RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

Yes, we really do need the rain, but not 8 inches at a time.  We live in a small village right beside the Des Moines River.  Already they are saying we are almost at the same flood stage as "the great flood" in 1993. Rain came down to fast, for the ground to absorb.
This is what happens to pavement when the ground gives way.  Thank goodness no one was driving on it at that moment.

This is our local fudge store.  The river when it floods usually ends up right next to the handrailing.

And this is the rose garden where lots of people get married, or just enjoy walking through ...it has over 250 varieties of roses and irises.  After the last flood in 2006, most of it had to be replanted.  All you could see was the top of the stone wall, everything else was under water.  Lets hope it doesn't get that bad again.

Thankfully we live at the top of the town, so we haven't had to worry about the water, but many friends of ours do. 

I hope everyone stays safe and sound this weekend.
Stella Rose's Momma

BOY BLESSINGS

Yesterday Mom posted about the girl blessings in her life so today she is giving the boys their space on our blog. 

This is 12 year old Ty and 9 year old Jack.  They are brothers to Baby Bean.

This is Micah who is also 12 years old .....

And this is Marcus his brother who is ten years old.

Drake is our redhead in the bunch and he is four years old.

AND FINALLY THE BABYIEST BOY OF THEM ALL......

This is Angus, a/k/a Gussie, and he is our little baby boy!!!  We are so blessed.
stella rose's momma

MY GIRLS

MACKENNA-8 years old

MACEY-4 years old

PIPER-4 months old

STELLA ROSE-3 years old and MAGGIE MAE-6 months old

See all the blessings that I have in my life.  Tomorrow we will do the boys.

Stella Rose's Momma

Baby Blessings

This is Baby Piper at 3 months old.  I want to borrow the headband for stella rose's picture but I wouldn't hold my breath.  I will just have to buy stellie her own.  Piper is one of my many blessings she just doesn't know it yet.

Here is my other baby blessing.  Angus a/k/a Gussie.  He doesn't know he is a blessing to us either, but he is.  Saturday was Gussie's one week at our house.  Butch and I were talking about the difference one week can make to someone.  That little puppy that we saw that night in the back of an old truck is gone, or maybe he was really there in spirit we just couldn't see it beyond the look of suffering.  Gus is so funny now, and finally Maggie is playing with him.  Those of you that have pugs will understand when I tell you on the porch yesterday he was playing with Mags when all of a sudden he started running in circles doing his pugtona run! It was so funny.  He is handling not being able to see with the gumption that I need in myself at times. I notice if we introduce new experiences to him, (such as going outside) he does run into things, but it never stops him from exploring etc.  He knows where the water bowl is, and where he eats at.  He knows his toy box, and the beds are at, and he has figured out where the recliner is...lol......He is feeling much better now and hardly ever coughs (wish i could say the same for me) The vet gave him very strong antibiotics to stop it from going into pneumonia. Thank you all for your support!!
Stella Rose's, Maggie and Gussie's Momma

Good News!

Well Momma is picking up Baby Gus from Dr. Frankenvet's over her lunch hour and bringing him home to us.  The vet said he has an upper respiratory infection, which could be kennel cough.  We caught it fairly early so that is good cos it could have turned nasty with him being so little.  Mom thought so, cos he acted like he was feeling fine, but just sounded horrible when he coughed.

Mom thinks she has kennel cough also cos all she does at work is cough and cough and cough.  People are gonna start calling her Typhoid Mary behind her back.
Stella Rose

POTP

First and most important Mom had to take little Gussie to see Dr. Frankenvet this morning real early.  She noticed last night that he was coughing like he had something caught in his throat, but by the middle of the night he was really coughing and gagging.  Mom is worried it could be kennel cough or worse. He acts fine, and ate fine tho so that is good.  When we first got Sammer about a week after having him, he developed kennel cough and they gave him antibiotics and then he was fine.  Mom is waiting to hear back from the vet.

Second, Mom was home sick yesterday with the human version of kennel cough...cough..cough...cough and thats all she did.  Her throat hurts, her chest is icky and she coughs. She stayed home and tried to rest, but today went back to work.  She is still cough..cough...coughing.

We hopes everyone else out there is feeling much better than our household.
stella rose

KARMA

For some reason momma calls me "maggie's karma"...ummmmmmmm I don't understand.
Baby Gus

Baby Gus

Kylei my big sister took this picture..its better than mom's.  Baby Gus got to go visit the grandmonsters with our Dad yesterday, and I guess he slept on little Macey's lap most of the morning.

Of course he had lots of energy when he got back home, and Maggie and I paid for that nap!!  Mom says he is a really good eater, and is using his puppy pads really well.  He does have a cold so we are keeping a close eye on that.  He only hit the cabinet once yesterday when he was running around. Mom did notice once we are more than 6 inches or so away from him, he can't find us as well.

Mom had to get up with him two times last night cos he whined around to tell her he had to go potty.  Once again, she is really impressed.  Just wait till the day he chews up her favorite shoes, or worse......

