Hunting for 50 Easter Eggs at Grammy and Grampy's, he was too busy to stop for a pic.
Derrick, Ashleigh and Asa
Love this pic...
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Easter Fun!
Derrick, Ashleigh and Asa
Love this pic...
My Montage 4/25/11 at OneTrueMedia.com
Easter Bunny 2011
Pardon my Baby Talk I never realized I did this! And I hate my voice recorded, especially first thing in the morning, hello Froggie... Asa was way too cute though!
Pardon my Baby Talk I never realized I did this! And I hate my voice recorded, especially first thing in the morning, hello Froggie... Asa was way too cute though!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Life throws you curve balls
I'm sad, heartbroken, guilty and lonely. We finally had found a new home for Russ through the Bulldog Rescue League of NH. It all happened so quickly we kind of were left standing with our jaws hanging open.
Friday evening I had a call from the director for the state. She said she had found a family with teenage kids who just lost their bully in January, but they had a female pug. I was pretty hesitant of Russ going to a home with another dog, but the director assured me that Russ may not have any issues with a female and this was the only family she thought we might have a chance with out of all her applicants. She said the lady would give me a call and we could set up a meeting. I told her that we had put an ad in the paper and had received some calls already, she said "Oh, beware".
Saturday afternoon the perspective lady called. She sounded very nice and told me they were very familiar with Bulldogs, they wanted to come Sunday and meet Russ and introduce him to the Pug Lily. They lived 2 hours away and would be at our house at 9:30. Okay, anything to find Russ a good home was all I had in mind.
They showed up a little later then 9:30, but totally fine. The mother and 3 teenagers came in the house to meet Russ and of course he was a total spaz like he normally is around new people. He finally calmed down and they loved him. They had brought the pug Lily in with them but held on to her. Russell really had no interest in her, which was great. After about a half hour I said let's go outside and see how Lilly and Russ get along. Much to my surprise Russ still had no interest in Lily, she sniffed him and did the usually doggie greetings and Russ just lay in the middle of the driveway. GREAT! We all thought this was really awesome and thought that the fact she was a girl was the key. About 15 minutes went by and they said, we thinks he's perfect we'll take him home. I was totally not expecting this and it ripped my heart out of my chest, I was not prepared to say goodbye yet. A new family, already? I asked if they were sure that we could bring him to them next weekend and they said no it was fine. They thought he would be just fine... I went in the house and got his collar and as soon as I got inside the door I started sobbing, Brian was in the same boat and couldn't come outside to say goodbye. I collected myself and went back out and thanked them, handed his collar and gave him a kiss. I went inside before they drove away, torn about what just occurred.
Brian and I cried our eyes out and were feeling horrid when the phone rang a couple hours later. It was the lady saying everything was great that Russ rolled in the first mud puddle he could find and already had a bath. He and Lily were laying in the sun together and everyone was happy. The best news we heard all day. We were still sad, but happy for Russ. We decided to go to our friends house for dinner.
We got home about 8:30 and there were 6 missed calls, all from the same number. I swallowed hard and looked at Brian which I'm sure all the blood went out of my face at the same time. I listened to the voicemail and it was the lady saying to call as soon as we got the message. OIY! I don't think I could dial the numbers fast enough. She immediately said we have a problem, ugh. Russ decided to attack the pug Lily and then try to attack the husband as he was trying to defuse the situation. "Oh, Russy" I said. I did not dare ask if anything or anyone was hurt. They took him a their own will and I did not feel responsible for the situation since they "knew" what they were getting themselves into. I asked if they wanted us to come and get him, she asked if we could meet halfway in the morning and we did.
Russy took his last car ride yesterday it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Brian and I decided that he was too much of a risk and a time bomb waiting to go off. The older he got, the more unpredictable he was. We couldn't take the chance of him hurting Asa and we couldn't take the chance of him going to a new home and hurting someone else. It was too much and we had given him so many chances and tried to correct his demeanor, but you could never predict when he would decide to be in attack mode. With the pug, the lady said he was totally fine all afternoon and then out of the blue he came across the room and grabbed a hold of the other dog. I'm sure when the husband came over to him he was in defense mode at that point and felt cornered. I'm at wits end. I feel betrayed because he couldn't be a good dog all the time. We loved him and pampered him and I think maybe that was the worst thing we could of done. But with Russy, if you sugar coated it you could get a lot further with him then being stern. I'm at a loss, we are at a loss. Asa hasn't asked for Russy yet, but he did everyday for the two weeks we kept Russ away from him. "Russ?" he would say and hold his arms up in the air and shrug his shoulders. I know he'll be wondering in the next couple of days and I will totally breakdown when he does.
