We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Awww Mondays.
Awww Monday on Video
Grooming with Mom: Lilly and Master Chief
Lucy, ace reporter here on the groom beat.
First in the news today is Master Chief, a 5 1/2 year old yorkie poo. Chief’s last groom was here in May of last year. You’ve met Chief before; perhaps I should say before he looked like this!
His dad said they had a death in the family, from which they are just now recovering and catching up on some things. He asked for Chief to be shaved down. (That’s a grooming term.) We understand and are here to help. Chief is a nice dog who doesn’t want groomed. Even so, Mr. All Over the Table Wiggle Butt could not outwit Groomer Mom.
Chief got a football scarf to wear with his goofy smile. We think he feels lots better. His dad got some advice on weight control for Chief. He said he already switched Chief to a low-cal food, but will also start adding some green beans in place of some of the kibble.
Next up is a new-to-us Havanese (mix?) girl. Lilly lives in Cincinnati with her mom and dad. We also know them as “the in-laws.” Their daughter is married to our Episcopal priest, and they have a baby due on Easter! So Lilly has been here in Chattanooga with her pawrents a lot and not near her regular groomer. Mom failed to get a “before” picture, but believe me, Lilly was not in terrible shape. Although we aren’t sure she could see anything… Here’s her after picture.
Lilly is a very good girl and used to being groomed. Groomer Mom told Lilly’s mom to bring her back any time they’re in town.
That winds it up for this week’s edition of Grooming with Mom. Hope all your treats and grooms are good.
XOX from Lucy Ace Reporter
In Purrsuit of Flavours & Wordy Wedneday: Dad’s Cookies
Thanks to Comedy Plus
for hosting the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Thanks to Shoko and Tyebe of the Canadian Cats and Nelly and Phenny of Easy Blog for hosting this yummy day.
Xena: I’m hoping for some yummy strawberries as my Valentine’s treat. Or some blueberries or black-berries or raspberries. Mmmm, berries.
Lucy: You love everything having to do with food Xena…well, except lettuce and spinach and garlic. Me, I’m hoping to get a nice card from my guy Achilles. Even better, I hope I get to see him, but I don’t think that’s gonna’ happen. So I’ll settle for some berries and a card!
We have Dad’s favorite cookie recipe to share with y’all today. Remember, he can’t eat gluten or dairy and some other “normal” stuff. This recipe also fits nicely into our Dr. Gundry way of eating to “create a healthy gut.” I hear we’ve started on the same diet as Mom and Dad for the same reasons they are on it. I haven’t noticed. It’s pretty much the same as we’ve been eating, except more organic food and only grass-fed meat. All that to say, these aren’t going to be your regular chocolate chip cookies. They look and taste a bit different. But if you are on a restricted diet, they are great! Anyhoo, here we go.
Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 C ghee*, softened (Mom uses about 2/3 C ghee and 1/3 C Spectrum Culinary Organic All-Vegetable Shortening)
5 Tbsp Truvia
1 1/3 C packed Swerve Brown Sugar
Cream together in a large bowl until smooth.
2 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Beat eggs in one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsps hot water
1/2 tsp salt
Dissolve baking soda in water and add it and the salt to the mixture.
3 C Almond Flour (next time Mom’s going to try a mixture of Almond Flour, Coconut Flour and Millet Flour)
2 C Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips (you can use a little less if you want)
1 C chopped walnuts (optional, and Mom leaves them out at Dad’s request)
Stir all into batter.
Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. (If you skip the parchment paper, expect to end up with nothing but cookie crumbs to top your ice cream.)
Bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven, or until edges are nicely browned. Allow to cool completely on the parchment paper.
*From Mom: No need to buy that terribly expensive ghee in the grocery when you can easily make it yourself! Here’s how: First, know that you will lose a quarter or 1 stick of the butter in making this. So plan your containers to each hold about one stick of butter. Put your butter in a small sauce pan over very low heat. Leave it for about 30 minutes. Longer is ok. There should be a white bubbly and/or crusty top that you can scrape off with a tablespoon and pour into your grease jar to discard. Very slowly pour the clear, yellow ghee into your containers. Be careful to not pour in the white part that has settled to the bottom. You can also use a turkey baster, but that takes longer. When you get all the clear yellow that you can, discard the white part that’s left. Let it cool and refrigerate. The reason we divide ours into 3 parts is so that we can let one of them sit out and be softer to use. If you don’t want to do that, you can pour it all into one container.
