Hunter & Company

We're Moving!

2011-12-26T09:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Fans:

Erin decided that she only has time to manage one blog and since our family has changed a bit we are moving my blog over to the baby steps blog. Don't worry - I am still going to write posts but Erin will also be writing stuff about me, the family, and Baby C.

So, please make sure you update your blog information for me so that you don't loose touch!

Our new blog address is: http://ourbabystep1.blogspot.com/

See you there!!!!

xoxo
Hunter

Oh Brother, Where Art You?

2011-12-08T07:12:00.000-08:00

My new little brother was supposed to come on Tuesday. I waited all day. I checked the mailbox each time I went outside to go potty and I even kept guard by the doors but he didn't come! I overheared Erin and Josh talking about him being late. I am never late for anything (especially my meals) and I can't imagine how a baby would want to be late!

I also overheard Erin saying to Josh that the baby might get coal in his stocking because he wasn't being a very good boy. Oh Santa - I have been a very good boy!!! Please don't bring me any coal!!

xoxo
Hunter

PS. I don't think you should bring the baby any coal either - maybe he doesn't have a GPS and is lost and that's why he's late! Maybe you should bring him a Maggie for Christmas!

Deck the Halls

2011-11-22T07:53:00.000-08:00

I know its been a long time since I have posted but things have been so busy in our home that I haven't had as much time to get in front of the camera (or behind it) and take some photos.

So, what have we been doing? Why, getting ready for both baby and Santa of course!

This past week I helped Erin and Josh decorate the house for Christmas. It was a lot of fun. We strung lights and trimmed the tree and wrapped presents. Are you ready for a sneak peak at our Christmas Wonderland?

Our Christmas Village and Dinning Room all dressed up!

Our pretty tree!

The outside of the house is all decorated too but the pictures simply don't come out showing how nice it looks. There are wreaths on the windows and doors, lights hanging from the roof, and our moose and snowman are already safely attached to the ground and plugged in. It really does look like Christmas here!

I have already done a lot of my holiday shopping as well -see all those gifts under the tree already!!! Josh, Erin and I have just a few to finish up and I intend to push them to get it done this weekend!

Are you ready for Christmas yet?

xoxo
Hunter

Deaf Doggy

2011-11-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

Josh and I have noticed some different behaviors in Hunter in the last few months and at first it was attributed to Hunter becoming more protective of me given the pregnancy. However, some of the behaviors (such as sleeping through Josh coming into the room at night) weren't very protecting behaviors and made us question his hearing. We've been testing him for a few days and have come to the conclusion that Hunter is likely deaf. He doesn't hear doors opening, doorbells ringing, people calling his name, and doesn't respond to the question "do you wanna go outside". We have to visit the vet next month for some booster shots so we will be having them check his ears to make sure its not just due to wax build-up but since he was there 2 months ago and they were clean then I'm pretty convinced he's just not able to hear anymore.

Poor Hunter - but then again, in a month he might be the only one in this house able to sleep with a baby crying!

-- Erin

Happy HOWL-o-ween!!!

2011-10-31T18:49:00.000-07:00

Today is Halloween and we have had a lot of fun. It started last night with Josh carving a very unique pumpkin. Can you tell what it is?

Its supposed to be Conor forcing his way out of Erin's stomach! (GROSS!!!). But, I guess gross things are the only things that might be 100% appropriate on Halloween.

Then today we went down to Kennebunkport to walk around and see everyone out in costume. We had no idea that Kennebunk was such a Halloween town! They shut down the big mansion street and all the big houses were 100% decorated. All of the port and downtown stores had candy for the kids and Erin saw someone giving out cider. We decided that we just have to go back next year!

I wore my costume when we were out but it was crowded and a little cold so Erin took pictures when we got home instead. Here I am - I was a bumble bee again this year!

this is me without the bee antlers

and with the antlers

We only got 2 trick or treaters last year (and they were high schoolers) so this year we just turned out the lights and didn't hand out any candy and I was the only one that dressed up. But, Erin says that next year both she and Conor will dress up with me - she is thinking she will be Pooh and I will be the bee in a honeypot and Conor will be Pooh's best friend piglet. But, she often plans ahead and then changes her mind so we will have to wait and see :)

I hope everyone had a great halloween!

xoxo
Hunter

HAPPY THURSDAY!

2011-10-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

What are you going to do today??

Some Fun in the Yard

2011-10-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

A few days ago it was so nice outside but no one wanted to go for a walk (Erin said she was tired and Josh said he didn't want to drive to the beach) so Erin said we should play in the yard. I love playing in my yard and so that's what we decided to do.

Erin and Josh got out my playset (they made if for me two years ago) and we had so much fun.

Here I am running through the tunnel!

After the tunnel I went over the jumps and then it was through the hoop like a lion at the circus!

When I was all done playing it was time to smile nice for the camera :)

Hope you enjoyed seeing how I play in the yard! Now it's time to get back to work :)

xoxo
Hunter

The Heat is On

2011-10-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Every year Erin always says that we can't turn the heat on until at least November 1st. But yesterday when we got back from the hotel the house was FREEZING (well, it was really about 48 degrees) and so Erin said that the heat had to go ON!

So....for the year 2011 our heat went on for the first time on October 24th - just 8 days shy of November 1st.

xoxo
Hunter

Thank you Josh

2011-10-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

Life has been a tad bit overwhelming in the last few weeks as both Josh and I feel the need to ready our home, our work schedules, and everything associated with our lives for the arrival of Baby C.

Sometimes having two adults in one home that are both running their own businesses and trying to maintain a household that is in a state of disrepair while it is being repaired means that often these two adults aren't spending quality time together - just enjoying each other. Add in the fact that there is a baby on the way so one of these adults sometimes feels a little "moody" and has biweekly doctor's appointments and both adults have a weekly parenting class - and you end up with the feeling that these two adults are being pulled in far too many directions to count and that the minimal amount of quality time these two adults had together is now even smaller or nonexistant!

Well, even though there was a "To-Do" list a mile long for this weekend and NOTHING was going smoothly so everything was taking twice as long - Josh decided it was time for us to relax - even if just for a day.

Sunday morning I was told that I wasn't going to get my list done but that I needed to pack an overnight bag as we were going to do a little window shopping (and maybe some real shopping) and then we were going to spend the night in a hotel with a heated pool. I had been itching to go swimming and we learned in class that swimming was a great form of exercise and relaxation for any pregnant person. The day was just perfect!

We started out with some shopping in Freeport and then it was off to Portland for our 'night away'. The swimming was amazing (and the weight difference I felt getting out of the pool demonstrated how much extra weight and pressure are truly on my joints each day) and simply being together with no laptops, no workphones, and no household tasks waiting to be done was wonderful. We spent some much needed quality time together and it was truly the BEST day I have had in a LONG time!

I love you Josh and thank you so much for an amazing mini get-away!

xoxo
Me

Being a Big Brother is HARD Work

2011-10-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

Being a Big Brother is hard work and Conor isn't even here yet! Erin and Josh say they are feeling a lot of pressure to get things done in the next two weeks or so because Josh is 100% convinced that Conor will be coming early. Erin says she doesn't think so but she has been having Braxton Hicks contractions a lot and so she wants to make sure that things get done sooner rather than later. Because they have been so busy that means I have been busy too (check out Conor's blog - his room is almost done and Erin posted pictures).

Last Thursday they went to their first birthday class and I had to hold down the fort here at home. We have also been to the car dealership to drop off their cars to get them detailed (inside and out) so that Conor's carseat can be installed in both vehicles (and because Josh said he just doesn't have time to detail both cars given the crummy weather we have been having). This has meant a lot of extra time in the car for me (which of course I don't mind) and also a fun walk around Back Bay.

Our friend Chris was also here because he is going to do some work in the upstairs bathroom so that we have more shelving to store my bathtime things as well as Conor's. When he was here I had to make sure that he knew what needed to be worked on - I am still a little leary of Chris but it seems like he is an ok guy.

This past Sunday I also had to make a shopping trip with Erin and Josh to pick out bedding for the guestbed in Conor's room. I picked out some great stuff and the ladies at the store LOVED me! They all wanted to pet me and love on me and told me I was going to be a great BIG brother - duh!!!