Maggie plays a little more with him, but she is having a hard time understanding why he keeps trying to bite or play catch with her.  She is even afraid to take away his toys, at least for the time being. I don't think he will ever back down from Maggie tho.  He didn't listen very well to me either, when I told him nicely to stop biting my back leg.  Mom says I need to be more firm with him and show him who is boss, I just don't think that is ever going to happen.

Did you notice he is a silver pale black color...weird huh.
Stella Rose

P.S.

P. S.
We forgot to tell you in all the excitement that Mom was able to do a very good thing this weekend.  She got hold of the Dog Sanctuary and talked to the wonderful lady named Melody that runs it.  It is five fenced in acres with woods and a big pond for dogs who are on their last chance of finding a home. Melody rehabilitates them and sometimes they stay there and sometimes they go to another furever home.  Well guess what not only did Angus find a new home, Mom and Melody got together and the french bulldog who has always been a breeder and a one year old cavilier male dog went to live at Melody's the same day Angus came to our house.  Is that great!!!!  Sometimes when we can't do huge things, we can do it in a smaller way!!!!!
Stella Rose and the gang

ANGUS

Mom had to take these pictures with her crappy crackjack camera thus they are blurry and hard to see.  My big sister Kylei will come over this week and take the good pictures.

This is Angus "Gussie" Long-Simpson

He is smiling at mom, even though he is wrapped up in a pink blanket.  He weighs a whooping 3.5 lbs. just like Maggie when Mom brought her home only he is more cobby built like me.  Did you know his mom is my mom?

Here he is showing Mom a bit of his attitude.  If you look at his eyes you can see the centers are all white instead of black.  Mom started him on three different eye medicines and we can see a big difference already because most of the blood is now gone. 

In this picture he is smiling and asking for kisses...DON'T I REPEAT DO NOT let that sweet baby face fool you cos he has shown us already we should have named him TERROR and not Angus. 

Mom said we need to learn a life lesson from him, cos once we got him home that scared forlorn lost and broken little pug left and was replaced by a tail wagging smiling -running all over the house pug.  We gave him a bath twice cos he has really bad smells all over him, and showed him where to potty.  He wanted to show us girls up by only having two accidents all weekend.  He uses his puppy papers everytime mom puts him on them. Mom thinks he is a genius...we think he is just kissing butt. 

When Mom brought him in the house, I welcomed him and wagged my tail. Although I am still a little nervous around him, Maggie is freaking SCARED of him.  Yes, SCARED and MAGGIE in the same sentence.  For the first two hours she did nothing but bark at him, and then for the rest of the weekend she mostly ran and hid behind the recliner from him.  He tried to run around her and jump and play but she would have nothing to do with it!  Hopefully each day will get better, cos Mom says they are gonna make really good zooming buddies.  I am a little worried cos today he bit my back leg.

He also sleeps all night and never gets up in the night to go potty...once again mom thinks he is a genius.  We are amazed that he runs all over and doesn't hit the walls etc. You would never know he cannot see. He eats out of his own food bowl really well, and now knows where the water bowl is. We are so glad to have a brother back in our house.
Stella Rose

THE BIG DAY

Well folks tonight when Mom gets off of work, she is going to go pick up our baby brother.  We don't know what our weekend is going to be like but we will keep you posted, and send pictures as soon as we can.  Mag's and I are very nervous.
Last night my big sister came over and took our LATE Easter pictures.  You will notice I am the only one with large pink ears on.  Maggie tore hers off and ran off.  I just stayed in the basket.

Stella Rose

Teeter Totter

When Mom was a little girl she would always end up on the playground on the Teeter Totter with a kid who didn't play fair. It seemed she spent hours UP in the air or smacking the ground hard instead of balancing the board between two people. Somehow even when she grew up she has measured her life by seeing that teeter totter in her brain.

Mom says she has SOOOOO many blessings in her life, her girls, her grandmonsters, dad, us, her bloggy friends and on and on...and we sit on one side of the totter so to keep it even and balanced she tries to do good things in life, like be a good listener, send cards and good thoughts, donate when she can, and so on. Not huge newsworthy things but the little things behind the scenes.  Sometimes that teeter totter has not been very balanced and she has hit the ground hard but it always found its way back to even.

Mom is a believer in signs and all week she has been wrestling with something. Yesterday she read words that Mother Teresa had written and basically they said, "to do good even if people laugh, to care even if they don't understand why you do it...."  So basically Mom took that as "be true to yourself even if people think you have cobwebs for brains...."  So this is our story.

Mom has been thinking and thinking about getting a senior boy pug.  She misses having a boy around the house, she misses Sammer and her teeter totter is not balanced with two pugs only with three.  She has put it off cos she worries about ..is it fair to us, to the grandmonsters, does she have enuf monies, will her friends laugh, will..will..will....she has even came close a couple of times and called about a senior in a shelter but they were always gone....so she keeps putting her thoughts back into the memory box until a few days ago....she found out that a 8 week old black male pug was born blind and will live the rest of his life probably in a basement in a cage if someone doesn't give him a home, or worse.  She told Dad the story and they went to see him. (Mom had already named him Angus on the way just in case..you  know how it is....)  Well they met baby angus and he looked just like me only silver grey which is strange for a pug and he had a cute smooshed in face, but one of his eye pupils was bright red, and the other eye cloudy white. He was shaking and scared. Mom and Dad wilted on the vine.  Mom made herself tough tho and told his owner the ONLY way she would take him is if she took him to the Vet on Wed. (yesterday) and got a clean bill of health, and proved to Mom he was not in any pain.  She can handle blind but not a suffering puppy. The vet called Mom late yesterday and said Angus is fine, just blind. So Mom and Dad talked it over, with us, with the vet, with God and decided that even tho he isn't the senior pug that mom wanted, he is a pug in need.

