Rolling Baby Alert!

Yesterday Aaron and I went over to Tony and Libby's house to watch the MMA fight (Le vs. Shamrock) and hangout.

During the fight, Jennifer was on the ground and she was getting SOOOOO close to rolling all the way over. She was getting to her shoulder and was SO close, but wasn't quite making it. She kept doing it and we were all like, "come one", "oh!" "aw!" "go!" and then she was getting so close, Libby went to grab her video camera in case she made it and she can't find it! She is ripping things out of the drawers looking for the video camera and while she is looking for it, I run across the way, to our house, and grab our video camera so that in case she can't find it or get it out in time, they will have it on video. I get back and turn it on, and by that time Libby had her camera out and rolling. But Aaron says, video anyway...just in case her battery runs out or something like that. So Libby and I are video taping and literally, like 1 minute after we pull out the cameras and start video taping, she rolled over!! We were all screaming "YAY!" and were so excited...meanwhile the MMA fight is on, and people are probably thinking we are cheering for the fight, but no, we are rooting for the rolling baby! It was so awesome!

Oh yea, and when she was on her tummy, after she rolled over, Libby got down near her and was like "come to mommy" and Jennifer was trying SO hard to crawl over to her. She reached her little hands out to touch Libby, and bent one leg in, trying to push off so she could scootch forward. It was SO cute. You could tell she really wanted to be able to get to her mom!

It was really cool to be able to see Jennifer do that for the first time...it was like being a part of one of her milestones! Aaron and I were talking about it today and it has been so cool to see Jennifer to grow up. We held her when she was just 2 days old, and now we just watched her roll over for the first time! I can't even imagine how exciting this all is to Tony and Libby!

Here is the video I caught of Jennifer rolling over....I got back a little late, so you see her *right* as she is about to make it onto her tummy!

Steam out the sickness!

I have been reading up on kennel cough a lot lately in hopes to find information on how to make Harley feel a little more comfortable.

Well, I have read, in quite a few places, that using a humidifier can help kennel cough because the humidifier helps reduce the inflammation of the bronchi (air passages into the lungs) and trachea (windpipe)....so we went out and bought a humidifier and it seems to be helping...at least a little bit.

Oh, and I have also read that you should bring the dog into the bathroom while you take a shower so that the steam helps reduce the inflammation as well....so I did that this morning. I brought a pillow and a blanket for her to lay on and she laid in their for about 30 minutes while I took my shower....She was just too cute, so I took a picture of her with my cell phone!



Here's to hoping she gets better soon!

Kennel Cough

We took Harley to the vet on Monday since she was still hacking and we were hoping to find out what was wrong and how to treat her.

Harley knew right away where we were...she is absolutely TERRIFIED of the vet's office. The only reason she has ever been there was for vaccinations and she hates shots! I felt so bad for her. It took a while but we finally got her onto the scale and she weighed in at 31 pounds. I think she actually weighs more like 35 pounds but it was really hard to get and keep her on the scale so I am not really sure how accurate the reading was.

Anyhow, we get her in there, show the vet the video we took of her coughing (we took it because we weren't sure she would cough while we were there and we wanted her to know exactly what she sounded like) and the first thing she asked was whether or not Harley was taking heart worm medication..well, actually, no she isn't. So then I was freaking out thinking that she may have heart worm. So the vet drew some blood to test her for heart worm and decided to treat her as if she had kennel cough.

(Here is the video of her hacking)



So we went home with antibiotics and hydrocodone (for pain) and were told to keep her away from other dogs as she could be contagious. So that means no play time with Tucker or Daisy. :(

The vet got back to us late the next day and told us that Harley doesn't have heart worm! So that was a major relief!

Oh yea, and the vet said, that whatever she caught, she caught it from the dog park. So crappy!! We finally get Harley to the dog park, playing with other dogs, etc. and then she catches something from one of the dogs.

