Obedience Training

Who doubts that I love Penny?

Anyone who has known Rich or I before kids entered the picture will know that our first kids are actually our dogs Bailey (Bailey Suzanne Rachel Kimberly Eastland) and Penny (Penelope Eleanor Samantha Christine Judith Eastland). They are beagles, a truly loving and sweet breed, however very strong willed, loud, and energetic. Once kids entered the picture, Bailey and Penny became just dogs to me (I think Rich still considers them his children, but he didn't get the hormonal changes that come with child birth), and at first I struggled to find enough love and attention for them. Needless to say, the little training Bailey had as a young dog, and the barely existent training Penny received had not been maintained, and slowly they have become more and more out of control. When our neighbors, whom we love and consider good friends, told us to stop apologizing and just do something about them, I realized that the only reason that we hadn't been cited by the county was out of the goodness of our neighbors' hearts. Ok, so I went to the library and checked out 5 books about dog training and beagles. I've read a little of a few of them, and have started working with the girls a little each day, and I have also started regularly walking with them and the kids (in their wagon...we sure get some looks with 2 dogs, 2 kids, and 1 struggling woman pulling this circus). I have already seen some improvement, and I think walking them wears them out enough that they don't look for mischief.

At least Bailey is sitting, right?

Well Jack really enjoys their training, because whenever I make the girls crash (down) and stay, he sits and stays, too. Once as a joke to myself, I gave him a graham fish cracker (what he calls "fishy cookie") when I gave the girls their "cookies" after staying for the given time. So now when he sees me giving the dogs their orders, he comes running and sits down with them, all three waiting patiently for their treats. What have I done? I guess there really is something to all of this Pavlov stuff!

Paige at dinner tonight

Who could say no to this face?

I saw my first movie in over a year in an actual theater last night. My mom and sister came down for the night and asked Rich if they could borrow me for a few hours to see Mamma Mia. It was soooo much fun. Mom and Den had seen it twice before on stage and were fairly familiar with the soundtrack (Deni more than Mom, but not knowing the words to a song would never stop Mom from singing to it!). When we got to the theater, I reminded them who drove them there, so there would be absolutely no singing from them. It wouldn't have mattered if they did, as other people in the audience were singing and even dancing at the end of the movie. It was a super trooper fun movie...very feel good, and I even burned a copy of Mom's CD for myself. Poor Rich is going to get really sick of those Abba songs!

Poor Rich had grand plans (after the kids went to bed) of drinking sour apple Pucker, running through the sprinklers in our backyard in his underwear with our neighbor Travis, and I'm pretty sure that sparklers were going to be involved (yes ladies, I picked him out all by myself...don't be jealous). However, the festivities were thwarted by Miss Paige cutting teeth. She has a little fever, but it comes down with Motrin. So Rich had a decision to make: put on an amateur show for the neighbors, or step up and take care of his daughter. Luckily we don't have any sour apple Pucker, so a good choice was made. (I love giving you a hard time, Rich.)

Auntie and Petunia