Wordless Wednesday-Bumbo Cat

Recent floppage!

Some puppy woke up with a different look today...

She's got some floppage going on with her left ear!
I think the radars were getting a bit to tall for her little head!
What a girl!

Night-Night THIEF!

Oh no... the one thing he will thrown down to protect!
She is a night-night thief!

... this did not last long!

The Two T's

I cant help it...I had to share these funny pictures!
Tessa graduated into a HUGE crate and Travis loves it (of course!)
He wants to be in it and have her in there also...
She is SO VERY tolerant of the kiddo!
We got a damn good dog!

Tessa Girl

Here are a few more sweet pictures of the Girl!!!

Look at this cute face... I think she is already use to posing for pictures!
HAHAHAHAAA

Nap Time! She makes a good pillow!

... and so does her Daddy!

One more for fun!
Travis loves the crate... New form of toddler control??? HUMMMMM!!!!

(don't call CPS, I only keep him in there for time-out)
heheheheeeee!

Miss Tessa

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!
What type of dogs does she look like to you?
She is a pure mix...
I see German Shepard in her ears and tail, maybe boxer with the black face and white paws...of course in every non-pure bred dog is a little lab! The vet that first saw her thought maybe a little border collie, I don't see it but who knows!
Any Ideas?
I AM SO EXCITED!

The Baby Sister....

Recently we have been looking for a dog that fits in our family. We have looked at all the close shelters and adoption clinics and actually had found a dog that we loved. She was almost 2 and loved the water... unfortunately it is not first come first serve and she was adopted to a family that lives in a lake house. Good for her! The foster mom that had the first dog (Cissy) called to tell me she had been given to the other family and told me about this other puppy.. she was 4 months old, a mix, potty & crate trained and needed a home. She said that the pup immediately came to mind after she met us, because we told her about Sasha and how calm and loving she was and also voiced our concern about an older pup and not knowing the issues of theit past... Of course I was interested since she was a baby and I wouldn't have to worry about past experiences causing the dog to lash out at any of use... that was a HUGE concern for Gavin and I since we have Travis the tornado kid! Tessa is the pups name and she is a doll! She is spending the day with us today to see if we all mesh! So far so good! She had napped, sniffed the cats (they don't like her at all!) chewed on one of Sasha's old bones I found behind the couch, let Travis lay all over her and all of this with the sweetest, calmest personality! I am in love, Travis is too! Just gotta convince the hubs and she is our! YAY!

** as I was writing this post I ended up taking Tessa outside, she did so good! Of course she is a little nervous because everything is new, but I am just so thrilled I do not have to potty train a pup and a kid all in the same year!!! hahahahahaha!

Petting Quota for Miss Stella Bella!

My sweet little girl kitty, Stella has really become my little lover since Sasha passed. It was like she knew I needed a little more pet lovin' and she was UP for the challenge. Recently I have really noticed her schedule and it is pretty amusing if you think about it... like a quota we have to meet every day! When I wake up in the morning she meows at me until I pick her up and love on her. Then when I put my contacts in, she is right there helping me... well she loves to drink the saline solution (GROSS). Then Travis and I usually leave for summer camp or strollerfit and the second we get back she is on my heels meowing for more lovin'. Usually Travis and I play or its time for a nap or if he is at camp I head right up to work on websites... she follows me anywhere I am and waits patiently for a little more petting. Then as soon as I sit at my desk she is right here next to me ON TOP of my paperwork waiting for loves. She purrs and it will get louder and louder until I put my hand on her. Even if I just lay my hand on her she is happy. Then there are times when I can just put my hand out and she will walk under and around my hand like she is petting herself.

I love this! I love that she wants to have a lovin' quota! She is my little bitty bitty...
I think my most favorite thing about her is that in the evenings, the second I lay in bed she is right up on my chest and will stay there until I roll over. For an hour or just a few minutes. She lays her little head dow, closes her eyes and purrs.
I have to say, that this little girl knows just what and when her momma needs some kitty lovin' and I eat it up!

Check out this picture... this is the reason for the post I just wrote! My little Stella Bella and her quest to get lovin' before Momma gets to work!

