Growing Pups, Surgery, Homalistic Doc...

The puppies are growing, 3 weeks now...I am a tad bit frightened as Paul goes in for knee surgery soon and I will have a FULL schedule with 6 dogs - 8 puppies - 4 cats - 2 kids and one BIG patient with a bum knee...I can't even imagine what is going to happen to my back room when those adorable little balls of fluff get their teeth...but who could be depressed even thinking about it?  LOOK at this thing.  Thomas looks like a little precious bear cub...

Annie has been a wonderful mother. I haven't done much of anything for the puppies other than wash their blankets...which has to be done ALOT.  My poor laundry is overflowing.  But the puppies have clean blankets.  Maybe I'll find time to wash my own when I have to walk around naked...that'll be the day.  Today was the first day that the puppies went outside...it was an adventure for all involved...it was pretty messy...I guess they natural think when they hit grass that they go to the bathroom???  Annie was the towel girl...

My Mother (Mimi) and little Kaeli...

We've all been sick around here.  Strep throat, virus', flu...I can't even begin to tell you how much fun that was!  Paul even made it into the Emergency Room one day...we have not been doing very well with fighting off our illness, perhaps we need Echinacea...at least that is what my Mother says...she is a doctor.  Doctor of Homalistic Medicine is her title.  She has been practicing for 32 years now.  You're wondering what a Homalistic Doctor is right?  Yeah - she knows everything and practices from her home - over the phone, she has more experience than any PHD of any variety and can tell you anything there is to know about Dimetapp.  Pinterest eat your heart out, she has a remedy for everything.  I LOVE calling her when someone has a strange symptom...God only knows what she is going to come up with for a diagnosis, and even better, the treatment!!  She'll kill me if she reads this - better not share this one on Facebook!  Haha!  In case you're wondering - I'm kidding and there is NO such thing as a Homalistic Doc...Even though I make fun - I know I can always count on some REALLY good medicalish advice from her when we need it!!

Swagger's going off to college...thank you Semper Fi Fund.

Swagger at 5 months old, his first big photo shoot!

It is exciting, however, I feel like a Mom who is going through the "empty nest" syndrome.  Our 6-month-old Standard Poodle Swagger will be leaving on Tuesday for his official Service Dog Training.  In 3-4 weeks he will be back home and will have the official title of "Service Dog".  Swagger helps his human dad, Paul with vestibular issues due to TBI and PTSD.  We are so thrilled to be able to take him EVERYWHERE with us.  He has frequented Lowe's, but can't go to many other places until he is officially registered.  

Swagger at 12 weeks old.

Swagger and Paul have this amazing bond.  Paul picked this puppy out of a litter of 7, and it was love at first sight.  Swagger was the first puppy that Paul met in the litter and made sure that he came home with him.  Some people (mostly insecure men) frown upon Standard Poodles and call them "girly".  But 6'4 Paul will tell you that Swagger is anything but girly.  He is a dedicated protector and would not let anything happen to his family.  He is also BRILLIANT.  He picks up very quickly on his training and has a natural ability to sense when Paul needs him.  At 6 months he is already able to help Paul up when he has fallen.  Another fantastic plus, Swagger does not shed. 

Now let me tell you about Semper Fi Fund.  They are an AMAZING organization that assists injured Marines with just about anything that they need.  The Department of Veterans Affairs will pay for your service dog training.  But there is a ton of red tape, and it is an extremely long, lengthy process.   For some eligible veterans they NEVER see compensation for their training, or they just are unable to have a service dog because of this reason.  Training is thousands of dollars, and in case you weren't aware, I haven't met many wealthy disabled veterans.  This is where the Semper Fi Fund comes in.  If there is a need for an injured Marine they fill it.  For us, it is training for Swagger.  Even though we are entitled to the training, it doesn't mean that we will get it, so the Semper Fi Fund makes sure that we do.  This is a wonderful organization that is run on donations from private citizens.  If you ever donate to charity, this is one that I HIGHLY recommend.  Thanks to the Semper Fi Fund, Paul will be able to take Swagger everywhere he goes, which makes for a more confident and safe situation.  When Paul walks into a store, he looks like any other man, you wouldn't know that he has limitations, his disability is invisible.  By having his service dog by his side this tells the general public that Paul is special and helps them to have patience with him.

