Thanksgiving break!

We've had a really great week...too bad we're back to the real world tomorrow!

Saturday we went out for lunch at Cici's Pizza and then went by the animal shelter...just to look! I've been asking for a puppy for Christmas ever since our new neighbor puppy found her way into our backyard and spent a couple of afternoons with us until her family got home. There were so many cute animals at the shelter, so we chose a few dogs we were interested in, but as we stood in line, most of the dogs we had chosen were claimed by other folks. There was one left, the one BubTar was really interested in, so we asked to see him. They told us he was "snappish" when he came in and maybe not a good idea with the kids, but another worker said he was VERY sweet and had warmed to him quickly. So we went ahead and asked to visit with him. He was SO pitiful! He just cowered in the middle of the room...no sniffing, no licking, no wagging. Nothing. He just laid still, probably hoping no one would hit him. :( He definitely wasn't aggressive towards us, though. Not a growl or snarl or anything. He was too scared to move, I think. He wasn't available to be adopted yet, since he had only been in the shelter for a day, but we filled out a non-binding application so we would be first in line if we decided to get him. Since we already have a dog, they told us we needed to bring her up so they could meet before we could adopt him, so we made plans to do that on Monday.

I can't remember much of Sunday, which probably means it was a pretty lazy day! I think it was a grocery shop/do laundry/finish my history review kind of day.

I had class on Monday, but I skipped. I had tests in both classes the previous Wednesday and I knew we wouldn't really be doing much that day, so I stayed home with the family. We cleaned up the house; KayTar went to make cookies with my mom; Josh, BubTar, Penny, and I went to meet with Number Twelve at the shelter. The meeting went well enough. No aggression, just mutual avoidance. Fair enough. We housed a dog for a while this summer (a lost dog roaming our street, until we found the owner) and Penny was VERY aggressive, so avoidance was an improvement. They hadn't processed our application yet, so they said they would call when they had. That night we went to a birthday dinner for my father-in-law. The shelter called and left a message saying we were approved! I was still a little unsure...he hadn't been really warm towards us, because he was still so scared and submissive. I also still really wanted a puppy, and he was about a year and a half old. But things were moving along and everyone approved of him, even KayTar, who hates dogs and their jumpy, waggy, licky behavior. So I just let things unfold.

Tuesday morning, on my way to class, I went by the shelter to pay the adoption fees and they told me he had already been sent out to be neutered and we could pick him up that night. After my exam/class, we went out to Chuck E. Cheese to meet up with KayTar's little Kindergarten boyfriend from last year for an hour or so. Then KayTar spent the night with my parents that night and the rest of us went to pick up the doggy. He was so pitiful! He was all sad and drugged from surgery, awww! That is when I kind of started to fall in love with him. What a cutie! He was still a little aloof, so we just let him get used to the house and us and he started to warm up to me pretty quickly once we got him here. I went out and bought his kennel and he slept in it, no problems! He was housebroken, too, no accidents!

On Wednesday, we had one of BubTar's friends from school and her family over, they were picking up a big castle they were buying from us, and the kids ran around and played for an hour or two. As they were leaving, Josh opened the front door and the dog took off! I took off after him at full tilt (oh my gosh, you guys, I do NOT run, but I was booking it. I nearly died. LOL.) and evidently Josh and BubTar ran off after me, leaving KayTar in the yard with our guests. I chased him down the block and around the corner and then he just stopped and looked at me. Like, "Oh, I have home now." so I scooped him up and we went home. Now we are SUPER careful about opening the front door. Penny will NEVER run away, in fact if the back gate is open, she comes to the front door and scratches to let us know...so having a runner is a new thing for us. That night the kids and I played Clue and he napped in the Clue box. It was adorable. He also started coughing a lot...kennel cough. Oh, and we decided to call him Dobby (from Harry Potter). So far, it has stuck. He is such a little sweetie! He is exactly what I wanted; a small, sweet dog who loves to cuddle. Everyone in the family approves, though Penny is a little cranky about the change and Peanut (the cat) and Dobby are still figuring each other out.

Thursday was Thanksgiving, so we had lunch with my parents and dinner with Josh's parents. KayTar ate TURKEY at lunch! First year EVER! It was awesome. That night, Josh's littlest sister spent the night with BubTar.

My parents picked me up at 4:30 the next morning for our traditional Black Friday shopping. We went to Academy, Big Lots, Target, Kohls, Best Buy, and Barnes and Noble. I wasn't going for anything specific, but I did pretty well and got quite a bit crossed off my list. Between that and online shopping later in the day, I finished BubTar and got pretty close to being finished with KayTar, too! I took the best nap I've had in YEARS later in the day. It was glorious. KayTar started to get sick on Friday, too, probably thanks for Chuck E. Cheese...there is not enough Purell in the world to keep her well in that microbe convention.

Yesterday, we mostly hung out at home, letting KayTar get the rest she needs. She and Dobby are both on the same cough medicine (Triaminic), so I keep joking that she's got kennel cough, too. In the evening our friends came over to hang out and we played Mexican Train and had mudslides.

Today Josh is working on a literature review, I'm doing laundry to prepare for real life tomorrow, KayTar is resting, and BubTar is watching a lot of Doctor Who. Later in the day we are going to put up the tree and Josh is going to make Pioneer Woman's meatloaf tonight. Then it will be back to reality, bright and early tomorrow morning. AGH!!