Until next time,
Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
New Puppy Cousin on Awww Monday
We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Awww Mondays.
We have a new cousin. Her name is Jemma and she lives in Apple River, Illinois, way, way up north, almost to Wisconsin. Her pawrents are my Daddy’s sister Jen and his niece Josie. Jemma is a Border Collie mix.
Jemma is growing really, really fast. I think she was born last summer in July. We haven’t gotten to meet her yet since she is an eleven hour drive away from us. But, since she’s part of the family, I wanted to share the good news with all my friends.
Our Grandma loves to have Lucy to come visit and sleep with her. I’ve never been allowed to go. *pout* I have to stay home with Mommy while Daddy makes the long drive. But Jemma lives only a few minutes from Grandma’s, so Jemma fills up her love tank. In the last picture you can see how big Jemma has gotten. I hear rumours that me and Lucy are going to get to go visit them this summer. We sure hope so!
XOX from Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Friday Freestyle
Hi everyone! Guess what I’ve been doing on the weekends…Freestyle training! I even got a new kennel to use when I’m at the Obedience Club of Chattanooga (OCC). I think Mommy laid it down on it’s side, he, he, but it still worked. Don’t I look pretty in purple?
Mommy said I get to stay in it for a while every time we are at training – and each time further away from her – so I don’t bark and carry on when we get to the Trial in May. Mmm hmm. sure Mommy, I’ll let you keep thinking that. Then surprise!
In our club there’s just me and Mommy and the little pug mix Nina and her Mom Julia. Julia is officially Mommy’s trainer. When she gets Mommy to do it right, everything works better…even me! This video is from the last time we were there rehearsing and learning better ways to do things. Please remember we are what’s called a work in progress. Heck, even the music is. Mommy edited the music and Daddy hasn’t gotten around to smoothing it out yet, so please don’t judge. I’ll have enough of that up in Cleveland, Ohio in May.
We hope you have a real good weekend with lots of together time.
Love and hops, Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Reindeer Love on Wordless Wedneday
Thanks to Comedy Plus
for hosting the
Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Awww Monday’s Grooming with Mom: Griffin
Lucy, Ace Reporter here on the Groom Beat today.
We got another new pup in to groom. His name is Griffin and he’s a four-year-old shih tzu. The person who has been grooming Griffin since he was a pup has been closed because of that awful flu thing that ate up 2020. One of Groomer Mom’s long-time clients suggested he come here.
His Mom didn’t really want him shaved, but realized he was pretty matted, so go ahead if it was necessary. As you might have guessed, it was necessary. Once again, Groomer Mom forgot to get before pictures. But, unlike some pups that come here, you couldn’t really see how much he was matted. Let’s hop to the end of the story and get you a picture of a totally groomed Griffin.
Griffin is a lover and a hopper, and a wiggler and a fighter and was almost a biter. He’s complex. My peeps bro came downstairs and held him while Mom cut his back nails. We think he was throwing such a fit about it because one of his nails was almost grown into his skin. He started to act the same way when she began to get the hair out of his ears, and that’s when Groomer Mom “read him the riot act. *shudder* ” I sure hope she never gets in my face and says in her firmest voice that there is no reason for me to act like that and to be still and that she is in charge and that I will be still and behave. And do you understand?
Griffin understood and behaved until he didn’t. Then he got “read the riot act” Part Two. After that everything was fine and Groomer Mom got lots more kisses.
And Griffon’s Mom said he looked really cute, too!
Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with hopes that no one gets read the riot act this week.
We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Aww Mondays.
Xena’s Story: The Wanderers Go Home
What happened to your story, Xena? You left everybody having a good time in Paris. Are they ever coming home?
Oh yeah, I forgot. But as you can see, I’m back home.
Xena, you were never…
Just go with it for once in your life, will ya’, Lucy? But just to make you happy, let’s find out how it all happened.
Xena’s Story: PART 5 CHAPTER 4
“Tell me again,” implored Lu, “how was it you lost your magic carpet and everyone still managed to get back home?”
“Well you see, it was like this,” answered Xe. “My magic carpet, the one with the great GPS system and deluxe pile – the one that Mommy bought me – it disappeared Halloween night. The only thing I could think of was that Vampire Angel Lexi took it. Maybe she became mortal for a while after scaring the bejeesus out of us and needed a ride back to the Bridge.”