We don't know if we are doing the right thing, we just know that it is going to be alot of work, and take alot of love, and thank the Lord those things are free.  So ...this is what has been keeping Mom up late at night. Balancing the teeter totter.
stella rose

We Do What We Can

Mom and I were up early this morning like at 3 AM and talking about our home. Mom has this weight on her shoulders and she wanted to share it with me, cos it has always worked for her in the past. Mag's was passed out in her bed a sleepin so I could actually just sit and listen for once.

Mom told me she has come to realize We All Do What We Can in Our Own Way.  The trick is to let it be enough and to not judge what other's are able to do.  Well she sure has me confused, but I just did my famous head tilt and listened to her.  I guess we will see where this will lead.
Stella Rose

LATE HAPPY EASTER

My Mom couldn't blog over the weekend so we are late wishing everyone a Happy Easter.  In fact, we have no Easter pictures of Maggie nor myself cos my mom was so busy TRYING to make hot rolls, and noodles and food for Easter ALL weekend.  We should have took pictures of that fiasco and posted them today cos you all would have thought for sure it was a April Fool's joke.  Anyway here are some other pictures to share with you.

My Mom and one of the boy grandmonsters on Easter.  He was hunting eggs and said "isn't this just wonderful!!"  Mom hates getting pictures of her taking cos she is not never ever photogenic but the grandmosters are!

Today is April Fool's Day and will ALWAYS and FOREVER be a very special day in our family.  Well, here is the story, first came all these BOY grandmonsters then Mom found out she was gonna be a grandma again, and then she found out it was gonna be a GIRL...she was so happy....this baby girls dad was doing his first tour in Iraq but thank goodness he got to take leave and come home ONE day BEFORE she was born...

Isn't she BEAUTIFUL! 

Then she grew up even more and now she is eight years old and Dad is home for good...what could be better!!!!  Happy Birthday McKenna we love you!!

Stella Rose and Maggie and even mean ole cat dietzman

ITS BEEN FOREVER

Hey its Stella Rose and Maggie...did you all think we moved away to the land of no puters or kindles or anything electric cos that is how we felt for sure cos mom just STOPPED blogging.  Her excuse is for three reasons...first, me, stella rose, her brain has been saturated with worries about me, but I am doing much much better, running around, eating my new food, resting on moms lap every chance i get, second, mom has been sick...got the sickies that kept her home from work even, she said it felt like a gigantic elephant stepped on her head and just stood there for a couple of days, I think it was probably Maggie and Mom just didn't have her glasses on, and third, well you know how Mom has been real worried about Maggie's change in behavior with me, and how she was being extra mean, well a few days ago Mom made her appt. to go see Dr. Frankenvet for her spaying appointment, and guess what happened right after that, yep Maggie who is only 5 months old is a woman now!!!!!!  Mom, and Dad have never had a little girl besides me, so they were shocked and thought she had a UTI but the Dr. Frankenvet straightened them right out about that...so now they have to wait for a few more weeks and reschedule her appointment.  They brought home these baby doggy diapers for her to wear BUT Mag's tears them off, even with panties over them.  Now Mom really really really has a big headache....and you might not hear from us for a long long time .....we don't even think the Easter Bunny will be coming around to our house now.
Stella Rose and Magster

PUG TEENAGER

I was wondering if anyone out here has any suggestions when it comes to Mag's behavior lately with Stella?  I know she is just a puppy but I want to curb any aggression on her part so it doesn't get worse.  For instance this morning I was sitting in my chair like normal, and usually both girls sit with me and watch the morning news.  This morning Maggie jumped up on my lap but when stella tried Maggie's hair stood on end, she started to growl and wouldn't let stellie up.  I scolded her and tried to put stella up there , but Maggie kept acting out. Stella started her pug scream and basically let maggie get away with it.  I can hardly wait until she starts her puppy classes, but until then I was needing some help.  You can send me an email to simpson_long@yahoo.com if you have had any experience with this.  I did talk to the trainer and she was against spaying her next month because she said she thought it would cos more aggression, has anyone else heard of this?
P.S. Stella is doing much better, still not drinking as much but drinking more.
Deb

On The Road To Recovery

This is Maggie.  I am blogging for our family today. Stella is home and feeling much better.  Now, we are very behind at blogging and it will take us a whole week to catch up on what is going on around here.