Swagger and his big sister Kaeli!

While we are sad that Swagger will be leaving us for a few weeks - Paul is excited to start his new journey as an independent man with an awesome NON GIRLY dog.

Please click HERE to donate to the Semper Fi Fund and help injured Marines.

Great Pyrenees Surprise!

Well, usually I am right.  This time...not so much, not to mention there is way too much testosterone surrounding me.  

We have two GORGEOUS AKC Great Pyrenees, Annie and Über.  They are best pals.  We knew approximately the time that Annie would go into heat, so we separated them as we were not sure if we were going to ever breed.  Unfortunately, I didn't separate them in time.  So yesterday we had the decision made for us and a surprise visit from 8 puppies!  It has been a positive experience for us even if we were completely blind-sided.

Paul and I stayed up all night helping Annie deliver her babies.  

Über waited outside the door for his babies to be born.  Annie was not happy about him lurking about...

Grandpa Paul was SUPER excited about his first grandchildren.

The first 5 were boys, we ended up with 6 boys and 2 girls.

We decided to name them after past presidents.  Here they are for your viewing pleasure! 

Wounded Veterans could NEVER be overpaid.

I read this yesterday and was OUTRAGED.

Inspectors say the most stubborn, chronic mistake made by Veterans Affairs claims examiners while trying to dig their way out of a growing backlog of cases is overcompensating some veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs overpaid 12,800 veterans $943 million from 1993 to 2009, according to projections by the VA’s Office of Inspector General.

And if the error isn’t corrected, inspector general auditors said another $1.1 billion could be wasted by 2016.

Click here to read more of this CRAP.

Do you want to know my opinion?  Of course you do!  YOU CAN NEVER OVERPAY A DISABLED VETERAN.

My fiancé is a disabled veteran.  Let me start by saying, for a wounded veteran, transitioning from the Marine Corps to civilian life is the most challenging thing that they could ever go through, especially for those with PTSD and TBI.  Change is very difficult for them, and losing their jobs and for many what they believe to be their "purpose" in life is devastating.

When my fiancé transitioned he was pretty much abandoned, kicked to the curb.  Here is a Wounded Warrior that served 3 tours in Iraq/Afghanistan that has given his life to his country...and he is written off like a bad habit.  He was immediately hit with a bill from the military for over $6,000.  They stated they overpaid him.  Let me spell this out for you.  He is going through the toughest time in his life, he has lost over 1/2 of his monthly pay, he is trying to find a home to live in, he is disabled and cannot get a job, he cannot get medical treatment for another 4 months because the VA is understaffed and the military says pay me $6,000 NOW.  If you ever wondered why Wounded Warriors committed suicide, I'm sure that you are aware now.  THIS is how the military treats the brave, and the self-less.  It is sickening.  

The article above states that we are "wasting money" on our disabled veterans...they didn't think twice about losing their limbs or the use of their creative organs, but we pay them too much?  Not likely.  I think these brave men and women deserve any and EVERYTHING that they desire.  If they need an appointment with a neurologist because they have Traumatic Brain Injury, they should not have to wait 10 months for an appointment (really, this happens).  They should be seen immediately.  If this is not possible because of the lack of staff they should HIRE MORE.  I wrote first lady Michelle Obama last year.  Her office was in touch with me and the VA months after I wrote her.  I was told that they added more funding to the budget allowing 28 new mental health professionals to be hired at our local VA.  A year goes by, are their more therapists?  NOPE.  But they have new headsets for all of the employees and fancy flat screen televisions.

Looks like I need to write another letter....

New Obsession of the week...Cloche Hats.

