Hiking fun & Jax...

We took Jax with us Saturday for his last hoorah for awhile. He ate it up! Of course, he was exhausted for the ride home & I think secretly laughed at us while he tried to "gas" us out of the car! :-)

He had his surgery today & made it through fine. Just talked to the vet and he replaced two ligaments with artificial ligaments. He said he had arthritis really bad & will be on "old man" meds for the remainder of his days. He gets to come home tomorrow - thank goodness - it is too quiet here without a dog!!!

Happy Halloween!

Ghost town

On our trip Saturday, we also explored a ghost town called Rush. Heard of it? I hadn't - pretty cool! There was a hiking trail & old closed down mines. There used to be over 5,000 people who lived here & now nothing! Some places were even occupied as early ago as the 50's. I had never heard of it & history isn't my thing -ha! - but it was fun to explore!

Wow!

What a GREAT weekend!! Kevin & I hit the roads on Saturday morning and headed toward the Buffalo river area. The trees were absolutely gorgeous and the scenery was awesome!! We stopped first at Buffalo Point where these pictures were taken. I was ready to get the heck out of the car by the time we got there ~ the last 30 minutes or so was hilly and curvy and I felt like I had been on a roller coaster ride! ha!

We walked around here for a bit and then headed to pick up lunch and went to another neat area to eat a picnic lunch and go on a "mini hike". I'll post those pics tomorrow.

We found some really neat places to camp! They had group campsites at Buffalo Point. If you were with a group of friends for the weekend, it would be fun!

More to come later...it was such a good weekend! Best in awhile! :-)

Blessings...

With everyone seeming to be down on their luck lately or having tragedies or hardships, I decided it is time to turn things around & think positive! So, let's take a minute and count our blessings and think sunflowers, sunshine, and happiness!!! :-)

I'm counting my many blessings tonight and here are just a few:

1. Jax does not have a tumor - rather a ruptured ACL. He is having surgery on Tuesday, but it could be alot worse!

2. I have a roof over my head & a house to call my own that I love!

3. I have a job to go to everyday where I can say I make a difference in lives, and my job has meaning!

4. I have a wonderful family that is super supportive!!

5. I am healthy & happy!

6. I have an awesome boyfriend that makes me laugh and smile, & we have fun together!

7. I have so many friends and family that care about me that my phone rings off the hook with people checking on me when things go wrong - how did I get so lucky? There are lots not as fortunate!

8. I have critters to greet me at the door when I get home from a days work!

9. I have an ex-husband that I can call a friend and am fortunate enough not to be one of those bitter divorced people.

10. I have neighbors who are the best you could ask for (that cook a mean dinner and remember their single neighbor who doesn't cook b/c she hates it! ha!)

Now....stop for a minute in your busy schedules and count some of your blessings & smile! I did! :-)

when it rains....

...it pours!!! That seems to be our luck around this house lately! Jax, my rotten boxer, has been limping. I honestly didn't think it was a big deal. He started limping around the time he caught his last opossum, so I figured he pulled a muscle or had a sprain. Then, Rocky got sick and that took over around here. Well, Jax is still limping, so off to the vet yesterday. I THOUGHT for just some meds to help the pain and swelling, and we'd be on our merry way....if only!

The vet looked more concerned that I thought was necessary, and then said, "let's do an x-ray." THEN, I start to panic - thinking "here we go again!" After the x-ray, he said he felt a lump in Jax's leg and the x-ray shows there is something there but is inconclusive at this point. With Jax being a boxer and boxers being prone to tumors, he is thinking it may be a tumor. We have pain meds for the next two weeks, and then he wants to see us back for a follow-up x-ray (at which point if it is a tumor he is pretty sure it will show up better).

I was out of town and using my Mom's vet. So - he had no idea I had just lost my other dog two weeks prior. All I could do was nod and say ok because I knew I was about to lose it any minute. However, I made it to the car before I broke down crying. A HUGE thank you to my fellow boxer friend, L, who calmed me down and talked me through my tears.

So - now we wait two weeks and see and go from there....unless I can't take it and take him to our vet that was so good with Rocky and see if they have better x-ray luck.

Good news is bound to happen soon right???

Remember when...

Awww...who remembers Audi's birthday party at Pinnacle Mountain? I think it was her 5th birthday. I was looking through old photos and couldn't resist these! The girls were so little compared to the "mini teenagers" they seem to be now! :-)

And remember them running and playing and then BAM ... that tree just jumped out and hit Kayce? Man that hurts!!