Mom picked up stella at 5 on friday night...she was getting ANOTHER IV before she could go home.  She looked like a swelled up wood tick when she walked into the house, yes, my friends I laid on my back and laughed and laughed I just couldn't help it.  Apparently I am not good at keeping my promises either cos the first thing I did was try to grab her back leg and haul her across the floor.  Mom and Stellie got very grumpy at me for doing that.  I just couldn't help myself from being VERY obnoxious to her this weekend.  It must be my puppy genes coming out.  I am so glad she is home, that I peed in her new bed.  She didn't want to sleep in it anyway, she likes sleeping in the old bed with me piled on top of her!!!

Stella's Mom
I thought Stella looked really rough when I picked her up.  Her face was all dried with wet tears and she looked 100 years old. She was very upset, and cried all the way home.  I put her out in the pen with Maggie and she started barking and tearing at the fence.  She stuck to me like glue, and was so glad when I finally just sit in the recliner with her. I had to give her another bath tho cos she smelled so bad from being sick. She fell asleep and you could hear her snores all over the house.  On Saturday she was more like herself.  She is on I/D Lowfat food right now, dry and wet.  After that big bag is gone, then we will see what we need to keep her on.  She cannot have treats right now, or anything just her food.  If anyone out here has dealt with pancretitis please let me know what your feed your furkid and if you give them any veg. or treats etc.  She is still not drinking very much water, so I need to keep a close eye on that the vet told me.  I can sure tell she is feeling better tho.  I am so thankful she is home and on the mend.  We may not be blogging alot this week, but we will be reading yours.
Deb

Stella Rose Update

Apparently Stella is refusing to eat, so the Doc. called and said I could come get her at 5:00 when I get off work, and take her home (we only live about 6 blocks away) and bring her back in the a.m. for him to check her out.  He thought once she got home she may calm down and eat a little and hopefully keep it down. He said she has been doing this pug scream thing...you pug mom's know what i am talking about.  He said it will take awhile to get her back on the "well" road again and that we will have to watch fat levels etc. in food and treats.  He said he would talk to me more when I picked her up.  We have always fed her good quality food, (BB) so it must be in the treats.  I give her fruits and veg. and watch what she has. This has been a hard lesson learned by us for sure.
Thank you for all your good thoughts, words and prayers.  If you don't hear anything from us over the weekend then you know she is doing just fine...and I will talk to you guys on Monday.  If something changes then I will blog.
Deb

SISTA STELLA

Okay I know that I can be a little trying at times but where the heck is my sista stella rose at?  I mean, I take a nap yesterday and I wake up and shes not here....I looked under the bed, and around the recliner, and in the kitchen but no Stella.  I even asked mean ole cat dietzman where the heck stella went.  He told me she packed her bags and runaway cos I always bite her back legs.  OH NO, Stella Rose come back...don't run away from me..okay here are my list of promises to you.
Promise #1- I will never ever ever bite your legs or back fat (um..sorry I just called you fat..) again!!
Promise #2- I will give back ALL and I mean ALL of your toys that I have stolen and hidden in my bed (ah sorry..your bed)
Promise #3- I will stop laying on top of your head when we go to bed at night, I know now you are not my personal pillow.
And last but not least...
Promise #4-I will love you to the moon and back! (this is the easiest one, cos I already do)

Maggie the Monster

This is Stella's Mom
The vet called and said that stella got sick again later this morning.  She is resting now, but so far can't keep water down let alone her food.  He is 99% sure she has pancreatitis, but is waiting for some more tests to come back.  He is calling back this afternoon. I told him I really want her to come home tonight.  He wouldn't tell me either way. 
Deb

Update on Stella

Update on Stella Rose:
After seeing the vet last night he decided he was keeping her for further tests.  He gave her IV's while I stayed with her and a shot to calm her stomach down so she wouldn't keep throwing up.  I actually didn't realize they were going to keep her, I THOUGHT she would get her IV and shot and come home and I would bring her back this morning for tests etc.  The vet must have thought I was one dense mom cos I kept going with her, until finally they took her and walked toward the little room where they keep them, THEN it dawned on me I couldn't take her home.  He told me that dogs rest better where it is quiet etc. etc. and at THAT moment I became a Vets worse nightmare cos I informed him that stellie really isn't a real dog, but a little angel that is my blessing everyday and she has never been away from us from the time I picked her up out of that awful pen at the puppy mill.  Then I started bawling!!!  I could tell he felt bad for me and bad for stellie.  So I came home without her.  Even with Maggie running all around playing (I don't think she even knew stella was gone) our house was to quiet and to empty. Our bed had wayyyy to much room in it last night and everytime I woke up I couldn't hardly breathe.

This is what I did several times last night....I imagined stella in my head at that moment in that little pen and i told her to rest, and lay quietly and I would be there today.  I told myself as long as I could "think her alright and not crying...then she would feel that also and be able to rest...."
I know i am certainly not the exception when our babies are not home with us, and lots of you guys have had to go through this also ....its pretty hard tho when it happens.

The vet said he thinks what happens is the treats may have had to much fat, or grain or something that upset her stomach to the point she couldn't stop getting sick, then she stopped drinking and became very dehydrated etc.  He said they would do blood work today, and she would need to eat at least a tsp. of wet food and drink some water and we would keep her on the wet food when she got home.