Missing Sasha

Travis woke up this morning asking for Sasha. I never really thought he would forget her, but I never knew what a 2 year olds memory span was like. I guess like ours? But then again... not many people can remember things from under 4 right? Is that the age? I have no idea!
Every morning when he wakes up he just talks and talks... then he will start asking for you to come get him " Mommy, open door!" But this morning he was talking about Sasha, he was telling some sort of story about her. Gavin and I both went in his room to get him and Gavin asked him why he was talking about Sasha... and he said " I miss her"
OUCH!

Do 2 year olds know what the feeling of missing something? That hurt that you feel when you really miss someone or something. That ache in your heart... I really hope he does not feel that!

I do love that he remembers her... She adored him!

PC went hunting..

Anyone that has followed the adventures of Stanley (PC=Piss Cat) know that after all the peeing episodes we were letting him spend time outside. Then he went on a 5 1/2 week adventure and found his way home and has become an inside/outside cat...

At 730pm (to the second, no joke)he will go to the back door and meow like crazy until you let him out. He will go off and do whatever and either come back in an hour or so or return in the morning sometime before we get up. He waits for us on the table we have right at our back window and will meow for us to open the door when he sees one of us in the house. Tonight was the same as every night, we let him out at 730 and did not expect to see him until tomorrow morning. About 10 we heard a meow at the back door and there was Stanley with a present. He had been hunting and brought us his prey. Sad thing is that he caught a baby, I would say less then a day or 2 old, baby bunny. Oh, its breaking my heart. It was so itty bitty. Stanley just stood there with a look of accomplishment on his face. I have always heard that when a cat brings home it's victim, it is trying to show you that it considers you part of its family. Well, maybe he is finally telling us that he likes it here... Maybe!?

At least it wasn't a snake or something that was still alive!

20 days

To most people 20 days seems to go by really slow... to me the last 20 days have flown by. Maybe it was because I choose not to remember a few of the days after Sasha had passed... or because I have tried to occupy every waking minute so I wont think about her. I don't know what I have mentally done to make the last 20 days fly by... but tonight they all came to a dead stop. Gavin had a last minute work dinner to go to this evening, the second he told me he might have to be gone tonight I immediately knew it was going to be rough for me. This was the first night I would be home without him or her.
If anyone ever asked if Sasha was protective I would always answer with " I am sure she is in her own way, hopefully we will never have to find out." But truth be told, I think her heart would have even loved the bad guys. She never met one person she would cuddle next to or love. Even though I swore she would like anyone who broke into our house to death, it still gave me a safe feeling knowing she was here with me when I was alone with Travis. She was big and looked mean... I have always been a scardy cat, I am 28 years old and still scared of the dark (don't laugh). I hate scary movies and will steer clear of anything on tv that is remotely scary if Gavin isn't here... My imagination usually gets the best of me when I am alone at night, but when I had Sasha here with me I would make her get on the bed with me, drag her to the bathroom and bribe her with treats if I needed to go look outside or wanted her to be super close. I can still hear her huge sigh she would let out... like she was telling me I was over reacting. Funny thing is, when the alarm in the house would go off she would hide behind me... But she was still my protector.
I miss her so much... though it is getting a little easier every day, I still hear her collar noise when I walk in the door and sometimes feel her jump on the bed at night. I felt super guilty the first time I caught myself not thinking about her and the first day I didn't cry, I just thought she deserved that energy from me. I am ready to remember the good times and not the last day. I am hoping that will come sooner then later.

Today

It was a little rough today.
I feel like I am in the clouds... not really awake or asleep, not really feeling anything but yet my heart is broken. I have been like 2 steps behind everything and not able to catch up at all.

I woke up about 10 times last night because I felt her on my legs, I guess after 8 years you get use to the same routine and when it is gone you crave it.

When Travis started talking in the monitor I got really worried, he always calls for Sasha and hugs her first thing when he gets up... This morning he asked for her and I ignored him, the we walked int he kitchen and he asked where her food was... AHHH, I told him Sashie went bye bye to live in Puppy Heaven and that we will see her in our dreams... I know he doesn't get it now, but maybe one day! I did call him, Sasha a few times today... I have never done that EVER, but I guess she is consuming my thoughts.

I am thankful we are going out of town tomorrow morning, maybe the traveling will help get my mind off of this. My brother-in-law is getting married this weekend and I know we are going to be entertained a lot... I just hope my brain can handle it all!

