't go by when I don't find myself amazed at this girl.  She is intense, kind, funny, intense...it's really too bad I don't duck hunt, she would be perfect at it (assuming, of course, that I could actually hit something with a shotgun that remotely resembled a duck).

The great thing about Willa is she greets every single day as if it was her first on Earth, and goes throughout the day full on.

I'm still learning from her.

Murphy's Day.

Brrrrr

It's been cold here in the Northwest, or actually all across the country.  Last weekend we loaded up on firewood (and built a woodshed), winterized the hydrants, and this past weekend was the traditional putting the plow on the Gator.

Bring it on winter!

Murphy's Day.

To The Woodshed

So over the Thanksgiving weekend, we decided to organize our wood...the girls were quire helpful until I realized for every log I put in the new woodshed, they took out two...hmmm.

Murphy's Day.

Waiting...

And this is what breaths down my neck if I haven't pushed back my chair and loaded the girls in the car...

Walks.  The most important part of the day.  Nope, can't let a smash and grab deter us.

Murphy's Day.

The Other Side of Evening Walks

This is one of the reasons I need those walks!

I get to see Annie Oakley in all her post-ball chase finery!

Murphy's Day.

Evening Walks

As some of you may know, my car was broken into while walking the dogs.  It's enough that I walk them at dusk and feel slightly vulnerable, but the car break-in (they didn't get much, a bag of change and some chap stick but they did break a window which is costly) really sealed the deal on how vulnerable I feel out there.

I know the dogs would and in fact do, alert me if there is someone "out there."  And there is no doubt in my mind that they would actually try to protect me in some "lab like way."

I do walk with my cell phone.

And I am not willing to give up on taking those walks.  The girls certainly need them, and I probably need them more.  I get a chance to see sunsets like these.

But to the jerks who broke my window...

Murphy's Day.

You Want Me to Diet?

It's always a struggle for me during the Holidays.  I allow myself to eat all those things I try to stay away from during the rest of the year.  Primarily butter.  Lots of butter.

Sage and I will begin thinking about our New Year's resolutions in a few weeks.  But for now, we're banishing the idea of diet!

Murphy's Day.

Do We Have to Go Back?

Wonderful long weekend.  And the girls are reluctant to go back to Seattle..

Murphy's Day.