I just called and they said she didn't throw up last night, and they were getting ready to do blood test.  They were gonna offer her food and water late this morning and if she did okay, I could call back late this afternoon. This is my plan...if she won't eat for them, I am just gonna go over later and try myself, yep I am one of those momma's.

I do want to share this with you though, just to show you the heart that Stella has.  When we arrived at the Vet there were three other little dogs there waiting to see him.  Stella who you know will never walk outside of our yard, walked over to them, like "Hi guys, I am here to play with you!"  Her tail was wagging, and she was pugsmiling at them, and just was so sweet!"  It was like it became her job to make them feel comfortable about the vet visit.  She didn't even act sick.  But after a little bit, she laid down under my feet and stayed there, and I could see she was sick.  Bless her little heart...
Deb

Stella Rose

I just wanted to let you know that when I went home to check on Stellie at noon she had resumed throwing bile up all over the place.  We have a vet appt. around 400. She is not lethargic or acting sick, but her tail is hanging down and she just smells really bad from that bile.  I told the Vet about the treats, and am taking them with me.  I also talked to the company and they have had no reports of any other dog getting sick.  I will try to blog after i get home, but if not I will for sure in the morning.
Deb

POTP for Stella Rose

This is Stella Rose's Mom.  Last night when I got home from work I noticed that Stella had the most horrible smell about her.  Her dad was home with them yesterday and I checked with him why she smelled that way.  He didn't even realize she did.  She smelled like bile all over her body and her breath.  He said when he got home in the afternoon after visiting the grandmonsters he noticed that someone had gotten sick a few times on the kitchen floor.  Stella's tail was hanging down also so I knew something was up with her.  I gave her and mag's a bath and watched over her for awhile.  Her breath smelled horrible.  After she rested, she wanted to eat when Mag's did and I gave her just a little bit of her Blue food (which she ate), nothing else, no veg's or no fruits.  She didn't go to the bathroom at all last night and I was worried about that but this morning she did urinate so that made me feel better.  She slept fine through the night although she still acts a little off.  I am worried that it could have been the treats and I am going to get hold of the company to see if they have had any problems with them.  It could have been she ate to many, or the carob upset her stomach.  If she still isn't feeling like her old self by tonight I am taking her to see the vet tomorrow.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers today.
P.S. Since I don't know what is going on for sure, I decided not to draw a name out yet for the contest. Its better to be on the safe side.
Deb & Maggie

Lots of Stuff

 First, Mom finally figured out how to play the Easter Game on Bunk the Pugs page.  Go there to have some fun. Bunk Blog

So today Maggie and I are reviewing our treats we received from Lindy Treats.  Lindy is the Golden Retriever who runs the company.  Here is her story.

I grew up in a great home with wonderful pet parents. They never beat me and I always had a warm bed, lots of love, and plenty to eat.

Yep, I've been pretty darn lucky because I never had to scrounge for food or live in a shelter like some of my friends. When I hear some of their stories, I just want to curl up under the bed and whimper.
But recently, I learned that we dogs and cats are not the only ones being kicked out of our homes to live on the streets or in shelters.
In fact, I read that there are anywhere between 550,000 and 2 million kids and young adults out there facing the same fate...and they don't even have fur coats!
That's why I teamed up with the people from Daybreak, a non profit agency in my hometown of Dayton, Ohio, who helps homeless youth self-sufficient.
As part of the programming, Daybreak requires residents to be employed as they work towards self-sufficiency. But many of the kids were having a hard time finding and keeping jobs because they lacked the "soft skills" most employers are looking as well as the work experience.

Employment breaks cycles of homelessness and poverty

Since employment is key to breaking cycles of homelessness and poverty, Daybreak decided to create its own work readiness program, through Lindy & Company.
Kids living at Daybreak, under staff supervision, bake all the treats, package the items and ship or deliver them to your door. They will also be manning our retail store once we open in October.
It's a cool partnership. My pet parents provided the capital. Daybreak provides the supervision. The kids learn how to run a bakery and store, and do all sort of other things like filling orders, designing gift baskets, and even review the finances.
I think we created a unique social enterprise. Good eats for dogs and cats, great work readiness for homeless kids, and warm fuzzies for pet parents.

Everybody wins!

I created "Lindy and Company" to open a pet treat bakery where pet parents can buy healthy, delicious homemade treats baked by homeless youth who are working to develop skills they need to get a good job.

 So......We contacted the company after reading their story to see if they would send us some treats to review here on our blog.  Yesterday this is what arrived at our house.

Carobean Smoothies, Peanut Butter Better and R-R-R-Rye along with a baggie of new treats that will be coming out soon.  This is the first time ever we have tasted carob, We LOVED It!!!  The treats were done very professionally and the bags were sealed to freshness...yummy!

(This is me checking out all the flavors)

We got so many treats our treat jar is overflowing.  Mom let us taste one cookie from each bag.  Maggie had a bit of a hard time chewing them up even with her really sharp teeth but Mom just broke them in half for her.  She does better with soft treats, makes no sense to us! 

 (Maggie picking out her favorite flavor, See how big she is getting)

Mom said we cannot keep all these treats tho cos she wants us to learn to share all the good things that come to us.  We think we will make some Easter baggies up and take them over to the Dog Sanctuary.  Melody owns five acres and teaches the classes for dog training at the local college. At her home she takes in dogs that has no chances left and she gives them a great life running all around her land, with a big pond and everything.  We also are gonna do a little contest on here.  If you comment on this blog today we will put everyone's name in a hat and draw out one lucky winner and send them a sample of all the treats for you to try.
So:
Pro's
Listed all ingrediants
Arrived in three days
Friendly staff
Treats looked and tasted great
Helps the community grow
Low Cost
Cons:
Maybe to hard for a small puppy but once we broke them Maggie did fine.
We will be watching for your comment and draw the names tomorrow.
stella rose and maggie

DOG PARK

This is NOT the dog park but Alcatraz otherwise known as the only place we are allowed in the yard without our leashes on.

Friday night after work Mom and two boy grandmonsters along with me and mags ventured to the new dog park about 30 minutes from our home.  Mom was so excited she packed our leashes, and vests, and treats, and poo bags, and car seats, and treats, and water and camera (which she didn't use) yep she was tired before she even left the house.  So we pick up the boys and head off on our adventure. First, Maggie cried ALL THE WAY to the park.  We don't know if she thought she was going to the see Dr. Frankenvet or what it was. Mom did realize she isn't very socialized so she knows she needs to get her out in the car more.  Its just been so cold here in Iowa. I rode in my new car seat which didn't leave me much room to stretch out but I sure could see out the window.  Once we arrived at the park, Mom put our vests and leashes on.  There were two big huge dogs a running and playing and having fun.  You could tell they were buddies. Well Mag's was nervous and her tail uncurled and fell to the ground...I just walked on in the gate.  The big dogs ran over to say Hi and Maggie being the braver of the two(did I actually say that) snarled at them, they didn't even care that she was rude. Mom decided we had better leave the leashes on and just walk around a bit. I even actually walked and was having a good ole time. One time one of the big dogs, ran over to maggie and rolled her across the ground.  I swear it was the funniest thing I had ever seen, but Maggie came up a swinging her little fists! The owners apologized to Mom but she said Mags was okay.  Once the big dogs left, Mom took our leashes off and Maggie and I ran and ran.  We loved it.  We chased the boys, and each other, I was laughing and smiling. Dumb Mom left the camera in the car which is why we have no proof of our adventure to show you.  She did remember the treat bag tho...which one of the big dogs stole and had to give back! 

Later a puggle came and we played alot with him cos he was more our size.  His mom got him from a shelter and he was very very smart for only being 11 months old.  She would talk to him in french and he would sit, lay down etc.  Mom and I was impressed! Mag's didn't care she was to busy writing up a hit list on those big dogs, she is sending it to Puddles.

Mom promised we would go back soon, I can hardly wait and the next time she will take pictures. P.S. It was really muddy cos it is a new park and the grass wasn't seeded all the way.....we looked like pigs instead of pugs when we got home.
stella rose and mags

Yelling and Yelling

My Mom had a real rough afternoon yesterday and it was all her and dads fault.  We are going to do some good posts this week, but Mom is still upset and she tells you guys everything so here is her confession:
" We decided on Sunday afternoon that the girls needed to run some energy off in the yard.  They had been doing so well on their leashes and listening that we thought with both of us outside that it would be safe to just let them run around in the yard cos we thought they would listen to us.  For the first 5 minutes or so it was just great, Stella was a chasing Maggie and vice-versa and then all of a sudden they both stopped listening to us.  Stella headed up the yard toward the apple tree and Maggie followed.  This was way out of Mom's comfort zone and she grabbed Stella and gave her to dad to put back in the house, and went after Maggie, well you know what happened Maggie RAN!  Yes, right up toward the highway.  She never got close but ran me all over the yard, even when I used treats.  Finally, after calling and calling her, and chasing her she ran into the front yard, and when I showed her a treat, she 'sit" for it.  I grabbed her and put her in the house, yelling the whole way in.  I know it was not Maggie's fault, and I was really yelling at myself, but I had to yell. I scolded her, (again not her fault) and told Butch this is EXACTLY why Maggie needs to go to classes so she will learn to come to me when I call.  I was so upset the rest of the night and even still today.  So we are back to using Alcatraz for when the girls go outside and when we can we will drive them over to the dog park.  I will blog about that "good" adventure this week.  Lesson Learned.
Stella Rose and Mag's Mom

