Mom and Dad went on a weekend vacation without us. Mom said she meant to leave Sweetheart at home with us, but that naughty bear hid in the back seat of the car behind the cooler. They’re back, and I’m going to make Sweetheart tell me where they went and what happened while they were there.
She ‘fessed up right away. They drove to a big cabin in the woods and slept late ’cause we weren’t there to get them up. Daddy cooked all their meals and made lots of good drinks that we aren’t old enough to drink. They were sweet and some even had ice cream in them.
Mommy made a dump cake for dessert and they broke their “no sugar” rule all weekend!
Sweetheart visited with the bear living in the children’s room. 
Her new friend read a Dr. Seuss book to her. It is called Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
I don’t know how she got up so high to explore the big shelf in the living room.
Daddy had to help her get down, so she stayed with him while he took a little chair nap.
Then she went upstairs to Mommy and Daddy’s bedroom and took a little bed nap herself. She said there were three beds, and this is one was ju-u-ust right.
When she woke up, she sat at the bottom of the bed looking out the window at all the trees and listening to the noisy, bubbling creek down below. 
She wondered if there were any big black bears in those woods.
When she went out to check for bears she found a gnome who is related to the gnomes at Rock City. He played Sweetheart a little tune.
Then he asked her to give his kinfolk his love when she goes to Rocktober Fest this year with me, Xena. Hmm, I wonder why she thinks she is going to get to go with me.
Lucy: Sweetheart had a wonderful time on vacation, and she wants me to ask if you are done forcing her to ‘fess up.
Yep. I’m done. And I don’t think we should tell the folks about how much fun we had with our sitter, Miss Christy. How ’bout if we just let them feel bad that they deserted us. After all, we are a happy pack again.
Love and wiggles from Lucy and screams of joy from the schnauzer warrior princess Xena
Sometimes she rests in the Mommy’s lap. 
The Mommy also keeps her safe. We all love our Xena.
She’s DROOLING! Then she sucked it back up into her mouth! E-ewww.
Ha, ha, ha, caught you, Lucy.
Ludwig here. I have been visiting with my new friends at Xena’s home. It has become my weekend retreat.
As I was drifting off, I could still hear her woofing about the puppies who were so much bigger than her, and about the teacher who would take them away from their Mommies to demonstrate training techniques. And about how she was afraid the lady would try to take her from her Mommy, and she thought she would die of fear. Rainbow fell asleep before I did. I don’t know if Winter was awake or sleeping with his eyes open. We can all do that, you know. 
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Did you guess white wall paper? If so, you’re wrong! Ha, ha, ha. Did you guess egg shell? Yes! Mommy got some farm-fresh eggs at the farmers market over the weekend. If you guessed right, you won an all-expense paid trip to…
Is everyone ready? (Oh, I’m a bit nervous.) Here we go. All y’all can sing along if you want.
…and wondered what that little scurrying thing would taste like.
It ran away, but there were more, probably it’s sisters and brothers and aunts and uncles and friends. “What a fun game,” I thought, “to try to see how many I can catch.” It wasn’t too hard, and once I got them in my mouth it was just easier to swallow them than to try to spit them out.
Ohh, I think I’ve had enough little black ants for one day. It feels like they are still running around, but in my tummy.
Let’s go back inside now Mommy. I need a drink to try to drown those tummy ants.
Prinzessin Xena, I didn’t expect you back so soon.
…(whispering) I was just telling Rainbow about my wunderbar visit with you and your family over the Easter holiday. Yes! That is what I was doing.
Ludwig is my boyfriend. He said I have beautiful furs.
And stay out!
As our guest, Ludwig was offered some, but he politely declined, saying he was not hungry.
Ludwig, you look awfully tense.
The T-Lex will have us there in less than half an hour, Ludwig. I’m sure everything will be ok. Try to relax.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
But that would be rude, lovely Prinzessin. You must not ask me to do that.
This is fun, Prinzessin Xena. I would like to have a T-Lex also. It is wunderbar.
I have no need of toys, beautiful Xena. After all, I have you.
Lucy: Who is your friend, Xena? Can I play with him?
I don’t know, Xena. He’s your problem. You brought him home and told me to stay away from him. All I know is this is my bed and you can’t sleep here.
Xena: How did you like your bath, Lucy? This is the first one I ever saw you get.
Lucy and Xena: Is it time to go yet, Mom?
Mommy goes to visit him a couple of times a month. Sometimes I get to go, too. Once in a while Adam calls me Lexi, but that’s OK. Angel Lexi has told me how much she loved Adam, too.
Adam always wears his special leather jacket to see me. I made sure to wear my collar with the diamonds so that I looked extra good.
I’ve gotta go now. Mommy is taking us to get some lunch. I wonder what fine dining drive-through we will go to this time???
Mom said he was a “handful,” just because he was a puppy. Mrs. Barker (he, he, he, he…sorry) was delighted and said he looked like a little boy. She had already asked Mom if she could bring Roxie when she picked up Tubby, so Mom got a bonus groom on Friday. You might remember Roxie, an 11 year old shih tzu poodle mix. This is a picture from the last time Mom groomed her:
This time Mrs. Barker (I’m not gonna laugh, I’m not gonna laugh) wanted most of the hair cut off her legs, so Mom trimmed them really short, but didn’t shave them. Mom said Roxi is almost as sweet as me!
This is Dexter. He’s a 3 year old schnauzer. Yep, same dog in both pictures. He also had some fleas and ticks. He and his sister are outside a lot of the time, running free through the woods and stuff. That sounds like fun.
This is 10 year old Sophie. Sophie had big thick mats and a couple of ticks. When last we met (I heard that phrase and have been waiting to be able to use it), Sophie had a tumor on her ear. It didn’t look good, and Mom was scared it was something bad. Sophie’s Mom took her to the dogtor, who took off the tumor and had it checked. 
Daddy said they are called the Olta Band and they all live in Chattanooga.
I looked up too, but the cup was stuck on my face. Mommy got it off right away, ’cause she knows that can be very dangerous. At the time, I didn’t care, ’cause OMD, that Guinness flavored ice cream stuck to the insides of the cup was sooooo tasty!
Yep, that’s ice cream residue all over my face, and I couldn’t stop grinning.
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy and Chia 