Fun in the Snow Before Momma goes to Work :(

Nothing like snow to bring in 2009! I'm working from 1-9 today, so I got up a little early to let the doggies eat, play in the snow, and get their morning exercise. All three of them LOVE the snow! I think Jacoby tends to like it the most because she comes in for a few minutes and then wants to go right back out. It's fun to watch because they run, fight each other, and slide all over the place! Hopefully, they'll be wiped out and sleep until Mommy comes home from work around 6ish. Have a happy new year everyone!!!

Christmas Eve and Matching PJs

Here are some pics of the dogs on Christmas Eve. Auntie Lindsey came over and brought them rawhides shaped like candy canes. Here are a few of my favorite pics from the night (1) Jolie showing that she is still a Red Sox fan even though the Sox didn't sign Teixeira (2) Jolie and Jacoby actually had a cute moment where they posed for me. (3) Apollo is so possessive of his toys and bones that he fell asleep with his in his mouth.

Then...to show that Cindy and I are actually feeling a little bit better...we decided to dress up in our matching PJs that Mama V gave us for Christmas and pose just for the blog. Today was the first day since Christmas that Cindy and I have been out of bed for more than one hour. We both got hit with a horrible cold/flu. I started to get it Christmas Eve and Cindy started to get it Christmas night. We are finally on the mend...hopefully to a happy and healthy 2009!

Jacoby's lil brother

I bought the dogs a new toy today and it turns out that Jacoby loves it the most. In fact, she is playing with it so much, I think she needs a little brother :) I'm kidding...the city of Brockton only allows three dogs. Here is a clip of her playing with her new "brother" Malibu (nicknamed Boo-Boo). Boo-Boo barks when you squeeze him and it is quite entertaining to watch Jacoby play with him

A Visit from Papa

The dogs had a rough week last week because they were home alone for 10 hrs/day on Friday and Saturday. On top of being home alone, Apollo and Jacoby were both sick and on medication. Apollo has a skin infection on the inside of his groin and Jacoby has two ear infections. Lucky for them that they have an amazing grandfather, who came over and spent some time with them on Friday. I have attached some pictures of the dogs friday night when Cindy and I got home from work. Apparently, Papa wore them out.

We miss the Campbells!!!

Thank you to Robin & Scott for a GREAT vacation in San Diego! I was looking through all of the pictures and remembered all the fun we had and all the things we got to see and do. Thank you soooooo much! We had such a great time and we can't wait to see you again!!!

Bring on Game 7 BABY!!!

Last night I continued my ritual of dressing the dogs up in Red Sox gear. It OBVIOUSLY works cuz our asses are going to Game 7!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH BABYYYYYY!!!! Here are some pics for ya:

First up: Jacoby Ellsbury x 2

Next: Jolie Marie as Dustin Pedroia...aka...DJ Jizz!!!!

Next up: Apollo James as Coco Crisp:

And...last but not least...Jacoby chewing her "stress ball" during the 9th inning

The Great Wall of Brockton

Here is the finished product!!! Next year we will probably get the walkway and stairs done with matching stone. Now we need Mama Vaicius' magical planting abilities to fill in the top of the wall :) Don't mind the messy yard in the bottom picture. I was in a rush to post a picture and didn't take the time to put the yard back together first.

Bye Bye Flowers

Cindy and I hired someone to get rid of the three-tier flower bed in our backyard and build a retaining wall there. We need a retaining wall because something needs to hold up our driveway. Originally I was all excited thinking that I could finally get a hot tub and put it over there, but Cindy very quickly shot that down by informing me that a hot tub could not hold up the driveway. DAMMIT!!! The sucky part is that the wall won't be done for a few days and they had to take that part of the fence out. Therefore, we are walking three dogs when they have to go potty!!! AHHHHH!!! Here is a couple of pics of one of the guys hard at work. I'll post before and after pics when the wall is done.

Patiently waiting...

for Natalie's 2nd Birthday Party!!! Mr. Seahorse and Mrs. Turtle cannot wait to dive in!!!

My Doggy Soul Mate

I know this may sound cheezy and it may sound like I'm playing favorites, but ever since I met Jacoby at the shelter I have felt this connection between the two of us. She welcomes me with an extreme amount of excitement every day when I get home from work and she is the only one to watch me pull out of the driveway every morning. She gives me the sad, puppy dog look every morning when she sees me ironing my clothes for work. Maybe I'm reading too far into it but I truly feel that Jacoby gets me. She understands my emotions and sympathizes with me. She snuggles with me EVERY night before we go to bed and she lays her head on my chest every morning when the alarm clock goes off. I always interpret it as...she does not want me to go to work and she needs a stay-at-home Mom. Everyone always says that a dog is the best kind of pet because they have unconditional love. I truly feel that I have found my doggy soul mate in Jacoby. Out of all three of our furry children, I feel that she is always in touch with my feelings and emotions. She knows her Momma more than anyone else. Here is a picture of how clingy Jacoby is as soon as I get home from work....