Yes, I am aware it is not the 1920's, however, these hats are so fabulous.  I am a big Downton Abbey fan, I admire 1920's fashion and I am so glad that distributors like ModCloth and Ruche are bringing back 1920's fashion.  But one thing that none of these stores specializes in is hats.  Back in the early 1900's women would not be caught dead out of the house without a hat on.  I wish this was still the case because I LOVE hats and don't own as many as I deserve!  If I could sew better, I would make myself a bunch of standard cloches and then accessorize them with crocheted flowers and different types of bands.  But unfortunately as it seems, I can sew a straight line...and that is all.  

Here are some of the hats that I am currently in love with. These hats are all Louise Green masterpieces.  Make sure to visit her website.

Aren't they fantastic?!  Just like my brilliant ideas, my fashion is just as sporadic and out of control.  I wonder what next week's fad will be?  Hopefully those fantastic mint green oxfords I have been eyeing!

Until next time...

Dear Flu, I hate you.

Last week, I had sick kids.  I thought they got better...but nope.  They are worse.  At 3am I was up with my daughter with a fever of 103.  I HATE it when kids are sick.  It makes me sad and it is tiresome being sympathetic. 

We had a doctor visit today...yep, just as I suspected, THE FLU.  What do you do for the flu?  Here are some tips I found that actually work for the high fevers...

1.  Alternate between Motrin and Tylenol.  Sometimes one is just NOT enough. 
2.  Lots of ice water.
3.  Popsicles.
4.  Strip the child down to their underwear and put a sheet over them.
5.  If they won't take their medicine, put it in frozen yogurt.  Don't forget the sprinkles! (Only as a last resort, milk is not good on a sick tummy).
6.  Put cold damp washcloths on their foreheads and the back of their neck.
7.  Put Vick's Vapor Rub on the bottoms of their feet.  (This helps the coughing).
8.  Make sure their socks are OFF.  

These things work for fevers!  Last night we went from 103 to 101 in one hour!

I was reading an article about how to stay "Flu-Free Naturally"...I have since come to the conclusion that I am doomed.

Here are the top ways to stay Flu-Free...

1.  Keep your vitamin D levels regulated... I HAVE A VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY.
2.  Avoid sugar.  IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?  I AM SO ADDICTED TO SWEETS!
3.  Drink lots of water.  I HATE WATER, GIVE ME A COKE.
4.  Find ways to de-stress.  LOL, REALLY HOW DO YOU DO THAT EXACTLY?

I am doomed.  It is official.  Next week I will be the one laying around with the fever and chills praying to the porcelain God...who will take care of me pray tell?  I better call my grandmother and tell her to pack!

I'm a scanner...

According to the immensely inspirational Barbara Sher, author of "Refuse to Choose", I am a SCANNER.  In other words...I can't make my mind up.  I have so many things that I want to do...I want to be a fashion designer, a make up artist, a hair stylist, a journalist, an author, a veterinarian, a psychiatrist, an occupational therapist, a politician, an AKC dog show competitor, a painter, a doll maker, a seamstress, a singer, a songwriter, an architect, an interior designer, a web designer, a graphic artist, a chef, a photographer, I could go on for days...

Obviously I cannot do ALL of these things.  I am thirty years old and have accomplished many of these things already...but how on Earth can you have a career when you are so driven to do a variety of things?  Well - you don't.  But trying everything was fun, just not very profitable.  I have the desire to do lots of things.  Well, let me rephrase that, I have the desire to do lots of things very well.  I have to master everything that I try.  When I have mastered it, it is no longer a challenge and then gets a bit boring.  Repetition is not one of my strong points.  The only job that I don't get bored with is being a Mom...thank God, lol.   

I am hoping to use this blog to practice my scanning skills...I want to talk about parenting, photography, mixed media art, fashion, makeup and beauty and most of all the lifestyle and support of our disabled veterans.  One thing I can say, there will be NO repetition, as repetition is PAINFUL for me.

So welcome.  I will enjoy not talking about the same stuff.  I will blow your mind with my scatterbrained concepts and will never talk too much about one thing.  Let the adventure begin.