If only it were as easy as Nala makes it seem!

My cat, Nala, really knows how to live! She just lays around sleeping & purring & waiting for someone to come along and turn the tap on to the sink so she can get a drink of water! Some days I would love to trade places with her and live her carefree life!! ha!

This weekend being one of those days ~ not much going, been feeling sick and yucky since Thursday night. I had parent conferences on Friday (you can imagine how that went!). Friday night, Kevin and I took his nephews to the homecoming football game in Searcy. It was sooo cold ~ probably not my best decision making when I was already sick! I couldn't wait to get to bed ~ I slept all the way home! Then I pretty much laid around all weekend sleeping and feeling yucky. So - hopefully it has passed and this will be a much better week!!

If not, maybe Nala will trade places with me....

Fall is in the air...

Halloween is right around the corner!! What is everyone going to do? I love Halloween at my new place ~ last year, I dressed the doggies up and the kids loved it! :-) I don't know yet if I will torture Jax again this year, but I'm pretty sure I will!! I've already got my candy and trying hard to stay out of it! mmmm....butterfingers!

Boxers Galore!!

Kevin & I went to Mom & Dad's Saturday while they were tending to the horse show & took care of all their critters at the house for them. How Mom feeds and loves on them all everyday, I'll never know! It wore me out! :-) And she had two of the horses with her ~ they did pretty good for me though!

You can see where I inherited my love of boxers from! Boxers everywhere at Mom's!! She only has 6!! ha! See how scary it would be if I had land ~ and of course, Jax would take in another dog! I always say there is a reason I have Jax! He keeps me grounded in the pet department! He wants his Momma all to himself!!

Mom's new boxer baby (who doesn't look like a baby anymore) is just gorgeous!! His name is Rufus, but I think he looks like Marmaduke! He's the second boxer picture ~ the first guy is Jax's older brother (another beautiful boxer!) Anyway ~ enjoy! I sure did! Watching two boxers play is one of my favorite things to see! :-)

Audi's Fan Club

We were all going a little crazy before the night was over! Like I said, we watched other people for over two hours!! Autumn did win a trophy and ribbon in her first event ~ hence the proud poppa! Her and Sydney had a blast playing and the rest of us waited for another long stretch entertaining each other in the stands. She came out for the "dolly parton race" & we got to see her for a few minutes and then the wait was on again!!! The dolly parton race was funny though. She rode out to the barrel, picked a bra out of the sack and put water balloons in it, then had to ride back without losing the balloons. (Watching Grandpa help her with the bra was the funniest part!!) In our boredom, poor dad got heckled alot from our section. Kevin got several head shakes from dad! ha! I can't remember how long the show actually went on ~ most of us gave up after the third event. Mom said there was another hour and a half wait before the next one! I can't believe Audi's Mom stayed for the whole thing ~ she is due in about a month!! They were resting between shows in the RV so that helped. It was COLD!! Until next season.....(and then I'm only going to the Hillbilly Horse Shows ~ they are faster and more entertaining for us non-horse folks!)

Giddy Up!

Audi-Bell did a super job at her last horse show of the season on Friday night. The folks watchin' her in the stands didn't do quite as well! It was 2hours before her first event!! (More on that later!) She did place first in her division on the obstacle course. She made Sergio do what she wanted ~ he was being a bit stubborn!

She had her pink cowgirl boots and purple shirt and jacket and was stylin'! She said, "Can I be any more purple?" ha! This was her first time with the new saddle, bridle, and whip. And, Sergio got to feel the whip when he didn't want to walk over the tarp! After that, he did! ha!

Sunday drive...

Kevin & I took a Sunday drive today & ended up at this really cool spot on the Little Red River. I think we were in Pangburn?

We sat & watched these two old guys trout fish for awhile. The trout were jumping everywhere. It was relaxing and peaceful after a full week and weekend! I'll have horse show pics & that story tomorrow!

On a lighter note...

It has been a sad & crazy week. I am trying to get out of my funk, so I will post something lighthearted in that attempt! I copied this from another blog that has awesome ideas!!

FIVE FOR FIVE

1) Five Minutes to yourself. How would you spend them ideally?

Reading

Blogging

Laying on the couch snuggled with my critters

Sitting on the backdeck enjoying the weather

Weeding the flowerbeds

2) Five Dollars to spend right now. How or where would you spend it?

