dog days

I have a feeling Bailey will be fine with sweet pea when he gets here. She follows me around all day.

She is very protective.

Boomer on the other hand....might have a hard time!

Look at Boomer bonding with his brother!

He likes to cuddle. He helped me through my first trimester! However, Boomer is going to have to learn to share very soon. His cuddle time will be very limited. We've moved his bed from the living room to the kitchen. I think he knows somethings going on!

dirty thirty

Happy birthday Kyle! Well in February...but just now getting around to blogging about it!

Kyle had a birthday month celebration. We went to his parents to celebrate, we went to the International Blues Challenge to celebrate AND since we had a bit of a crazy beginning of the year, we're celebrating with my parents tomorrow (in May). I think I would like to celebrate my birthday all year too!

I decided to decorate the house so when he got home, he'd feel super special!

The door to get in the garage.

The living room.

The dog's food bin.

And you can't forget to decorate the toilet!

The microwave. I wanted to make sure he knew he was now in my decade! I am a cougar (married a youngin') and the most I can ask for is that my young hubs is in the same decade with me!

Where we hang our keys!

Kyle had a trail of happies when he got home. I'm glad he beat me home so he could find all of his signs!

Some cupcakes!

He loved his decorations! Welcome to the 30s Kyle! Being 30 means you'll be a dad =)

Later that night, we went to grab me some tater tots (those made my belly feel much better) and we came home to this.

I left my prenatal vitamins on the coffee table and Boomer got in them. I called the vet to make sure he would be ok.

And he was. Such a bad dog. I'm such a bad mom for leaving them out. Since his "lifestyle change" Boomer tries to get all food, including pills!

My sweet girl. She would never do what he did. If I have to give her a pill, I wrap it in cheese since she hates them.

food for finance: resolutions-boomer style

(healthy) food for finance is a column where we talk about how fitness and finance correlate with each other. join us on our journey to be both physically and financially fit.

BOOTCAMP FOR BOOMER

Of course I think I have the cutest dogs in the world! They truly are man's woman's best friend. Boomer has always been festively plump. He's just big boned. Min Pins are supposed to weigh anywhere from 8-12 pounds. My Boomer usually weighs in around the 19 pound range. Like I said, he is big boned.

Boomer in his winter sweater. Min Pins are cold blooded and need to keep warm.

I took him for his yearly exam and he'd gained 2.5 pounds. Percentage wise, that is a lot for Boom. I was really worried because we don't feed him table food and we had not changed anything. His treats consist of carrots. The vet mentioned it could be his thyroid so I had that checked and it was not that. She then talked about prescription dog food. I said we'd start that once he finished his other light dog food.

Boomer waiting for the vet.

About 3 weeks later, I had to take Boomer in for an infection and he'd gained another 1.5 pounds! I was mortified! How could this happen under my watch? Especially when Kyle and I are healthy people!! I talked to my vet about my concerns and she said "the good news is that you are not in denial about his weight." It was hilarious! She went on to say "some dog owners don't recognize their dog's weight problems." I felt like she was saying "I'm glad you know your dog is fat...that is the 1st step to recovery!"  She gave me a good pep talk about how to get my dog to lose weight. Like I didn't know HOW to do that. I wanted to say "lady, do you know WHO you're talking to here? I am the queen of helping people lose weight. Have you met my husband?"  Then I realized, my dog is fat and I have done nothing to help him. No wonder she gave me weight loss education.

We bought the expensive dog food and started Boomer on his new life style change. He gets 1/4 c of food in the morning and 1/4 c of food at night with about 7 green beans. The vet said most dogs are over fed because the recommendations are based on dogs who are active. Most dogs lay on the couch all day and rarely exercise. In turn, they eat more food and the dog food companies make more money. So, if your dog is not walking 2 miles a day, feed them less than what the dog food bag says. It will save you money and your dog some pounds. Better yet, walk them every day!

Update: Kyle took Boomer in a week later for his check up for the infection and he'd lost 1.2 pounds! YAY!

We take him in for monthly weigh-ins. He is FOR REAL on a plan. We don't play!

Moral of this story: We learned that WE control what our dogs eat, how much exercise they get, etc. Take care of your furry kids. Don't be like us! When we got married, Boomer lost 3 pounds. We became complacent. We love our dogs and want them around for a long time!  Boomer started his resolution a couple of months early. Happy New Year!

ebony and ivory

I became a doggie mom when I got married in 2008. I love dogs but didn't want one when I was single. Mainly because I was gone so much and I would have felt bad leaving them all the time. I married Kyle and got 2 dogs in the process. I've grown to love them so very much! So much that I needed to post a lot of pictures of our children! 

Meet Bailey!  She is from the Collierville Animal Shelter. 

She just turned 4 and we think she's a chow/golden retriever/great pyrenees mix. I don't like calling her a mutt! She about 45 lbs and is very calm, gentle, fluffy, and loves to be around people.   

Meet Boomer!  Kyle got him in college from a girl at his work that didn't want him.

He turned 7 last October and is a Miniature Pincher (min pin). He is the opposite from Bailey. He is about 20 lbs (most min pins are 8 to 12 lbs) and is semi hyper, eats everyones food, stubborn, high maintenance, and loves to lay in any "ladies" lap.  

Supposedly, Boomer was a hell child when he was a puppy. Kyle says he is really glad I did not know Boomer when he was a pup. When Boomer is bad, Kyle says "if you only knew him when...this is nothing." Boomer is not a fan of bath time.

Sometimes we shave Bailey in the summer so she is cooler.

Boomer really hates taking outside baths.  I usually heat the water so it is not so cold.

And Bailey goes with the flow. 

Bailey is a great travel dog!  She is so very sweet!

She is all dressed up! I think she looks like a polar bear so she has the nickname "bear."

She does like sleeping on her back.

Boomer is mostly a good dog.  He loves to get his belly rubbed! He has a king-size homemade bed. And sleeps under the covers.

He is a stud muffin all the way! 

Bailey sometimes will take a break on Boomer's king-size bed.

Look at her cute bows the groomer put in her hair after they shaved her! They stayed in for about 2 days before she took them out.

This video was taken when we 1st got married. It is of Boomer "dancing" to the song Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas. It is such a 'Boomer' song!

My Bailey Bear loves to play fetch, but only with her purple ball.

Boomer loves to relax. 

He also likes to look out to the other side of the fence.

Here is what it looks like from the other side when he's looking out!

They are great protectors!

I took a pic of bear from her peep hole as well.

I love this picture of her and it shows off her spotted black, chow tongue! 

We always have bones in the house.

I could not resist getting Boom this shirt! He's such a killer!

He really is a sweet dog! This reminds me of the Travelers Insurance commercial. And one of my favorite singer/song writers is singing in the background, Ray Lamontagne.

They get along great! 

Sweet Bailey Bear

I had to post this as well!

I'm so excited! We taught Boomer how to sit AND shake!  You can teach an old dog new tricks!

I was trying to get some work done from home however, these dogs needed some lovin'.

This is a usual spot for Boom...in my lap!

She loves the snow, another reason why I call her bear!!

This heater is for Boomer. I think it gets him through the winter time. Kyle wanted to see what it was like from Boomer's point of view! HA! 

I do love my Ebony and Ivory! They are both opposites in every way possible, all the way down to the color of their fur! But they make the best dogs! I wouldn't trade them!