I've also had to be very watchful of my Erin. I like to make sure that she is ok every minute of the day and I worry a lot about her when she is not here. Sometimes I think I worry more about her than Josh but that's just part of my job. Whenever she gets home I run to her to make sure that she's ok and I give her and the baby kisses. I also go upstairs with her early each night when she goes to lay down - can't have her upstairs all by herself!

Right now it's hard work watching out for her and Conor - and he's still inside her belly - I can't imagine what it will be like when he's really here!

xoxo
Hunter

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Nursery Sneak Peak & Bad Hunter

2011-10-13T06:31:00.000-07:00

Check out Conor's blog for a sneak peak at the almost completed nursery!

As for me - I have not been being a very good boy these last few days. Erin and Josh think that I am having adjustment issues because of the chaos in our home right now with all Conor's stuff all over the house and things being moved each day. Because of that - Erin has been working extra hard to get the nursery done so everything can be moved into Conor's room and the first floor can return to normal. Right now there are very few places for me to play without bumping into something and all the rain means I don't get walks every day (which helps calm me down) so I can't wait for all this stuff to go upstairs.

Erin made big progress last night and so they started moving some stuff into his room - I can't wait for this weekend when the rest of it goes up there :)!!!! Click on the link above for a sneak peak at one piece of furniture in his room.

xoxo
Hunter

RIP Harley Davidson

2011-10-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

Your Senior Year of High School is a year full of changes - for me it was filled with many more than I had ever anticipated. Not only would I be applying to college, graduating, and moving away, but our family moved into our new home a few weeks before school started and with a new home came a new dog.

Other than Thor I had never lived with a dog before and since I met Thor when he was an old man I had never experienced a puppy. Thor was never "my" dog. Even though I walked him and fed him - he was always Adam's dog. Thor helped me with my fear of dogs - he was incredibly gentle. But I was still pretty nervous around younger ones - especially larger puppies. Puppies have a ton of energy and our new puppy was NO exception to that rule! We struggled to decide what to name him. Danielle (who was 2 or 3) at the time wanted to name him "Applejuice." That name did not stick. Adam decided that no other than but Harley Davidson would do.

The name truly fit him - he was a big protective but gentle soul. He allowed Danielle to crawl in his crate (well, sometimes we might have locked her in there), he loved to take walks around the block (though after one particular incident I never tried it on rollerblades again) and he didn't even mind the cold baths outside in the summer. But, when walking at night - if a person he wasn't familiar with as walking down the road he would place himself between you and the stranger. He liked to bark at other dogs to keep them away from you and would inspect each person who came into the house. If you were having someone over for the first time, you needed to meet them at the door and introduce them to Harls. Harley made me feel very safe and he taught me that even big dogs could be gentle and puppies were only jumping and nipping because they wanted to play.

Despite his protectiveness - his aggression was always in check. He never bit anyone - other than the electric fence guy who admitted he was the one in the wrong. Harley did once let Josh know, with a nip) that while he might love on him in the house, not even Josh was welcome in Harley's outdoor pen - that honor was reserved for immediate family only.

Just as people get old so do dogs. Harley spent his "Golden Years" living with Nannie and Dar. Here he was truly spoiled with their undivided attention and plenty of good food and snacks. He became very nervous as he aged - never truly wanting to leave the back of Dar's truck unless it was to go inside the house. If he came to visit at the shop - you had to sit in the back of the truck with him, he didn't want to be out of the truck in the event Dar left (Harley did not like being left behind).

Recently we learned that Harley had developed Cancer and at his age (16) you don't try to treat it. He was given lots of love but everyone knew that his time was fading.

Yesterday afternoon we got the text - the time had come to ease his pain. Of course, Josh and I weren't able to get down there but he didn't pass alone. Nannie, Dar, Mom and Adam were all there for him as he closed his eyes for the last time.

Last night as we went to bed I found myself hugging Hunter a little tighter and reminding myself that his time would eventually come and it would be up to me to ensure that in his Golden Years he did not suffer and that I didn't hold onto him out of selfishness.

Because while Harley taught me many lessons about dogs and dog ownership, perhaps the most important lesson I experienced for the first time yesterday - the greatest gift you can give your dog (or any pet) is to love them enough to let them go.

Rest In Peace Harls!

xoxo
Erin

My new Ride

2011-10-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

When Erin went to the Cape for Conor's baby shower I was convinced that she was going to forget about me and not bring me home anything. But - she did more than just bring me a special treat - she brought me a whole new set of wheels!

You may remember my black pimpin' stroller - I used it this year at Strut your Mutt

Well, Erin must have thought it was time for an upgrade because look what she brought me. . . . .

This is like the Roll Royce of strollers! Its sleek, its luxurious, and it's convertable! I can sit facing out like in the picture above, or I can face Erin/Josh like in the picture below.

This stroller is awesome - and I thought it was all mine until just now. Erin just told me that I have to share this luxury item with the little baby coming to live with us in NINE weeks (she said that bracket on top holds the baby's carseat)! I can't believe I have to share my stroller - what's next . . . my food?! What is this world coming to?

xoxo
Hunter

Happy Birthday Baby Gordon!!!

2011-10-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

Click over to Conor's website to learn about Baby Gordon's birth story!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GORDON & CONGRATULATIONS TO

ANA AND GORDON ON THE BIRTH OF THEIR FIRST CHILD!

Dangerous Plastic

2011-09-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

Plastic can be a scary thing, especially if you are using it for food and/or beverage storage. Plastic stains (despite companies that now claim theirs does not) and you have to wonder if it is every truly clearn. Plastic scratches allowing microparticles (READ: GERMS) to collect in the scratches and create an unsanitary environment for your food and/or beverage. Plastic is also made from chemicals - some that have found to be bad for humans (BPA) but companies are not required to keep these chemicals out of their formulas.

As adults we drink out of glasses when we are at home. We eat off of ceramic plates (typically) and we use stainless steel silverware. Our household pets often eat out of stainless steel or ceramic bowls as they are safer than plastic.

Perhaps this is why I am so baffled by the concept that almost all baby and children's food/beverage containers are typically plastic. Bottles, spoons, sippy cups, binkies, plates, bowls - all plastic! While it is my hope that our son will not need to use formula - I certainly can't be around 24/7 which left me with a need to determine what type of bottle we will use. There are about 245 choices if you want to go with plastic but I have decided that we will use glass. Glass has been around since the beginning of time (well, not really but you get what I am trying to say) and while more fragile - the health benfits of drinking from glass vs. plastic can't be ignored.

There are a few companies that made glass bottles. One company in particular makes a glass bottle (and a glass sippy cup) that has a silicon cover over it to not only help with grip but also to protect the glass. That company is called LifeFactory.

I have purchased one of their larger water containers in order to determine how durable they really are. I am hard on my water bottles (they get tossed in my bag, banged against the things in my bag, and are used almost daily) so if I don't break this glass bottle in the next 2 months I will feel more comfortable ordering a few bottles.

Photo from: Life Factory Website.

So, what color do you think now lives in my work bag and travels everywhere I go?

xoxo
Erin

Mom & Daughter Date Night

2011-09-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

For Christmas 2010 Grandma Mary and Adam gave Erin and Josh tickets to go to the dinner train on Cape Cod. Well, Erin and Josh were really busy this summer and so they weren't able to get down to the Cape to use the tickets.

So, since Erin was going down this past weekend for her shower she and Grandma Mary went on the dinner train. Erin said it was a GREAT time and she had a lot of fun. Here are some of the pictures she took.

The fancy detailing of the railroad name.

Erin and Grandma Mary inside the train car at their table.

Here's Grandma Mary with ticket in hand getting ready to board the train!

Erin's dinner - Roasted Potato, Asparagus, Roasted Tomato, Tenderloin with mushroom gravy.

The ticket with table number (N) and train car (Sandy Neck)

Erin said that she hopes to be able to do the train again in a few years because it was such a great experience. Perhaps then some of the other girls would be able to go and it could be a GIRLS NIGHT OUT.

xoxo
Hunter

Just for Grandma Mary

2011-09-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

Grandma Mary

Erin told me that you didn't know how to get to Conor's blog. If you CLICK HERE it will take you right to the blog. Then just save it as one of your favorites!

