Back from In Dee Anna

Xena: Well, folks, we’re back. Did you miss us? There was no internet where we were staying, and Mommy won’t blog from her phone, so it seemed like we were in the dark ages. She was able to help us read and comment on your posts from her phone, though it took much longer as those key things are soooo small for our pawpads.

Us pups mostly stayed in the rental house while Mommy and Daddy mostly went out to restaurants every day with Daddy’s family. While Daddy was glad to see everyone, he especially wanted to visit with his Mommy, who is 92.

Lucy: Don’t you know not to ever tell a woman’s age, Xena?

Riley: When someone gets that old, they don’t care about that anymore.

Chia: You should know.

Riley: Grrrr. *lifts lip*

Xena: As I was saying, we were at this rental house out in the country where me and Lucy stayed with our folks when we went to visit for Grandma’s 90th birthday. It was in August and we got to run all over the huge back yard and all our relatives came out and we had a great time.

This trip, it was kinda cold, so we wore our colder weather clothes when we went outside. Me and Lucy got to run around again, but Run-Away Chia had to stay on her leash.

Lucy got to go visit our grandma on Tuesday and she took a nap at Grandma’s assisted living apartment while the peeps went out to an Asian restaurant. Lucy was wearing her nice sweater and, well, she can tell you.

Lucy: Thank you, Xena. I had been wondering if there would be snow, but there wasn’t. The temps were in the 40’s, so my sweater was sufficient, even though I had also packed my heavy winter coat, as you can see in the picture. I fell asleep on Grandma’s comfy couch waiting for everyone to come back, and dreamed I was in a snowy forest.

In my dream I had a nice wooden platform to stand on so that my paws didn’t get too cold. But I was all alone, so I was glad when everyone came back and I woke up.

Xena: I think Lucy’s dream brought on the new weather forecast of below 0 temps and ice and maybe snow. Because of that, Daddy decided it would be good to leave early on Thursday morning instead of on Friday morning as originally planned. So the next day – Wednesday – Mommy suggested that Daddy take Chia to meet our Grandma in the afternoon when nothing else was happening. He liked that idea, and off they went! You won’t believe (or maybe you will) how Chia (mis)behaved with our Grandma.

Chia: Shut up, Xena. I’m warning you…

Xena: I’m not afraid of you! I’m Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess! And Mommy won’t let you hurt me!!
So, Chia walked in and growled at Grandma!! What the dog?! Daddy told us that Grandma still talked nice to her and commented on what beautiful coloring she has, and tried to make friends with her the whole time she was there, but Chia would have none of it. We were all pretty disgusted with Chia, but you know what? Grandma still was good to her and loved her. I heard of someone who was born a couple thousand years ago who is still like that. Even more reason to celebrate His birthday this Sunday!

Later that day me and Lucy went to visit while everyone set up food and ate and visited in an area reserved for us. Daddy said his family get-togethers always revolve around food! I sat on Mommy’s lap and let Grandma look at me and pet me when she wanted to.
With all the visiting and stuff, we didn’t get back to our rental house and get everything packed until late (it was at least 9:00 at night). Then, in the middle of the night — around 3 o’clock — the folks are up getting dressed and packing the car and loading us in and off we went for home. I want to tell you that Chia and I share the back seat kennel when we travel, and, believe it or not, she’s a good traveling companion.

Chia: *wags and wiggles*

Xena: Anyhoo, it was nice to get home and see Riley and brother Andrew and Jentry and everything familiar and ours. And this is where Santa Paws knows to deliver our pressies, too!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!! Lucy, Xena, Chia and Riley

Chia Helps Decorate for Christmas on Wordy Wednesday

Xena: I thought this was Wordless Wednesday.
Lucy: Seriously? You really think that Chia could be quiet for that long?

Chia: Ooooo, lookie what I found! I heard Mom and Dad talking about all the cool stuff I find for them, like paperclips and rubber bands. And they look so happy when I give the stuff to them.

I wonder if my brother Andrew will appreciate it too…

Hey Brother Andrew, look what I found. Can I put it on the Christmas tree? Can I, huh, huh, can I? Do you love it? Do you love me? *wiggle wiggle wiggle*

I do love you, Chia. And you’re a good helper. Come on up here.

You just hold onto that bow until I get these tree lights untangled, then we’ll find a special place for it on the tree.

