Coming from Northern Utah, having a snow day with this much snow is a funny notion. However, all the locals have told us that with these types of storms, the roads are incredibly slippery with ice and it is very dangerous to drive. That is just fine with me, as I have no desire to go out into the cold. The little kids were excited to go outside and see the snow, but each lasted only about 10 minutes. I was only outside long enough to snap a few pictures. The lovely fire my hubby has kept going and a cup of tea sound much more inviting.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Snow Day in Texas
Winter Storm Quantum has came our way early this morning, waking me and Brady with the sounds of sleet and freezing rain hitting the windows. Brady had a scheduled telework day today, and the kids' schools are all canceled for a snow day. In case you are wondering, let me show you what a snow day in North Texas looks like.
Coming from Northern Utah, having a snow day with this much snow is a funny notion. However, all the locals have told us that with these types of storms, the roads are incredibly slippery with ice and it is very dangerous to drive. That is just fine with me, as I have no desire to go out into the cold. The little kids were excited to go outside and see the snow, but each lasted only about 10 minutes. I was only outside long enough to snap a few pictures. The lovely fire my hubby has kept going and a cup of tea sound much more inviting.
Coming from Northern Utah, having a snow day with this much snow is a funny notion. However, all the locals have told us that with these types of storms, the roads are incredibly slippery with ice and it is very dangerous to drive. That is just fine with me, as I have no desire to go out into the cold. The little kids were excited to go outside and see the snow, but each lasted only about 10 minutes. I was only outside long enough to snap a few pictures. The lovely fire my hubby has kept going and a cup of tea sound much more inviting.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Sheba the Wonder Dog
Part of our move to Texas included me telling the kids that the likelihood that they could get a dog would increase greatly. Princess began telling everyone who would listen about how she was going to get a dog. I sighed inwardly and wondered what kind of deal I had set up for myself.
We had only been here a few weeks when I saw two dogs listed on a local garage sale group that needed homes. They were two boys, and they person who had taken them in off the streets believed they were about 8 months old. They were both very skinny and my heart went out to them. Unfortunately, after they had been in our home for a few weeks, we had to face the fact that it was not meant to be. We don't think they had ever truly had a home, and they did not seem to want to be with us or inside the house. Once they figured out that between the two of them, they could push their way out whenever anyone opened a door, all they wanted to do was be free in the open countryside and bother the neighbors cows, or terrorize our cat, Cricket, while inside. The poor kitty went from having free roaming of the house to being stuck in the master bedroom all the time.
The kids really wanted a dog that would love them back, and it was hard for them to feel shunned by the pups, especially on top of getting used to a new area. We also felt that keeping them was unfair to our existing pets, since the dogs wanted to chase and try to bite Cricket, our bunnies, and our chickens. It took me a few weeks of working with rescues and shelters, but I found a cute young couple that were very excited to take them. I am happy that we were at least able to help them put on a few pounds each and get de-wormed.
Our nights got quieter for sure without all the howling, but I will admit that the house did feel a little empty, and I missed taking the dogs for walks around the property. I began researching breeds that would work well for us, and how much money we needed to save up to purchase one, since the breeds I was interested in were quite pricey.
When we attended the local winter festival, the city animal shelter had some of their adoptable animals there. Brady and the kids were instantly drawn to Sheba. I stood back, biting my lip and unsure if I was willing to try bringing a dog into the house again, but I caved. I am glad that I did.
Sheba is a believed to be a bit over a year old, and is of a mixed breed. The shelter said she was a Carolina dog. She physically resembles the akita breed as well with her short snout and curled tail. Both are not known for doing well around chickens, but she is so eager to please her humans that she sits quietly around the coop. She absolutely LOVES belly rubs.
She went through two families before making it to us, so she does have some anxiety about being left. This is understandable, and we are working to help her know that we will always come back when we leave the house and to make her more comfortable in her crate.
Our morning routine involves me getting her out of her crate and her making a frantic search of the house trying to find all of her people.
We had only been here a few weeks when I saw two dogs listed on a local garage sale group that needed homes. They were two boys, and they person who had taken them in off the streets believed they were about 8 months old. They were both very skinny and my heart went out to them. Unfortunately, after they had been in our home for a few weeks, we had to face the fact that it was not meant to be. We don't think they had ever truly had a home, and they did not seem to want to be with us or inside the house. Once they figured out that between the two of them, they could push their way out whenever anyone opened a door, all they wanted to do was be free in the open countryside and bother the neighbors cows, or terrorize our cat, Cricket, while inside. The poor kitty went from having free roaming of the house to being stuck in the master bedroom all the time.
