Miracles are Happening

By Prinnie's Mom:

The most AMAZING thing happened last night.  We were waiting for the eleven o'clock news to come on before we headed off to bed.  Shar was on one end of the couch, and I on the other.  Atka was sleeping peacefully (a miracle in and of itself) on the cushion between us.  Just then, Ms. Prinnie jumped up, and appearing to act with purpose, went over to Atka's "space" and laid up against her.  Our mouths dropped as the two eskies were snuggled together, both breathing in unison as they drifted off to sleep.

Because we didn't want to ruin the miracle of the moment by getting up to get a camera, I grabbed my phone and snapped the picture below.  I wouldn't have believed that Prinnie would warm up so to Atka if I hadn't seen it myself.  Our little eskies are making HUGE strides, and we are so proud of them!  Way to go Prinnie and Atka!!

Bad Habit

UGH!!!!!  My sister has a bad habit.....she opens the cabinet door that stores our kibble and gobbles up OUR food.  Because the bin was getting low tonight, she decided to climb in to it up to her back legs and "help herself"!  Mommy has given up on trying to stop her (childproof locks are the next step).  Brother and I just watch with embarrassment as she exhibits the worst social skills an eskie can have!  I want a trade-in!

Thank You Siku Marie and Quinn

My BFF, Siku Marie and her brother The Mighty Quinn gave me (and, ok, my brother and sister too) an award that will allow all of you in Bloggerville the opportunity to get to know each of us a little better.  The task is for each of us to offer up seven things about ourselves that some of you may not know.  I, being Prinnie the Princess, gets to go first, so without further ado, here is my (our list):

Prinnie - Seven Things About Me

1. I chose my forever family as my Christmas gift to myself over 2 1/2 years ago, and I've come to LOVE my parents very much
2. When I get scared, I bark a lot.  I do this to show the other dogs and monsters how tough I am, and to assure they will leave me alone
3. My nose started out as black, and is slowly turning a rosy shade of pink.  Mommy says my shoe polish is rubbing off.
4. It's my job each night to alert the parents at exactly 9:00pm that it is snack time.
5. I love to chase flies, and pounce on them when they land.
6. My BFF is Siku Marie.  I have a very special present to give her.  It's white and fluffy, weighs 18 pounds and answers to the name of Bratka.
7. I was the Top Dog in my training classes, although mom isn't quite sure what I really learned.

Digby - Seven Things About Me

1. I chose my forever family over 4 years ago.  I was the small one in a slew of big white dogs at a Great Pyrenees rescue center.  I begged them to choose me back, and they did!
2. I love to play fight with my baby sister, Atka.  She is one tough cookie.
3. I am terrified of loud and/or booming noises.  I haven't been able to tell my parents why I get so scared, but they cuddle me up and assure me I am safe.
4. My nickname (DON'T LAUGH!) is "sweet boy" and "hot dog" - could they make me any more a woos if they tried??
5. My most favorite thing to do is to go for a car ride and stick my head out the window; feeling the wind on my face.
6. I'm the one in charge of reminding mom and mommy that Saturday night is DQ night.
7. I LOVE to chase lizards and stand sentry duty.  I am a border terrier, so it is my inherent job to flush out wiggly things.

Atka - Seven Things About Me

1. I was very sick when my mommy found me at the shelter.  She chose me, when I wasn't sure I would even make it.  But I did, and once I was well, I was so happy
2. I'm still learning the potty rules.  I'm not sure I get why we have to go do our business outside when my parents get to stay in.  How's that?
3. I have major separation anxiety, and bark a lot when I can't be with my humans.  
4. I LOVE kongs filled with kibble and peanut butter.
5. Mommy says I do zoomies faster than any dog she has ever seen.
6. I love to steal my sister's whale and kill the stuffies around the house
7. Mom calls me the Tornado - something about leaving a mess of destruction behind me.  I don't think I do that - I just like ALL of my toys out at once!
8. When I am happy, I do "wiggle butt" like a slinky.  I've been doing that a lot lately.

So now we share this with you, and ask that you share your seven things with us.  Instead of identifying specific bloggers, please consider this award yours, and pass it along as you see fit.

FINALLY!

Dear blogger family:

My parents have been down right neglectful of MY blog for the past s-e-v-e-r-a-l weeks!  Geez!  All because my mom went back to New York to visit her family, and mommy was too busy taking care of Bratka all by herself!  I told them I would be more than happy to do it myself, but OH NO!   They say I'm too young to be on the computer by myself!  How's that?  I'm almost 9!  Anyhow, now that mom is home and our family is back together again, they've FINALLY decided to make some time to help me do some posting.

