Amidst a Snowy Tundra

Okay, okay. So we're not in the Arctic tundra, but we are in a semi-temperate climate which just so happens to be covered in SNOW!

Although Ian and I are originally from states with cold, long winters, the puppers have never even stepped foot in snow before this week.

Rory really enjoyed playing and hiking in the snow!

The Chihuahuas, on the other hand, were not impressed.

It's almost hard to believe that it's 80 degrees back at home!

Merry Christmas!

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On the Road

The stockings are hung... the presents are wrapped... all that's left to do is pack! We leave for our vacation in 2 days.



Packing and loading up the car should be a bit of a feat (and a fiasco as well, more than likely!). Four dogs, two humans, 4 crates, and suitcases full of winter clothes will somehow be smooshed into this for 11 hours:

And no... I'm not joking! It's actually bigger than it looks... the original plan was for Ian to even fit a SNOWBOARD inside as well! It's an Acura RSX, and it does have a hatchback so it's quite roomy... don't let it's compact looks fool you!

Think it's time for us to upgrade to a SUV? We actually do have plans to hopefully sell his car and get something bigger in the next year.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

My Bachelors

Rylie and Chloe, the two girls of the house, are very close with each other. They're usually found snuggling or playing together. Only 5 months apart in age, they've definitely grown up together and taken on the role of sisters very well.

Both of our boys are soooo different from one another. Although Tucker is 11 months old and Rory is 9 months old, the difference in their breeds really shines through.

For instance, Rory is more of a goof:



While Tucker is more reserved:



It's always hard to tell by looking at them, but Border Collies are SMART. I've never owned a dog quite like Rory, who picks up on everything right away. He disguises his inner genius quite well, don't you think?



Tucker's my little buddy, and loves to relax with us in the den. He's definitely a "momma's boy" and always knows how to cheer me up!



I don't know what I'd do without my boys!

Torture

Wet, soapy torture...

Baby, it's Cold Outside

I really did intend to blog over the weekend... life just ended up getting in the way!

The past few series of weeks have been spent working on Rory's obedience in order to prepare him for his next herding session. He needs to have a 100% reliable "lie down" which he is getting really, really good with. It's hard to remember that this very intelligent dog is only a 9 month old puppy.

A couple of nights ago the temperatures dropped into the mid 50's (cold for Florida!) and the girls spent some time laying in front of the fireplace in the den. They really do love the warmth.



Since Chloe's fur is so short, we put her winter coat on for her. She's definitely not made for cold weather!



Here's Rory, possibly laughing about how funny chihuahuas are in the winter time. Border Collies are originally from England/Scotland, so they're practically made for cold/rainy weather.



Tucker decided to roll and rub himself all over the new rug we put in the living room. Rory thought this was particularily interesting...





Happy Monday to you and your pups! Hope you all have a grrrreat week!

Our Home

We bought our first home in late July, and it is finally beginning to feel like home. We've slowly begun to fill up the space (after realizing we bought way too much home for just the two of us!).

These are just pictures of the downstairs, as the upstairs (besides the guest room) still has a long ways to go! The only rooms upstairs are the 4 bedrooms and a couple of bathrooms anyway, so nothing too exciting.

Here's the outside:



This is my favorite room... the den/formal living room:





The living room/great room:



Kitchen:



Dining room:

Preparing for our Vacation!

We're getting ready to leave for vacation in 2 weeks. Like last year, we're renting a log cabin up in the Smoky Mountains (Tennessee) for a week. Of course, the dogs will be coming with us. Four dogs and two humans in the car for 10+ hours (not including potty/food breaks!). Being able to spend Christmas in the mountains makes it allll worth it, though!

I can't wait to see the beautiful scenery, hikes, and skiing!

Four Happy Dogs

Quite a bit late, but here are a couple of pictures of the Thanksgiving feast we shared with the puppers last Thursday: