My First Giveaway!

Hi friends!

I am so excited to be doing my first give-away. Mr. Ben from Hartz toys contacted me and asked if I'd like to try out some toys from their new Angry Birds holiday line and he'd even send them to a friend! I'm not a very big toy-dog, but my mom loves to play Angry Birds on her iPad. They're plushy though, and I do love to de-stuff toys :)

A package? Addressed to ME? Hooray!

Checking out what's in the box

These toys look delicious! (Ignore Mom's wrapping stuff in the background. My Auntie K had a human puppy this week and Mom's getting ready to visit.)

Mom's not quite sure why I look sad in this picture because I really like my toys!

Thanks Mr. Ben and Hartz!

Now for the details: 

From Mr. Ben's e-mail: We will be running an interactive guessing game on Facebook during the launch of the holiday themed Hartz Angry Birds dog toys.

The details for the game are as follows:

        There are four unique holiday Angry Birds toys that will be shown in four different holiday locations that will be slowly revealed throughout the course of 4 weeks.

        Each week (Monday-Sunday) a photo of one of the toys in a distinct setting, will be featured on the Facebook application with only a small amount of the photo visible.

        As the week progresses, more and more of the photo will become visible and ultimately be fully revealed each Sunday.

        Fans will be able to submit their guesses as to the location where the toy is hiding out as many times as they like throughout the week.  

        The campaign will kick off on Monday, 11/26/2012

Here's how you enter my giveaway: Leave me a comment on this post. That's it! Leave a comment by Saturday at 10:00 PM EST and my mom will write the names on a piece of paper and randomly pick one. I'm sure there's a higher tech way, but after the whole video issue, Mom figured it's best to do it this way.  Win for yourself or win to give to your favorite puppy dog (or kitty cats. They's probably like them, too!).

P.S. Mom already checked and they can only ship within the US. Sorry UK and Canada friends :(

Best Thanksgiving Ever

Hi friends! Wowee, has this been a crazy fun weekend.

Everyone waiting for dinner

I think I've said this before, but Thanksgiving is my absolute FAVORITEST holiday. It's an entire holiday that revolves around eating food and, unlike Halloween, it's all food I'm allowed to have bites of!

I helped in the kitchen

Our fun all started when my people both got to come home a little early from their work places Wednesday. We went on a W-A-L-K and as we turned the final corner, guess what I saw? MY GRANDMA, GRANDPA, and GREAT-GRANDMA!!!!! They had just pulled into the driveway and were unloading all of their Thanksgiving goodies. Grandma had baked me my very own treats. She's the best.

Thursday was the main event. Mom spent a lot of time in the kitchen and my other grandparents and great-grandparents came. Other Grandma brought me treats, too! Everyone had a great time talking and feeding me. Uncle Ryan came and brought The Thing, but he actually wasn't too bad. He ran in circles and barely stopped long enough to get treats. Since I was so calm and sat so nicely, Grandma gave me extra. Everyone ate and just enjoyed each other. The Thing kept running and stole some of my toys (I don't really play with them, so it was OK), but I got him back and stole his bone. I even took it to my crate and buried it in my super secret spot. Smarty-pants Mom found it though and gave it back. She's so sneaky!
                                                

My (no longer) super secret hiding spot

The Thing's mommy came by and I let her give me a couple of side scratches. Finally, people started heading home and I was so stuffed, I didn't need dinner.

The Thing and his mommy

The Thing and me

Grandma giving me and The Thing treats. I'll do anything for a treat, even stand near The Thing.

Mom, me, Dad, Uncle Ryan, and The Thing playing in the yard

Friday morning, I was still stuffed and didn't want breakfast. Dad had to work (just a few hours, not Black Friday craziness) and Mom and the grandparents went shopping. They didn't go to the mall or any big store, but to a couple of local places. They even met a horse-dog at one. Mom said she could have ridden her, but that I'd probably be the boss. Cool. Naps and leftovers finished out the day.

My whole family: Julie (The Thing's Mom/Uncle Ryan's girlfriend), Uncle Ryan, The Thing, Grandpa, Mawmaw, Grandma, Pawpaw, Mom, me, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Dad, and Grandpa!

The grandparents left Saturday, but Grandma left the treats. She promised more when I come to visit them for Christmas, though! We've spent the rest of the weekend decorating for Christmas and napping. I really enjoyed having them home and don't want them to back to work places Monday!

Anyway, exciting things are in store this week. First, I'll be reminding everyone of the Dos and Don'ts for Christmas. Plus, I'll be hosting my very first give-away! I'm so excited. Be sure to come back and check it out!

22 Days of Thankful: Day 22

Whew! I made it! Even if my typist tried to sabotage me and forgot a couple of times. She tastes yummy though, so I'll keep her around.

22. To have a houseful of suckers family to love me

Maybe my favorite part of Thanksgiving (besides an entire holiday revolving around food) is the number of people that come together to sneak me some. Since I came around, Mom and Dad's families have done joint Thanksgiving. Yes, I take the credit for it. Two years ago, both sides came here. Last year, we all went to my great-grandma's and great-grandpaw's house. This year, everyone's back at my house. I've perfected the sad brown eyes look and no humans can resist it! Too bad my aunt Melanie couldn't come this year. She's my biggest sucker food sneaker.

