Puppy class :: Indy's graduation!

Indy just graduated from puppy classes this evening! Matt and I are so proud of her and want to thank her trainer, Jesse, for being fantastic throughout these past 8 weeks. We went through Petsmart in Salem and couldn't be happier with the results. Thank you Jesse!!!

After class, Matt, Indy, and I went over to see a coworker to help move some furniture. It was dark out and I couldn't see the whole backyard, but it was supposedly fenced in completely. We let Indy run in the yard and I kept checking her every couple minutes because I wasn't 100% comfortable. She actually would run around when I was outside with her and then when I came inside, she would just give me that dog face through the glass saying "let me in with you!" with her eyes. Then, the worst case scenario! I couldn't see her and went out back and couldn't find her! I called for her and she is normally perfect at coming when called, but she didn't come. I scoured the yard in the dark and found that one post in the fence was missing!! She got out and was in an unfamiliar neighborhood! I was so scared and frantic. I even slipped on the wet deck and fell completely in my scramble to find her. Apparently, she was so desperate to find us that she found her own way out and ran to the front of the house and into the garage where Matt and his coworker were moving furniture. Whew! She actually had to run into the street and around the block to get to the front of the house. I kept her on a leash for the rest of the evening. I think the puppy classes helped keep her from running away completely. In class, we trained her to "come" even when we are out of sight and before Indy could hear me, she found Matt. Huskies are actually one of those breeds that can't be trusted off leash in the open, but Indy is always so desperate to be close to us and by our side so VERY fortunately, we didn't lose her tonight.

Here are some puppy graduation photos. Jesse... if you are reading this post, please email me your email. I lost your business card in the dark when I was running around looking for our pup!

I love the picture with her eyes closed. "I'm SO happy!!!"

"bleh!!"

Indy loves to "shake".

"congrats to me!"

"I'm shy." Such a faker.

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Dogs :: So lucky!

I get jealous looking at Indy sometimes... so cute, lazy and happy all the time. This morning, while I was working, she decided to snooze right outside my door as if to rub it in my face that she can nap all day, everyday if she wants while Matt and I work. If she wasn't so darn cute....

Dreaming of kibble, bones, and cats...

"What's this?! I'm being photographed?!"

"Do not bother me while I nap. Hmf!"

"Yes. Take my picture. I know I am so cute."

"Getting more sleepy.. again..

Zzzzzzzz.... "ha ha ha! You wish you were me!"

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Dun dun dun! :: Turning 1 year younger

Matt and I are heading to the coast this weekend to celebrate my b-day. Funny... I used to get so excited for these things when I was younger, but now I'd like to push them out a bit. ;) This morning, I took Indy out for a jog and she completely outpaces me. I feel so old! I can get really competitive with running and under my breath I was thinking, b*tch (no pun intended). Just kidding. She had to keep slowing down for me. What a good girl. I'm not old (turning 27!), but running on empty for a year takes a toll on the body!

Anyhow, overall I am excited to finally take a day or two off to spend with the hubby and Indy. This will be her first experience on the beach! Oregon had a huge influx in razor clams around Seaside, so Matt and I are going to go clamming and crabbing. I hope we get lucky! Did I ever mention that Indy started her first day of puppy classes last week? Every Saturday, Indy, Matt and I are going to puppy class together. I thought it would be a good chance for her to get more socialization. I thought there would be a ton of puppies there for her to play with, but there is one pitbull puppy that is a bit of a bad influence on Indy (barking in class is infectious so it appears) and one itty bitty toy dog, that would rather sit quivering in the corner on her pee pee pad. Not a great opportunity for Indy to interact with other dogs, but better than nothing! SO we'll go to puppy class tomorrow and then make the drive to Seaside, OR. Over the holidays, we watched the Deadliest Catch marathons and I have a craving for some crab!

Speaking of turning 1 year younger, here's an old picture of me from 3rd grade. My mom recently found this x-mas ornament and thought I would appreciate it. Ah, to be young again! My mom used to cut my hair. Look! I'm sporting those super short bangs that are usually 99% unflattering... but 1% of women can pull it off beautifully! I'm so jealous. I used to have such chubby cheeks that all my mom's friends wanted to pinch them to the point where I would run away, but I lost a ton of that baby fat from my cheeks. My mom always tells everyone, "Oh, Myra used to be SO cute when she was young (*show old embarrassing photos). I don't know what happened." Thanks mom. And look... I used to have more pouty lips. Do lips lose weight with age? Damn it!

