Camping Round-up

Last weekend we made our annual trek to the mountains of WV for our family camping trip. This is Andrew's 3rd trip, even though he's not yet 2 1/2.

I had more concerns this year as Andrew is more mobile, more curious, and more vocal than ever.  Fortunately, he had a wonderful time and we avoided the numerous hazards all around us such as ticks, hornets, the river, boiling oil, etc. He kept saying he had to sit on the potty, when the potty was a fly-filled latrine, and I was reminded of how fun potty training is going to be. A huge bonus was that I didn't have to milk myself like a cow the way I did on Andrew's first trip.

Andrew LOVES being around people, and having space to run around. He was already thrilled with being outside, so the throwing rocks in the river, staying up late, and eating all manner of junk were the icing on the cake for him.

Speaking of cake/food, we had our annual Fry-day Fried Food Fest, but we added some healthier options this year as well.

Some favorite deep fried items:

Dill pickles (cut into thin rounds)
Shrimp
Wild Turkey
Potstickers
Fish (for fish tacos with cilantro mayo)
Mozzarella sticks
Sweet potato fries
Okra
Chicken strips
Nutter Butter cookies (OH MY, YUM!)

Some favorite healthier items:
Cole slaw
Black bean and rice salad
Chipotle Corn Salsa (copycat version) RECIPE HERE
Pasta salad

6 dogs at our campsite provided entertainment, and my sister's addition of a brand-new camper was a great place for Andrew to nap, or as he says, "Have a moment."

My Aunt was able to drive over and see us for the afternoon:

And, of course, we had a great rare bird sighting with this bald eagle:

It was a lot of prep work and schlepping for 2 days of fun, but I'm grateful for time with family.

p.s. If you've never tired a honeybun cooked over a griddle, you are missing out.

Charlie Update

So how has our adjustment to becoming a 2 dog family been?

Great! Charlie just reached six months old, and we have been having a blast.

At first it was weird, because we didn't know his personality very well. It reminded me of when I brought my babies home from the hospital and it took me a while to to figure out what made them tick. I just spent day after day snuggling Charlie on my lap in the kitchen, hoping the close contact would help him feel at home.

And I wasn't sure how to read his adorably grumpy face. I mean look at this picture with two of his siblings.

Ha Ha! 100% grumpy; 100% adorable!

Potty training went smoothly (a big thank you to those of you who told me to quit using the pee pads!), and he is learning his boundaries in the house and yard. He stays in a crate in the kitchen if I have to go out for a few hours, and because of his great love of food, it is EASY to get him to go in it.

He sleeps either in Margaret's bed at night or on a dog bed with Shadow in our bedroom. I think Shadow helped Charlie adjust in every way, so there was never a night of lonesome crying-- just a big fur snugglefest.

Bathroom privacy is non-existent now, and I'm getting used to stepping over the two of them spooning on the bathmat each time I get out of the shower.  Charlie is very playful, and initiates a lot of tug-of-war with Shadow when she will oblige. He also sits on her head and tugs on her neck, inviting her to play. If she won't play, he just chases his own tail.

They also like to run after tennis balls and bask in the sunshine.

Yesterday, Charlie got neutered, so we are tasked with keeping him fairly inactive for the next ten days. That's not going to be easy, but at least he's not one to ever turn down an opportunity to take it easy and sit on a lap.

I'm so glad there was room in our hearts (and on our laps!) for another dog.