We're Back - FINALLY!!

Hi blogger buddies! It's me - Prinnie!!   I'm back!!!  My mom FINALLY took a few minutes to revamp my blog site, so now I can get back to the business of.....well......telling you my business!

It's been nearly 6 months since my last post - and SO much has happened since then.  I dipped in to my doggy-bank and helped my family buy a new house, and after a bazillion wake ups, we finally moved in late January.  The new house is perfect for me, my parents and the other kids.  It is a one story with tons of room on the inside and a huge yard in the back.  It has been a ton of fun exploring the yard, meeting new neighbors, and chasing the dozen or so bunnies that live in our yard.  I think they came with the house because they were here when we moved in.

Because this is my "catch-up" post, I won't share all the good details of the move or my bunnies just yet.  Mom promised me she will help me add pictures in posts to come!  Then in April, my pitiful parents found a little eskie mix in Laguna that had been severely abused and asked me and my sibs if we could open our hearts to one more kid.  "UGH", I thought - "more work for me", but  after our family meeting, I decided we could give the little guy a try.  Yes, it was a BOY!!  Yuck!  Anyhow, we all drove as a family to Laguna to pick him up from his foster parents.  He couldn't walk very well - mommy says its from bad injuries he suffered a while ago that never were treated or healed properly.  He was very shy, so mommy held him in her arms all the way home.  We named him Paddy (short for Paddington).

I showed him the house, where he could sleep, where he could lay, and where his food bowl would be.  I told him he was NOT allowed on MY bed, but I would share Atka's toys with him.  After a few days, he began to come outside to chase the bunnies with us.  A week or two later, he began to act less like a terrified boy, and more like an eskie!  He is really cute, but I can't say that too loud because it might go to his head.  Here are some pictures of him, and what mom and mommy now call the "Four-Pack".  Not to worry - I am still the leader of the pack, and everyone knows it.

So much to write, and so little time....but it's good to be back, and I look forward to sharing more of the past 6 months with you in the coming weeks!

Paddy

Paddy

Atka, Me, Paddy and Digby

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas with Love;
Prinnie, Atka and Digby

A Little Christmas Cheer.....

Prinnie getting into the holiday spirit as she watches a Christmas video

Then...and....Now

As we reflect back during this holiday season, we look in to the eyes of our precious furkids and think about the journeys they've made.  From what was once three scared, dirty and lonely souls, they have become their own phoenix; with transformations we never thought possible.  We thought we'd share the "before and after" pictures we've captured during their journey with us.....if these aren't testimonials for why one should save a rescue dog, we don't know what would be.

  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Today was a busy day. We helped Mom and Mommy prep the food we will feast on tomorrow. But before we settle in for a little snuggle time tonight, my brother, sister and I wanted to wish each of our blogging friends a very Happy Thanksgiving. May you each have a plate full of the best foods of the day, a warm and safe place to rest, and a heart filled with love.  

A New Cousin and 'Lotsa' Lake Fun!

Today was a great day! First, my heart family picked up our new cousin in Texas this morning. Everyone says she looks a lot like me, and is a sweet, sweet girl. We want to welcome NUKA ANGEL MARIE to our family!

After we all got to talk to Aunt Sue, Uncle Steve, my BFF Siku, Quinn and our new cousin, we loaded up the car and headed to the lake. Mommy said we would get to see the beach without having the big waves trying to bite us like they did when we were at Coronado. Sure enough, it was perfect. Here we are, enjoying the perfect southern California weather and some awesome family time!

Pictures from Albuquerque

We'd like to send a big thank you to Miss Lisa (Lisa Manry; mom to Hansel, Ben and Tesla) for sharing some of the pictures she took of us when we were all in Albuquerque a few weeks back. These are a few of our favorites...

Duck Pond

Today we went to one of our favorite places....the Temecula Duck Pond. It was a great time to go, because there were not may people there. As we approached the gate to go in, I could see hundreds of ducks sitting on the beach area. It was then that I realized I had a TON of work to do before I could leisurely enjoy a stroll around the pond. I led the charge of our 3-pack by telling the ducks to get back in the water. I chased them, and challenged them. I won. They waddled or flew back to their pond, far enough our of my reach and that of my brother and sister. Every once in a while, I'd have to chase a stray back in, but when we completed our lap, I turned back one last time ans saw all the ducks (IN the water) waving goodbye to me.

A Pretty Duck

Me, chasing the ducks back in to the water

Mommy and me

Look at all those ducks!

Digby watching the water flow into the pond

AFTER I chased them back in to the pond

Me supervising their return to the water

The 3-pack

Atka and I making sure the ducks are safe

One tired eskie!