Hail the Queen and King

ALL HAIL THE QUEEN AND KING OF BLOGVILLE.....WHAT A WONDERFUL BUCKET LIST TOUR IT WAS.  WE LEARNED ALL KINDS OF FASCINATING TRIVIA ABOUT MANY STATES AND COUNTRIES.  MOST OF ALL WE LEARNED THAT THE POLICE ARE VERY PATIENT  AND UNDERSTANDING, THAT WHEN OUR MOM SAYS WE ARE GROUNDED FOR LIFE THAT IS EXACTLY HOW LONG IT FEELS LIKE AND THAT BIG HOLES IN THE BEDROOM WALL TAKE A LONG LONG TIME TO REPAIR.  THE BIGGEST BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED WAS THAT OUR PUDDLES AND OUR PIP WILL BE OUR FRIENDS THROUGH THICK AND THIN AND THAT THE MEMORIES THAT WE MADE WILL BE TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG LONG TIME.
HAVE A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION GUYS....NOW WHERE IS THAT FOOD TRUCK???????
STELLA ROSE , MAGGIE AND MEAN OLE CAT DIETZMAN

DR. FRANKENVET--SERIOUS POST

(First of all Maggie says its hard to take this as a serious post when I am sitting in the kitchen sink with a sock monkey hat on my head.)
Okay, so yesterday I had to go see my arch nemesis Dr. Frankenvet and get my nails trimmed and my glands done (blush blush blush).  Mom, conned Dad into taking me cos he needed some 'daddy time" with me, she didn't have the stomach for it,  and two of the grandmonsters were staying all night so apparently they made a family day of it and all went to watch me get my pedicure. When mom got home Dad told her the terrible story of how it took 3 yes 3 grown up people to hold me down for my pedi and then the humiliation of my hiney thing in front of the monsters.  I was so upset Daddy told her I cried and cried.  Mom felt so bad for me that she fixed me and mags a special supper of boiled chicken, green peas and my blue buffalo.  Later she shared a banana with me.  Mom always has them weigh me, and I now weigh 15 lbs.  Mom was shocked cos the last time I went, I weighted 16.5.  Dad doesn't believe them, cos he says I am really heavy when they carry around. Yes, folks they carry me around and make me wear these hats.

This is Maggie.  I just wanted to let you people know that all those pictures of Puddles this week was taken with a picture, yes, a autographed picture and not the real thing.  Mom, said I was misleading you guys, and look at my face...does it look like I care?  By the way, Stella now is only 4 lbs. heavier than me, do you think I will one day soon outweigh her...bahahbhbhahbhbhahahha.........

Wordless Wednesday

Mom's new bumper sticker for her car.  The picture is a little blurry.  It is two pugs, a fawn one and a black one.

When we woke up this morning this is what we found in our bed!!
Happy Middle Of The Week Everyone!
Stella Rose and Maggie

Surprize Surprize Surprize

Guess who came to spend the weekend with me..yep my good ole friend PUDDLES.  Over this long week mom will be posting pictures of PUDDLES and I doing girlfriend things together. 

Well this first picture is Puddles sitting on our table watching Stella Rose taking her bath.  We noticed the ghostly aberration all around her, um.......no wonder our pictures aren't turning out very well.

The next thing you know PUddles jumps in the sink with stella rose trying to get that sock monkey hat off her head, she said, "girls that is about the most ridiculous thing i has ever seen ...where is your dignity!! "  Well she said it more different than that but I can't imitate her very well yet.  I do listen to my PUddles soundtrack over and over every night but am still having troubles.  Today I am calling Rosetta Stone to see if they may have the Puddles Learn It In Five Minutes tape.

Stay tuned for more tomorrow.  Stella Rose photo bombed my picture...we think stella could be possessed now...see her eys.
After While Crocodile.
Magster

Once Upon A Time

Mom told me a very special bedtime story this weekend, its a true story about her and her little sister.  She said that she is the oldest in her family, and when she was about a year and 1/2 old her sister Dixie came along. Now, my mom has a really easy-going happy personality, her sister Dixie was and still is the exact opposite. One time my Mom had a beautiful bride doll and her sister dixie did a real bad thing to it like, rip her earrings out, magic marker all over her, rip her dress and Dixie was only two then!  When Dixie got mad, she often pulled out hunks of my moms hair, and pinched her and threw big temper tantrums. Dixie was a big old pain in the ass behind.  Mom didn't like her most of the time and she didn't like my mom. But sometimes they would play dolls, or kitchen or play in the woods. And one time Dixie stood up for her on the school bus when a kid was calling my mom fat!  Well now they are all grown up and Dixie is just like that Hallmark Lady Maxine, rough and tough and outspoken, and my mom is like a marshmellow BUT they always try to get together once a month for coffee and they both share a love for working in the yard, and their furbabies.  Mom, doesn't even want to think what her life would be without Dixie.  I think Mom was telling me that no matter HOW I feel about maggie at this moment, she is my little sister, and she loves me, and I love her.  One day, once we get past the puppy stage, she and I will be BFF's.  I sure hope its not a fairytale.

One the lighter note here are some pictures from our weekend.  Mom said her camera was sucky so the pictures are too but you get the general idea.

First its Bathtime for me.  Yep, I have to take a bath in the kitchen sink cos its Easier for Mom. I am a good girl at bathtime and NEVER EVER try to jump out of the sink, like ...well you can figure that out.

Here I am in my sock monkey that that Deb made for us.  We ordered it from her Etsy Shop at Pug Possessed.  It is tooo big for Mags head so I must have the bigger brain..hehehehhe

Maggie has a surprize post for you later this morning.  It is snowing here again, and the ground is super muddy, not a good place for pugs to play outside.  Have a great Monday!!
stella rose

Life As I Knew It.....

