By the River

I'm a lover of black and white photos. Especially of our pup Tag. He has grown so big since we picked him up in September. His personality has also started to blossom. We took him down to the river last week and he loved exploring. I also snapped some other photos while we were there. We miss out going to the river during the summer months but one day we will be able to do these things.

 



 

A 2012 Highlight

I'll admit this year wasn't crazy exciting. I don't feel like this was my best year or a year that I really lived. This may also be because I hope for really big exciting adventurous things in 2013. But before we skip on to 2013, I will say that my favorite thing about this year was getting our little fur man. You, my little friend, are amazing. I love you dude!!

 

Thanks for making 2012 special for me and Brandon, you're the man!

Lauren

Ridin' Dirty

Tag man here! Mom has been hoggin' the bloggin' but not tonight. She is glued to the weather channel like a nerd to a chess board. Oh wait that's her too. I don't know what her obsession with chess and backgammon is lately. Nerd. This weather channel is starting to get on my nerves. I think I feel the same way about this, as Mom feels about Dad watching the outdoor channel or football.

Hellooooo, cute puppy here that loves to play fetch and you're going to play games?

Whatever. Anyway while she is "busy" I decided that I will share what has been going on around here. Nothing much of anything actually. Okay there was a kitty cat that was hanging around and I was really starting to like her. Mom and Dad did not. She is my excuse not to use the bathroom outside, because you know, I'd rather play with her. 

Today mom drove me to the vet. She let me sit shot gun. But I was in my cage so that ruined the cool factor. I like to walk around the car and puke a bunch of times because I get car sick. She apparently does not like that. At the vet I got a shot (OUCH) and then she got some 'medicine' to help with car sickness because tomorrow.... we are going to MISSOURI! I saw mom packing up my sweaters so I'm guessing it's going to be a wee bit cold. I'm just 4 lb 6 oz of fun and I'm ready to ride. Yes I weight that much. Don't make fat jokes mom and dad have beat you to it. I guess I don't get any more Cheetos. 

Friday and Saturday we are going to a different city. I get to meet Uncle Jake, Uncle Brandon, and Aunt Karla along with some of mommy's best friends. To me this means I will get LOTS of loving. Then they are going to leave me with my uncles while they go to a wedding and I've heard good things about the dudes. Pretty sure we are going to par-tay. Or they are going to party, I'll just be cute and cuddly and snooze. They should know I'm a chick magnet so if they are trying to impress the ladies invite them over Saturday. I'll be your wing dog. It's a thing. Look it up.

Well, it's time to go chew a bone, lick myself, or beg for some Cheetos. My life rules.

Tag.

Oh Just Some Things

Let's chat a minute. Right now, I'm snuggled on the couch in my new favorite NASCAR sweatshirt as my freshly bathed pup sleeps beside me. I just made a hot cup of my favorite pumpkin coffee. I have on game 2 of the Cardinals/Washington battle of the NLDS. My other half is gone helping coach a little league game and I find myself extremely grateful for this evening and its simplicity, it's normalcy. 

As more time passes that we are home, the more like a normal marriage I feel we have. This past week we hung pictures in our living room. Most of them were gifts for our wedding which was nearly a year ago, finally some progress. Saturday morning we headed to the flea market, then napped all afternoon and I made a junky meal of macaroni and hot wings and we watched Avengers. Sunday we normally head to church, but this week we headed to my very first NASCAR race and I will tell you I fell in love. It's not like any other sporting event and I'll share more on that this week at some point. 

I felt guilty all weekend about never reopening shop like I said I would on Friday. I am starting to let that guilt slip away. Some how each time I feel ready to try again to make my handmade business work, I get feelings of doubt. I question myself and if I have what it takes to do all of it on my own. The sewing I can do. I can package and ship items. I can even photograph them and list them online. But doing it all is extremely challenging. 

CARDS WIN! The Voice it is. Man I love this show. 

Back to what I was saying. It's hard work and I'm the one to have to do it. For right now, again like I've said before, maybe online selling is not for me. Even though I always think I can do it and talk myself into it, it just never feels right. With Christmas right around the corner there are several local holiday boutiques and I feel like that is where I should spend focus my time. I just hope you all know that if you ever want or need something you've seen before, don't hesitate to ask. 

Finally, our pup. Words can't describe my little fur ball best friend. I flipping LOVE him! I tell him several times a day and I always find myself asking Brandon if he thinks Tag knows how much we love him. I sure hope he knows. I love that he follows me everywhere and even helps with laundry. I prayed for this little guy. As we were searching for a puppy I remember asking for the perfect little dog for our family and I'm positive he is our answered prayer. 

That's all my friends. Check back for thoughts and pictures on Talladega! 

Nappy Roots

Can I tell you all a little secret about our dog?

Did you know dogs can have roots like this? I didn't but it makes me giggle everytime I see them. 

Sometimes I part his hair down the middle of his back and he looks super preppy. Maybe I will grease him down with a part, make him some glasses and a tie, and he can be a nerd for halloween.

Anyway I've just been wanting to share that with you. 

Lauren

Don't forget if your interested in purchasing an apron they will be available Friday. 

See how you can get a discount code here.