Friday evening I had a call from the director for the state. She said she had found a family with teenage kids who just lost their bully in January, but they had a female pug. I was pretty hesitant of Russ going to a home with another dog, but the director assured me that Russ may not have any issues with a female and this was the only family she thought we might have a chance with out of all her applicants. She said the lady would give me a call and we could set up a meeting. I told her that we had put an ad in the paper and had received some calls already, she said "Oh, beware".
Saturday afternoon the perspective lady called. She sounded very nice and told me they were very familiar with Bulldogs, they wanted to come Sunday and meet Russ and introduce him to the Pug Lily. They lived 2 hours away and would be at our house at 9:30. Okay, anything to find Russ a good home was all I had in mind.
They showed up a little later then 9:30, but totally fine. The mother and 3 teenagers came in the house to meet Russ and of course he was a total spaz like he normally is around new people. He finally calmed down and they loved him. They had brought the pug Lily in with them but held on to her. Russell really had no interest in her, which was great. After about a half hour I said let's go outside and see how Lilly and Russ get along. Much to my surprise Russ still had no interest in Lily, she sniffed him and did the usually doggie greetings and Russ just lay in the middle of the driveway. GREAT! We all thought this was really awesome and thought that the fact she was a girl was the key. About 15 minutes went by and they said, we thinks he's perfect we'll take him home. I was totally not expecting this and it ripped my heart out of my chest, I was not prepared to say goodbye yet. A new family, already? I asked if they were sure that we could bring him to them next weekend and they said no it was fine. They thought he would be just fine... I went in the house and got his collar and as soon as I got inside the door I started sobbing, Brian was in the same boat and couldn't come outside to say goodbye. I collected myself and went back out and thanked them, handed his collar and gave him a kiss. I went inside before they drove away, torn about what just occurred.
Brian and I cried our eyes out and were feeling horrid when the phone rang a couple hours later. It was the lady saying everything was great that Russ rolled in the first mud puddle he could find and already had a bath. He and Lily were laying in the sun together and everyone was happy. The best news we heard all day. We were still sad, but happy for Russ. We decided to go to our friends house for dinner.
We got home about 8:30 and there were 6 missed calls, all from the same number. I swallowed hard and looked at Brian which I'm sure all the blood went out of my face at the same time. I listened to the voicemail and it was the lady saying to call as soon as we got the message. OIY! I don't think I could dial the numbers fast enough. She immediately said we have a problem, ugh. Russ decided to attack the pug Lily and then try to attack the husband as he was trying to defuse the situation. "Oh, Russy" I said. I did not dare ask if anything or anyone was hurt. They took him a their own will and I did not feel responsible for the situation since they "knew" what they were getting themselves into. I asked if they wanted us to come and get him, she asked if we could meet halfway in the morning and we did.
Russy took his last car ride yesterday it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Brian and I decided that he was too much of a risk and a time bomb waiting to go off. The older he got, the more unpredictable he was. We couldn't take the chance of him hurting Asa and we couldn't take the chance of him going to a new home and hurting someone else. It was too much and we had given him so many chances and tried to correct his demeanor, but you could never predict when he would decide to be in attack mode. With the pug, the lady said he was totally fine all afternoon and then out of the blue he came across the room and grabbed a hold of the other dog. I'm sure when the husband came over to him he was in defense mode at that point and felt cornered. I'm at wits end. I feel betrayed because he couldn't be a good dog all the time. We loved him and pampered him and I think maybe that was the worst thing we could of done. But with Russy, if you sugar coated it you could get a lot further with him then being stern. I'm at a loss, we are at a loss. Asa hasn't asked for Russy yet, but he did everyday for the two weeks we kept Russ away from him. "Russ?" he would say and hold his arms up in the air and shrug his shoulders. I know he'll be wondering in the next couple of days and I will totally breakdown when he does.
Rest In Peace Russell... You were a good boy when you wanted to be and you were so darn cute....
Proud Poppa - X-mas 2003
Russell Henry 7/6/03 - 4/18/11
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Going's On
April is such a transition month. Transitioning from Winter to Spring. Transitioning from monotonous to lots going on. It seems that every weekend from here on is filled with going's on. Which I'm totally fine with. I would much rather be doing then not. Racing season starts soon as well and that is almost every Saturday night spent at the race track. Asa loves the fact that Daddy races, but doesn't like the fact of sitting and watching. I'm hoping this year he'll be much more into the actually racing rather then running around, but I'm not holding my breath.