Yes, you heard me right...Life as I knew it is over....I remember when I was safe and sound in my cliner...with just me...or Mom when she got home.  Now, Margaret, the little piranha with the sharpest teeth in the whole wide world can get in my chair, and she is as long as I am now, so she outruns me everywhere I go.  I do not understand why they keep her.  I am thinking about shipping her down to South Carolina where you know who lives.  Its the only way I will have some quiet and peace and be safe.  Safety should be an issue for mom and dad. I may have to call the child authorities ......
 Stella Rose

Not Crying Wolf This Time

Well I about died today when Dad was a pugsittin my sista and me while mom was at work.  This is how the story goes, the grandmonsters came over and the two little girls were a playing on our momma's and dads bed-- a roughhousing with dad. Dad thought it was smart to put me up there so they could play with me. Now remember Mom and Dad's bed is 87 feet off the ground.  In Dad's defense he has never raised any human or pug children so he doesn't have any common sense when we are involved.  Anywho we were all a roughhousing and raising hell cane, when all of a sudden one of the girls starts a play screaming and i gets scared and fell over dead off the bed....on my head.  I starts a crying, and the girls start a crying...and dad gets all upsets about it and calls mom at WORK!  He just knows something bads a happening to me, and knows Mom is never ever ever gonna forgive him if I is not a breathing by the time she gets home.  Long story short, I am breathing and I am okay, but Mom told Dad to never ever ever put me back on the bed, especially when kids are bouncing on it! You would have thought they would have taught him that at pugparent school. I think he must have flunked out and they just let him take me home.

Maggie M.

SHAMED

I is ashamed to admit to the blogworld that I lied about having Scurvy.  It was my innocent ploy to get Nurse Puddles to run to my bedside and comfort me.  It kinda worked cos I received somethin in the mail last night that I will share with u all later this week.  I am sorry I lied to everyone, well I am sorta sorry, kinda......remember i is just a little girl and sometimes i don't know right from wrong, and it did work.....um...well...I had better go before Stella the perfect smelling rose catches me on here.

See my little friend..sometimes she is sorry too, and sometimes she is not!
Mag's

SCURVY--DAY TWO

Woo me, I am so sick, I sure need a good nurse right about now....wooome.....having scurvy is no fun.  The vet doc also known dr. frankenvet told mom scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C....stella rose suggested I eat lots of oranges, cos she loves oranges, but I hate fruit....hate fruit...hate fruit....although i loves fruit cakes......(puddles...lololol......)  ( I really don't have scurvy it is a little trick to get puddles to call me.)
Maggie M.

SCURVY

Last night I found Maggie curled up with what I thought was her bedtime story book but it turned out to be Mom's medical encyclopedia. I asked her what she was doing with that and she said she was a missing hearing from her friend, "puddles" and was starting to worry that she was just a figment of her imagination and we really didn't spend fun times with her nor pip.  So she decided since puddles is a nurse to come up with some dreaded disease and post it so nurse puddles would come over and take care of her.  She decided on scurvy cos she never eats green beans, or lots of fruit like I do.  I think that is fitting.  She hopes that nurse puddles reads about her illness.

On another note Mom and I was a talkin last night about friends and how they make the world go round.  Since we started to blog it has opened up a big world of people who love all kinds of animals just like us, and people who understand our hearts cos their hearts are similar.  When Sammer and Trudie went to live at the rainbow bridge  friends  left us heartfelt posts, and it helped us make it through our grief.  In our everyday world about 3 people actually said anything to us, which was okay cos we have all of you guys. A friend isn't always a mirror imagine of you and they may handle things different from you, but they are still our friend.  Helping a friend understand why they feel the way they do, is sometimes a challenge but its just part of our job.  Sometimes you want to kick your friends to the curb, but if you do that you usually both end up throwing something very valuable to you away.  Words sometimes get said out of context and words get said that hurt people. Friendship can be a lousy job sometimes, but someone has to do it AND you never know when you might a friend.  Sometimes its easier not to ever have friends cos you don't have to deal with their problems, or issues, or griping or whining, ......but what a sad sad world we would live in if we always kept our heart closed cos it easier that way.  
"Never leave a friend behind. Friends are all we have to get us through this life--and they are the only things from this world that we could hope to see in the next.”  Dean Koontz
Stella rose, Maggie, Dietzy and Mom

A Block of Ice

When mom left work yesterday she had big bad headache, so she was thinking of just resting up with mags and me when she got home.  Of course it was slightly snowing STILL, Mag's and I were happy about that, and it was kinda freezing as it was coming down, Soooooo......when mom opened the porch door a huge huge chunk of ice fell right on her head.  She swears she saw stars and little birdies encircling her head. Poor mom now she really hates snow and ice.  Her head hurt so bad last night she had to lay a big heating pad on it, but this morning it was fine.  She must not have heard me and mag's holler from the kitchen at her to DUCK!!!
See you guys back on Monday.
Stella Rose and Maggie