Anyhow, so Harley has been separated from all dogs since Monday and is just basically resting and taking medication. She still has a cough, but now she has more of a huffing than a cough...and she is sneezing...A LOT! So after seeing the whole illness running its course, we have come to realize that Harley does in fact have Kennel Cough. The hacking cough is a major sign of kennel cough and also sometimes when dogs have kennel cough they hack up a white foamy substance, which she has done. Oh and also, dogs with kennel cough sometimes have nasal discharge, which Harley also has. So our poor baby is suffering from this highly contagious illness that leaves her away from all her friends and quite uncomfortable. And you know what really sucks?? Kennel cough can last up to 3 weeks! And she is contagious for 10 days after her symptoms (coughing, etc.) stop!

So with her being contagious, we have to figure out what to do with her while we are gone at work...she obviously can't be with Tucker. So we figured out last week, but still need to figure out next week and thankfully I have spring break the next week so we for sure have that covered. I just really hope she gets better soon because I hate to see her so sick. =(

Mama Didn't Save the Drama

Oh my gosh, what a stressful, ridiculous day!

Each day, my students start class by grabbing their team flags, run for a lap, sit down, and take roll before we begin our sport activity. As I am waiting for all the kids to finish their lap I see a student on the ground with a few others surrounding him. I drop my grade book, run over to him to see what has happened and make sure he is OK. When I get to him I see that he is holding his head and crying. I asked him if he was OK and what happened and that is when he told me that another student kicked him in the head after he fell to the ground (he tripped). Apparently the student decided to try to jump over him rather than go around and/or help the classmate up and as he jumped he kicked him in the head! Are you freaking kidding me?

In the middle of dealing with that situation, a couple of other students come up to me and tell me that another classmate is mad at them and how that classmates mother is going to yell at them. Apparently the students mother was on campus. I kept them with me and assured them that I wouldn't allow the parent to yell or harm them. I really didn't think a parent would actually come up to them and begin reprimanding them but I wanted to make sure they felt safe in my class; they were very nervous and crying.

At this point my class is just out of control. I finally get them all together and begin a quick game of flag tag just to get them going and focused. It was very difficult because they all wanted to know what happened to the classmate that was hurt, what the drama was with the 3 girls and the mom. Finally, I got the class playing flag tag and kept the girls with me.

A couple minutes into the game, I see the mother they are talking about and I couldn't believe it, but she began walking up to me and the girls. I was thinking, well, maybe she is just going to talk to me. But NO! Of course not!! We are just going to disrupt my class farther and upset my students. So this mother comes stomping up to the girls and begins pointing her fingers at them and yelling, "you need to stop telling lies, and you need to stop spreading rumors" blah, blah, blah! I said, very sternly, "Excuse me, please do not approach my students. If you have a problem, please take it to the principal." So she left and went to the principal. I let the girls know that I would inform the principal and their teacher of the mothers inappropriate behavior.

Oh and you know what else the mother did? Before approaching the two girls, she was talking to her daughter and a friend of the daughter and said, "don't worry, "SALLY" is just a bitch!" I didn't hear this, but a number of students did and told me. I just couldn't believe how freaking inappropriate and childish this mother was.

The teacher and principal actually did come to talk to me to confirm that the mother had in fact approached the children in the manner that she did and I told them exactly what had happened. It seemed to all be resolved, through the principal, by the end of the class.

I don't know exactly what started the whole mess, but I do know that it had something to do with a boy....Geez!

Chef Aaron

Life has been truly wonderful since Aaron has left his old job....we get to spend so much more time together, we get to have dinner together, he is much less stressed and generally more happy and excited about work and life.

Without all the stress and consumption of his time, Aaron has been able to do so many things that he wouldn't have been able to do before, like cook dinner, get all his homework done before 10pm, midweek archery, mountain biking and other outdoor activities and it has made him very happy. He is able to put more time into himself, his school work and our marriage. It has been wonderful! Today, he cleaned the entire guest bedroom, went to the grocery store, cooked an AMAZING dinner (Teriyaki and Garlic BBQ Steak, Veggie Stir Fry, and Brown Rice) and made us dessert! Oh, and yesterday he cooked spinach and cheese tortellini and salad! He is a fantastic cook and you know what? HE LOVES TO DO IT!! And I find it incredibly romantic!

