Damn Lucky!

The dog got out twice today and she is not very good at all coming back! The first time Jon was home so he was helping and she finally ran into the back yard after about 30 minutes. Then this afternoon she got out again...Sydney left the gate open in the backyard. She ran to the house upfront by the busy Everson-Goshen road. Those neighbors have chickens and one of the chickens was out and Lucky got her in a blackberry bush. She kept going around in circles and would run away from me. I spent a good 45 minutes trying to get her. She finally decided she would just go on after the chicken and got stuck. So I was right there. Mad as hell too! I can't wait until I can get her to come when called! I wish training happened over night!!

juicer

the other night we watch the documentary fatsickandnearlydead it's not something that we are going to get into but it did make us get the juicer out...It does make the best apple juice! I can see doing it as a meal replacement every once and awhile but not as a way of life!

A little get a way

Yesterday I went to with a bunch of gals wine tasting. My only expericence wine tasting has been in Napa/Sonoma so it was kind funny going from winery to winery in a strip mall! Good wine but since I dont drink red it was kinda linited! We were all together to celebrate Sarah's recent wedding (a bachelorette party after the fact!) We stayed a nice hotel in Kirkeland, the heathman, and had a nice dinner at trellis right there iin the hotel. we then headed over to an Irish pub for some live music and cocktails! I stayed up til 2 and I seriously cant remember the last time I stayed up that late! Such a fabulous time!!

Ann and Sarah

the gals from Bellingham (there were 4 more that joined us later)

Dance class(es)

On january 4 I signed the girls up for a pre-ballet/jazz class at dancing for joy well I thought I signed them up for the class...the lady told me the first one was free so the next week I went while the girls were in school to pay for it and lo and behold there was only one spot left. They told me I was suppose to tell them after class that day if they were going to come back the next week! They filled the spots up, now what am I suppose to do!? The girls were all excited about this and there is no room!! I look at the schedule and there was a ballet/jazz class at 4 pm but it's for 7-12 year olds. The lady said that Sam could join that one since she will be 7 next month.I was a little leery about doing that since she hasnt really done ballet except for couple months at the YMCA when she 3 or 4 but the lady said all the girls were pretty much beginners and she would fit right in. There is aso sing and dance class for 4-6 at he same time! Perfect! So I tell the girls and Sydney freaks out crying and saying no she won't take that class. I find it all so very odd since that's all she does is sing and dance at home and her teacher at school says she sings all the time during free time. I would have thought Courtney would be the one saying no to it! Since there is one spot left in the original class they took I put Syd in it even though it's at 5pm. So now I have to sit at he dance studio for 2 hours while all 3 kids take 3 different classes! Dancing for joy!

Sydney took pictures while she was waiting for her class...Here's Sam in her Ballet class.

and here's Courtney she is the one in light pink with her leg straight up n the air!

Another class at cedarwoods.

Last night was another dog training class. We spent a 1/2 walking out classmates to figure out how to do it with the dogs. It was pretty funny. I was partners w a guy who has a 3 month old collie. Once we got it all figured out we brought the Dogs in. Lucky went first and boy she was freaked out. She is really skittish around men do the instructor was trying to help me and she would get all shakey and scared. It is so sad. Some guy must have done a real number on her. The instructors daughter helped me a bit but I have a feeling we probably will be taking the class over again. I worked with her a couple times today and she and I just can't figure it out. Of course I will keep practicing and you never know she might surprise me and pass the class! She sure is a great dog.

Cedarwoods

Last Thursday night I started an eight week basic obedience training course with Lucky at Cedarwoods. I was a little leery at first because it uses a training collar and is not treat based. I took a treat based course with Barley when he was a puppy but I really didnt think Lucky would be that into it. She is not at all interested in food like Barley was. At first I thought we were going to have to get one of those collars with the spikes in it and I wasn't so sure about that but it turns out it's just a chain that "chokes" if she does something wrong. I have been practicing with her morning and night for 2-5 minutes like the instructor said to with a walk (sporadically) during the day. The first couple times she seemed to get what was going on but all weekend she didnt care if she was "choked" or not. She was jumping up on me during the training session too. The instructor (Ron) said we could call anytime and ask for advice. So I called yesterday and told him what was going on and he said why dont you come on out tomorrow. Since Jon didnt get to go with me on Thursday night, he stayed home with the girls, he met us out there to see what we were doing wrong and to get some help. And guess what...Lucky is a suck up! She did everything she was suppose to do. No jumping, turning when she was suppose to and heeling for part of the walk and while I was standing there talking to him. Isn't that always the case?! We have 7 more weeks and they guarantee she'll be able to heel on lead, do a figure 8 plus one minute sit and a 3 minute lie down in just 8 weeks or we can take the class over again for free! For being in the pound for 2 months of her 8 month life she is a little skittish and loves to bark too. I just want her to be able to come when called. She has gotten out of the yard a couple of times and she runs like a gazelle, she is fast and can jump so high! Her favorite thing is to run over to the renters place and bark at their door and they sure dont like that. She also loves to go outside and just bark, thankfully she doesnt like to bark in the house!! It's like having another baby in the house...

Haircuts

 Last week Courtney finally said she wanted to get her haircut. I didnt want to force them to but it's a challenge every morning to get them to brush their hair! Sydney wasn't on board with the idea but a few days after I made the appointment w Anna she said she wanted to get hers cut but not as short! Samantha came home from school and said she just loved Sydneys and wants her hair like hers...so Saturday afternoon she has an appointment!

 Before shots~

 Courtney

Sydney