“We were so scared that next morning that we didn’t even notice it was missing. We had planned to head home the next day. I was going to drop Tye and Missy off at their new home in Canada (the country) and then cross back through the states until I got home to Tennessee. I was concerned no one would be able to understand me with my new French accent, but I figured they would adapt.”
*groan* (Lu)
“Me and Tye and Missy were all packed and ready to go when we discovered the carpet was gone. So, of course I texted Mommy to tell her what happened and I would need money for the plane flight home since I couldn’t just go and buy another magic carpet here in France. She was not happy and told me I would have to work and save my money.”
“Gigi and I went to the restaurant where we had been working, and would you believe they had hired someone – a human person – to do our jobs. But, they said, the person didn’t get the dishes nearly as clean as we did, so we could have our jobs back. We told them we’d only accept our jobs back if they would hire Tye, too!”
“Seriously?!” Lu exclaimed.
“Yep,” answered Xe. “She needed air fare too, you know. Our great friend Gigi even said she would give us half her wages to help us get home. She was enjoying her dish licking, er, washing job so much, she didn’t care if she got the money or not. Sometimes we switched out and I got to wash the dishes.”
“So that explains why you missed Thanksgiving and Christmas with us,” mused Lu. “I really missed you, even if it meant I got all the special treats. It looks like you got a few treats of your own, though.”
“The job had perks. Anyhoo, we realized that no matter how much food we spilled and had to clean up and no matter how many dishes had to be ‘washed’ it was going to take us ’til this time next year to save enough for plane tickets. After all, we had our daily expenses, too.”
“Like what, Xe” asked Lu. “I’ve never had to pay expenses.”
“There was the room and board, for one,” replied Xe. “Then my hosts fell in love with me and wanted to adopt me.”
“Oh no!” exclaimed Lu. “What about our Mom and Dad?”
“I figured Mommy and Daddy could be my American pawrents, and I could have a Maman and Papa in France. Anyhoo, when they told me that, I got so excited I wet the floor and yelled out, ‘lit et nourriture gratuits!’ That means free bed and food, for those of you Lucy who don’t speak French like me. At that, my almost Maman and Papa looked at each other and said maybe it wasn’t such a great idea after all.”
“So me and Tye, we figured we better find a second job. Gigi suggested we all go apply for work at Disneyland, Paris. Missy, being a mouse, was a shoe-in for Mickey. When no management was around, she would take off her beret and hold it out for folks to drop money in it. You wouldn’t believe how much she raked in every day like that, on top of her salary.”
“Did you know Tye can sing, Lu? She got a job as a character from Frozen. Man, can she meow out a song!”
“The crowds loved her and threw flowers and sardines to her at the end of every performance.”
“What about you, Xe? What job did you get at Disneyland Paris?”
“I got my dream job.”
“I was put in charge of the Character Dining Kitchen as Goofy!”
“Being Goofy was your dream job?”
“No, Lu. Being in charge of the kitchen! OMD, I could have done that forever! I had to taste everything that was made to be sure it was right. The customers kept giving me their scraps, and I learned to catch better. And you wouldn’t believe how much food those people left on their plates when they were done! OMD, OMD, OMD!”
“It must have been hard coming home after all that,” Lu said softly, hanging her head.
“Not at all,” said Xe. “I’m back with my sister, my best friend (besides Gigi and Tye.) Me and Mommy have to work hard to get ready for my Level 3 Freestyle Trial in the middle of May, but there’s still time for you and me to to do what we do best.”
“I love you Daddy. Did you miss me? I’m Goofy in the kitchen.”
“Yes my dear girl, you certainly are,” Daddy answered with a funny little smile. “It’s good to have you home.”
The End
One Word Wednesday: Riley
Thanks to Comedy Plus for hosting the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Awww Monday: Great News and Flashback to Xena’s Adoption
Lucy: First, the great news! None of the growths on Ella’s gums were malignant. Thank you all for your prayers, good thoughts and POTP’s.
We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Awww Mondays.
Amy (aka The Mom) Recently I came across a video from when I drove three hours to south Georgia to pick out a puppy.