This job loss was really scary at first, but we always did kind of look at it like a blessing in disguise and that is truly what it was. God knew that Aaron's old job was not the right path for him, us or our future and led him a new/different and exciting direction. We are incredibly blessed with an amazing family, wonderful friends (and that includes new ones that we are so grateful to have made), jobs we love and much more. We are extremely grateful.

Baby Jennifer

Today, Libby needed to go to the store and asked if Aaron and I could watch Jennifer while she ran over to get groceries, and of course we said yes! It was so much fun!

Aaron was also at the store when Libby dropped her off, and I told him to hurry home so he could babysit with me for the little time that Libby was going to be gone (He just loves Jennifer and would have been so bummed if he had missed it!) While I was waiting for Aaron to get home, she started fussing a little bit and then the phone rang....as soon as I picked it up and said hello to Aaron, she stopped and was all calmed down...It was really cute. When I got off the phone with Aaron, I walked her all around the house. We went into the Disney room to check out all the murals I painted and she liked checking those out quite a bit. After a while, we headed back downstairs and sat on the couch where she would look at Harley, play with my face and practiced her standing (with help of course...but she sure likes to stand!)

After a lot of calm silence, she started to get a little fussy again, so we bopped up and down around the house, drank some milk (which she loved!) and played with a stuffed stitch magnet. She once again was calm, but then a few minutes later she got fussy a little bit and so I tried all the same things as before but it wasn't working this time. But then, all of a sudden, Aaron walked through the door, and guess what? The fussiness stopped!! What is with this husband of mine and baby Jennifer! She was calmed once again, smiling, and sticking out her long tongue!

Oh, and it was too cute when I was holding her, facing outwards, bopping up and down, her little arms and hands would bounce up and down like she was "raising the roof" and Aaron sang, "throw your hands in the air, and wave them like you just don't care." When he was singing and she was bopping, she had a huge smile on her face!

Then, sadly (no, jk), Libby came back and took her! =( Oh yea, and she tried to steal our Dyson! hehehe!

It was really a great treat to be able to watch Jennifer with Aaron. She is such a beautiful baby and it was too neat to be able to see Aaron care for a child. He was so caring, loving and nurturing and it was great to see how easy it was for him to make her smile. That just put a huge smile on my face!

Holy Suction Batman!

So, if you have read some of my latest blogs, you know that our vacuum cleaner took a dump! BOO! Well, fortunately, my Aunt Laura was reading my blog and came across that post and gave me a call telling me that she had Dyson in the garage that they never use! She offered it to us and I jumped on it! We needed a new vacuum and Dyson's, I have heard, are the best!

My cousin, Trevor, was nice enough to drop it off today and I gave it a spin for the first time and holy moly! What freaking suction! And all those attachments! It made cleaning so fun....seriously, I have never had so much fun vacuuming! I know, I am a dork, but I am now in love with the Dyson!

If you are thinking about getting a Dyson, I highly recommend it! THANKS AUNT LAURA!!!

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

Today my family and I were able to visit with one of the most beautiful, intelligent, little girls in the whole world; Kalista. Kalista was the flower girl in our wedding and she is just an amazing child.

She is EXTREMELY beautiful....inside and out. She always gives you a hug, blows you kisses and has a smiling face. She is just so sweet and every time I see her I just hope that I have a little girl just as beautiful and sweet as her.

And, OH MY GOD, she is SO smart! Leslie, her mom, asked her to tell us what she was learning in preschool, and she was so cute, and said, "I love preschool" while jumping up and smiling....anyhow, Leslie pulled out a dollar bill and Kalista told us that George Washington was on the bill. And then Leslie pulled out a five dollar bill and Kalista told us that Abraham Lincoln was on the bill! She is 3! How smart is she!!!