Thank you ALL for your loving comments and emails!
It is great to know that so many of my friends and family were touched by Sashie, I mean anytime you came over she was the first one to greet you! She truly was a special dog and had a great loving personality!
Thank you all for loving her!
Please give your pets some extra love tonight and always from now on...
You never know when they will be taken from you and you do not want to have to question if you gave them enough love before they headed off to puppy heaven!

See you all Monday!
Much Love
Lindsay

In Loving Memory...

Of Our Sweet Furry Baby...
Sasha Bear

This morning Travis and I went out to run some errands and when we came home I found Sasha on our bed and she had passed on.
When she was not at the door greeting us when we got home I started yelling for her. Thankfully Travis had fallen asleep in the car so he was pretty out of it on my shoulder when we walked into the house. As we stepped out of the laundry room I saw her on my bed, she looked asleep but different. I told Travis "Sashie is sleeping" and I went to lay him in bed. I went back to our room and rubbed her head and nothing, I yelled at her to get up, and nothing... She was gone. I stood there for what seemed like an hour trying to watch her tummy to see if she would take a breath and nothing.
I then started to freak out... I couldn't believe it!
I called Gavin and didn't get an answer so I blew up his phone and finally got him. He was at lunch with a customer and didn't have his truck so it would be a while for him to get here. I called my mom and she headed over... I also called my best guy friend, Larry and he headed over as well.
I couldnt seem to wrap my head around it for a while.. I wouldn't let anyone go look at her, I just wanted it to not be true.
I don't want this to be true...
I keep thinking I should here the clings of her collar or be gripping at her for trying to steal Travis food.
The house isn't the same tonight, it is a little empty feeling.
She was 8 years old and seemed to be in good health...
I just cant believe she was taken from us to suddenly.

The one thing we are thankful for is that the way she was laying was in her favorite spot and she was all twisted like she normally is when she lays on the bed. She never look comfy when she laid anywhere... it was like she was double jointed everywhere.
I am going to take that as a sign that she was sleeping and comfortable when she passed and not suffering...


My sweet furry angel is now a real angel in doggie heaven!

Sasha Bear
1999-2008
WE LOVE AND MISS YOU!

Piss Cat Chronicles

Stanley has for sure been voicing his opinion recently about being outside...
I guess his 5 week vacation from being a normal indoor cat aroused his wild side!
So, he will go to the back door like A dog and meowing until you let him out, and if you do not let him out he will squat and pee at the door. Trust me, taking the chance and letting him outside has been my choice since I do not want cat pee all over my house. What a stubborn animal, huh?
Last night he went out with Sasha, it is funny because if you watch him he will walk right out to the grass and squat and pee just like Sasha does... he does not dig and bury anything outside like he would in litter. He has a breed confusion I think! So about 20 minutes after I let them out Sasha was ready to come back in, I am guessing they were playing out there cause Sasha was a bit out of breath, probably from chasing him. Sasha scratched on the door, I let her in and Stanley was not out there so I figured Sasha chased him under the deck and within a minute or so he would be meowing at the back door like he does when he wants back in. 5 minutes pass, no Stan... then an hour passes and no Stan. I was for sure he decided to spend the night out so I got ready for bed and thought I would check one last time, and he was there. I let him in and he ran right to his water bowl and drank until it was almost empty, then he came into my room and just up on bed with me and decided he wanted to lay on the magazine I was reading... Why do ALL cats love to mess and lay on paper? He got right in my face and smelled like Tuna... What? I don't give my cats Tuna! You know that smell, right? It is hard to miss! So, I am guessing Stanley as made some friends somewhere close and they are giving him Tuna. Shoot, if I were him I would want to sneak out for that kind of snack also!

Maybe I will post something on our HOA site and see who the tuna neighbor is!

A Boy & His dog!

Lately Sasha, my 8 year old Akita has been driving me absolutely bonkers. She hovers around Travis when he eats, she breath her hot air on his leg while he is at the table and she just thinks that anytime I make a snack it is for her. AHHH! I guess all dogs that live with toddlers get the perks of food being thrown or dropped or even licked and shared (EWWWW!) but she is driving me NUTTY with this behavior. Its like now she expects food all the time. I try to put her outside when Travis eats or lock her behind the gate in my room or the front area but Travis get so upset with this. He is in LOVE with her... they are soul mates.He shares his night-night with Sasha and lets her lay on it and love on it. She lets him cuddle with her when she is sleeping on the couch. He will walk up to her and hold either side of her face and kiss her nose and she will lick him back. Yes the germ freak in me comes out occasionally but most of the time its a little lick between his eyes...