We lost Lexi September 4, 2016. A little over four months later on January 14, 2017 Lucy came into our lives. A few months later, after unsuccessfully trying to find her a home, I was still grieving hard for Lexi. Lucy was laying at my feet when I felt God say to me, “Look down, I gave you this dog.” I started to cry, and went into Jeff’s office to ask him if we could keep her. Without any hesitation he answered, “Yes, of course.” He was already in love with her. Lucy helped heal my heart and prepare the way for another schnauzer to come into our lives.
So, after failed attempts to adopt or rescue a schnauzer, on October 6, 2017, I found another reputable breeder. After my last groom on that Saturday I took off for Jackson, GA. A little boy and a little girl were presented. I wanted them both, but could only get one. The breeder only allowed one adoption at a time, and besides, that’s all the money I had. Of course, I chose Xena. To this day I think of the other one as “Oscar.” I guess that’s how one of our stuffie schnauzers got his name. Can you tell which three-month-old schnauzer I brought home?
Yes, it’s the little cookie monger, the one with the colorful harness.
Xena was scared in the kennel on the three hour drive back home, and had to have a bath before I brought her upstairs.
Lucy was very curious and immediately accepting of her new little sister. She was, and still is, the very best sister a little schnauzer could have.
Nature Friday and That Thing
We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.
Monkey: Whew. I’m glad we made it up here before Riley got ahold of us. Did you see him take off with the new guy that Xena got for Christmas? I’m afraid he might look like this aloe plant that the Mom left outside in the cold too long. It’s a gonner.
Winter Bear: Yes, I did see Riley stick his big T-Rex head into the kennel and snatch the new guy, and it made me shake all over. Bear only knows what happened to him. I know I’m the Winter Bear, but I think I’ll go hibernate with the rest of the bears until Spring. Maybe it’ll be safer around here by then. Wait! Is that the new guy heading back into Xena’s kennel?
Monkey: Hey there, you, new kid on the block, er, in the house. I’m Monkey. What’s you’re name.
Triceratop: Hi Monkey. No one’s given me a name yet. Unless it’s That Thing, as in, “I hate That Thing.” And, “I don’t know what That Thing is, but it gives me the creeps. And, “Have you seen That Thing move all on it’s own?” Xena’s supposed to be my new dog, but she hates me. I’m afraid she’s going to feed me to that big T-Rex dog. He already got me once, but the Mom rescued me.
Monkey: I don’t understand why Xena would feel that way. But come in here with me and I’ll try to help if he comes back.
That Thing: I’m a hand puppet, and I think I moved in ways that might have scared her when I was trying to play, but she would never admit it, Warrior Princess that she is. She did chase and bite me when I tried to run away from her.
Xena: Hey, You Thing, why are you back. I thought Mommy put you somewhere safe (for us both).
The Thing: I want to be with you and be your friend, even if it means facing down the T-Rex Dog.
Xena: Huh. I think you might mean Riley. And you would risk certain death by him just to be my friend?
Lucy: Hey, whatch’all doin’?
Xena: I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess and NOBODY threatens my friends!
Lucy’s Birthday and Gotcha Day
Hi, it’s me, Lucy, the birthday girl. I came to live with my Mom and Dad exactly four years ago today! Being a lady, I wouldn’t tell my age, but the vet thought I was one year old at the time. And in heat. (Oh wait, I didn’t mean to say that.) Anyhoo, this day was assigned as my birthday, too. So that means I am five years old now.
For my birthday, I asked that Ella my BFF be OK and not have the big C. We were friends at first sight, and love each other a lot.
It will probably be another week or more before we get the biopsy results.
In the meantime, Mom surprised me with some treats. This morning, I got some of my very favorite Healthfuls Chicken and Fruit Wraps.
They have real dried apple, kiwi and banana wrapped in a chicken filet, and it’s all natural and sized for a big girl like me. Xena didn’t get any. She might have gotten one of her treats from Christmas, though.
I got extra portions for supper, too. My bowl floweth over, BOL!
After supper me, Xena and Riley celebrated my birthday with Peanut Butter flavored Frosty Paws! (Sorry, no pictures available.)
So anyhoo, as great as my birthday was, I’ll let you know when my real wish comes true in a week or so.