A Tribute to Duggie!

Many months ago, ground was broken on a new regional animal shelter.  Finally!  After years of sub-standard kennels and a fire that killed over 30 beautiful small dogs (if you remember, this is the same shelter that I was adopted from just two days before the deadly fire), our new shelter is complete, the animals have been transferred and their doors are open for adoptions.  The shelter is beautiful.  The most current technology and modern "suites" are a temporary home to so many lost or forgotten souls.  There is a large grass area for the dogs to roam, and the cats have tons of toys, and perches, tunnels and large living rooms to play and sleep in. 

When word that a new facility "could" become a reality, my parents bought a brick that would lay at the entry to the new location in honor of my rainbow sister, Dugan (aka Duggie- pronounced doogie).

Mom said it took a long time and several looks to find Duggie's brick, but they found it, and spent some time remembering what an amazing family member Dugan was.  She was a wheaton terrier and lived nearly 20 years with Mom and Mommy.  After she crossed the rainbow bridge, she became the impetus for Dugan's Barkery.  Although I never got to meet her, she is still with us. We all say goodnight to her each night as we head upstairs to bed.  She traveled the country with my parents, and loved to play in the fields of upstate New York in her younger years.  

Now Dugan, Atka and I will forever be tied together - not just as family, but by the same shelter that gave us a chance at life, and helped our sister in death.  

An Awesome Time in Albuquerque!

WE'RE BACK!!!!!  Our tardiness in blogging aside, we are back from another AMAZING trip to Albuquerque.  I was so excited to see my BFF, Siku Marie and her brother Quinn.  Mom and mommy woke us up in the wee hours of the morning (2:30am - ugh), and loaded us in to the packed car to begin what would become our 15 hour journey to our heart family.  I sat behind Mom at the window, Atka was in the middle and Digby was at the other window behind mommy.  We played punch-bug and spell a word on a license plate.  After a few hours, we all fell asleep (us canines, I mean).  When we woke up, the sun was coming up, so we stopped for a potty and breakfast break. Our next stop was Flagstaff.  I liked it there.  Mom walked us all around this hotel we stopped at and we got to sniff new smells.  There were big trees there too.   Back in the car, we headed to our last stop before ABQ.  When we pulled in to our heart family's house well after dark, my BFF was sitting in the window waiting for me.  I was SO excited to see her!

We were all greeted with the love only our heart family can give.  We got to meet Ben-Ben, Tesla and Hansel's mom and dad.  They were very nice, and I liked them A LOT!  We also got to meet Daisy's mom and dad, and we all liked them a bunch too.

I introduced my BFF and Quinn to my sister, Atka.  This was the first time they had met her "in dogson".  Then we headed to our "studio" behind Siku's house, where we would be staying for the next several days.  I like the studio, because I can run right out the door to Siku and Quinn's back yard (which is much bigger than mine).

The next day, my parents brought the three of us over to where the Art Show would be held.  We helped mom and mommy set up Mommy's ceramic art work.  We also admired the beautiful works of  Ms. Lisa and Aunt Sue.  Over the next few days, Siku and I would be charged with keeping our brothers and sister, visitor Daisy,  and sometimes Dragon, in line while the adults would go to various events.  Siku and I (with the perfect amount of help from Aunt Sue and Uncle Steve) executed our duties perfectly.

Aunt Sue doggie-sat us all (I think there was a gazillion dogs at her house by then) while the parents went to the Balloon Fiesta.  When my mom and mommy came home, they sat down on the bed and showed Digby, Atka and I the pictures of the day.  They couldn't stop talking about how amazing the show of 500 balloons ascending into the morning sky was.  I especially liked the "funny" balloons (see below).

I don't know what happened, but before we knew it, our time in New Mexico had come to an end and we had to say good-bye.  We all cried and howled because we knew it would be many wake-ups before we would all be together again.  Ms. Lisa and Mr. Jared were going back to the east coast, and we were headed to the west.  As we pulled out of the driveway, my BFF was again perched in her window watching us back out.  I yelped one final "I love you all" to her and my heart family, and with that, we were on our way home.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of the trip.....

Our first stop on our way to my BFF's house!

The BIG trees in Flagstaff

On the road in western New Mexico

Ms. Lisa and Uncle Steve with Atka and my BFF, Siku!

Prepping for the Art Show with Aunt Candice and Mommy

Mommy, the Krispy Kreme guy and Michael

Look at all those balloons!

I liked this green monster!

The creamland Moo Cow!!!

Perfect colors!

Another pretty balloon!

He's funny, isn't he?

Hello, Kitty!