She is just too cute for words! Here is a picture of the cutie, in her beautiful Easter dress!

Sick Puppy

Our poor baby, Harley, is not feeling so good. Saturday morning Harley woke up and began hacking, and at first, I thought she had something in her throat that she was trying to clear out. This happens time to time, but she usually gets it out pretty quickly. But she continued to hack/cough...it almost sounds like a cat trying to hack up a fur ball. She was still playing, wagging her tail and eating, so we decided to keep an eye on her and if it got worse we would take her to the vet.

Last night, she slept pretty well, but woke up at about 12am and began to hack again. She went downstairs, got some food and water and then came back up to bed...cough free until the morning. In the morning, she began hacking again. Especially when she was playing with Daisy. When she was playing/getting excited, she would immediately start hacking...I felt so bad for her and quite helpless. But, she continued to play, have fun, eat and drink, so we decided to hold off on the emergency room.

The hacking has been a little less, but if she is still doing it tomorrow, we are going to take her into the vet. She has also been sneezing, so we think she might have a cold. It might be allergies as well, but we have had her since she was 2 months old and has never had seasonal allergies before, so I really think it might be a cold. I hope she starts feeling better....It breaks my heart! =( And since she is feeling a little under the weather, she has been extra clingy to mommy...which of course I love....I just wish I could make her feel better. Hopefully, if we go to the vet tomorrow, the doc will be able to do and/or give her something to make her feel better.

Here is a picture of our poor little sick puppy resting..she is even beautiful when she is sick...

Graduation Roadtrip

Aaron and I are working hard (Aaron more so) on our upcoming U.S roadtrip!! It is getting closer and closer and we are SOOOOOO excited! Here are our plans so far....

Washington D.C.

May 8-9, 2008

Arlington National Cemetery

Lincoln Memorial

Vietnam Memorial Wall

Washington Monument

The White House

Museum of Natural History

Holocaust Memorial Museum

Air and Space Museum

The Capitol Building

California University of Pennsylvania

May 9-11, 2008

College Graduation! WooHoo!

Hershey Pennsylvania

May 11, 2008

Hershey’s chocolate factory

New York, NY

May 11-13, 2008

Statue of Liberty

Ellis Island

World Trades Center-Ground Zero

Freedom Towers – Under Construction

Empire state building

Times Square

Central Park Zoo

Yankee Stadium

Cooperstown, NY

May 13, 2008

Baseball Hall of Fame

Niagara Falls, NY/Canada

May 13-15, 2008

Maid of the Mist

Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview Hotel

Watermark Restaurant

Toronto, Canada

May 14, 2008

CN Tower for Dinner

Cambridge, Ontario

May 15, 2008

African Lion Safari

Chicago, IL

May 15-17, 2008

Sears Tower

Buckingham Fountain

Soldier Field

Wrigley Field

Hancock Observatory

Omaha, NE

May 17, 2008

Creighton University

Black Hills, SD

May 18-19, 2008

Mt. Rushmore

Yellowstone National Park, WY

May 19, 2008

Old Faithful

Salt Lake City, UT

May 19, 2008

Rest Stop

Grand Canyon, AZ

May 20-21, 2008

Helicopter Tour

Las Vegas, Nevada

May 21-23, 2008

Gondola Ride

M&M Store

Casinos

San Diego, CA

May 23-25, 2008

San Diego Zoo

Sea World

Anaheim, CA

May 25, 2008

Disneyland

San Jose, CA

May 25, 2008

Home

Pregnant!!!

GOTCHA!!

No, I am not pregnant,but one of my best friends is!! She 9 weeks along and Aaron and I are SOOOOOOOO happy for them. I was a part of their wedding on June 23, 2007 and I love them both dearly! They are going to make great parents and I can't wait till their little one is here and to go shopping!

So, a BIG congratulations to Jenny and Vanessa!! We wish you a happy and healthy 9 months!!