The kids really wanted a dog that would love them back, and it was hard for them to feel shunned by the pups, especially on top of getting used to a new area. We also felt that keeping them was unfair to our existing pets, since the dogs wanted to chase and try to bite Cricket, our bunnies, and our chickens. It took me a few weeks of working with rescues and shelters, but I found a cute young couple that were very excited to take them. I am happy that we were at least able to help them put on a few pounds each and get de-wormed.
Our nights got quieter for sure without all the howling, but I will admit that the house did feel a little empty, and I missed taking the dogs for walks around the property. I began researching breeds that would work well for us, and how much money we needed to save up to purchase one, since the breeds I was interested in were quite pricey.
When we attended the local winter festival, the city animal shelter had some of their adoptable animals there. Brady and the kids were instantly drawn to Sheba. I stood back, biting my lip and unsure if I was willing to try bringing a dog into the house again, but I caved. I am glad that I did.
Sheba is a believed to be a bit over a year old, and is of a mixed breed. The shelter said she was a Carolina dog. She physically resembles the akita breed as well with her short snout and curled tail. Both are not known for doing well around chickens, but she is so eager to please her humans that she sits quietly around the coop. She absolutely LOVES belly rubs.
She went through two families before making it to us, so she does have some anxiety about being left. This is understandable, and we are working to help her know that we will always come back when we leave the house and to make her more comfortable in her crate.
Our morning routine involves me getting her out of her crate and her making a frantic search of the house trying to find all of her people.
Cricket is handling having another red colored pet around quite nicely. We are still trying to figure out exactly how, but she has managed to establish some dominance over Sheba, who is easily four or five times her size. Apparently, her hissing is very scary. I think it will actually be quite good for her to have another pet around the house since she is strictly an indoor cat now and could maybe use the company. As for how she feels about it though, I think her face pretty much sums it up....
Monday, February 9, 2015
Winter Festival!
This past week was cold. Sheet of ice on the windshield kind of cold. The type of cold that leaves me scowling at the temperature and muttering stuff about how it is not supposed to be this cold in Texas. I am obviously wrong in this belief, but that will most likely not stop my angry mutterings at the cold.
The weather forecast showed beautiful weather in the high 70s for the weekend. We were planning on attending the city winter festival, but it was really hard to believe that it would not be insufferably cold. Even Saturday morning was rather crisp, but as noon approached the sky turned blue and we all packed into the car with only light jackets needed. After we had been there a little while, it was warm enough that they kids were able to eat snow cones without freezing. Not exactly keeping with a winter theme, but I was certainly not complaining.
The festival was held on main street, with a large section shut down to traffic for the festivities. There were vendor booths, games, and rides, along with live music. We had quite a bit of fun strolling through, although the rides were a bit more exciting for the kids.
We didn't think that snow tubing was going to be an activity we would get to enjoy here, so the snow slide was awesome. It was a really large slide that was periodically refreshed with snow.
The favorite activity for all the kids was probably the bungee jump.
We spent some of the day visiting with the local shelter staff and volunteers at an adoption event. We did end up bringing someone home with us, but I will save telling you about that for another post.
The weather forecast showed beautiful weather in the high 70s for the weekend. We were planning on attending the city winter festival, but it was really hard to believe that it would not be insufferably cold. Even Saturday morning was rather crisp, but as noon approached the sky turned blue and we all packed into the car with only light jackets needed. After we had been there a little while, it was warm enough that they kids were able to eat snow cones without freezing. Not exactly keeping with a winter theme, but I was certainly not complaining.
The festival was held on main street, with a large section shut down to traffic for the festivities. There were vendor booths, games, and rides, along with live music. We had quite a bit of fun strolling through, although the rides were a bit more exciting for the kids.
We didn't think that snow tubing was going to be an activity we would get to enjoy here, so the snow slide was awesome. It was a really large slide that was periodically refreshed with snow.
The favorite activity for all the kids was probably the bungee jump.
We spent some of the day visiting with the local shelter staff and volunteers at an adoption event. We did end up bringing someone home with us, but I will save telling you about that for another post.
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