Pixiemom’s Neighborhood

How and when do you reward yourself?
Submitted by Rainbird.

I don't consciously do this. It feels too much like training myself via Pavlovian response.

We ended up enjoying fireworks on TV, watching the show in NY. Unfortunately, NM got his pinky toe hurt badly in the door. One of those things that dad had to deal with because mom couldn't handle it and dad was there. That's what Abba's for! He opted to stay home and since it was hurt pretty bad and there was a good chance we would have to walk a distance from parking to the lake, we opted to stay home. To console us all, I told them that what Austin put on couldn't possibly rival New York's since Macy made a huge deal about it being the biggest. It didn't disappoint! I do wish we recorded the one in DC, too.

You should see his toe...blisters on the toe pad and a blood blister under the nail. It's so sad!

Sprocket is cute, cute, cute. Good thing, because she cried most of last night. I mean most. I took her outside at midnight to go potty and she did. She fell asleep after crying just a little but a couple of hours later, she was crying again so I put her outside again. I'm not sure if she fell asleep after that time. I did manage to sleep a little. I hope it doesn't take more than a few days for a dog to learn the crate is a good thing!

The crying was all about her being put somewhere away from us. After I got her out this morning, she went (accident, my bad, didn't get her outside quickly enough) and then outside after finishing her business she just wanted to be with me, play with me, get hugs. I actually got to hear her little bark instead of crying. Her crying, by the way, can be eerily like a human baby's.

The boys adore her. NM got on the ground with her this morning, eye to eye, and told her, "Sprocket, I love you." J keeps picking her up and carrying her everywhere, then putting her down and telling her "Sit! Sit, Sparky. Oh, I mean Sprocket. Puppy." She's definitely got a submissive temperament and will just lay or sit or stand in the position that J puts her in. She's such a good puppy!

This is so sad. She's in her crate, crying, crying, crying. I feel like crying, crying and taking her to bed with me. But I am not giving in. Besides, she has fleas.

4th of July isn't the best night to bring home a new puppy and teach it to sleep in a crate.

She's good, though, she only had one accident today inside the house and I caught her in the act so we're working on it. Sprocket didn't whine that time, nor did she spin in circles but to be fair, she just got up from a long nap and I paused before taking her outside.

The person we bought her from said she and her litter mates got up at 7 am every day, so hopefully she won't be up much earlier than that.

We've had her one day and she's shown us her temperament very well. I was concerned that she was really sad and missing her siblings but after a few play times outside I realize she's just mellow indoors and seems to reserve being active for times she can play in grass. She's definitely got a more submissive temperament rather than dominant which makes for a great family dog. That's not to say that Sprocket won't have to be trained out of trying to herd the boys when they play by nipping at their ankles...we'll see if that's necessary.

NM likes her very much. He's still very ginger with her and not sure how to pick her up. He's nervous and we have to work on that because dogs can sense it. She doesn't treat him any differently than J, though, so it might not be an issue. J will pick her up and carry her for whatever reason. He's tried to play guns with her already and she just tried to eat his gun. She did sleep next to NM for a bit today and that made him very happy :)

To make sure she knows she's at the bottom of the totem pole of our pack, we will all take turns feeding her and taking her outside. I think she sleeps next to or nearest whoever fed her last. I was trying to keep track and it seems that way. I'm trying to make sure everything is predictable because puppies, just like babies, appreciate routine and need that security. 

If you could do anything you want tomorrow, what would it be?
Submitted by Becca-Pink.

Sign a full-price-offered contract on our house!

(A girl can dream, eh?)

EDIT/UPDATE: I'm a girl. Ooops...I forgot to tell you and assumed that you would know that because I point my toes very daintily. But my new family decided on a name for me: SPROCKET. I like it and I'll come or look up right away when I hear it. Kinda fits, don't you think?

Hi, I'm a 7 week old pembroke welsh corgi. I just got adopted today by my new family. I miss my brothers and sister! But the boys in my new family really love me and are really good about being gentle.