My aunt Melanie. She helped keep me out of trouble last time Thanksgiving was here.

Helping cook two years ago. I'm chief taste tester and dropsies cleaner-upper.

I hope you've enjoyed my 22 Days of Thankful. Just remember, being thankful is year-round, not just in November. That means every day should include a full turkey dinner and scraps snuck to me.


To all my US readers, we hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving. Don't get trampled on Black Friday (Mom's going shopping, but to a local small business and certainly not before daylight). To all my UK and elsewhere readers, we hope you have a wonderful Thursday and remember to take a minute and be thankful...again!

22 Days of Thankful: Days 20 and 21

My typist is going to get herself fired if she's not careful! Anyway,

20. My real life ani-pals

Just like I'm thankful for all my friends of the internets, I'm thankful for the friends I have in real life. I love walking in the park with Molly:

and playing with Luna (but she lives in Ohio now):

And I had a great time playing with Howie when he came to visit from Memphis (I don't have a picture from that trip). He even has a puppy sister, Moxie, and is getting a human brother soon.

21. That my grandparents are here!!!!!!!


Grandma's already stuffed me silly with homemade treats. I had to get a bath for her to be allowed though. Boo. But my love of Grandma and treats is greater than my hatred of water!

22 Days of Thankful: Days 18 and 19

Oops. I forgot about yesterday. I blame the typist as she has been working on a paper for school and hogged the computer all weekend.

18.  The internet

I am very thankful for the internet. Without it, I couldn't communicate my deep puppy dog thoughts and I wouldn't have made so many friends!  Mom and I enjoy catching up with everyone in the mornings before she has to get ready for that work place. We're not very good at leaving comments, but rest assured we're reading!

19. My yard

Just before I came home, my people finished off the fencing around our yard so I had a safe place to sniff around.  My most important job is securing the perimeter. Sometimes we have bunny rabbit visitors (Word of advice, don't bring a baby back to the door to show your people. It doesn't end well) and I like to say hey to the dogs that live on either side of us. In the winter, my yard goes less from "yard" and more to "skating rink" which makes my people giggle, but it's kind of fun, so I'll allow it.  But the best part is in the spring and fall when I go outside and lay in sun puddles. Ahhhh!

Hi, Pixie!

Sun bathing

Standing guard

22 Days of Thankful: Day 17

17. Treats

Gosh! It took me a long time to get around to this one, but I am very thankful for treats. I'll do pretty much anything if I think it'll get me a treat. I will run into jail, I'll shake, I'll roll over (those last two are usually without asking BOL!). Just gimme a treat. Sometimes I'll even take a pretzel right out Dad's mouth.

22 Days of Thankful: Day 16

16. That my people come home

I don't like when my people leave me all alone, especially my mommy. And even though it feel like forever, they always come home. Sometimes I drive my dad crazy while we wait for Mom, but once I hear her open the door, my tail gets all waggy and I just can't wait to cover her face in kisses! Because she's home and I never thought that would happen (even though it does every time she leaves :)).

22 Days of Thankful: Day 15

15. Belly rubs

Whew! I almost missed today! Blame my typist. Anyway, today, I'm thankful for belly rubs. My morning doesn't start right if my daddy doesn't rub my belly before getting my breakfast. I have a certain way of flopping over and lifting a paw. Mom calls it my "come hither" look. I'm not sure what that means, but it always gets my belly rubbed!

                                         

Here's my belly. Rub it, Human.

22 Days of Thankful: Day 14

14. Smells

Today, I'm thankful for smells. The oh so delicious things that catch my nose as we walk past a tree, mailbox post, tall weed, clump of grass, etc. Every time we go on a walk, I make it my mission to smell all the smells, especially if it's cold and rainy. Then I have to take extra time so the smells don't feel left out.

Mom posed an interesting question last night: If a smell has no one to smell it, does it still smell? One of the great questions of our time, Mom.

                                              

Checking out smells on this tree.

22 Days of Thankful: Day 13

13. The big bed

Today, I'm thankful my people let me sleep in the big bed with them last night! Usually on the weekends when they're not quiiiiiiiite ready to get up, they let me out of jail and lift me into theirs (it's too tall for me to jump onto myself). I don't stay long in the mornings, but they like the snuggles. Sometimes when it's thunder boomie or really cold (like at Grandma's house since Dad's "room" is really just an enclosed porch), they let me sleep with them. Last night was kind cold, but really Dad's just a sucker really great guy.

This isn't from last night, but you get the idea. I'm squished in the middle since my people mak e a big deal out of "sharing" and not pushing them off the sides.

22 Days of Thankful: Day 12

12. Kisses

I'm thankful for kisses, both to give and receive, though I prefer to give them. To my mom. Up her nose. She likes it. Even if she wipes them away and says, "enough!" Don't let her fool you!

Sometimes, I give Grandma kisses!