Thanks to Comedy Plus for hosting Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop!

Christmas Week’s Stuffies

We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Awww Mondays.

This can be a dangerous place to live, sorta like a war zone. There aren’t any bombs or gunfire…just Chia, and sometimes Riley. We – Brownie Bear, Rudy and Dino – just got out of the stuffie hospital after encounters with Chia.

Brownie Bear: My eye will never be the same, but I am glad I escaped with my life.
Rudy: Attacking a reindeer this time of year wasn’t too smart. I notified Santa.
Dino: Ouch.

Hey there. You may recognize me as Riley’s Reindeer. He adopted me last Christmas, and I’m the first stuffie he has ever loved. (I love him, too.)

Riley plays with me and then forgets to ask Mom Amy to put me somewhere safe. That’s when that long mess called Chia got ahold of me. You can see she ate off half my antler. I just got out of the stuffie hospital too. I guess I got off easy, but I’m staying up here so nothing worse happens.

Hi, I’m Ski Deer. I help deliver toys and treats to good boy and girl dogs and cats in places where the snow is deep.

I’m staying up here where it’s safe until Christmas Eve when I will leave to help Santa.

Hello. I’ve always, in my stuffie heart, been Lexi’s Eleephaunt. Riley has mistreated me, and then Chia. I’m too old for this crap.

I’ve decided that until it’s my time to go, I’ll just stay up here near my best friend, along with the angel who watches over her in heaven.

Meanwhile…

Riley: Chia! What are you chewing on? I know that sound.

Chia: It’s my reindeer toy and I’ll deadie it if I want!

Riley: I don’t think Santa Paws is bringing you anything this year.

Chia: I don’t care. I already saw Mom buying my presents when we went to the store where they sell dog stuff. Phthhh!

This is all the stuffies and Riley — and Chia — wishing you a good Christmas week.

Christmas Eve

Xena: Our friends stayed the night, and the next day – Christmas Eve – they got together with their parents and other family. They were gone a-a-a-all day! In the meantime we had a P-I-G to deal with. Morty. Yesterday we told you about Lucy accidentally French kissing Morty, and Morty invading my new cave tunnel. If you missed it, you can read about it here.

When her folks left, Ella was very upset and kept watching out the window for them. Then she got in her favorite chair and struck a pose and an attitude.

I am Queen Ella and don’t care if they ever come back.

Uh, does anyone know where they went? No one asked me if it was OK.

Seriously, when are my pawrents coming back?

The day was warm – about 68F/19C – and we spent some time out back. Morty grazed (I learned that means he ate grass) and we all hung out for a while. (This pic was taken earlier in the year, but you get the picture…BOL, get the picture BOL!

Achilles has bad allergies, so he had to go in, and everyone but Mommy and Morty went in to keep him company. When it was time for them to come in too, Mom had to sort of herd him onto the back patio and into the house, but at least he listened. He actually listened good to Mommy all day. Next thing you know she will be teaching him tricks, he, he!

Inside, Achilles followed Mom’s every step. Morty followed her around too, but sometimes went off to oink somewhere else in the house. Achilles saw Mommy wrap one of his pressies, and he kept trying to get up high on our Troll named Vic (he’s an old-fashioned record player), so she had to put it wa-a-ay up high on the kitchen cabinets. Then he discovered our magic red chair in the front library, the one where we watch all the world go by, and bark when needed. He thought he had to bark at everything: kids, adults, cars, squirrels, leaves, and probably ants, too. I’m more selective – I never bark at ants or leaves. That soon got on Mommy’s last nerve and she made encouraged him to get down and play with Ella and Lucy. I joined in by barking. She said that somehow the situation had not improved. By the end of the day Lucy and her boyfriend Achilles were worn out.

Achilles got too hot, so he laid on the cool tile floor.

I may have been a bit worn out myself. But at least I had my chair back.

87 hours later, Uncle Bill and Auntie Jen returned, and then Mommy and Daddy came home from Christmas Eve church. We all fell exhausted into bed, hoping Santa Paws would come and bring us good things.

Please come back tomorrow to find out about our Christmas Day! I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Christmas Eve Eve

Lucy: My bestie Ella and my guy, Achilles came with my Uncle Bill and Auntie Jen to spend Christmas with us. Morty the pig came too. I loved having them all here. Morty made himself right at home.