Power of Prayer

A couple of days ago, I posted on the nest about Aaron’s job loss and all the crappy things that were happening at the same time. I asked for “nestie” thoughts/prayers/dust and I received an overwhelming amount of support from them…and guess what?? The nestie thoughts/prayers/dust worked!

Aaron has been offered a few jobs this week….he has narrowed it down to two favorites…it actually looks like he may make the same money he did at his previous job but with WAY WAY WAY less hours!

Oh and remember how our toilet was all jacked up and exploding?? well the clog in the pipe was outside of our house, so the HOA had to pay for it!!

Oh, and then remember how the overflowing toilet ruined all my documents for my teaching credential program…well, I went and got new ones, turned in the applicaiton…got a call today…did a phone interview and I was accepted!!

We still don’t have a working Vaccuum cleaner, but Libby said I could borrow hers… =)

Things are looking WAY up!! The power of prayer is AMAZING!

He Got Hosed!

This is why I laugh everyday....Presenting, my husband

RIP Big Guy

One year ago, 3/12/07, one of the very best dogs in the whole world passed. His name was Max and he truly was the most calm, loving, fluffy, goofball of a dog. He was loved more than anyone will ever know and my family and I miss him tremendously. It was his time to go; he was very old for a large dog (13) and he was hurting. I know right now that he is in Heaven running around with all his other doggie friends and having a great time! He was more than a dog to our family, he was a best friend and family member. Rest in Peace Max...WE LOVE YOU!

Kicking Us While We're Down

Aaron quit his job last week after a uncalled for demotion; they cut his pay so far down that they knew he would have to quit. Aaron and I were upset about the situation and how it was all handled, but we truly saw it as a blessing in disguise; before, he worked ridiculous hours (you never wanted to calculate the hourly pay!) and he was never home for dinner (except on weekends) for the last 5 years! So now we are able to spend much more time together and that is such a huge blessing.

However, Aaron is now on the search for a new job and I know he will be hired soon because of all his experience in the field. And actually, he has already been hired to teach summer school this year! Anyhow, in the meantime, we are VERY limited on money because he was the major, major breadwinner. I don't nearly make enough to support us, pay our mortgage, etc. So that is a major bummer and we are just waiting for him to start his new job.

In the meantime, EVERYTHING is falling apart! 2 days ago our vacuum cleaner broke and then yesterday our downstairs toilet broke...it was like it threw up several times through the night...nearly our entire downstairs was flooded (except for the living room). We finally got it all cleaned up and just didn't use the bathroom till we could figure out what we were going to do. Well then, when we came down this morning, it had done it AGAIN! So I guess the pipes are really badly clogged, so if we flush any toilet in the house, it comes out through the downstairs toilet. Ugh! So now, my dad is going to come over and try and fix it, but we only have a 25ft. snake to snake the pipes, so we may have to hire a plumber...with what money? I don't know! Oh yea, and yesterday when the guy came over to fix the hole in our ceiling (that my father in law fell through), we noticed that one of the new pieces of tile we just laid and finished is horribly cracked (We are pretty sure it cracked with Mark fell through the ceiling and dropped his flashlight) and now we have to replace it!

Oh wait, I almost forgot!...I am applying to a teaching credential program and all the documents (transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.) are all have to be sent out TODAY and so since I didn't want to forget, I left them on the floor by the door and yes, they were SOAKED when the toilet over flowed! So now I have to try and run out to all the schools and get all new documents and rush them, which means more money, so that I can get it out to Cal State Teach.

Talk about kicking us while we're down!

So Freaking Stoked!

Disneyland is working on a Little Mermaid ride and I am so stoked for it to be done. I have always said they need a Little Mermaid ride and now they are finally putting one in. I just found this video on you tube that shows you exactly what the ride is going to be like and OH MY GOD! I cannot wait till it is done!!! Check out the video...