But don't forget to come back and read my blog too!

xoxo
Hunter

To Personalize or Not

2011-09-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

People that know me well know that I love things that are both personalized and/or monogrammed. I remember a red jumper that I had as a young child that had my name on it (I think my cousin Mike had a matching pants outfit if I remember correctly)

As I got older, I was always so envious of all the kids in my class with their names on their LL Bean backpacks (for the record - I got a green delux LL Bean bag in 6th grade and we waited at the store in Freeport so my name could be put on it).

I was thrilled the day that I got my RED BARNSTABLE JACKET and my name was on the sleeve and I loved getting Christmas Ornaments every year from my Ma with my name on it.

When I worked at a kids camp I was always so thankful for the parents that sent their kids in with backpacks and lunchbags with their names on them. It made it so easy to quickly grab a child's things from the pile if they needed to leave or if two kids had the same thing.

However, in recent years (not so recent - I sometimes forget how old I am) personalization has been a hotly debated topic. Many say that it's not safe. That children tend to be more comfortable if they hear someone use their name and may be more likely to go with that person. That women become easier targets if they use their names on their license plates. And, that in general, it's not a good idea to advertise anyone's name out in public.

Now that we are getting ready to be parents this topic has once again reared it's ugly head. Of course, the baby is not going to be going off to school anytime soon (and when he does his backpack will have his monogram and not his name) BUT what about having his name put on little outfits or blankets? What is the general rule about infants and personalization? I did some "googling" and it appears the opinions are mixed. Babies are usually not without their caregiver and are not typically the victims of random abductions from malls and/or parks. But, there is an argument that things for a baby should not be personalized if they are going to be used and/or worn outside the home becuase it makes your child stand out and more susceptible to these types of random acts.

For me, I'm on the fence. I want to personalize things but I want him to be safe. I don't see the harm in a personalized blanket, burp cloth, or the occassional outfit. Am I nuts to think this way?

xoxo
Erin

Hunter vs. The Wasp & To-Do Lists

2011-09-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

Only Hunter! Saturday Hunter and I spend the entire day together running errands in order to cross things off my "to-do" list (which is HUGE). We went to the dump, then to Home Depot to return extra closet supplies, Lowes to return a drill that we ended up not needing as we 'found' the missing power cord (actually - the replacement that was on backorder actually arrived). Then we went to the dog store to get him more food, got gas, and stopped in at the post office. Once I got him home I then went grocery shopping. When that was said and done I was TIRED and needing a little nap before Josh and I went out to run more errands that night.

Hunter was left in the care of Josh and I went upstairs to catch "1 hour of sleep". However, Josh yelled up the stairs about 35 minutes later saying he needed me. Well, in the 35 minutes that Hunter was with Josh they went outside and Hunter was stung by a wasp. Not only was he stung but he was stung on the pad of his back right leg!

Josh sprung into action and called the vet (this is the first sting we have experienced) and the appropriate medications were given and Hunter monitored for the next hour. I am proud to report that Hunter is not allergic to wasp stings and Josh and I were able to go about our evening.

We started our night at Target to get a few household things then it was off to Old Navy to return a pair of pants for Josh and purchase some shirts for me (two long sleeve and one short sleeve). Then we went to Babies R Us so I could use a coupon for $2 off wipes (the wipes we intend to use never go on sale so using these random coupons is a must). After BRU it was off to Bed Bath and Beyond to price hampers (baby needs one as do we - I only have laundry baskets and when we add the shelves to the bathroom a hamper would better fit the space) and finally a stop at Starbucks for Josh to get a treat for being such a good errands guy!

All-in-all Saturday was a pretty busy day but my list is now a few lines shorter and our house has a little less clutter in it.

Now, if only I could find the time to finish tha nursery.......

xoxo
Erin

Strut Your Mutt - 9/11/2011

2011-09-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday Erin, Josh, Grandma Janet, Grandpa Dennis and I participated in the 17th annual Strut Your Mutt fundraiser event for the Animal Welfare Society. This is the 4th walk that I have participated in and with the help of all my friends I raised over $800!!!! The money I raised will be used to help animals that have high medical needs while they are in the shelter.

The day was gorgeous - and before we began walking we all participated in a moment of silence to honor those who passed ten years ago on that terrible day.

Before my walk - We brought my stroller because last year I got very tired and Erin didn't have to carry any of our 'walking supplies'.

I'm excited to start!

I made it 1/2 mile!

1 mile - only 1 mile to go!

Josh and I are our way back. Erin thinks I look like a toy in this picture!

Here I am....almost to the end

Just a family picture - but I didn't want to look at the camera - I was checking out my baby brother!

Erin and I having some fun in the cut-outs before we leave!

It was such a great event this year and I am ready to make the walk again next year and hopefully I will raise even more money!

xoxo
Hunter

A Weekend with Auntie S

2011-09-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my Aunt S came to visit us and we had so much fun with her. She got here on Friday and we had lunch in Portland with Grandma Mary before Grandma Mary left and it was just us and Auntie S.

Saturday was a busy day. First we hung out at the house and then we ran some errands before going out to dinner. Erin got us some ice cream and I tried to get Auntie S to share hers with me but she wouldn't (she said it wasn't a good flavor for dogs). After ice cream we went swimming at Grandma Janet's house - that was a lot of fun but the pool was pretty cold so we didn't stay too long. Instead we went home and got changed because the humans went out to eat for dinner at the Chinese food place they love.

At the Chinese Food Place

Trying to get Auntie S to share her ice cream with me!

Swimming in the Pool with Josh and Auntie S

Sisters in Matching Shirts!

Sunday morning we had to prepare for the hurricane. We brought in all the outside stuff and made sure that we had plenty of water and good things to eat. Grandma Mary was going to come and get Auntie S. but because of the weather it was decided that she would stay in NH so Auntie S. got to stay another night. We made pizza for dinner and watched a marathon of movies. It was a lot of fun.

I had a great weekend with Auntie S. and I can't wait for her to come back and visit again!

xoxo
Hunter

End of Summer.....Announcements

2011-09-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that summer is technically over for most people this weekend. Labor Day for centuries has marked the end of summer and the start of fall and everything that comes with is such as the start of school and fall sports. This summer I have done so many fun things. I went golfing for the first time (bet you didn't think dogs could go to the driving range!); I went to the beach; swam in the pool; went for ice cream a few times; and went to NJ to meet some of my maltese friends.

Many people are sad that summer is ending but not me because I LOVE FALL!!! During the fall I have my annual fundraising event for AWS called "Strut Your Mutt". I am currently collecting donations and you can make a secure online donation via the following link:

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/erin-oreillyjakan/hunter2011

I also look forward to going apple and pumpkin picking. This will be the last year that it's just Erin, Josh and I going to do these things and I am going to savor every minute of the time we have left as a family of three because before we know it - we will be a family of four! And - that fourth member of our family finally has a name. But, you will have to go to his website in order to find out what it is:

http://ourbabystep1.blogspot.com/

That's all for now - I have to get to resting because once Josh is home we are going to powerwash the deck and work on the baby's room today. Then I think we are going to take a walk on the beach!!!

xoxo
Hunter

Hunter vs Hurricane Irene

2011-08-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

This light breeze feels great - is that all you have Irene?

That tickles - don't you have anything else to offer?

This is boring - I'm headed inside.

CURRENT TALLY: Hunter: 3 Irene: 0

Making Progress - Little by Little

2011-08-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was such a busy day for us. In the morning Erin and I put together the changing table for the baby. She wasn't going to do it until the room was ready upstairs (more on that later) but when she heard from the customer service person that it was no longer offered online and that could mean it woul be discontinued she wanted to make sure we had all the pieces and it wasn't damaged in any way. So, now we have this big old piece of furniture in our dinning room! We took a quick picture but it's still kinda in the box so it doesn't mark up the floor.

Ultimate Changing Table (White) from Pottery Barn Kids

I also had to be extra good yesterday because the contractor came back to do our deck railings. Erin and Josh do not have the right saw to finish this project and with winter (gulp) approaching sooner than we all want and there being a baby coming they wanted the railings to go on to help make the stairs safer for us all. But, we didn't have enough parts to finish it so we had to make an emergency trip to Lowe's to get the rest. The stairs now look great and are 100% safe!

Side Entry Stairs

Back Yard Stairs

I love the railings and so do Erin and Josh and now Erin jokes that she doesn't have to feel like she's on the defense of a lawsuit everytime someone comes over and they relax on the deck!