I'm really little but I make sure to let my new family know when I have to go outside. I love to chase the boys around and I don't like being alone. They got me new toys to chew on and those are great! So are the pillows, but they are nice enough to explain to me that toys are better to chew on.

I love this house! It's big and full of soft things to lay on. I think I'll go to sleep while they watch the Olympics tryouts.

Only trouble is...they don't have a name for me yet! Do you have any ideas? I have a heart on my forehead. Does that help with ideas?

How are you celebrating the 4th of July?

We have absolutely nothing planned today, and it feels WONDERFUL ! After going at break-neck speed for two weeks or more trying to get the house ready, it is nice to be able to take a kick-back day.

Hubby and I are updating our budget as I visit here. Later I will fire up the grill and throw on some steaks and corn-on-the-cob. I will whip up some brownies or cookies for our holiday dessert.  The kids would like to go see fireworks, but I am hoping to convince everyone to just stay home.

Tomorrow it's back to work - weekly house cleaning to keep the house spic-n-span for potential buyers and going through some boxes that I don't want to take with us !

I went shopping last night-something I absolutely loathe. I think I'm missing the female gene where shopping is exciting and something I can do for hours. Give me about an hour and a half MAX because I'm so done after that. My boyfriend Dill Pickle (gotta love the nickname) and I went shopping and for once it was kind of fun. We goofed around in Brookstone, where I rode this crazy workout contraption called the horse. Yes it did look dirty, but I will say it was a great core workout. ;-)

After Brookstone we headed over to Macy's where I drooled over their Wine Racks, dishware, and bed linens. I think the only shopping I really do enjoy is anything that has to do with the home. I can't wait to buy my first home and start fixing it up. I seriously daydream about it all the time. Pickle likes home shopping too which is makes it even more fun.

So after Macy's I dragged Dill to the game shop where I bought a two person fighting game. We went home and played and talked smack to each other and giggled. We kung fooed each other and then went to bed and snuggled. I can't even tell you how fun it is to be with someone who I can play with and be romantic with at the same time. It was so much fun I'm actually looking forward to the next time we shop. Imagine that!

Meet Petie, my mom's dog

He was an early Christmas surprise to my mom from me and Thomas (she had been wanting a dog). My friend, Molly, had to give him up, for she was moving to a new community that had some restrictions on the number of dogs you could own. The limit was 4, and being that Petie was doggie #5, he was the one they decided to part with. I guess the last to come is the first to go. Anyway, their loss was my mom's gain. Petie is an excellent dog. We were worried at first that things might now work out so well at his new home, but he soon adjusted to his new surroundings in the country very nicely. He began to lose weight from chasing squirrels and such, and now he looks like a much healthier Jack Russell.

Recently, mom has discovered that Petie is a BIG FAN of water. After work, she will turn on the hose and let him run wild. Petie is in dog heaven. He chases the spray and chomps at every drop. He loves to get his fur wet, and running straight into the hose's spray is one of his favorite moves. If you stop for too long, Petie will beg for more, literally. It is quite an enjoyable sight to see this dog so happy over the water. Daniel loves to help spray the water for Petie as well. All in all, it will provide a great laugh and lift anyone's spirits.

In honor of Independence Day (and the fact that my right hand/arm is still not up to knitting*), I made a banner with some scrap fabric plus new fabric the kids helped to pick out.

Looks ok here. I really like it. In spite of the fact that the machine was totally misbehaving, it did get done and I kept my cool.

Happy 4th of July!

*I was almost all better when I bought and helped hubby lift and set up a rug for upstairs. This rug is the third (and hopefully) last one in our saga of rugs. The first wasn't working with the vacuum which has since been returned. The second was the no-end-to-shedding-ever rug so it went back. I like this one and I hope that it flattens out soon so we don't have to exchange that one either. But now my right arm needs to relax a while again.

I got three from my sister! I think I want to make some now.

Oops...adding link to Moo so it makes more sense.