Love and kisses, Lucy
Almost Wordless Wednesday-Landry
Thanks to Comedy Plus
for hosting the
Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Lucy, Ace Reporter here, reporting on another spectacular groom done the weekend before Christmas. It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so two pictures will suffice on Wordless Wednesday.
Landry, 9 year old, obese shih tzu.
Thanks Lucy. Great job as always. This is Groomer Mom and I do want to say a little about this groom.
But Mom, this is Almost Wordless Wednesday, and I’ve already used up over two thousand words with the pictures!
It’s OK Lucy, dear. I think folks will make an exception.
Landry, along with his yorkie brother Dallas and his pomeranian sister Bonnie Blue were all here February of 2019. If you missed it, you are welcome to take a look here. They haven’t been groomed since. I started thinking about them, concerned for them, and even knowing what I was getting into, I contacted their mom. She told me that Dallas died of cancer in August, and his sister Bonnie Blue died of cancer the following month. But Landry sure could use a groom. Well, I knew what that meant, and what to expect, so I was prepared with a muzzle, kind words, and a bottle of CBD oil. His dad brought him, and told me he tried to give Landry a bath, but Landry bit him “pretty bad.” “He’s fast,” he said. With his dad’s permission, I squirted a half dropperful of CBD oil in his mouth. An hour had passed by the time he was mostly shaved and I had him in the tub. I decided to try it without a mask. Well, the CBD oil had kicked in, and Landry not only let me wash him all over, including his face three times, he also let me get the hair out of his ears and finish cutting his nails, all the time wagging his tail. Thanks, Monika, for a great product and a bite-free bath! You helped make Landry a happy boy. Landry’s dad agreed to start bringing him four times a year. I’ll have the CBD oil ready!
Lucy’s Birthday Wish
I’ve been dreaming about my birthday coming up this Thursday. I’m going to be four whole years old! Isn’t it funny how I keep staying half a year older than Xena?
At first I thought about new chew bones or new treats or maybe a trip alone with my Dad to visit my Grandma. But now there’s really only one thing I want.
My BFF is having surgery right now. The dogtor is removing all those growths covering several of her teeth. They are going to send some of it off to make sure it isn’t the thing that took Angel Lexi. All I want is for Ella to be OK and be so excited to see me and to play with me for a lot more birthdays. I hope the Birthday Fairy can hear me.
XOXOX Lucy
Dog Bed War
In Purrsuit of Flavors – Enchilada Sauce
Thanks to Shoko and Tyebe of the Canadian Cats and Nelly and Phenny of Easy Blog for hosting this yummy day.
Lucy: For today’s Purrsuit, we are sharing Dad’s most favorite Mexican sauce. He even brags to his friends about this wonderful enchilada sauce that his wonderful wife makes. So far, no one has asked for the recipe, BOL!
Riley: But first, Mom Amy said I could share my favorite sauce recipe. I call it…
“Riley’s Super Tasty Topping”
Ingredients:
1/4 can dog food – I’m currently eating Beyond Ocean Whitefish, Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
About 2 big tablespoons of organic coconut oil
Directions:
Mix all together in a glass cup or bowl or whatever is laying around.
Heat for about 20 seconds in the microwave, or until the coconut oil is real soft, or even melted.
Mix real good with whatever kibble you are eating, and enjoy before another dog in the family who shall not be named scarfs it down.
Lucy: Thanks Riley. Good food post. Now it’s Mom’s turn. Take it away, Mom!
That’s sure a hard recipe to follow! *giggle* Since Lucy so kindly introduced this sauce, we’ll get right down to the recipe.
We hope your first week of 2021 is going swell!
Lucy, Riley and the Mom
POTP for Ella
Lucy: My BFF in the whole wide world needs your prayers, your good thoughts, your anything that will help. Here is what her Mama, who is my Aunty Jen, found in her mouth on New Year’s Eve.
Besides the pink thing hanging down over her upper teeth, just below and on the right of it is a discolored piece hanging down, too. When she went to her vet today (Saturday), the dogtor found another discolored one growing up over a back bottom tooth, too. The vet wasn’t too worried about the big pink one. She said this happens to boxers, and they are harmless. But the discolored one on the bottom bothered her. Aunty Jen is going to get a biopsy and maybe some x-rays or something else like that done, probably on Monday. My Mom cried and cried, thinking about her Angel Lexi. Those of you who have been with us a while will remember when Mom found this, only five days since she had last looked in Lexi’s mouth:
So please, send POTP to Ella. She heard my Mom say my name over the phone today and she started looking for me. She’s only 8 or 9 years old, and I don’t know what I’ll do without her…
Lucy
Recap of Our 2020 in Pictures
Our friend, Miss Monika from Tails Around the Ranch posted this picture, and gave us permission to show it to all our friends. It says so much about how we all feel.