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Puppy information

Just a puppy update. I have had a few inquiries about Indy's breeder and here's her contact information if anyone is interested in a Siberian Husky in the future.

The breeder is Alice Watt and her website is www.Kossok.com. You can view all her dogs here. Alice is fantastic and has beautiful Huskies. We visited her kennel/home several times and she keeps the place very clean and all the dogs look very happy and healthy. She competes regularly and most of her dogs are champions. She has a few puppies remaining from the same litter as the one Indy was in. We could not be happier with Indy! She is wonderful! Siberian Huskies are beautiful dogs, but a word of caution to anyone interested. Though they are beautiful, they require a household who will walk/run them regularly as they have tons of energy. Huskies are also VERY smart... almost too smart. That said, they can have strong personalities and require either an experienced dog owner or someone who is willing to invest a large sum of their time training their husky pup early on. I am home all day everyday, so it has worked out perfectly for Matt, Indy, and I. She is around people all day, so she doesn't get bored. A bored husky can be a destructive and disobedient husky. With tons of energy, they need an outlet to release this energy. You must give them chew toys, but expect some of your belongings to become chew toys when you are not watching them. Because huskies are so pretty, you have to be careful with your husky as they are often stolen. Seriously! People love their look and theft is common. When I was growing up with a husky, someone attempted to steal him by dragging him into a car on the side of the road. He refused... thankfully!

Some of the benefits of owning a husky: No "doggie" odor. Indy never smells, even when wet (you all know what a typical wet dog smells like). Huskies don't shed much during most of the year if you regularly groom them BUT they shed a ton about twice a year when they blow out their undercoats (you only need to bathe a husky a handful of times a year as they are fastidiously clean). Huskies are very clever and hilarious and you will always have fun with them. Huskies are also great with everyone, even kids and babies if you socialize them well early on... they are a happy breed, but do not make good guard dogs as they love everyone. Indy is a sponge and super quick to learn. The one thing is that huskies get bored easily if not challenged, and will sometimes choose when they want to perform tricks.

Overall, we are 100% satisfied with Indy and her progress. She is a total goof and so much fun to play with. I hope this post is helpful! Please email me at info@twigsandhoney.com if you would like more information on this fabulous breed of dog.

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Winter blizzard :: Brrrr...

I am sure many of you have heard of the crazy Oregon weather, but it has really hit Salem, OR hard as of late. Yesterday, there was about 6 inches of snow on the ground and then it rained, and then it froze to make lovely ice. Yay! Not really. In the evening yesterday, Matt and I were bundled on the sofa and saw a huge explosion outside, only meters from our house. The transformer right outside our house exploded! Seriously! I saw the dark sky light up and felt a huge jolt in my chest. PLUS, it sounded like a rifle being shot off next to my ear. Craziness. I called the electricity company and apparently this is happening all over Salem. The transformers cannot handle the ice and they are just spontaneously exploding. As of a minute ago, over 50,000 people are without electricity. We are still without power. Yesterday night, we lit tons of candles and hunkered down for the night. This morning, Matt took off for work and I bundled up. It is FREEZING in our house, literally!! I packed up my laptop, camera and phone and hiked to the nearest coffee house. It was like climbing Everest. A fresh new blanket of about 6 inches of snow came down early this morning and it wasn't just an easy walk in the snow. When your feet land on the ground, it first cuts through the snow, then hits a hard uneven layer of ice. No fun. Even if I wanted to drive anywhere (dangerous), I couldn't get into my frozen solid car! Here are some photo highlights.

Our snowed in home. Does it look cold? It is that cold inside!

My ice cube Volvo.

That would be my car's door handle, frozen solid. Right about now, I'm wishing I took out my umbrella previously!

My feet... buried.

Desolate streets.

"Mommy pleeeeease... let me play in the snow!" Here are some shots of Indy in doggie heaven. Oh, this was last week, before the lovely powder snow turned to crunchy ice... back when it was still fun.

Indy loved looking at her own paw prints in the snow.

Playing in the snow is tiring!

Chilly nose!

Pouncing!

Regal pup.

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