Sonic.. they have the best drinks & ice!

Peanut butter M&M's

See what I could find at the scrapbook store

Chocolate dessert from Pasta Jacks

Vacuum the car - it needs it bad right now!

3) Five Items in your house you could part with right now?

the stack of bills waiting to be paid!!!

the cat hair that floats down the hall - no matter how often I clean! :-)

Jax's gas! LOL!

homework brought home from work

stinky liter box - but that can't happen!

4) Five Items in your house you absolutely, positively could never part with?

My critters

my scrapbooks

my grandmother's quilts

my computer

my phone - sad, but true!

5) Five Words you love?

Love

Happiness

Family

Sunshine

Thank you - two words but nice to hear!

Tribute to a faithful friend

What I'll miss most about Rocky:
1. the way he would dig around in his toybox for "just the right toy"
2. how he would clean up Jax's face for him after they ate
3. how he was my Rock during the tough times & let me cry into his fur
4. his friendship with Simba (the cat who thinks he's a rottie too)
5. the way he hated a bath, but afterwards would wiggle and shake his butt like a puppy
6. how he would play in the snow and catch snowballs from me like they were tennis balls
7. the way he would stand in one spot and bark while Jax ran circles around the backyard
8. the pure joy he got from a car ride (especially if he was going to Daddy's)
9. his obsession with toys & tennis balls & how he wouldn't share with Jax
10. the look of pure love in his eyes when he would lay his head in my lap to be petted...


My best friend closed his eyes last night,
As his head was in my hand.
The Doctors said he was in pain,
And it was hard for him to stand.

The thoughts that scurried through my head,
As I cradled him in my arms.
Were of his younger, puppy years,
And OH...his many charms.

Today, there was no gentle nudge
With an intense "I love you gaze",
Only a heart thats filled with tears
Remembering our joy filled days.

But an Angel just appeared to me,
And he said, "You should cry no more,
GOD also loves our canine friends,
HE's installed a 'doggy-door"!

jan cooper '95

Happy Birthday Audi-Bell!!

Birthday wishes to my beautiful cowgirl niece!!

Thelma & Louise

When Peggy & I (aka Thelma & Louise) get together for the day, you never know where the day will take us! :-) We started out today doing the Race for the Cure. That was an awesome experience in itself ~ the atmosphere is amazing!! I can't believe I've only been a virtual walker and missed out all these years! There were 42,000 women walking/running today ~ we, of course, were walking!!

After that, we hit some yard sales, ate lunch at Cotham's (YUM!), and went to some really neat antique stores. Keo was having fall days & we just stumbled upon it. They have some very unique stores there too. After all that exploring, we decided not to drive off any cliffs, but to head home and take a good nap instead! :-)

What a cutie!!

I think he sensed I was terrified of him!! He started reaching for me & thought it was funny when I had to hold him! ha! You all know how scared I am of the little ones!! But isn't he just precious!!! My friend is one lucky girl! :-)

Updates Galore....

Rocky is much better!! This was the telling week & he is getting around by himself again! I even removed all the rugs and blankets from the hall yesterday & he can walk on the wood floors without falling!! yay! He does get around like an old man now ~ but he is an old man! We are calling the vet tomorrow to check on Rimadyl for him & hopefully we are out of the woods! Thanks for all the support on this guys and gals!!! :-)

My back has also recovered! It took a weekend of rest, a day of pain pills, and sleeping on a heating pad, but it is finally normal again! Let's just say I won't be dumb enough to lift over 100 lbs again! He can scoot to the carpet! ha!

School is just as insane as ever!! Apparently, we have record teacher absences this year already, so it must not just be me! It is Wednesday and already this week one of children threatened to kill the art teacher. (However, he wrote it down instead of saying it, so he just got a phone call home!???!!!) And, today one of my boys told a girl to shut-up or he would stab her in the eye with his scissors. Just in case she didn't understand he picked up his scissors to show her he meant business! He is suspended for two days. Here is the catch on that one - his mom wants the little girl suspended too for TALKING TO HIM!!!!!

Good stuff is that I had dinner with an old friend last night & got to see her young 'un for the first time (will post a pic tomorrow!). I have dinner plans tonight with family & Kevin is cooking for me tomorrow night! YUM! Good food & good company is the cure all for me!! ha!