We also did another burn pile. There is so much tree in this yard to burn! This is our 3rd or 4th pile of the summer and there are still 3 or 4 more that are already ready to go! We are going to try to maybe do another one this weekend but first we have to scoop up the ash because there is a lot of it. Here's a picture of our burn location.

As for the baby's room - Erin has finished caulking the seams and spackling the window so the hope is to get to painting at some point this weekend! She really really wants this room do get done ASAP because then she (and I ) can have our dinning room back. :)

That's all for now. Hopefully there will be more projects to update you on as the weekend comes to an end :)

xoxo
Hunter

A package for BABY

2011-08-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Today a special package arrived for the baby. I wrote all about it on the baby's blog - make sure to hop on over and find out what this mystery box contained!

Baby Jakan's Blog

A Spa Day

2011-08-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

TODAY WAS A SPA DAY FOR ME!

Erin and Josh first took me on a walk around the neighborhood before the thunderstorms started.

It was so hot when I was on my walk that I had to take a rest.

Then, when we got home, I had my teeth and ears cleaned. Then it was time for my bath.

After my bath I got to dry myself off on the towel.

Then I ran around the house real fast in order to finish drying.

Once I was almost all dry I smiled real pretty for Erin so she would give me a cookie!

I had a pretty good spa day today but I don't know how you humans take a spa day every single day! I surely wouldn't want to have to do that! Now, I am resting on the couch and am taking a nice little nap while the rain comes pouring down and the lightening strikes......hey - I'm Garth Brooks!

xoxo
Erin

Neglecting Summer Fun

2011-08-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Erin and I have been seriously neglecting our blog this summer but we have just been so busy! Erin is working hard to get caught up with work since she has had a million trials this summer (well, not that many but it seems like it) and when she's not working she's either resting, getting ready for her friend Amanda's wedding, or working on the baby's room.

This weekend is the wedding and she doesn't have any trials the rest of August so I think we are going to try to get some fun time in during the next two weeks. I really want to go on a picnic at the beach (I love the beach as long as I'm not in the water) and I also want to go hang out at Grandma Janet's pool for a little bit and get some ice cream!

Summer is simply going by too fast for us to take a break and enjoy it (but that always seems to happen!). We have been so neglectful of our summer "TO DO" list but I'm going to work hard to cram it all in no matter what Erin and Josh say!

xoxo
Hunter

The Busy are Getting Busy-er

2011-08-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Josh and I are very busy people. I am running a solo practice out of our third bedroom and he is managing the real estate office as well as his personal career. We are often checking our calendars and making arrangements and or rescheduling things. Being uber organized (in my professional and personal social lives) is important to me and with a baby on the way it is becoming more clear that we might need a better way to communicate about the baby when one person is coming and the other is going. I think we are also going to have to plan ahead a little more now because a baby, unlike Hunter, can't be left alone at home during the 15 minutes overlap we occassionally have.

So, this has got me thinking - how do I accomplish this task?

One idea that I had was to install a large (nicely framed) dry erase board in our kitchen where I would put our schedules up each month and perhaps do the next month as well. Pottery Barn had a great link to something like this which is where I came up with the idea.

Photo Credit: Pottery Barn

I'm leaning towards this idea as it won't require a book to be opened or anyone's phones and/or computers to be 100% updated. And I can use a clip board in the middle to document Baby's Feeding and Diaper changes to ensure that in all the comings and goings we don't forget to communicate this important information. I figure if Nannies and DayCares do this type of charting as well as moms of multiples that it can't really be all that bad for a couple of first time parents to give it a try.

Another idea I had was to photocopy my schedule as it is the one that changes the most but that would require me to remember to re-print each time there was a change and that simply might not happen. Josh's schedule is pretty consistant from week to week in the winter but we would then have to modify this system in the summer and I hate re-doing things to frequently.

I wasn't really keen on turning a wall in my kitchen into the family organization substation but I have been told by more than one person that this little bundle is going to take over our house anyways so why not add this small elements that might make my life easier and more relaxed.

So, any other ideas on how to organize this new family? What do you think of the calendar idea?

xoxo
Erin

The Nursery

2011-08-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

The construction man just left and the rioom looks 100% different. It's amazing what fresh paint and some simple detail work can do to a room. He was here to remove and correct the trim around the window and add bead board to the lower half of the room. We have some touch-up painting to do and then we have to fill some nail holes and paint the bead board and the trim but it's going to look great when it's all complete. So - how about a sneak peak :)....I will post more of the details once Erin gets back from work!

A close-up of the wallpaper border that used to be in the room. Josh says that he and Erin spent a lot of time looking for just the right border and just the right color green to match it!

A larger shot of the room. Colors are a specially mixed green and Antique White from Sherman Williams.

The newly done room - colors are Misty (darker blue) and Rock Candy (ceiling color). The woodwork will be going white. All colors from Sherman Williams.

Just another angle.

xoxox
Hunter

Where has Summer gone?

2011-08-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

Summer is flying by ladies and gentlemen and I don't know where it is going! Erin and Josh have been real busy with work but the weather has also been a major issue. One day its hot and the next day its raining!

Since I last posted here is what has happened in our home:

Grandpa Tom and Uncle Justin stayed in Maine for a week and we all had lots of fun together. The guys all went to the shooting range (Erin and I stayed home). Another night they left me at home and went down to the beach (I heard they had pizza AND ice cream!) and Justin rode some rides at the pier amusement park.

Grandpa Tom and Justin

Amusement Park from a distance

The next weekend Erin went down to Boston for Ana's First Baby Shower. She said it was a lot of fun but that I couldn't go because dogs weren't invited. She didn't take many pictures but said that Ana got a lot of great things and that everyone at the party were really nice and she had a great time.

After Ana's party she drove to the Cape to go visit Grandma Mary and everyone. Great Grandma Craft was also there! I was bummed that I didn't get to see her but she said she would be coming back in September and I am SO THERE! Erin went to the Cape to see GG Craft but also to support Auntie S in becoming an legal/super official member of our family. She has always been a member of the family but adults always seem to have to make things legal. Her brother D also got made "legal" with the family he is with and they all took a picture.

Cathlin, Erin Sarah, D, Danielle, Sean

Finally, Erin came home (it felt like she was gone forever but she was really only gone for 2 days) but then she had to get to work. She was really busy at the end of July and now its the beginning of August and she's busy getting the guest room ready for the baby (but that's another post!).

So, we haven't gotten to do all the things we set out to do this summer but the summer is NOT over yet so I am challenging us to get moving :)

Hope everyone else is having a great summer!

xoxo
Hunter

What a WEEK!

2011-07-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

This past week was a super busy week! There was so much going on that it's amost impossible to remember everything. All I really remember from the week is that Auntie Danielle came to visit and everyone went to the doctor's office. They were there for a really long time but when they came home they told me that I was going to have a LITTLE BROTHER!

To celebrate this great news we went out shopping for the day and then we had a party. Erin blogged about it on the baby's blog so you can read all about the week and the party here: http://ourbabystep1.blogspot.com/

I'm pretty excited about the idea of a little brother - I hope he is nice and I hope that when he's bigger her takes me for walks and rides in his car. I bet we are going to be great friends!

xoxo
Hunter

First Swim of Summer 2011

2011-07-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

On Monday (5th of July) after all our yard work we went swimming at Grandma Janet's pool. It was a very warm day and we were all tired from working in the hot hot sun so the pool was very refreshing. Actually, it was kinda cold so I didn't want to swim too much but it was still nice to have that option.

I know I don't have my lifejacket on in that picture but I did a few swims without it and then did some swimming with it. Erin and Josh wanted me to get used to the water again first before adding that big old jacket. But, I did exercise water safety almost the whole time we were there - just so you know!

Erin likes to float on her raft so I also spend time on that.

After I was done swimming and floating I sat with Grandma Janet to get nice and dry. She keeps a special towel just for me at the pool and I use that one to dry myself off - then I use everyone else's too! No one ever gets made because they think its funny!

After we all swam in the pool Josh just had to get in the hot tub. So, we made him take a picture with the hot tub duckie!