I had another picture to show everyone, but for some reason Blogger is being super-slow uploading it. Boo!

22 Days of Thankful: Day 11

11. Veterans

Today I am thankful for veterans. No, not the V-E-T guys. I don't think I'm thankful for them at all. Veterans are men and women and even puppy dogs that protect our freedoms. Sometimes that means they have to go away from their families for a long time and go into dangerous places. Sometimes they get hurt and sometimes they don't get to come home. That makes me sad, but they do it because freedom is very important. I'm very glad I live in a country where I can walk outside and smell smells and snuggle with my mommy and daddy. My hope is one day all puppy dogs have the right to do the same (but that's probably another post for certainly another day).

Source

22 Days of Thankful: Day 10

10. Football

Today, I'm thankful for football. And by "football," I mean the American version :)  Sometimes I don't like it because it makes my mommy loud and I have to go check on her and give her kisses. But, in the end, I like it because my people are more likely to stay home and be on the couch when it's "football season."

My dad and I watch football.

Sometimes my people and I all pile together to nap!

22 Days of Thankful: Day 9

9. Pillows

Today, I'm very thankful for pillows. Like my bed and blankets, they help me take really great naps. Plus, sometimes I like to build pillow forts, even though my people get mad I've taken all the pillows (I'm not the one who put them in my corner). Sometimes, I even treat pillows like blankets:

22 Days of Thankful: Day 8

8. Grandmas (and grand-paws and great grandmas and great grand-paws)

I'm not sure where I'd be without my two grandmas. A lot hungrier, probably, since they both love feeding me treats! Great grandmas and my great grand-paw also like sneaking me treats. Let's just say it's part of why Thanksgiving is my favorite!

I love my grandma, even if she does give The Thing treats, too.

I love this grandma because I don't have to share her!

This grand-paw was my "base" last year at Thanksgiving

And this grand-paw was pretty excited I let him pet me

I like to help my great grand-pawrents cook. Great grand-paw sneaks me bites!

I don't have a picture with my other great grandma, so Mom will definitely have to get one of me begging from her this year!

22 Days of Thankful: Day 7

7. Car rides

Whoa man, do I love car rides! I love when my people ask, "Mister, do you want to go for a car ride?" What do they expect me to say? "Nah, I'll stay here all by my lonesome while you two have all the adventures without me."? NO! Car rides are like walks--they take you on adventures. Usually our adventures lead us to the drive-thru. Sometimes to the Barkery. A few times a year, we go on really long car rides and end up at one of my Grandma's house or at a hotel or at Mom's family's cabin in Canada.

On my very first car ride (second if you don't count my trip home). We went all the way to Canada! I told Dad I'd drive.

                                            

After a long ride, it's good to get our and stretch your legs!

Once, our adventure took us to Starbucks and I got a puppy latte!

Mom and Dad were washing the car. I saw the open door and thought we were going. Boo!

22 Days of Thankful: Day 6

6. Walks

Hopefully I didn't send anyone into a zoomie by actually saying that instead of spelling, but I'm very thankful for them. Not only are they great exercise so I can maintain my ruff and tumble puppy dog physique, but there are so many adventures to be had: people and puppies to meet, kitty cats and birds to follow, smells to smell, things to leave pee-mails on. Whew! And the people need their exercise as well.

Rain, snow, or sun, my mom takes me on a walk EVERY day.  We once even accidentally walked during a tornado watch (she didn't look at the weather before we left).

22 Days of Thankful

Hi friends!
My mom had a great idea while we were on my W-A-L-K this morning. That's when she gets all her great ideas, but this time she actually remembered it. Since everyone is posting on her Facebook about the things they're thankful for during November, she thought I could do the same thing with my blog. I have lots to be thankful for, but I think I'll just stick to until Thanksgiving. Since we're a little behind, I'll try to catch up!

1. My mommy and daddy.
    I love my mommy. Like a whole lot. I tolerate my dad, but I really like in the mornings when he rubs on my belly and then gets me breakfast. I also like when he plays "Get the bone" with me.

2. My bed
    Last Christmas I got a new bed. It's big and super soft and has the perfect sides for me to lay my head on. But mostly, I'm thankful have a bed. I had a foster mom before my parents found me and before THAT, I didn't have a bed. Mom and Dad don't like to think about that. I don't either.

3. My bone
    I love this thing! I've chewed through lots of them, but we go get another one at the shelter I came from. I get to say hi to everyone while I'm there and they say I'm still the cutest ever.  My dad and I play a great game called "Get the bone" and I have to wrestle it away from him. I've learned lots of tricks from trying to get it like roll over and play dead!

4. Blankets
    Sometimes the blankets on our couch misbehave and I have to rearrange them. Sometimes that takes a really long time and my people start laughing at me because I keep fighting them. But eventually, they give up and succumb to my will. They're super great for laying on and sometimes I snuggle under them (see #2).

under...

or over, I don't care, as long as it's a blanket!

5. Naps
    Finally (for now), I'm thankful for naps. They're probably the greatest part of my weekends. And days. And nights.