Trying to get this damn pool open!!! Grrrrr

Cindy and I have been trying to get the pool open since May 24th!!! We have shocked the sucker, added all the chemicals it needed and have had the filter running every day for at least 12 hours! This is what it looked like as of yesterday. Technically it is swimmable because it has a chlorine reading, but I am just bothered that I can't see the bottom of the deep end. All of the levels in the pool are perfectly fine and where they should be, so I am completely baffled at why it is still cloudy. We are having Father's Day here on Sunday so I am determined to get that water as clear as can be! After all...I need to be able to sail on my pirate ship on Sunday! The pirate ship has a trap door, a water gun attached to the side of the ship and it's 4 feet wide and 6 feet long. Ahoy Matey!!!

Robin's eggs

If you look very closely in the first picture below, you can see a Robin in the center of the picture on a tree branch. She must have known that I have a sister named Robin that comes to visit because she made a nest in a tree in front of our house. She layed four eggs in the nest and she was a frequent visitor for about 4 weeks. Funny thing is that I never would have noticed if it wasn't for Cindy. Every time we opened the front door a Robin would fly out of the tree. I just thought she was getting berries or something out of the tree. After about a week of the same thing happening every time we opened the door, Cindy checked out the tree and discovered the nest.

The bottom three pictures are: (1) when the eggs first hatched (you can see their little beaks in the bottom of the picture) (2) as the four baby Robins started to grow and (4) this picture was taken the day before they left us. The pour babies were getting so big and fat that they were all stuffed in this little nest. We miss checking on them every day, but we are happy that they are finally out of that cramped nest :)

Gettin' ready for the Celts and Lakers

Here we go everyone...tomorrow is the beginning of the series that proves if the Celtics season was really worth it. The best team in the NBA is starting the series that can bring a championship back to Boston! Here are some pictures to bring the Celtics some luck. The first one is of me and my friend Cherissa (I've known her since the 6th grade...18 long years!!!) enjoying some drinks while watching the Celtics play the Pistons. The next picture is of Larry Bird (that sexy beast) and Magic Johnson. And the last picture is a symbol of what is to come...9 o'clock tomorrow night, Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics vs. Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Go Celtics!!!

Happy 4th Birthday Jolie!

Today is a very special day because my first born furry child turns 4 years old! Not only does she turn 4, but she is 28 years old in human years...which means that...Jolie and I are the same age. That's right, my daughter and I are the same freakin' age!

Unfortunately, Cindy and I are both working until 5, so the precious birthday girl will have to spend the day with her younger brother who loves to hump her, and her younger sister who loves to chew on her ears. No worries though...we will make sure she has plenty of ice cream, treats and outdoor playtime when we get home. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOLIE!!! We love you!

Puppy Celtic Pride

As I was nervously watching the Celtics game by myself the other day, I decided that I needed some support from the puppies. Jolie was so willing to sport her green T-shirt. She actually seemed to enjoy it and even fell asleep in it. Jacoby, on the other hand, was not enjoying the LONG sleeve green shirt and did everything possible to get ther shirt off of her. The Celtics won that so apparently my game of dress-up worked. I'll have to torture the pups some more tomorrow night when the Celtics take Game 5!!! (Sorry Robin & Scott)

Just for Grandma

Here is a picture of Jacoby sporting her new purple harness (just for Grandma)!!!

Hoping to bring the Celtics some luck

For the last 20 years I haven't been much of a Celtics fan, however this season Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have brought me back into the game. They have done what hasn't been done since Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish played for the Celtics. They have made the city of Boston enjoy basketball again! The Celts were supposed to sweep the Atlanta Hawks, but the Hawks (and the officials) have given the Celts a run for their money. Today we go into Game 7 at 1:00pm at the TDBanknorth Garden and I'm hoping to bring the Celtics some luck by posting some pictures (old & new) Go Celtics!!!

My baby is growing up...sniffle, sniffle

I was going through pictures and was shocked when I got to the pictures of the day we got Jacoby. Here is a picture of Jacoby and Apollo the day we brought her home (December). Here is another picture taken last week of Jacoby and Apollo (only 4 months later!!!!) Lucky for Cindy, Jacoby is still a playful, snuggly, and loving puppy. If she wasn't, I'm pretty sure that I'd be begging for a 4th dog! :)

Day time photos of Vera