I have a feeling its going to be a hot summer which means many more trips to the pool!!!!

xoxo
Hunter

Weekend Fire

2011-07-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

This weekend yard work was the goal - and we did get some done. Saturday Grandma Janet and Grandpa Dennis came and everyone worked on clearing up some of the tree mess that was left when all the trees came down this past winter.

After getting a lot of work done Erin went down and got a burn permit and she and Josh had a huge fire in our yard and WOW was it a big fire!! Here are some pictures of that fire.

Monday Grandpa Dennis, Erin and Josh were back attacking the brush and fallen tree pieces and they made a huge new pile of stuff to burn. I think we are going to burn it Friday night as long as we can get a permit! I can't wait to watch that one go up in smoke!

xoxo
Hunter

Hunter & Baby Updates

2011-07-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Its me Hunter and I know you all heard about how terrible my week has gone BUT I am happy to say that I am starting to feel much better. I am able to hobble around on all 4 legs again (though my back left still can't bear any weight) and I am enjoying barking at Josh once more. Today I even went and ran some errands with Erin and Josh which is always a lot of fun. I am hoping that Erin will take me for a stroller ride later tonight but I think she will say its too buggy.

Erin and Josh are both getting very excited. It's week 17 for the baby and that means that our family is only 11 days away from knowing whether we are going to welcome a baby girl or a baby boy. Josh is rooting for a girl (but secretly we wonder if he is slowly changing his mind and possibly wanting a boy too) and Erin is rooting for a healthy baby (she says she doesn't care and that that there are benefits to both - I kinda think she's telling the truth). Me, I'm kinda stuck. I would love a little girl because they love to love and I tend to like them a lot but, for us dogs - there is nothing like a little boy to walk you and play games with you. Plus, if it was a boy then there would be 3 guys in this house vs. just Erin - those are good odds! So, I guess in the long run, I am kinda like Erin and I am ok with either coming home in December.

Erin is looking a little chubbier these days and today she had to go buy some special new clothes because of her chubbyness. She is also starting to feel a lot better and she and I are spending less and less time in the bathroom. Because she is feeling better she is also eating more which means that there are more little things for me to snack on (YUM). Today on of our errands was to go to the baby store and look at car seats - I picked a black one because it matches my car seat but I'm still not sure which one Erin and Josh will pick.

So, that's the update from me. Tomorrow we are supposed to work in the yard all day so we shall see how that goes.....secretly I am hoping for rain so I can stay inside and sleep but the weather man says SUN and lots of it.

Have a great 4th of July!

xoxo
Hunter

Hunter's Terrible Week

2011-06-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

This week has been a nightmare. Friday night Hunter either jumped off or fell off the bed - it's not clear as I had my back turned and was putting some things away. He appeared fine and there were no lumps or bumps that shouldn't have been there. I took him out for the last trip of the night and we went to bed without incident. Saturday was a good day and we ran some errands and settled in early for the night. Hunter went to bed without problem but around 12 or 1am became restless and could not seem to sit still, and was holding his left front leg up. He was also panting like he had just run the Boston Marathon. We gave him a dose of his Metacam but that didn't help. So, an hour later we called the on-call vet. While Josh was on the phone I was holding Hunter and walking him back and forth in the hallway - it seemed to be the only way to calm him down and slow his panting. We were instructed to give him a second dose of Metacam and if things didn't get better to take him to the ER Vet clinic. The Metacam did what it has always done and it sent him to sleep. The vet's main concern was either a fracture in the left front leg or an injury to his spine.

Sunday was uneventful for Hunter. There was on indication that he had been hurt the night before and he went on about his day without incident. We ran more errands (Lowe's, Staples, Pet Store, etc.) and while we limited his activity he appeared fine. However, that night was a different story and once more he was acting in pain and holding up the front left leg and panting. We gave him a single dose of Metacam and it sent him to sleep.

I called the vet on Monday and they were not able to see him but said that it didn't appear as though the leg was broken or fractured. But, it was likely a sprain, if anything at all. The vet also indicated that they didn't believe there was any more worry to his back as the pain would be more consistant. We made an appointment for Tuesday and put Hunter to sleep.

Monday night Hunter slept through the night like a rock without the need for any medications. Because of that we cancelled our 9:30am appointment and were told if things got worse to please call them.

I worked all day Tuesday but Hunter was home with Josh and he said that Hunter was fine all day each time I checked in with him. I got home around 6:45pm and they were outside getting some late day sun. Hunter got up to do his business and when he came back he was holding up his back left leg as though he was still urinating. This had happened before and the lefg dropped on its own after a few hours so we decided to wait it out.

Wel, its Wednesday morning and he's still holding the leg up so I think its back to the vet's office to have the knee popped back into place.

The first year we got Hunter and he had several medical issues, Sean called him a "Lemon". Today, after these last few days I would have to concur that Hunter may have been a "Lemon" but......we still love him!

xoxo
Erin

summer to-do list

2011-06-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

With baby on the way Josh and I said we want to make sure we don't let summer run away without us being a part of it. The summer is his busy season and my cases usually end up in trials in the summer months which means the both of us tend to forget to breath and enjoy the few weeks of warm weather, we often forget to participate in the summer fun such as parades, fairs, and cook-outs. So, this summer we are all about work
(of course) but also we are all about summer fun! To make sure we make time for fun I did the only thing I know how - I made a "to-do" list.

1. Spend time at the beach
2. Take more than one Bike Ride
3. Go to the driving range - take in a round of golf
4. Go to the drive-in at least once.
5. Invite Friends over for BBQ
6. Play Mini-golf
7. Have a Picnic
8. Spend an entire weekend with laptops closed and no checking e-mail on phone!
9. Go to the Acton Fair
10. Explore Portland Islands
11. Go to a Seadogs Game

Hopefully keeping this list will help us make sure that we enjoy our summer!

xoxo
Erin

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

This Father's Day I went to my Grandma Janet's house. Josh and Grandpa Dennis went to the shooting range and I was not allowed to go there so I had to hang out with Erin and Grandma Janet and the other animals. But, once Josh and Grandpa Dennis got back we all went out for ice cream! I got to go and even have some of the ice cream because Erin got a flavor I could have....I was very lucky.

After ice cream we spend some time talking at the house and I got my picture with Great Grandma Irene. She is such a nice person and I love spending time with her (just not her cat....he's really big and makes me nervous).

After spending time with the family we decided to go to the beach and take a nice bike ride. But, it wasn't just any bike ride - we went bike riding on the beach! I had so much fun riding in my basket. Erin even packed a fun snack for us all to share after our ride.

While Erin and I were taking a break Josh went for one last ride on his own and decided to ride in the deeper water! He took this picture to show us what he had done - CRAZY!!! I would never let Erin do that because I would be so afraid of getting wet! But Josh said it was a lot of fun.

I want to go biking again but first I have to wait for my basket to get fixed or a new one to come in because it started to tear and that makes it unsafe according to Erin. So, hopefully I will be able to go bike riding again soon!

Hope everyone had a great Father's Day!!

xoxo
Hunter

Pickle Thief

2011-06-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

Last night we went grocery shopping. During this shopping trip I purchased a small jar of Kosher Dill Spears with the picture of the bird on them. I was excited to eat these pickles because since learning about the "avacado" I have not had the desire to eat pickles and I LOVE PICKLES!!!

So, back to the big pickle purchase. I woke up this morning and went to the fridge to get milk for my cereal and what do I see? The safety seal has been broken on the pickle jar and, upon further inspection, there are 3-4 pickles missing!

Now, there are only two other individuals living in this house - Hunter and Josh. Hunter was upstairs sleeping on the bed with me so this leaves only ONE possibility - JOSH!!!!! I confronted Josh and he was unable to deny his theft while looking me in the eye and without a funny little smirk....so let this be a warning to you all:

When Josh is around - watch your pickle jar!!!!

A New Blog

2011-06-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

I promised Hunter that I would not take over his blog talking about the new family member set to arrive in six months so I have started a blog were I can document weekly growth (for the both of us) and developments as well as other important information. Please feel free to check it out.

Baby Steps Blog

I am going to use this blog as sort of a pregnancy/baby book to remember important things until I get a chance to decide if we want a traditional baby book or if we want to go with something else.

However, I will continue to update on this blog the important stuff :)

xoxo
Erin

Sunscreen Baby!