On the weekends that we are not racing the goal is to get some camping in. Brian really tends to relax more when you don't "have" to do anything other then sit in a lawn chair and drink a beer in front of a campfire. It's the only way I can get him to whined down. Even though he works Saturdays there are plenty of close by campgrounds we can hit up and me lurvs some camping in the White Mountains. I think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth, really. I know I live in NH, but never got the chance to see the wonders of my surroundings when I was younger - no offense Mom and Dad. Growing up we never did the hiking thing or camping thing as a family which was totally fine because we did the ocean and beach thing. Which some people can say they never experienced, and I know I was a very lucky little girl. Yes, (Mom) we did camp with Girl Scouts but that was a totally different experience especially the 2 weeks away from home when you're 7. In my "older" years I have enjoyed some time with friends "roughing it" (yeah right) and it is most enjoyable ;-) It is "so choice" as Ferris Bueller would say... Bueller? Bueller? Okay enough with the 80's flash back.
We got to enjoy some really nice weather this past weekend and check out the kid who still wanted to play in the snow! Oh my poor bushes I planted in the fall, they took it hard. Now if I can just get the dogs to stop peeing on them!
On the weekends that we are not racing the goal is to get some camping in. Brian really tends to relax more when you don't "have" to do anything other then sit in a lawn chair and drink a beer in front of a campfire. It's the only way I can get him to whined down. Even though he works Saturdays there are plenty of close by campgrounds we can hit up and me lurvs some camping in the White Mountains. I think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth, really. I know I live in NH, but never got the chance to see the wonders of my surroundings when I was younger - no offense Mom and Dad. Growing up we never did the hiking thing or camping thing as a family which was totally fine because we did the ocean and beach thing. Which some people can say they never experienced, and I know I was a very lucky little girl. Yes, (Mom) we did camp with Girl Scouts but that was a totally different experience especially the 2 weeks away from home when you're 7. In my "older" years I have enjoyed some time with friends "roughing it" (yeah right) and it is most enjoyable ;-) It is "so choice" as Ferris Bueller would say... Bueller? Bueller? Okay enough with the 80's flash back.
We got to enjoy some really nice weather this past weekend and check out the kid who still wanted to play in the snow! Oh my poor bushes I planted in the fall, they took it hard. Now if I can just get the dogs to stop peeing on them!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Spring in the air...
Asa has been able to play outside at Daycare almost everyday this week! Oh so nice to be out in the fresh air. The highs have only been in the low 50's but we are looking at getting to 60 degrees on Sunday and possibly 70 degrees on Monday. If you just believe, the snow will eventually melt and Spring will slowly arrive.
Thanks Jess for the pic!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Life Changing
I know the post title sounds dramatic and in way it is. Our beloved friend for 8 years is leaving us and I'm really unsure of my feelings.
Russell was our first baby. We had him flown in from a breeder in Texas in August of 2003 at 10 weeks old, he was the cutest thing on 4 legs. That year we built a new house and Russ was the king of his domain. We always knew we wanted 2 dogs so in the fall of 2004 we brought home a white little flubber bully named Frankie. Russ and Frankie bonded immediately and Frankie followed Russ everywhere.
The following summer 2005 we were approached to adopt a older English Bulldog named Fraser. We were torn because we knew 3 dogs was going to be a house full, but couldn't say no to a face like this and he fit in like he'd always been ours.
A few years went by and we were a happy bulldog family. Then Russell's feathers got ruffled and started fighting with Frankie whenever they were around each other. To this day they have lived separated, 4 years of keeping two dogs separated is a lot of work.
This past fall Russ decided he had a biff with "old man" Fraser and attacked him for no reason. Russ had to be separated from everyone. Things were going along okay, until this Saturday when I was giving Asa a hug and Russ came over to us and started to jump up (in attack mode) on the back of Asa. The Momma Bear in me pounced and I got to him before he got to Ace. I have never been afraid of dogs and I am not afraid to break up dog fights (dumb I know). Don't get me wrong, Russ is a wonderful dog when it's just him and you and NOBODY else, but somethings got to give and it's called giving away Russ. We have given him soooo many chances, but we can't take a chance of him hurting Asa. I know it's total jealousy but Russ doesn't realize Asa is higher on the pack chain then he is.
See, I'm torn. It breaks my heart to have to give him away, those sweet lips and rosebud ears, but there's NO WAY we can keep him and feel safe with him around Asa.
I've contacted our local English Bulldog Rescue, hopefully they know of a good home where Russell can go and be top dog again...
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About Me
- Jackie
- My name is Jackie and I am a mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter, cousin to many, and a dreamer of sorts. I dream of many things and one is a life full of acceptance, achievement and success for my Super Hero son Asa. He's got extra good stuff that comes with a little thing called Down syndrome. We live in the beautiful state of New Hampshire with our 2 Bulldogs; Rosie, Frankie and 36 chickens.