puppy love.

This Christmas has been filled with so many wonderful things, family, friends, food, break and not one but now TWO puppies to love...

Blu with his Dad....Blu's only allowed on the couch when we invite him =) he's such a good boy! Blu has been really easy to crate train, never messing in his crate (not even once). He whined the second night a bit and had some biting issues with hands but now is fully house trained and getting a brother to bite on has stopped him from biting ours.  

He is growing so much, so quick! 

and was waiting for little brother on Christmas Eve here. 

The week before Christmas was pretty chilly so we had our first fire...with Blu standing watch..he loves to be with us all the time.

the day before Christmas eve we spent with David's family at his Grandma Trish's house. 

We had lots of fun. 

The brothers meet....and didn't like each other much at first. =/ This was not something that crossed my mind. I thought, well they are pups, they will LOVE each other. Being only two weeks apart their size difference is crazy! Blu likes to run and plow over the little one and then they had biting wars. =/

Amy meeting her new nephew. 

At this point this guy wasn't named yet...we were thinking he was possibly a Bo or a Gus but mostly we were calling him 'the little guy'...nothing was sticking. He was so small and was a very difficult the first few nights...wouldn't think it from this picture huh, soo cute! BUT I have to admit I was almost thinking how in the world are we going to 'take back' a pup =/ (it was that bad)

However soon he and Blu came around to love each other. little guy 7 weeks Blu 9 weeks here! 

Our first tree.

David's Uncle Cliff and Aunt Tina

and his Poppa Holly in 'his chair'

His Nana did a red, white and blue theme Christmas.

My present to David (that I almost returned...ah no way!) 

Christmas Morn.

Our house guest for awhile. Ryan, a good friend of ours, has been staying with us during some difficult times and we were glad to have him here for Christmas. Having a guest for a long period of time is challenging at times. Ryan and I can battle like brother and sister on occasion but then I am reminded "There are times when we are called to love, expecting nothing in return." God's plan is always greater than our own and it will all work out. 

Amy lovin on the Blu boy. 

Somewhere around this moment is where this 'little guy' decided it was ok to sleep through the night and that is where he stole my heart ;)! I just love him to pieces. We had a couple rough nights in the beginning with him but he is learning and doing so good now. 

Brooke for her Christmas morn.

Making goodies with the girls. 

sisters. 

and more sisters.

scary face sisters (David doesn't allow me to make this face near him =) 

The June 

The Kar!

Karly would love to hold the pups...until they would nibble with those sharp teeth. Which reminds me about our Christmas Eve. We decided on a night of desserts, hot chocolate, babies, pups and a movie. Sounds like happiness rolled into one....it actually ended up being a night of puppies wrestling and biting, kids trying to get away from pups, starbucks chocolate sauce poured over tired starbucks worker's new leather purse. Tears, no relaxing and movie?? I don't think so. Ah, glad my mom loves us with all the chaos we bring over! It will be known as "remember the Christmas Eve when Kate and David got two pups and Amy poured chocolate sauce in her purse" =/. I tell you we are always here for a good story! 

Christmas Day we did get to watch that movie. Here are David and Kar entranced by The Lion King...Kar is casting her new fishing line too =) and the pups actually did much better this night! 

The PAWS

The two weeks off with new pups had me spending lots of mornings with the new rooster the neighbor got =\, a cup of coffee =) and some beautiful works of God!...something about that sunrise! 

morning play!

Afternoon rumble. 

auntie love. Don't have any pic of Kels with these guys but she is loving her new nephews too! 

Feisty bite ONE

Feisty underbite TWO

Around this time we knew he was our MUGZY...it fits him well!

This Christmas David and I got some special gifts. Our gifts to each other were of course our pups. This windmill was renovated by his Poppa Holly! We love it. It once leaned rusted against the back fence left by the pervious owner, but now it has new life and is viewed from the kitchen window each day.

where Blu goes this guy follows.

The chilly weather before Christmas soon faded to 80 degree days with summer like sunsets!!! Laying out in December and thinking of BBQing is why I love Christmas in California! 

My nights would end like this...knocked out with my boys. 

first baths for the two boys after they romped in the backyard. 

New Years bought fun time together with great food. 

we always make won-tons and this year we added in cream cheese and green onion wontons..to die for. 

sweet niece....LOVE HER! 

pistachio chocolate dipped strawberry...my new NYE tradition orrrrr every month tradition when I crave sweet and salty....a keeper! 

another must is Champagne Mojitos...love them! 

Cheers..Karly's favorite part of the night...mine too! 

Grandma love 

Grandma Telly Laughs. 

Sooo our Mugz!

He loves to give high fives and they are the cutest things ever! 

When he gives me these eyes we have a hard time saying no. 

Checking out the Max tree...now I will tell him NO! 

Ah my boy! 

high five! 

minding his dad! Mugzy is such a perfect addition to our lives. Him and Blu are such buddies now. They love their naps together and morning play and they sleep through the night. They are such good boys and my heart is filled with love. I can't wait to get home to see them each day. It's amazing what dogs do for you....there are no words. Looking forward to the journey of Our Mugs and Blu Boy! 

I will end this post with my love of nature and my confession of my inability to grow things. Kelsie, Ricky and the girls got David and I a beautiful Blue Spruce named "Slim Jim". They got a Spruce for their first home named 'fat albert' and now this will be our spruce for our first home. We love it and I love that we got it right at the times we got the boys. Hopefully we will see it grow right along with them. However I stink at growing things. I always need specific instructions and even more than that prayer! I have been praying over the tree I am growing from a sapling for Max..(Ricky had his friend that owns a nursery start 6 saplings for me when Max passed). I have killed three already =( and Ricky has two that are great but leaving me praying over the one I have left.  I will do my best not to harm Slim Jim either. Thank you guys for the beautiful tree...I will try not to touch it too much =) (say some prayers for my gardening skills). 

Here's to 2012! Maybe some resoultions of learning to garden are in order...but the power of prayer is amazing! It was a great Christmas with all our family, two week break of early mornings and late afternoon naps, chocolate purses, slim jim trees and of course that sweet puppy love.