2011-06-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

It appears that the avacado (otherwise known as the baby) has made my skin ultra sensitive to sun. Is that possible? I wasn't sure so I asked Google. Google directed me to various articles that basically told me "yes, its possible and likely if you had sun sensitive skin before getting pregnant". Where does that leave me? It leaves me with a sunburn on my face and chest after 4 hours on a boat wearing a hat & sunglasses after having applies SPF 60 on my face and SPF 50 on my chest and neck. I didn't reapply (my bad!) but since I didn't get wet and we were only on the boat for an actual 3 hours I thought I was ok.

Lesson Learned: I will be living in sunblock this summer, reapplying after each hour passes, and I am going to invest in a large straw hat like this one!

Sunscreen and I have always been good friends but this year - we are going to be BEST FRIENDS!

xoxo
Erin

PS. Dad - thanks for the irish skin - it's greatly appreciated (said with a sarcastic but loving tone)!!!

First Pictures

2011-06-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Today was a BIG day - it was first ultrasound day. My appointment was at 2pm which was a difficult time for Josh to get there because of how busy he has become (which is a good thing - of course). When I told the technician how he was upset that he wasn't able to make it she said that she would print not one or two but FOUR pictures for him.

The baby would not cooperate as the technician needed it to (hmmm.....who does that sound like) but she was able to get a crown to rump measurement which she said showed that the baby was right on target for length at 13weeks 1 day. Fetal heartbeat was also strong at 165 bpm. Overall, the tech said it looked like a healthy baby but that she couldn't get the flap measurement. So, they will use the crown to rump as well as the blood that was taken from me today. I was told that this was ok to use. I have a follow-up appointment next Friday so I will check in with my real doctor then.

So, are you dying to see the pictures yet?

Here there are......

This is a good picture of the baby's bones and brain - this one grosses Josh out since he doesn't like anatomy things!

This one shows the baby taking a breath - the tech said that this is the week that they practice breathing in the fluid.

This is a good profile picture.

And, because our baby would have to be an overachiever - this is the baby "crawling" in utero (really it was in the middle of flipping over but hey - we can all dream we are growing little einsteins right?!?!)

That's all for today!

xoxo
Erin

Mother's Day Continued.....

2011-05-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Perhaps one of the funnier things from Mother's Day Weekend was S's reaction to the news. To share the news of Baby with her Erin and Joah purchased her a gift. The gift was a baby onesie (did I spell that right) that said "My Auntie loves Me".

Here is S opening her gift.

At first S didn't understand what she was looking at (she thought it was about me - silly S!!!) but then she understood that I was getting a little sibling! S wasn't very happy about the baby. Well, when she found out that it was going to be born in December (lots of my family has special days in December, including S) she became even more upset. Poor S, she seems to think that this baby is going to take her special place in our lives but someday she will realize that's simply not true. And, if I'm not worried about being replaced then she REALLY shouldn't worry since I'm the one that has to live with the baby....

xoxo
Hunter

Mother's Day Weekend

2011-05-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day Weekend has come and gone and boy was it a busy one. It started Friday night with Erin and Josh cleaning up the messes that had made in the house with all my toys and treats that I had hidden because my grandmothers were coming the next day for a visit!

Grandma Janet arrived first and she was really excited to play with me. We loved on the chair until Grandma Mary arrived. Once she got here the fun truly started!

Erin and Josh wanted to give the Grandma's their Mother's Day Gifts early. Here is them opening their gifts.

First they had to dig through the tissue paper.

Then they had to unwrap the gift.

Initial Reactions:

Final Reactions:

The Grandmas & their Gifts!!!

What did the Grandma's get for Mother's Day that made them so happy you ask? They got these picture frames.

That's right! Josh, Erin and I are expecting a new family member in December! We have been keeping this is a secret for a long time but Erin says that as long as things continue to go well that I am going to be a big brother before Christmas!

How do I feel about that idea? I'm practicing being a good listener - don't I look grown up already?

What's on my vest you ask?

Isn't is awesome? Erin's friend made it for me and we used it to tell Grandpa Adam and Dennis when they came over later in the evening on that Saturday of Mother's Day weekend.

Well, Erin has to get back to work now which means I have to sign off the computer but I wil finish the Mother's Day Weekend update later I promise!

xoxo
Hunter

Happy Birthday Grandma Mary

2011-05-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Grandma Mary's 50th Birthday! Everyone went down to Boston (well, everyone but me - dogs aren't allowed at Fenway Park) to celebrate with her at the Red Sox Game.

The Red Sox hadn't been winning very much but they won on Grandma Mary's Birthday!!! She was their lucky charm :)

After the actual game everyone got to walk around the warning track and look at some of the old school and new school special Red Sox items (old staduim seats, trophies, jersey's etc.). This was the first time that this has happened and everyone said it was pretty cool. Erin and Josh got some dirt from the track and some grass from the field. I would have LOVED to have peed on the grass but that's probably why they don't let dogs at Fenway.

Here are some of the pictures from the special day.....

An Easter Egg Mistake

2011-04-26T08:41:00.001-07:00

Note to self: next time you purchase eggs to dye for Easter - make sure to purchase WHITE eggs. Dye does not stick to BROWN eggs.

The Trees Came Down Photos

2011-03-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

Finally, we can upload pictures to the blog again so here are some pictures to show you just what abuses our yard went through this winter and how many tress are missing!!!!

This is the machine that drove around our yard for weeks and did a lot of the heavy hauling.

This is the man that is our Hero as he did a lot of the initial work on his own - tagging trees, cutting paths for the big machine, and taking down some of the smaller trees in the way. Here is is taking down one by our shed. He was such a nice person and was so happy that Erin said he could take any trees in the yard he wanted and then more.

And the tree falling

A pile of logs waiting to be picked up by the truck

Josh and I outside for a little potty break and so HAPPY at the amount of trees that were coming down on a daily basis.

One of the last days of clean-up

The guy hired to climb our tallest trees and drop the tops and mid-level branches.

Preparing to and Dropping one of the big trees out front.

And the truck that came on the last day to take the logs away to be milled.

There is a lot of work to be done in our yard now - all the branches and tree tops need to be cut down to size and burned. Our neighbor had trees removed too so we are all going to work together to get the clean-up done. Here is a picture of some of what we are dealing with....

Now, multiply that by 100,000 - anyone up for coming over with their chainsaw?!?!

xoxo
Hunter

Spring Skiing - kinda

2011-03-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday we all headed up to Waterville to do some Spring skiing - or so Erin and Josh thought it would be spring skiing. It ended up being COLD! The wind was whipping and the snow was not soft and squishy like Erin expected it to be but was very granular and icy in places due to the wind blowing the snow cover away. Despite these terrible weather conditions Erin and Josh took Auntie S and her friend A up to the mountain for a day of skiing.

While they braved the COLD weather, I stayed nice and warm in the condo with Bobo the bird. We watched a little TV (Animal Planet) and I took a nice long nap.

Erin says that Auntie S has improved greatly in her skiing abilities and that Josh has too! Auntie S's friend A did a great job skiing even though she doesn't do it as often as everyone else - she, Auntie S and Erin even went and did some beginner and intermediate woods skiing. Here's a picture of them in the woods in front of the split tree that you actually ski through!

And another picture of them getting ready to attack the intermediate woods trail!

Then, at the end of the day, their hard work was rewarded with some chocolate covered waffles (can you believe they didn't save any to bring home to me?!?!)

Erin and Josh also had a great day of skiing (it was the first time they had skied together in two seasons. Erin had Auntie S take a picture to memorialize the day - so here are Erin and Josh after a long day of skiing!

Erin and Josh have talked about trying to get one more day in this season and I do hope they get to do it (plus, I really like taking nice rests in the condo when no one else is there)! Hopefully next time it is truly SPRING skiing and NOT so COLD!

xoxo
Hunter

Another Picture-less post & Lots of news

2011-03-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

For some reason I am unable to upload pictures to the blog. I have no idea why but have contacted the good blog people to find out. So, until further notice there will be no pictures (BOO) and lots of words (double BOO) but hopefully soon enough there will be posts with all pictures (YEAH)!!!