Hangin With Mr. and Mrs. Kranz

Yesterday, after we took the dogs to the dog park, Aaron and I met with Libby, Tony and Jennifer to go out to dinner. We were all pretty indecisive so we flipped a coin between Black Angus and Outback; Black Angus won. But while we were in the car, on the way there, we decided we would call in ahead...they said the wait would be 1 hour. So Aaron called outback to call in ahead for the 4 and 1/4 (Aaron said, Jennifer doesn't count as a 1/2 yet, so he went with 1/4) of us and it would only be 30 minutes, so that is were we ended up!

The food was great and we had an awesome time. Libby was cracking us up....she drank like 3/4 of a glass of wine and we were talking, and she says, [you know, I am totally trying to have a serious conversation but I just can't after this wine]...she was feeling good! But it wasn't till later that I would be feeling good, and actually even better...well, that is until the wee hours of the morning.

After dinner, we headed over to Cold Stones Creamery because, can you believe it, Libby has never had it!! Deprived I tell you! Aaron got his normal strawberry ice cream with crunch bar, I got the founders favorite, Libby got the apple pie one (I had never had it, but tried some of hers...OMG...SO GOOD!) and Tony got chocolate ice cream with Twix bars. By introducing Libby to this place, I think we created another addict (like Aaron and I)!

After dinner, we went back to Libby and Tony's were we watched our wedding video/slideshow; during that time, I managed to consume an entire bottle of strawberry champagne and a raspberry Smirnoff Ice....SO YUMMY! Yea, so basically, I was HAMMERED! But it was so much fun! Harley and Daisy had fun playing and hanging out and everyone else had fun watching me make a drunken fool of myself!

Here are some pictures from the night!

Harley, Daisy and Tucker at the Dog Park

Yesterday, Aaron, myself, Kelly and my mom all took Harley and Tucker to the dog park where we met Libby and Daisy. The three of them had so much fun together, and I couldn't help myself but to take some video footage!!

Harleys 3rd Birthday

Sunday, March 2, 2008, was Harley's 3rd birthday and we celebrated with a bang! My mom bought her a new collar (It is pink with little spikes and jewels on it) and Aaron and I bought her a new toy, and a couple of treats. We also took her to the dog park and I made her a little dog food cake with her favorite wet food.

I really can't even believe that she is 3 years old already!! When we adopted her, she was only 2 months old and just 10 pounds! Now, she is 3 and a very lean, muscular 40 pounds. She is our little angel and we love her to death, and yes, we spoil her endlessly! Here are some pictures from the big day!

Harley at the Dog Park

Whistle While You Fall

Today was the to be the beginning of Whistle While You Work (Day 7) since we were supposed to install the exhaust fan in the master bathroom, but apparently, God had a different plan.

Mark, my father in law, came over to help Aaron and I install the exhaust fan in the master bathroom that we are just about done remodeling; this was just about the last step involved! While Aaron and Mark were upstairs working on the exhaust fan, I am downstairs cleaning up. When I was downstairs, I found some work stuff and needed to put it in the car, so I left for like a minute, went outside and put it in my car. When I walk back in the door, the following conversation ensues between Aaron and I.

Aaron: Heather, are you deaf (with a smile on his face)

Me: I was outside

Aaron: My dad almost died! (half jokingly)

Me: Well, that's not good (I am thinking he shocked himself since he didn't turn off the power), what happened?

Aaron: Come upstairs and look what happened!

Me: I walk upstairs and look in the bathroom and say, Oh my GOD! What happened!?!?!

Well, apparently, in the minute or two while I was outside, Mark fell through our ceiling while he was in the attic! Either the beam wasn't stable or he lost his footing and he fell all the way to his hips and caught himself with his arms so he didn't land in the bathroom. His leg is banged up pretty good but he is alright.

But now there is a HUGE hole in our ceiling! Fortunately, in our complex, there is a guy that does drywall; we only know that because he has a drywall truck. So we guessed which townhome he lives in (and guessed right!) and asked him if he could fix it. He came over and checked it out and he is going to fix it on Monday or Tuesday night! Thank God!! I am just so ready for this project to be done!

Here is a picture of our bathroom ceiling!

