Forty Winks

There's nothing quite like a belly full of holiday goodies and a comfy snooze, as evidenced by Bram and David getting sleepy in a chair together after a nosh on some yummy treats.

Wrapping the Gifts

My boys and Maia Louise like to help with just about everything I am doing and wrapping Christmas gifts is no exception. I like to do it on the floor where I can spread out and have enough room for all the gifts and everything needed to turn them into beautiful presents, but that just gives the little ones an open invitation to get overly involved in every aspect of the job. Edison is a very good boy who steps gingerly around the packages and over the papers and bows, watching from a few feet away and occasionally getting into my lap to sniff something that has caught his eye. Bram and Maia Louise, however, stomp on and through everything, climbing into bags and boxes, crunching the wrapping paper, eating the bows and then tearing off the lower branches of the tree and eating those for dessert.

This year I had to rewrap several gifts before they had even made it under the tree, courtesy of those two. This is our first Christmas with Brammy-doodle but given his penchant for nonstop nonsense (since his first moment here with us) I expected him to be somewhat out of control come the holidays, but I didn't think he would open the gifts as soon as I wrapped them. He simply can't wait for Christmas morning, and he doesn't seem to care who the gift is actually for, he just wants to see what's inside the paper and after tearing one open and getting a good look at what lay within, will move immediately on to the next. Maia, who was also a terror in her youth, seems to have had her wild ways revived by Brammo's maniacal behavior and is once again, despite her advancing age, tearing into everyone's gifts.

When I finally managed to get far enough ahead of the destruction and finished wrapping all the presents that had been bought to date, Bram decided to eat the gift tags on many of them, some of which were found under the couch, some licked clean and sporting tears and itty bitty tooth holes but still attached to their gifts. And if there had been any doubt as to who had done this, Bram was the only one in the house whose tiny mouth was covered in pretty light-catching glitter.

So now there is no admittance into the living room without human supervision. We have French doors on two sides of the room, so even with it closed up we can still (sort of) see our lovely tree and if we want to visit it, a close eye needs to be kept on two certain small animals with a penchant for good-natured destruction. It's going to be a very merry Christmas if I can keep Bram and Maia Louise away from the tree for just a little bit longer.

Christmas Tree Shopping

Two boys in the car on the way to fun and excitement.

Bram serenely checks out the selection of trees.

The drizzle starts and Edison's hood goes up to keep him warm and dry.

We all went Christmas tree shopping last weekend and the boys were very well-behaved, as always. It was a super chilly day and while we were walking about the tree lot a very cold drizzle started to fall of which Edison and Bram were none too happy about, but they pulled their tiny fur-lined hoods up over their little heads and braved the inclement winter weather like wee soldiers until the perfect tree was found.

We used to always cut a live tree at a tree farm, but now with two small dogs who prefer to go in the opposite direction of each other despite being leashed, it's become easier to go to a lot for a pre-cut tree rather than herding the wee ones into the woods, however cultivated those woods might be.

As much as the boys enjoy being out in the world, and as much as they also love the concept of a Christmas tree (after all, what dog doesn't love having a real, live tree indoors to chew on and dig at?), my boys were very happy to get back into their warm home and a bowl full of food. A quick snack and a long nap and they were ready to help with the decorating.

Hand Injury

I have given myself a fairly significant (and incredibly stupid) accidental injury to one of my hands and as such, am forced to type with only a couple of fingers which is rather time consuming. As a result, I'll be taking a few days more off from this blog until I am no longer sporting a giant mitt and can once again get back down to business here in a more efficient manner.

I will talk with you all soon and will share the sweet photos we took of the boys helping to pick the Christmas tree this past weekend. Until then, take care everyone.

Second Anniversary

Today marks the second year without our beloved Cordelia. It was two years ago today that she left us and we all still carry the sadness in our hearts in a now-permanent void that her life with us filled so beautifully. I've spent some time today reminiscing about her and her quirks and thinking again about how wonderful it was to have had a message from her come through on that awful, awful day to let us know she was happy and healthy again and it was all going to be alright. She was an amazing dog and no matter how many years pass, she will always be missed with all our hearts. Sixteen years and change was just not enough time.

Cordelia you are thought of often, still loved to pieces every single day and I look forward to the day when we can again go walkies together and play the piggy toe game once more. Good girl!