Oh what pretty decorations

Mommy has been a busy bee. Over the weekend she put up all the pretty Christmas decorations. White lights everywhere! One the bushes, in the windows, along the banister of the front porch with that green pine garland stuff. It was so pretty. Until Tuesday. Tuesday was a bit windy and since mommy hasn't hung outdoor lights too often (she has always lived in an apartment, now a house) they were not secured too well, and now the porch decorations are hanging off the railing! I would fix them for her while she was at work, but I cannot reach the doorknob to get outside and the porch rail is too high, too. The first night she go the decorations out she turned the twinkle lights on in the house and put them on the floor. I did not know what to think. I gotta admit...I did bark at them for a bit. What? Twinkle lights can be scary! This is my first Christmas so I don't know what to expect. I do know mommy went shopping with grandma and I could smell treats in the bag. Grandma also bought me lots of cool outfits. In the picture above, grandma was trying to take our family photo for us, but mommy and daddy kept laughing. I just sat there staring at them..."guys, guys come on! I want to get this photo over with so I can take off my sweater and get comfy! Guys! FOCUS!" I kept trying to tell them. We eventually got some good pictures, as some of you will see when you recieve the card in the mail.
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The gingerbread house contest

Let the contest begin! Mommy, daddy, and grandma started a new tradition. They each built a gingerbread house and are going to see who's house will stand the longest. Mommy got the idea from my friend Buddy's mom, Nola. This is me...looking at mommy's house. Her roof kept sliding off so she re-arranged the pieces and made the roof the walls, and the walls the roof. It is still standing, though. You can tell it is mommy's because of the "R" on the side. I better go investigate the other houses to see if they are still standing...
Here is grandma's house. Her's was definatly the prettiest. I cannot tell what is on the front, though. Stained glass windows? Bushes with christmas lights? Dog cookies? (Hey..I am a dog...I can wish). I really love her roof, though. Looks good enough to eat!

Last, but not least, is Daddy's. He got frustrated at one point and we all thought he was going to give up, but he came back with a vengence and built a wonderful house! The whole roof is covered in icing and I am so close I can smell the sugar! If no one was in the kitchen taking my picture, I would consider stealing the gumdrop wreath on the front door. I wonder why no one built a dog house?

What is this?

We found this sign on someone's front lawn and thought we would pose for a snapshot

I LOVE Saturday

BOTH mommy and daddy worked the overnight shifts last night. I thought I was going to have no one to snuggle with, but luckily for me...Grandma is visiting!!! I curled up with her and slept like a baby. Daddy got home around 7:45am, and I awoke to him ringing the doorbell. I did not know it was him at first and so I barked and barked! Turns out he left his keys in mommy's car, mommy went to work, and daddy had to use his spare car key. This also left him with no house key. A couple hours later mommy came home. She went shopping. She says "the day after the day after Thanksgiving is best to shop because you still get the sales without the crowds". I will take her word for it. I wonder if there is anything in those shopping bags for me????? Daddy had his 10k (6.2 mile) race today. Here we are awaiting the race start. Daddy runs fast! At one point I was cheering with mommy and I dug a hole in the ground. Then, out of nowhere I got a burst of energy! A burst, I tell you! I started to run and run but I was on a leash so I was going in cirlcles around mommy. It made her spin round and round too. After the race, people came up to us and said "you guys were making ME dizzy!". I just laughed and licked his face. Later on in the day mommy took me to the dog park to play. I wore my yellow fleece vest. I was the only pup in the park wearing clothes. I wonder what the other dogs thought.....was I cool? Or did they think I was silly? It was cold out, so it doesn't really matter what they thought...I was toasty warm! Later, on the way home, mommy took me to daddy's work to visit him on his dinner break. They were very sneaky. I went in the hospital and into the cafeteria (no one was there. It was closed). We all hung out and when we left, daddy let me walk down the hallway. It was linolium, so I was sliding all over! Once home, mommy got creative and put up christmas lights outside. I knew she was out there, and I was not, so I barked up a storm until she came in to take me out with her. I don't like it when mommy or daddy are outside and I am inside. I want to be right with them, doing what they are doing.

New PJ's,Thanksgiving, and aliens...

Look at me! Look at me! I got new PJ's! They were and early christmas gift and I LOVE THEM! I wonder if they make matching ones for my mommy and daddy? Mommy would wear them, but I don't know about daddy...he is manly. We got up early this morning...it's Thanksgiving day!!! "Gus wanna go for a ride in the car?" daddy asked. Of course I do, so I ran to the door. "I wonder where we are going?" We pulled up to a parking area and there were so many people around. Some were warming up running, others were just talking. "Oh I know...this must be a road race." We all got out of the car and walked up to a big building. Mommy and daddy took turns going inside to register for the race, while the other stayed with me outside. Everyone loved me, as usual. "Uh oh...race must be starting soon." I thought. I got put in the car (it's a big SUV so I get the whole back to myself), and they went to run the race. When it started I got super excited. They are running right by the car!!! As daddy ran by he tapped the window and I was soooo happy! "Go daddy, go!!!" I yelped. Ok...where is mommy...there she is..."go mommy go!" I barked. 5 miles later, daddy ran across the finish line he came to get me so we could cheer for mommy. He was surprised to find me in the drivers seat. That's right...I jumped the seats and made it all the way to the front of the vehicle. "Good job, buddy!" daddy said. We waited for mommy and when I saw her coming I ran towards her, dragging daddy with me. She raced me to the finish line. I still say I won. It was close. By now everyone knows me. "bye Gus!" all the kids say as they leave. Even grown-ups kneel down to talk to me. I am so popular. I am popular without even trying. Must be my stellar personality and dashing good looks. We went to visit the aliens at the Dunkin Donuts drivethrough (read the blog entry about that if you have no idea what I am talking about). I acted in my usual fashion, protecting my parents from the aliens..."arf! bark! ggrrrrr!!!!" But when we pulled up to the window, I was surprised to see them handing me something...it's a milkbone! The aliens have treats!!!!! Why didn't anyone tell me this earlier!

My new trick!

Hey guess what!!!??? I can turn white snow a different color............ Yellow!

what is this white stuff?

I got outside and paused. "What is this white stuff???" Everyone kept trying to get me to go down the stairs, but I was very unsure of myself. "Is it going to be hot? Is it cold? I think it is cold because when mommy took me out she made sure I was wearing a shirt. She searched the house for a long time trying to find the warmest one" Ok...here I go...

"Oh, it IS COLD!" I wandered around for a bit, sneezing everytime a snowflake tickled my nose. Now I understand why grandma wants me to get paw-protectors. To keep my toes warm in the snow! I wish I had a pair now, although no one really knew we were going to wake up to snow. I kept picking my paws up and mommy kept laughing at me. Thinking back I guess I was walking kinda funny!