Today, brother and I spent the WHOLE day lizard hunting.  First, brother would flush them out of a tree and I would chase them through the yard.  We did this for several hours (brother, being a ratter and all, is very good at finding them).  Bratka would come over once in a while, but she's just a baby and doesn't have the patience that skilled hunters like brother and I have.  Instead, she was busy doing "trades" with mommy.  She would go in to the garden, pick up a rock, twig, pottery piece, mulch or anything she could find and bring it over to mommy for a treat trade.  SHE ATE THE WHOLE CAN OF TREATS!!!  I snuck in once in a while to get one, but at least the game kept her out of our hair and the important lizard hunt brother and I were on.

Some of Atka's Trades

My Best Prairie Dog Interpretation

"Go Digby, Go!!  I'm right here waiting!"

Training at Home

Each night after dinner, mommy takes the kid out back to work on her "training".  Remember that she is in school at PetsMart?  Well, tonight brother and I got to join in.  First we practiced the "leave it" command (notice the kibble sitting right in front of us).....

Then I danced the Macarana.......

Then we chased mommy out in to the yard......

Then the kid and I performed a really long "stay/wait" command....

And finally we sat for one last photo op!!

Julian, CA

For our family outing this week, we went to the mountains of Julian, an old mining town from late 1800's. Many know Julian today as the premiere apple pie source in southern California. On our way there, we stopped at Lake Henshaw (which we have, of course, renamed "Lake Prinnie Russell-Shaw") and then at a one-room school house that is still active today. We visited the town of Julian for a brief period and later saw some horses, cows and squirrels. We then headed back to the school house for lunch. After a relaxing afternoon (and my sister getting her lead tangled up time and time again), we headed back down the mountain. We stopped several times to take in the beauty of the area, and the remarkable red foliage draping the landscape. Mommy picked some of it and offered us each a whiff of it's fragrance. Mommy said it was sage, but it didn't smell "all that" to me, Atka and Digby. After they were done oooohhhing and aaaahhhing, we finally make it back to our valley. It was a GREAT day, and another fun trip. Here is a collection of pictures we took along the way...

The New Addition Next Door

Tonight we got to meet, and play with, our new friend Fiona. She is the canine-daughter of our neighbor's son, but he is unable to keep her where he is living, so she has taken up residence next door. Mommy thought it best to have us all meet in person, since I have a strong passion for tearing and clawing at the fence between our two homes. Fiona's aunt, Shelby, lives there too, and I believe it is my job to show the big German Shepard who the boss of the neighborhood is. Anyhow, here are some pictures of my brother and sister meeting Fiona. Me? Well, I didn't behave so well and had to stay inside after I tried to have Fiona as a snack!

Fiona................................. Atka and Fiona.......................... Dibgy and Fiona

"The Girls"...................Atka pawing "goodbye"

DQ! We're B A C K!!!

Last night brought us back to one of my favorite traditions - our whole family going to DQ for a well-earned ice-cream. It was Atka's very first time, so brother and I had to show her the ropes. We huddled her in between us and told her how the process went....first mom goes in the doors and disappears for a few minutes. If we watch closely, we can see her coming back out. When she does, she would have little dishes of ice-cream with a doggy bone on top - one for each of us. Mommy would go to one side of the car, and mom to the other. Each would give us the cups of heaven to devour (I mean lick). When we were done, they would wipe our chins and snouts off and then do the process all over again, except this time they would get theirs. They would eat theirs after we've settled in for a few quiet moments with our full bellies. When they were done, we would take a leisurely drive around town, and eventually head home as the sun would set.

Sure enough, everything we told the kid is exactly how it happened. Mommy gave Atka and I our "scream", and mom gave Digby his. Then they ate theirs. Mom kept snapping a bunch of pictures (grrrr!), saying that this was a special day - the first day of our family tradition with our new addition! Watch out DQ, the girls are back!!!!!

So Hot....So, So Hot

This is how one little eskie spends these 106+ degree days...

Me and My Whale

Since the arrival of Atka, I've had very limited access to my favorite stuffie in the whole world....my Whale. Mommy tries to remember to give it to me when Atka is in her cave, but usually forgets until the monster is back out. Today, though, I had Whale for hours.

Here I am with my Whale

Here is where Atka tries to trade me a Wubba for my Whale....I say "NO!"


Here's BRATKA trying to take my Whale

Here are Whale and I after I win the battle. Mom calls these my Cybil eyes.

Here I am with Whale after he wakes up from a mid-day nap!