Morty is 9 months old, so he’s still a baby even though he has grown a lot since we saw him last. He’s now 21 pounds and a little bigger than Xena.

Xena’s new favorite place is between the otto man and the love seat. It didn’t take Morty long to discover this cave-like area and try to claim it as his own. Xena was laying there with Mom’s legs over her, spanning the gap between the love seat and otto man when Morty entered the tunnel and laid down facing Xena.

He kept creeping closer to her, and she got scared and backed around the corner away from him.

Xena: I wasn’t scared! I was just practicing safe pig. Not like you were doing, Lucy. We all saw you kiss him with your tongue halfway down his throat! Mom just wasn’t quick enough to get a picture of it.

Lucy: It’s not what it looked like! I was just trying to give him a little hello kiss on the snout when he opened his mouth in a big yawn.

Anyhoo, the peeps sat around talking the first night, and it got kind of boring.

So Ella decided to turn the attention on her, while Achilles sought attention from his Dad.

Hi Uncle Jeff. Do you remember me, Queen Ella?

Ella: Hold still and let go of me, I want to kiss you!

Achilles: Ella, let me show you the way to do it.

You’ve gotta get your paws up around his neck and lean in. Aghh! He’s got me by the ears!

Xena: While they were attacking my Daddy, I cuddled up in my Uncle Bill’s arms. (I knew Daddy could take care of himself–he’s big and strong and my hero.)

I love Uncle Bill and he held and pet me until I was so tired that I had to lay on the floor and go to sleep cause no one would go to bed with me. Besides that, I could see Achilles running back and forth around our bed looking for my basket of stuffies that Mommy had put up. We found out that he is another stuffie killer, just like Riley. You sure know how to pick them, Lucy.

Lucy: He’s just got that one little fault…

Lucy and Xena: Come back tomorrow for Christmas Eve adventures, when we (Xena, Lucy, Mom and Dad) are left alone all day with Morty (and Ella and Achilles). XOX Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Lucy Sends her Own Christmas Card

Lucy: Xena, do you know if Mom sent our card to Achilles? I want to make sure my guy has my picture for Christmas

Xena: I wasn’t paying any attention. I was too busy arranging for Ludwig to be Mr. Eleephant’s body guard. Why don’t you just post it here for Achilles to see?

A few minutes later.

Hey Lucy girl. I got your card. You’re the best, sweetie. I’m talking to you from the bathroom ’cause Mom said I have to get a bath before…

I come to see you for Christmas! Love you! Your guy Achilles

.

Xena: Lucy, did you faint? You know it’s almost supper-time, right?

.

Lucy: That means I’ll get to see my bestie, Ella, too! I remember the last time we visited and got to play. This is gonna’ be a great Christmas!

Xena: It will be as long as I get a lot of yummy treats. Does anyone know where Mommy is hiding them?

XOX from Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Christmas Time with Friends

Hi, where’s our folks, and how did you get in our house?

Mommy and Daddy left and Aunty Jen and Uncle Bill arrived.

You look different , Uncle Bill.Oh, you’ve got hair on your face now like me. I think we’re twinsies!

Ok, you can be part of our clan. You may feed me now.

I remember you now!! You just surprised me, coming in without Mom and Dad. Where’s my bestie, Ella?

It’s gonna be a fun Christmas with Ella and Achilles (and Uncle Bill and Aunty Jen)!

Love and wiggles, Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

When The Mom Leaves

Xena: Hey Lucy, don’t you wonder what’s in all these bags that Mommy put under the tree? 

Lucy: Um, now that you mention it, I guess I do. Some of them smell good. Hey Xena, look, Dad left the door to the downstairs open while Mom is gone.

a short while later…

Dad: Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, what are you doing?

Lucy: Amph, s mn, ood. 

Dad: Spit it all out, girl. That’s not whatever you think it is. No, no, don’t chew faster, spit it out!

Dad: Lucy, where’s Xena?

Lucy: (with a foaming mouth) I on’t know.

Another short while later Mom arrives home.

Mom: Xena, what did you do!Xena: Uh, I came down looking for you, Mommy, and, umm, a little piece of something was sticking up, and, and, I thought maybe it was food, er, I mean, I wanted to clean the carpet for you Mommy, and..

back upstairs…What happened to all the pressies? 

This is Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with only Grodd under the tree.