They have even created their own game of get the night-night. Sasha will pick Travis' night-night up off the floor and shake it and he will grab it. She tries to get him to play tug-of-war but he doesn't get it yet. He will take it back and throw it at her... she will run around and shake it up again. They love it!As much as she drives me crazy and I always worry she will snap at Travis when he hangs on her or gets to close... She has been the best friend to him. She really does a great job tolerating Travis and letting him love (in a toddler way) all over her!
What a pair!

PC is at it again...

Stanley... PISS CAT, peed on our stuff again this weekend. 2 baskets of clothes and I am livid about it.
He had been doing so great since he came home and I have been keeping their little extra fresh ( I HATE CLEANING LITTER!) and he peed on our stuff again. ARGH! Besides really missing him when he was gone, I didn't miss the peeing on everything. We just got our carpets professionally cleaned by this amazing company that actually tests every stain for its PH and that is how they know what to put on it to clean it. Our carpet hasn't looked this good since we moved in! If he were to pee on the carpet I would be HOT. I don't know what to do? He had been itching to get back outside the past couple of days, and when he ran out after Sasha I didn't try my hardest to catch him. He immediately ran under the deck. T and I went to Strollerfit and when we came home he was still meowing under the deck. I Have checked 2 times since I have been back and he is still answering my calls...
ARGH! He is just such a pain in the booty!

I am elated!

Gavin and I were sitting on the couch about to watch a movie and he tapped me on the leg and said look at the back door. I was FLOORED to see a little white and creamy face with a bright pink nose starring at me! I jumped up and ran outside, it is freezing by the way! He was meowing but a little scared to get close to me. Gavin got some food and water and that was pretty enticing to him and he got closer! Finally after about 5 minutes I got to hold my long lost baby boy! He was cold and skinny... but not as thin as I thought he would be. He still has his collar on but no tags. I will be getting him one tomorrow morning! I brought him in and he was not interested in staying in, so he headed back out. Gav and I made him a bed in a long box to shield him from the cold air if he wont stay in tonight! I cannot tell you guys how excited I am to know he is ok. I had been feeling so guilty for having moments I wasn't thinking of him. Then he pops up! I can NOT believe this at all. It has been about 5 weeks I would say! I don't know if he will ever want to be an inside cat again, and that is ok with me. As long as I can see him occasionally to make sure he is ok, I will be fine with that! I wonder where he has been, what he has done, his adventures, where he has been sleeping, what he has been eating, if anyone has loved him, petted him, kissed his pink nose. I have been tearing up with happy tears. Sasha is so excited that he is back, she has been running around, looking outside at him and just going nutty, Stella on the other hand is pissed. When he came back in she growled and hissed at him and was just not to happy he was back.He walked around inside for a second and went back to the door so, we put him back out just in case he picked up any ikkiness on his 5 week vacation. He is meowing at the back door and it is breaking my heart, but we don't know what to do... I think I am going to put him in the garage. Tomorrow I will be calling to vet to get him checked out! Yay! Stanley is back!!!

Angels Everywhere!

I received a comment on a previous post from a girl I had no idea read my blog, who I have never met, seen or read about. But the comment and link she left will very much never be forgotten!

Sometimes we forget there are Angels in this world!

Here is the story that went along with the link she left....

AN ANGEL IN THE POST OFFICE
Date: 2007-11-23, 10:55PM MST

This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a kind soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service. Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God, Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith.

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by. Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I am wherever there is love.

Love, God

Here is the link if you want to pass it on... Click HERE

It just proves that you can never give up ion Angels being in this world!
It has been 2 weeks since Stanley (PC) has been gone, I still pace by the windows, look outside all the time... I am just praying someone has taken him in or that he is in heaven. The hardest part is not knowing! I know some people prob. think I am insane for still hurting about this cat, but he was a baby to me... I took care of him like he was a child of mine.
All I want for Christmas is to know he is ok!

Thank you Noe!
Merry Christmas!

Is this Goodbye?

I have had the hardest time digesting that Stanley is gone. I am constantly looking out the doors and windows, screaming his name outside and just every time expect him to come bouncing up to me. In the past few days that he has been gone it seems like the sun has just refused to shine.The weather has been awful that is what has made the most anxious about him running off. He has not front claws, he has not been outside outside of our fence since he was an itty bitty kitty.