This week has been a crazy one because Erin has been in trial ALL week. She had a three day hearing that ended up being a 2 day hearing but she spend a lot of time preparing for it on the days leading up to the hearing. She also had a divorce mediation in the middle of the hearing (there was a day in the middle of the two days of hearing) that she also had to prepare for and participate in. So, my poor Erin has barely been around and I have missed her so much!! But, she is just about 100% better and doesn't have another trial coming up till next month and ski season is almost over so pretty soon she is going to be ALL MINE!!!

Josh has also been very busy - he is gearing up for what he hopes will be a busy season. He has been working HARD on his mailing list so he can get it out before Memorial Day. Erin and I are rooting for him because his mailing can really generate business!

What have I been up to? Nothing! With everyone so busy and the weather turning chilly again I have been cooped up inside with not much to do. But, the rest is good for me because pretty soon it will be warm again and we will be taking lots of long walks and going on tons of adventures so there will be plenty to see and do!

In other news, my auntie Ana called to say that she is having a BABY!!! I am so excited because I am going to be a fur-uncle and I am going to see her this Sunday to celebrate her birthday! Erin says I will be a very good fur-uncle! Maybe, if auntie Ana has a boy she will name him Hunter :). Grandma Janet is going away for a wedding soon and so I am going to Grandma sit Grandma Irene! I hope to be able to spend lots of time with her (and boss that fat cat of hers around!). Maybe Erin will take us all for an ice cream!

So, that's all that has been going on. I hope to be able to post pictures soon - as soon as the blog people get back to me. Until then - this is Hunter signing off!

xoxo
Hunter

Our De-forest-ing Efforts

2011-03-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

For the past several weeks there has been lots of things going on in our yard, well - lots of things coming down really. Josh, through his connections at work, was able to find a few guys to come and take down our pine trees for free if they could keep the mill profits. While some might have pondered how much the mill would have paid Erin and Josh said "YES" because the ground was frozen, the trees are a danger to our home and all other quotes to remove the trees were very expensive and it would have taken over $2000 to remove just 13 trees and we had more than 20 removed!

Pictures to follow because Blogger is not letting me load them right now.

xoxo
Hunter

S's first Ski Race (kinda)

2011-02-28T11:44:00.000-08:00

This past week was February vacation and Aunt Sarah participated in NASTAR racing. This was just practice but she did really well. Both runs her time qualified her for a gold medal. Erin was able to get part of her second run on video - the quality is bad because it was SNOWING again! Aunt Sarah is the one in a blue/white jacket on the right side of the screen.

xoxo
Hunter

Bye Bye Trees

2011-02-28T06:51:00.000-08:00

There has been lots of activity in our yard in the last two weeks. Erin and Josh hired some people to come and take down our trees! All those pine trees that are super tall and like to drop sap (that gets stuck in my fur) are going to be gone and while I will miss watering them I am happy to see them go!

Wait till Erin gets a chance to post the pictures....our yard looks so different now!!!

xoxo
Hunter

where did the heat go?

2011-01-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

YIKES! For the last few weeks there has been a gurgling in our heaters upstairs when we are trying to go to sleep. It's really loud and wakes both me and Erin up in the middle of the night (and Erin always has to pee so she thinks its annoying!). Yesterday I had had enough and asked Erin to call Adam and ask his advice. Together they did some things to our burner and the pipes. Well, it appeared to work shortly after but we both woke up this morning (around 4am) and it was FREEZING in our house! The upstairs was a chilly 52 degrees and the downstairs was 46! Erin scooped me up and grabbed some extra blankets and we went and slept together in the guestroom as it was a little warmer in there (Josh stayed in bed because it was warm under the covers and we didn't want to wake him if he wasnt cold).

When the sun came up Erin called Adam to try to figure out what was going on. Adam was awesome and said that since he was in NH he would come to our house before heading home. He was worried that it might be a few different issues and it would be hard to do over the phone.

While we waited we watched the temperature fall to 44 and then rise and stop at 50. We took a ride in the car just to keep warm (by this time Erin had put 2 pairs of pajamas on me because I started to shiver - sometimes not having FUR stinks!) and got back just a few minutes before Adam pulled in the driveway.

Everyone went downstairs and the problem got figured out after a little bit - we did a temporary fix because there is a part that should be replaced but Adam didn't have one with him. So, Erin and I are going to have to be diligant in checking the burner every few days.

Adam said he had to go but Erin and Josh convinced him that they needed to thank him for going out of his way to come help - I agreed (even though I couldn't go) and they took him to the dinner for lunch. They weren't gone a super long time but by the time they got back the house was much warmer (don't worry, I was left all snuggled in blankets and my bed in the kitchen - see me?!)

So Adam checked everything again and then headed home. We are so THANKFUL that Adam was able to come by - and now our house is much warmer and we can all go to bed toasty and warm :)

It's only supposed to be -10 tonight and not the -20 that it was last night and warmer in the day than it was today so that I am looking forward to! It's cold on my feet when I go outside!

Stay warm everyone!

xoxo
Hunter

ICE ICE ICE

2011-01-19T04:19:00.000-08:00

Today it is very icy outside. After all the snow we got yesterday the ice started falling from the sky. Erin and Josh's cars are covered in it (Erin had a hard time getting her door open!) and all the leftover snow on the ground (the stuff that the snowblower couldn't get) melted and our driveway is a HUGE sheet of ice. Its hard to walk in this stuff - I look like Bambi with all 4 legs going in different directions. The ice is hard to get a picture of but it is about 0.25 inches thick and it is covering everything.

If you have ice today, please be careful!

xoxo
Hunter

Winter Storm 2011 #1

2011-01-18T17:13:00.000-08:00

January 12, 2011 the skies opened and it snowed and it snowed and it snowed! We ended up with about 20 inches of snow. There was so much snow that Erin and Josh had a hard time keeping the cars clean and the steps shoveled. Erin's work was cancelled really early in the morning - the courthouses closed and so did all the state services. Since no one had to go anywhere we all got to stay home together and hang out - till Erin and Josh went for a ride and out to lunch. I had to stay home because "no dogs allowed at the Olive Garden." When they came home I got to play outside while they cleaned the yard again. Here are some pictures!

Here is the snow 1/2 way up Josh's car tire.

Erin's truck looks very different under all that snow!

Josh snowblowing.

The snow is up to Erin's knee!

And the path Josh made for me to run up and down the driveway - until he snowblowed the whole driveway so they could go to lunch!

Lots of Snow - and more came today but that will follow in another post.

xoxo
Hunter

Snow Storms in the South and Bad Oranges

2011-01-11T05:36:00.000-08:00

Sunday Erin went grocery shopping and came home with almost no good veggies and fruits for me other than in the form of babyfood. Why? Because it seems that the South is getting more snow than we are and that's where my veggies and fruits grow when its cold here in Maine. This means no fruits and veggies for me. But, she did compromise and buy me some frozen broccoli and some yummy babyfood that has both pumpkin and bananas - YUMM!!

Now, this morning I got up early (way to early for Josh who was very grumpy with me but it was really 8am and I had to go #2!). I got to overhear the weatherman talking about a HUGE snowstorm that is coming our way. But, then Erin changed the channel and the other weatherman said it really wasn't going to be as strong as others were predicting because the storm could take a different route. What's this all mean for a dog like me? It means that if weatherman #1 is right - there will 15 inches of snow to play in by Friday. But, if weatherman #2 is right - there will be about 5 inches. Since 5 inches is not enough to cancel work or school I am going to vote for 15 inches and then both Erin and Josh will be able to stay home and play with me all day and we can even build a snow dog!

For now, I will have to be my own weatherdog and watch the storm develop from the window. I will report back on what I observe later.

xoxo
Hunter

Our First Videos

2011-01-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

I haven't figured out how to link two or more video segments together but here are the first of the videos Hunter and I make with the Flip Camera that I got for Xmas.

In the first one the bad quality is from me walking to follow him - apparently I should not do that!

For this video I stood in one place. Much better quality!
Hopefully as I get to know the camera better and can find some editing programs the videos themselves will improve.....stay tuned!

xoxo Erin

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

2011-01-05T06:48:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking long and hard about these because everyone's resolutions appear to be the same (1) work out (2) eat healthier (3) be kind . . . .

Well, I want to make changes this year that I can really stick to and that I will be able to monitor and evaluate my progress. Therefore my resolutions were not ready on January 1st but that does not make them any less important or prove that I am any less committed to them.

