Christmas pics...

So I thought it would be a great idea to take some pictures of Ric and I and the puppers for a Christmas email to our friends. It seemed such an easy task...set up a red background, put some cute decorations around..
well it aint that easy!! Custer refused to lie on the red background (until afterwards, then he wouldn't get off)..Montana leaned back into it so far that she pulled it down onto herself and got all spooked, and hated us the whole time for the antler thing...lol...I had an antler beard in one pic...,anyway, here are a few xmas pics of us(haven't gotten to the xmas email yet...

Fun fall Hike at Hendry's Beach!!

We drove up to Santa Barbara this weekend and took the dogs for a fun hike up to the cliffs above Arroyo Burro beach (Hendry's to the locals). Its a fun walk -not too taxing for us or our old Cussie boy, and has some wonderful views of the ocean, surf and fabulous big eucalyptus! So you walk up the hill...arounnndd the cliff...doowwn the stairs...up the beach...and back to the restaurant for lunch!! There is a nice watering hole for the dogs.. and we made Montana pose for some pictures on a beautiful old eucalyptus stump (she was a very good sport!)
Lots of other people and dogs are doing the same fun walk, which makes it much more enjoyable for us and the pooches!
Here are a few pics of our hike!

"Your Daughter's your Daughter for all of her life; but your Son is your Son 'till he gets him a Wife!"

And we couldn't lose him to a more wonderful girl!!
So happy to be gaining a daughter in Adrienne!
Ryan is so lucky to have her, (I'm sure he has no idea!)


Here are some pictures of the wonderful spot that Ryan and Adrienne are tying The Knot!

Lace and I were fortunate enough to be able to tag along on Adrienne's appt. at the Oak Park Community Center. We are sooo excited!! June 13th!!! Whoo Hooo!!!

Summer Recap..

Well, summer is over and how quickly it flew by!
Fall is here with it’s cool nights and falling leaves..(big giant leaves by the way from our Sycamore trees!)
So many happy memories made and so many fun pictures taken!
Some of the pictures I've included were not technically taken in the summer, but they fit into or are a precursor to summer memories…
I lost my last Grandmother just before the summer began, but I have some wonderful pictures of us gathered around her just a few months before she passed away.
I found out I will be a Grandma earlier this year, but the excitement (and the belly!) have been growing all summer long!
Lacey left us after four happy years, taking our little munchkin Dakota with her, but leaving Montana Dog for us to get to know, as her happy, silly personality began to shine through whatever sad and scary past experiences she’s had.
We had a wonderful visit to Minnesota to meet newly discovered family and reconnect with Ric’s kids and grandkids. What a gorgeous place it is! So much water! So much green stuff everywhere!
Our friends Jeff and Christine were married in a beautiful ceremony early in the summer and we were delighted to be a part of the happy celebration!
Jamie’s twin’s, Isabelle and Michaela made their debut in the spring and we’ve had a wonderful time watching Jamie’s amazing transformation into SuperMom – and watching the girls grow into sweet, happy babies all summer long! I expect they will be toddling along on trips to the river by next summer!
Cindy and Andy came all the way to California to tie the knot in a gorgeous setting – Ric and I had a great time celebrating with them and wish them every happiness!
Ric’s high school class had their 45th ((gasp!)) reunion in June –what a blast it was; staying in the dorms, horseback riding in the Ojai hills and getting to relive some of their history together while Thacher wined and dined us for the weekend!
So many other happy memories of the summer I can’t list them all, the Mother’s Day and Father’s day parties, the Baby Shower, trips to the Harbor….
Here is a little photo summary of our Summer 2008!

Fun at Lake Superior with the Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and California Hammonds!

These are just a few early pictures of the lodge and surroundings! It's very beautiful here, and so different from SoCal! So many trees! - So much water! So much Green!

yesterday we all caravanned up to the resort and just walked around checking out the shore and the lake. Today we just got back from the Gooseberry falls area state park. It is really gorgeous! But so many people there! I guess this is where folks from this area come to get out of the heat. The lake effect keeps the lake shore like 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding towns.

I have many more pics -will post them later!



Love you all!

Mama!

Annual F Dockers Party! Whoo Hoo!

Jerry's Birthday bash on F dock was a huge success as always! Great friends! Great weather! Great food! Great Music!

The lobster and crab were stellar! The temperature on the dock was 85! The umbrellas were everywhere! The music was..loud! The drinking was....!!!

Pool Party!!

Montana discovered Aunt Janell's pool -and boy did she love it!! We all had a great time watching her learn how to get in and out, and jump in after a ball.

Heat Wave at Hendry's Beach!

When the heat hits the fan - the faint of heart hit the beach!

Here are the doglings playing at the dog beach in Santa Barbara -they had so much fun!

Mona Dog spent the weekend with us while her parents played in Vegas. I think she had more fun at the beach...and maybe her first Kayak ride!

GOne fOr gOoD!

Gone for good or good and gone- gone to the dogs or here and gone!

Well it's happened - Lacey has left us for good - and taken our little monster Dakota with her!

The house is soooo quiet..i don't like it.

I know we'll get used to it though and we are very excited to follow Lace and Dakota on their adventures as they break out on their own! ( of course she'll have to actually move out of Brandi & Anthony's house first, but one step at a time folks!)

Brandi and Lacey left Wednesday morning with Lacey's car stuffed to the gills! I had to work -and i was sad all day..

I wonder how long it will take Dakota to figure out that they are NOT on vacation!

Hot Day at the Harbor!

WoW! Over 80 degrees at the Harbor today! So fun! We took the pups for a ride in the dinghy down to the end of the channel - (it was extreme low tide- lots of mud for them to run in!)
Montana's first dinghy ride, she was a pro! Stood up on the side, jumped in and out,swam all over with doter! So here are a few pics and, hopefully a little video of our day!

Empty Nest at last!

Well it's finally happening! Lacey is leaving us for the not-so-new frontiers of Sacramento!Unfortunately, she is also absconding with our adorable dogter, Dakota. Though it will be quieter around here (without Dakota) and less messy (without Lacey) we will miss them most desperately!

Fortunately, we do have our new little sweetheart, Montana, a true love of a pup we found at a shelter in LA. We got her as a new companion for our Cussie boy, but we like her way more than he does!

This next year is going to be bittersweet for me, as it will probably be our last year here in Thousand Oaks. With Brandi & Anthony and Lacey all in Sac, (and a little one too!) I'm going to have to drag Ric (kicking and screaming no doubt), up north!