A few of my favorite pictures/moments of 2020. ..
January 2020 (below) We were at our friends’ house in Nashville, blissfully unaware of how the year was going to play out.
Happy Lucy 
Xena and Achilles 
Jen and baby Morty 
Xena and her Dad at home
February 2020 (below) We actually got some snow!
Xena 
Lucy and Xena 
Riley 
Riley, Xena and Ludwig
March 2020 (below) just before our world changed. We got pictures sent to us of Morty celebrating his first birthday.
Xena 
Sleepy Lucy 
Morty 
Achilles and Morty
April 2020 (below)
Lucy, Dad and Xena 
Xena and Oscar 
Lucy and Oscar 
Lucy and Xena
May 2020 (below)
Xena hunting chipmnk 
Lucy 
Riley 
Xena
June 2020 (below) Xena enjoyed turning 3 years old.
I’m begging-hoof! 
Hoof, please. 
Xena 
Lucy
July 2020 (below) We got a baby in the home office and dogsat while our friends went on a trip.
Lucy with baby Bridger 
Lucy 
Ella 
Jeff and Achilles
August 2020 (below). We travelled to be with family in Indiana to celebrate Jeff’s Mom’s 90th birthday.
Lucy 
Jeff’s Mom and Xena 
Lucy travelling 
Itchy Xena
September 2020 (below). Still working in my home office with the help of Xena and Lucy. Our new back, enclosed porch was finally finished, and Xena found a way onto the table.
Xena in office 
Lucy 
Xena and Stuffie friends 
Xena
October 2020 (below) Lucy and Xena joined the Zoom service with B’nai Zion and became BarkMitzvah-ed. Lucy’s new Hebrew name is Ora (light or shiny), while Xena’s is Grrvurah (warrior, sort of). We took a trip to an Air B&B in Kentucky for our 12th wedding anniversary, and the pups stayed with our frineds in Nashville.
Xena 
Xena and Lucy at Greenway 
Jeff and Achilles
November 2020 (below) The weather was unseasonably warm and sunny. Our Nashville friends joined us for thanksgiving, and then we leftall four pups home with the dogsitter while we spent a long Thanksgiving weekend at an Air B&B in North Carolina.
Xena and bears 
Achilles 
Xena hiding 
Lucy 
December 2020 (below) OK, so the first one is still from November, but just had to include it. Riley is back with us for a while, and so is his Dad Andrew.
Jen and Xena 
Riley 
Riley and Lucy 
Have a very good 2021, from Lucy, Xena, Achilles, Ella, Morty, Riley and Amy
Almost Wordless Wednesday with Riley
Thanks to Comedy Plus
for hosting the
Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Singing, “Nick, nack, patty wack, give a dog a bone…”
Thanks for the used bone, Xena. 
It’s OK, I’ll keep it.
Here, Mr. Reindeer Stuffie, you can hold my bone while we cuddle. What, Mom Amy? Why haven’t I deadied my reindeer like I do all the other stuffies? Because you gave him to me for Christmas – just for me – and that makes me feel loved. How did I get Lucy’s sweater? She gave it to me to wear when I’m cold, and that makes me feel loved, too. Xena’s present to me? You mean that old, meatless bone? Well, I guess it’s a start.
I love my reindeer stuffie. I take him everywhere with me in the house.
XOX Riley
We’re Asleep, Santa Paws
You can come, now, Santa Paws. We’ve been very good all year. Please leave our pressies in front of the fireplace so we can find them. Mom didn’t put up a tree this year.
Xena, running upstairs to Lucy: Do you think it worked?
Lucy: I don’t know. It’s still daylight out, and you were down in your office bed, not in your usual night time bed.
Xena: OK, we’ll just try to stay awake tonight and be real quiet to try to catch Santa Paws in the house.
Lucy: What if he’s reading this?
silence…
Both: Just kidding, Santa Paws!
Love and Merry Christmas from the good dogs Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy and Chia 