Every Kid Needs a Dog (and a parent taking photos!)

Every kid needs a dog!! AND someone to capture pictures!! Lately my dogs are starting to calm down a bit more.  They are constantly with the kiddos, and every time I catch them laying down with the kiddos, it reminds me of when I was younger and all the awesome dogs we had.  The first ones were Max and Smokey.  My Nana and Grandad's dogs.   They were both Boxers, and were the best dogs ever!  I remember them so much, despite how young I was!!  Then we had a dog named T-Bone growing up, he was a great dog, too.  I remember the day we had to put him down like it was yesterday.. it was so sad. :(   Then we had Clay, another awesome dog.  We got him because we missed T-Bone so much... and I love the picture of my mom the first time she saw Clay.  Back then he was called Kendall, because we picked him up in Kendall, Fl.  We voted to name him Clay when we brought him home.. he was such a great dog, too.  After my mom died, it was hard for me to take care of Clay, and the baby, so my friend took him.  I still get to see pictures.. He got spoiled rotten!  What a great dog. When I got dog lonely, my friend Eddie was trying to find a home for a dog named Sugar, a 6 month old boxer.. and since all I knew was boxers, there was no question about it.. so now we have had Sugar for about 6 years and Ice (the only non-boxer) for 5.  I love my dogs, and think every kid deserves one!!!!

This is me with Max and Smokey at my Nana's house in the Isle of Man as a baby.  Those dogs were amazing.. I remember them laying down with me while I watched TV at Nana's house...and I remember when I was a little bit older walking down to the town with my Grandad and the dogs to get the paper every morning.

Baby T-Bone with my Dad.  I have so many more pictures but they are before digital...so it's time to dig those up!

Baby Clay with my mom

Clay getting babied

Clay and my brother Alex

Clay guarding baby Erianna

Clay guarding baby Erianna

Clay and Sabrina 2005

Ice and Austin watching TV

A trip for toilet paper and gatorade

I went to the store for a few things...and the kids love to help me bring things in.  I only got a few items, and for the most part they were all heavy, except for the toilet paper and paper towel.  Well, the kids were cracking up and taking forever to bring things inside.. so I go out, and it was crazy time!  They were stacking the towels and paper up and running into them or kicking them.. anything but bringing them in!!

Breaking the rules....

The dogs know they are not allowed on the furniture.. but every single morning that Eric or Erianna lets Sugar out of her cage to go outside, she hauls butt into my room...jumps on the bed, and gets in my face until I acknowledge her...Then she leaps off and runs to the door hoping not to get into trouble.   Lately Ice has been testing things, too.  Austin will tell him to get up on the bed, and he will do so, and look at us like... Austin told me to do it.    This is Ice having some time with the boys...

Labor Day

My Labor Day plan was thought up quickly before I went to work the day before.. I bought a voucher from Living Social for a one hour cruise on a Pontoon boat in Jupiter.  I love Jupiter.. it's a nice get away... Pretty beaches, fun parks and there are some really yummy restaurants there, too!  So we met Eric's friend and his son there and had a quick adventure.  After the boat ride we went to his friend house and I got to hold their one month old little boy to give mommy some hands free time to drink coffee and relax!  What a cutie he was, I should have taken a picture but I wasn't in a picture taking mood today!!! We went to a new restaurant after that my dad recommended.. it was really cool looking, but I wasn't overly impressed with the food or service.. I guess everyone has a bad day!  

Here are a couple pics though!!!

The kiddos looking for fish..

The pontoon boat

The only time she didn't give me a mean face all day!

Just feeling the wind blowing through her golden locks. ;)

Austin was done....

I love this!!!  This was at the restaurant we went to.  It's called "Too Bizarre"

This made my kids happy..... that's for sure!!!