PENS INSTALLED INSIDE KENNEL - "SIDE B" COMPLETE

Finally got the cement curbs done and the custom gates welded inside the kennel building on the right side - "Side B". The brand is American Kennel Club, but we had to have them cut and modified. Don't they look professional?

The doggies are really happy and love the air-conditioning & non-slip green floors too! It is a relief to finally have the kennel functioning for doggies and customers (if only on the one side).

NEW PORCH SWINGS (Mother's Day Gift)

We got 2 new wooden porch swings! Aren't they great?

New Street Sign

Puppy customers were getting lost, so we had this sign made up for the main street.

7 KENNEL RUNS COMPLETE

Here is a photo of Pens 13 & 14 complete with:

-a combined play yard

-pine bark mulch

-gutters/gates/hoses

-army cot inside +out
-skylight

-shade strips in chain link

-AKC side panels

-railroad ties &

-green anti-slip epoxy paint for the cement.

Cherry, Tigger, Nilla, Nipper and Bonnie are VERY happy in their pens. The way it's set up -- one cement run is always clean and dry while the other is in use. Then, when we hose one side down, they have a dry run next door to escape to. It's brilliant and was Sean's master plan!

One day soon, the hoses will not be in the runs -- but rather strung up from the ceiling on pullies like at mechanic shops.

HERO'S HOMECOMING!

Hero was delivered this weekend -- and moved into the freshly completed barn where he has his own stall with a nameplate above the door.

He gave Angel lots of horsey-kisses thru the mesh divider! He spent the rest of the weekend checking out the corral and pasture. What a darling! Hero arrived just in time to celebrate Easter Sunday. He got apple-flavored horse cookies and 1/2 cup of sweet feed to celebrate. He needs to fatten up!

SPRING BREAK '08 AT THE LAKE

CHAIN LINK SOLUTIONS

Amy, Jenna & Karen spent hours weaving green plastic strips into the chain link today. We are trying to provide shade and privacy for the doggies.

HILL COUNTRY LIFE

Moving has been SUCH hard work, we decided to kick back and have some fun this past weekend.

Sean and Jenna have a new Hill Country hobby. . . RIDING DIRT BIKES!

Karen and Amy have a new Hill Country hobby too. . . RIDING HORSES!

Introducing "HERO" -- Karen's new Palamino Gelding. He is 9 years old and has ground manners to die for. Such a gentleman, even city slicker mamas can ride him. At 16.2 Hands, he's a BIG OLE BOY.

You can see that 8-YR-OLD Amy has NO FEAR! She discovered a new musical talent that had everyone in awe. She is now officially our family's Horse Whisperer and Pied Piper. . . she had Hero following her around like a Golden Retriever. Amazing!

Who knew that life on "the farm" could be SO much work and SO much fun at the same time?

KENNEL CURBS - PART DEUX

Here is our SECOND set of curbs. The first ones had to be shaved off during the cement slab re-pour. Our new mason is MARVELOUS! Meet Kevin Alexander. The AKC mesh pens will be attached once the cement cures. Now, we won't have to worry about cross-contamination and doggy waste. Thanks, Kevin!

MEET "ANGEL" - WELSH PAINT MARE

We couldn't move to the country and not get our youngest daughter the PONY OF HER DREAMS!!! Here is Amy and Angel -- bonding. Angel is a 13 hand Welsh Paint Mare -- and VERY stout. Amy got a new bridle, reins, halter and lead rope in NEON pink! Oh my. Somebody should've told mom the "tack" and food cost more than the horse.



Here is Daddy renovating the barn for two horse stalls and one hay / tack room. Oh yeah, and the wee exercise corral cost more than the horse too. Ha. That's what happens when city slickers move out to the country.

A PIG NAMED "WILBUR"

Meet "Wilbur" our new 6 month-old pot-bellied pig. He is such a good pig! He oinks and runs to us when he sees us coming. He thinks he's a basset hound as he was raised with one. You can see he lets the dachshund pups climb all over him & chew him.

He will "sit pretty" and shake a hoof for grapes. He'll do ANYTHING for grapes! He figured out the dog doors in the kennel the first day he was here and can even open the dog food container with his snout! My, we are sure enjoying living on a farm! (Perhaps folks think this is the funny farm?) Ha.

Wilbur LOVES bacon. Kinda sad, huh>?

SETTLING INTO THE LOG CABIN

Here is a photo of Amy and Twinkie -- watching movies together. Although there has been freezing rain and we have 3 foot trenches all over the property (waiting for electric and plumbing conduits), we are settling in at Canyon Lake. The girls sure like their new school! Sean finds the commute to the Zoo a cinch -- so long as he leaves before 6:00 A.M. (ouch)!

MOVING DAY - JAN. 7th

We were just exhausted by the end of Moving Day, but the kiddos got up for their first day at their new school cheery as chipmunks!

MOVING THE TRAILER - JAN. 5th

Here is Karen happy to finally see her kennel office arrive! We're calling it "Mellow Yellow" -- but the kennel office was easier to find and buy than it was to move up to our 14 acres!

Many thanks to Cleve & Eva for keeping Mellow Yellow in such good shape when they lived there!

Thanks to Daryl & Tina and their whole crew for rolling, measuring, delivery and all the heavy lifting. Thanks to Kevin (+ his kiddos) for creative driving of the blue tractor. Thanks to Patrick and Paul from Countryside for site prep and gravel road base. Thanks to Walter the electrician & the tall dark and handsome plumber who arrived this morning to hook up the trailer's bathroom. (Amen.)

We could not have done any of this without you!