See, we got Stanly and Stella almost 3 1/2 years ago from a friend of a friend. I wanted an orange and white kitty and had not clicked with any at the shelter or spca to I was waiting a while to click with a kitty or cat, I didn't care ages at all! My girlfriend knew of this and had a friend that found 2 little kitten under her in-laws porch in the country. I saw their pictures and immediately fell in love. They were little guys, probably between 6-8 weeks when I picked them up. Because Sasha was so big and unsure of little animals we kept them upstairs in the guest room for about 2 weeks until they got use to me and Gavin and the smells. After those 2 weeks we let them roam around the house with a baby gate to where they can get upstairs but Sasha could not. After about a month the animals were co-existing and Stanley and Sasha started their love affair!

He was the outgoing Cat of the pair and would be out and show off for guests and was just a load of fun. Stella was a bit more shy and reserved. They both were unique and wonderful in their own ways. He was pretty lovable and (on his terms) would jump in your lap and let you love and pet him for ever!

Stanley was a little wild as you can imagine his taste of freedom has led him astray. We think one day he jumped from the second level of our house to the first, he fractured his paw and had a pretty goofy limp for weeks. He loved to climb on anything and would figure it out if at first he could not do it. Our little furry dare devil for sure! He would make himself comfy on anything, be it a box, group of paper towels, clothes, bags, PLATES (argh) and anything in Travis' room. He LOVED when we were getting ready for Travis to get here. He would sleep in the chair, crib, on the changing table. He loved the smell of the baby detergent, we would knead the baby clothes. He never was jealous of Travis, he would just get up in my lap and lay next to him. He was the perfect cat to have when a baby came into your life!

He has a few things that I loved about him and of course HATED... He was a silly sleeper. He would either lay in a straight line or all curled up to where you could barely see where his head began or tail ended. He had the best purr, it was so deep and smooth you would almost sing lullabies to his rhythm. Of course I hated that he peed on all of our stuff, he ate dog food all the time and would get sick, he ALWAYS knocked over every glass of ice water I had. He would lick my eyelashes when I slept... not fun to wake up to. But he was a lover, he loved us so much. He would meow when we needed to fill up his food or water, he would sleep on the bed with us and he would even sleep in Travis' room when we had a storm (Sasha also) they were little protectors.

I have posted a message on our HOA website and have not put up posters yet since the weather has been so bad. I have called neighbors and if I see anyone new walking outside I have asked them if they would just look on their walk. No sign of the little guy... I have heard from numerous people that cats will run off for a couple of weeks then come back all dirty and skinny... Eat, sleep and go off again. Thats fine, at least I will know he is safe! The problem I am having is that he will never be out soft little Stanley, he has a taste of freedom and will not be able to be a house cat again.
Sasha and Stella seem to be in mourning, they both have been pacing through the house and will look outside the back door for Stanley. Stella seems to be really distraught, her brother, partner in crime is gone. Poor little girl! I have been giving her extra love this week hoping she will not be too depressed.

I took this picture of him the same day he took off... I have 3 of him from that day!
I tear up whenever I see them.
I miss my little furry man!

PC is MIA

Stanley a.k.a. PISS CAT is Missing in action (I hope in action)

I have been letting Stan outside to get the "wild hair he has" out of his system so he would STOP peeing on my clothes! He had been doing great, he would meow to go out and he would pee just like a dog (HAHAHAAAA) and come back in. He was a champ. Yesterday when I let Sasha out, he ran out with her. I let Sasha back in a few minutes later... she is a bit spoiled and will not handle the wet or cold for more then a minute or so. Stanley was on the patio and did not want to come in. Normally when he is out and I stick my head out and call him, he will meow back and run to me. He didn't want to come in yesterday before T and I went to the grocery store so I just left him out, when we got home he didn't respond to me. This was at 3pm yesterday. He was out all night and it was cold and rainy... I got up like 3 times in the middle of the night to go out and call for him. We left food out and it has not been touched. I have never had an animal run away... This is making me so sad. If he is not back by 3 this afternoon, that will be 24 hours so I will put signs up.

My girl kitty, Stella, PC's sister has been so distraught since he has been gone.
She has been meowing by the front and back door, which makes me think he is out there...
This stinks!