The Cone Monster and Beer Cone

Last night was the night to strike back!! Aaron and I have been planning our revenge for about a week now and it was finally time to make it happen!!

Our first step was constructing a monster cone! We took the cone, disinfected it, and then got creative!! We flipped the cone on its side so that we could see the hole on the bottom and start applying paper teeth around the edge. We then grabbed a couple of old paint rollers from our bathroom remodel and hot glued them to the cone. After that, we took some red beer cups and hot glued them to the tops of the rollers and drew black dots in the center to make eyes! Did I mention that we did all this while drinking some nasty ass beer and getting faded? Here is the monster cone they saw when they opened the door!

The other plan was already in progress while we were building our monster cone. Our plan was to drink beer and use the empty cans to make a beer cone! So last night we got sauced and spawned a baby brother beer cone for the original orange cone! Here are some pictures of us while we were working...basically pictures of us hammered.

Basically, it was awesome and I think Tony and Libby should surrender! =)

Oh yes, and today when we got back home from dropping Harley off at my parents house, there was a picture on our door. We got out of the car, looked at the picture and this is what we saw....

A Big Day For Our Little Girl

Today, Aaron, myself, my sister and my mom took Harley and Tucker to the dog park. Aaron and I were VERY nervous because Harley always seemed aggressive toward other dogs; she barks, jumps toward, hair up, etc. So we have been very leery to take her to the dog park. When she was a puppy, she went ALL the time and she LOVED it! But one dog, a German Shepherd, always tried to hump her and it really bothered her and she would get mad; ever since then she has shown aggressive behavior to other dogs, but especially toward German Shepherds.

We decided to try and take her to the dog park because lately on her walks she has been very calm, listens well and not distracted or easily upset by passing dogs. We thought maybe now that Tucker, my sisters puppy, has been around for a while, she is getting more used to other dogs being around. And also since she is getting a little older now (3 tomorrow!) that maybe she has calmed down a bit.

Anyhow, so we all jump in the car to head on down to the dog park...I am excited, yet nervous. My mom and sister took Tucker right into the park and Aaron and I decided we would take two laps around the outside of the park to see how she would react and handle it all. We were really nervous and there were 30+ dogs at the park and I just wasn't really sure how she would do with a few dogs, let alone more than 30! She did her 2 laps, walked calmly next to our side, passed other dogs without a growl, heavy breathing or jumping. We were feeling pretty good and thought maybe it would work. We started to head into the park and as we are heading in, a big German Shepherd is heading out! Harley's nemesis!! The German Shepherd and Harley start sniffing each other; and actually this is a HUGE deal as Harley doesn't usually let other dogs that close to her...she usually starts barking and lunging forward. The keep sniffing and Harley's tail is wagging, and then out of nowhere, Harley jumps up at the dog! I was scared! But I guess she just wanted to play...but it is hard to tell and I was nervous on top of that.

Aaron was very nervous too, but we tried not to show her that because we didn't want her to feel that from us. We finally, reluctantly, brought her inside the park and decided to keep her on her leash to see how she would do and that way we would still be in control of her. Many dogs came over and sniffed her, and she sniffed back. She showed NO aggressiveness! We did this for about 10 minutes. She seemed to be doing really well and she actually was starting to walk to other dogs, wanting to play, and since she wasn't showing any aggressive behavior, we took her off the leash. I was SO nervous that I was nearly shaking!

She's off her leash...and guess what? She did AWESOME!! She played with the 30+ dogs and had a great time for 2 hours! She especially loved playing with these 2 pit bulls and a Doberman. She truly did amazing playing with all the dogs, coming when called, etc. I was so very proud of her!! Actually, so proud that my eyes got all teary! Aaron and I hugged, watched her and felt incredibly proud of our little girl! We are going to take her again tomorrow! And tomorrow I am taking my video camera!! I know, I know, but I am very proud of her and she is like our baby to us and I want it on tape! Here our a couple of pictures of her at the park from Aaron's cell phone.