Message from Tag

What are you looking at? Do you think I'm cute? You bet I am. 

But let me show you something...

Sharp. Very very sharp. Mess with me and I'll show you just how sharp they are. Steal my squeaky duck, hippo, bone, treats, or anything else which is mine and I'll show you. Which also pretty much entails everything in the house because I run the show. Okay, not really. I haven't been able to sleep in the bed yet even though I've heard mom ask dad about every night to let me stay. Also I know you may be thinking that it isn't right that I'm chewing on a shoe but, mom says I can. Only these black rubber ones though. She keeps all the other ones kept away. So basically I don't run the show but I sure try.

Also, mom and dad have tackled the ant situation for us and now we are one big happy family and I can poo in the yard where I please. I think she was afraid to say anything in case they came creeping back in. Did you know I hate the rain. Seriously you try squatting on wet grass and see if you like it, you wont.

So you'll get a kick out of this, I heard mom mumbling to herself the other day when she was sewing (in between belting out T Swift) that she should go on Project Runway. Is she kidding? So big deal, she has made two aprons and working on a third and fancy pants here thinks she can go on tv. 

I sleep on her feet making it hard for her to get anything done or dig in the trash, pull stuff off the shelf and try to chew the cord to the iron. I'm trying to teach her that it's always snuggle time unless its play time or meal time. 

She keeps saying that my aunt loves me but I've never met an aunt. The only ant I know are the two that bit me on my underside near my sensitive area. TMI?.. it's okay, I'm sure thats probably been blabbed already anyway.. Maybe this week we can facetime and I'll meet her.

Well I gotta get in on this prime-time snuggle fest. Dad just asked mom to watch a movie which means maybe... they will fall asleep and I get to camp out in bed. Wishful thinking. Don't forget, be good this week or I'll sharpen my teeth on your ankle bones.

TAG

TAG!

Hi, Tag here. My mom obviously has been slacking on her blog. I offered to take over some of the duties until she can get it together. But before we go any further let me tell ya bout myself. My name is Tag Dickson. My birthday is July 12, 2012 so that makes me 59 days young. They say I'm sable colored but you can just say teddy bear brown, easy enough right. I weigh a whopping 1.5 lbs and stand about six inches tall. I'm little but you'll love me. 

first car ride with new family

I first met my new mom and dad on a rainy Thursday afternoon. There was loud noises and bright flashes in the sky. My three brothers and I were getting soaking wet while they were oohing and ahhing over us. She picked me up, looked me in the eye, then turned to the man and with a pitiful face she said, "I want this one!" 

I was pumped because I was cold, shivering, and a little wet when she wrapped me in the snuggest of blankets. What I didn't know was I was about to leave my little brothers. I miss them a lot but boy oh boy have I gotten a lotta love in the last four days. Then we hopped in 'big blue' and rode for what seemed a really long time. The sun came out and she cuddled me the entire trip home. When she wasn't cuddling me she kept taking pictures of me. Just wait and see I'm sure I've been posted up all over the interweb by now. She and my dad kept throwing out name after name but none of them sounded right, seriously I could have been called Pickles, they actually said that, they were getting ridiculous. I tuned them out and snoozed. I love napping, I hope they are okay with that.

cuddles with mom // napping with dad

I'm pretty sure my mom and dad have never owned a puppy before. I'll just go ahead and say that I am a really really good one for them to start with and that I'll forgive them for the mistakes they make. I have peed on the floor just a few times but they didn't get mad. Actually, I'm just going to go ahead and say it, I haven't had many accidents at all, except a funny one I'll get to in a sec. Mom is really on top of taking me outside. She is so thoughtful, or crazy, she puts a red jacket on me in the mornings so I don't get cold in the dewy grass. I think my celebrity doppelganger is Alvin the chipmunk when I'm sporting my snazzy jacket. I'm sure she will show you that eventually. 

We had a great first night. I slept soundly in my cage and I woke mom up at six a.m. I think she tells you all that she isn't a morning person and sleeps past 11 most days, but I'm here to change that. I don't love that box thing, they call it a kennel, why get fancy its a cage and I know it. I know it's for my own good and won't have to always sleep in it. It's kinda nice in there she can't snap any photos. Can you say paparazzi. I try to eat that stupid phone. She doesn't let me.

There was lots of commotion on Saturday, they kept making trips in and out of the house carrying stuff and talking about a place called Alabama. I now know what, or where, Alabama is and I think I'm gonna like it okay. It was a long car ride. I slept most the way, then they tried to see how long I could hold it so I taught them a quick lesson in puppy bladders. They are small and when you gotta go you gotta go. I went. I peed right on my moms lap on my fuzzy blanket. She wasn't mad and Dad just laughed and laughed. He laughs a lot, I think he likes me. 

helping mom pack

So they tell me this is home for now. After all the traveling I'm excited to stay in one place, and I think I heard my mom and dad say they are glad too. I'm gonna go find a lap to curl up on now so I'll talk to you all again real soon because I'm sure mom is going to continue slacking. I know she is so happy though she tells dad how much she loves me bout 800 times a day. I'll do my best to keep her happy. 

Much love my new friends,

Tag