I am also writing them down here on the blog so that I can hold myself to them in a more "public" way. So, there's no turning back now . . .

(1) Eat one balanced meal per day
(2) Do not get more than 2 weeks behind in laundry/ironing (more ironing than laundry)
(3) Spend 15-30 minutes each night reading for fun before going to bed and go to bed before 11 at least 3 nights a week.
(4) Take ONE full day off from law related work each week
(5) Walk Hunter at least once a week even if its COLD!

xoxo
Erin

Happy New Years!

2011-01-04T16:56:00.001-08:00

The New Year 2011 was rung in with family in the WV. Well, Erin and Josh rang in the New Year with family, I was stuck in my x-pen in the livingroom of the condo with Bobo as my companion (in his own cage) and my furry cousins downstairs in their pen. But, it appears that the two-legged people in our family had a good night.

They went out to dinner (no left-overs for me so it must have been good) and then stayed up late doing "grown-up things". Finally Aunt Sarah came home and hung out with me (everyone else had to stay locked up) until just before MIDNIGHT when all the people's came home so we could all say "Happy New Year" to each other and go to bed (Erin and my grandparents all had to work in the early morning).

Erin took only two pictures at New Years because her battery was dying on the camera so here they are!

Happy New Year!
xoxo
Hunter

A sample-ing of Xmas Pictures

2011-01-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

I really didn't take that many pictures this year during the Christmas festivities as I wanted to sit back and just enojoy the time with my family. But, I did take a few so here they are:

No matter what was going on the day of Christmas, Hunter slept. He slept through the entire opening of gifts, movie watching, and only awoke to eat his dinner. Silly Boy!

Bobo, on the other hand, was very busy in his cage watching all that way going on and playing with his new hideaway. He finally was comfortable enough with it to go inside and take a little nap by the end of the day.

Oh right, Hunter did wake up long enough to take this picture too!

Mom and Janet - busy as bees in their matching aprons cooking dinner!

And lastly, me and Grandma Irene on Christmas Even enjoying our Chinese Food!

Merry Christmas 2010!

xoxo
Erin

Our Christmas Trees

2011-01-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

This year we had three Christmas Trees in our home. We had the big tree in our living room and then two little colored trees in the guest room upstairs. They are really neat and while not 100% decorated I am going to show them to you anyways.

This pink tree Erin got as a Christmas Gift from Grandma Janet last year. It is going to be her pink and green tree and will rotate between the bedroom and other parts of the house at different times of year (like easter!).

This is the blue tree that Erin bought this year. She really liked it and thought it would look very pretty in the new guest room once it is all done. She might keep it in the room all year but add some ocean-ish ornaments and things to it. She hasn't decided but I think its a great idea as I really like the tree a lot (more than the pink - and so does Josh! But, that might be because we are boys).

And finally, there was our big family tree! This tree is always in our living room and is decorated with lot of sailboats and seashells. Usually I love to run under the tree but since I wasn't careful last year and almost broke a present and ripped the paper on one, Erin put up a gate to keep me out from under the tree. Maybe she won't do that next year and I can enjoy the tree my way once more....we shall have to wait and see :)

So, there you have it - our 2010 Christmas Trees!!!

xoxo
Hunter

"Gotcha Day"

2010-12-13T20:51:00.000-08:00

Three years ago today I joined Erin and Josh's family. Though the story has been told many times, it has never been told from my point of view! When Decembe 13, 2007 arrived I was so tired of being at the shelter. I promised myself that I would do anything I had to that day to get a family to take my home and KEEP me! I did not want to spend Christmas at the shelter!

So, when I was brought to the room where Erin and Josh were (though I didn't know it was them at the time), I did everything I could to look super cute! I ran around the room like a crazy puppy (in case they wanted a really active dog) but then I also figured out that Josh was the one to impress so I ran over to him and gave him my belly for some loving. When he smiled - I knew I had found my ticket out of there!!!

Now, three years later I have to say that I picked a pretty good family for myself! I have Erin and Josh plus all my grandparents who love me lots! I have cousins to play with (or growl at) and also get to go on lots of adventures! I'm a pretty lucky guy to have all these people who love me!

I love my family!!! Happy "Gotcha Day" to us!

xoxo
Hunter

Hunter & Santa 2010

2010-12-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

Christmas Photo Out-takes

2010-12-06T16:28:00.000-08:00

Living Room Curtains are Up

2010-12-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

Tonight Erin really hustled to get a lot of different things done. A week ago she took down the old curtains and their holders and then had to patch the walls. The patching stuff didn't dry well so she had to redo it a few days later. Finally, last night she said it was hard enough to sand - so sand she did and she made a BIG mess!! But, she was prepared with the broom, mop, and it was all clean.

Why all this work? Because she wanted to hang the new curtains that she had bought to match the ones in the dinningroom. Erin and Josh liked them so much that they wanted them in the livingroom too. And, because all these windows are on the same "wall" technically Erin says, it just makes sense.

Since she was putting the curtains up and cleaning up the mess she made Erin cleaned the entire livingroom and got out all the Christmas Decorations and the TREE!!!!!

But, before I let you see the tree, I have to show you the rest of the livingroom.

And now - onto the Tree!!!

And here's how it looks in the room.

I'm really happy that my Christmas Tree is up but Erin and Josh put a gate around the back of it so I cant scoot under it - they have ruined my chances of beating one of them to the kitchen but it's only temporary so I guess I can live with it if it means Santa is coming!

Merry Christmas (a little early)

xoxo
Hunter

A New Jacket for Hunter

2010-12-02T18:27:00.000-08:00

Hunter received a gift in the mail today from a special friend. While there is little doubt that he is an unusual dog his behavior after receiving this coat further proved it. Hunter loves to be dressed up and so once the coat was on he began running around the house, jumping in his beds, and kicking his feet in the air until we took this bundle of energy outside to run around. Here are a few pictures of our crazy dog in his new coat.

Hockey Game

2010-12-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago Josh and I were invited to a Portland Pirates hockey game! We went with Beth and Kelly and had a great time - well, I did! This was Josh's first hockey game and while he had a good time with everyone there he did not enjoy the actual game. As it was his first game I do hope that he will go to another game as it might grow on him :)

The Pirates won the game in an overtime shoot-out. It was a lot of fun to watch and it made me realize how much I missed watching hockey! The fans often make the game and this time there were no exceptions! There were some crazy Pirates fans there - many brought flags!

GO PIRATES!!!

Christmas Photos - Take 1

2010-12-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

I tried very hard last week to get a cute photo of Hunter for Christmas this year but he had decided that he simply did not want to participate. Despite being clean and fully brushed he had other plans for his day and they did not involve posing for photos!

Here is a slew of photos that will not be appearing on our Christmas Cards. Hopefully we will get another chance to take some this weekend.

Maybe Next time . . .

xoxo
Erin

A Wall of Water

2010-11-15T17:25:00.000-08:00

Friday was also very nice out (but not as nice as Saturday) and so when Erin and Josh finished up their work we headed down to our favorite beach to get some much needed exercise! The tide was coming in and the waves were VERY strong! So strong in fact that they were coming up and over the seawall.

Josh was being crazy and he parked in one spot (Erin told him not to) where we would get a real good look at the waves coming up and over the wall - in fact we got too close of a good look. Here's the picture Erin happened to catch as the wave came up and over the wall and pelted our car!

After making sure that Josh's car was safely parked we went for a really nice walk down the seawall. There were tons of surfers out and lots of others taking advantage of the awesome weather! The waves were crashing everywhere and one that would have taken me out if I had been any closer to it when it crashed! YIKES.

Because we didn't want to get hit with any water but it was too nice to go home Josh, Erin and I went and sat on the rocks and just relaxed and watched the waves and the surfers . . .

and took a really bad family photo!

And that's how I spend my Friday night (but when I got home, Erin gave me a bath - YUCK!)

xoxo
Hunter

Christmas Preparations are Underway!

2010-11-15T04:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend it was unseasonably warm - really, it was in the high 60s! Erin and Josh decided to take advantage of the warm weather and get the outside of our home ready for Christmas (they always end up doing it when its freezing outside!). On Saturday it began with Erin stringing lights along the roof of our home and Josh taking in all our outdoor hoses and sprinklers.

What did I do while all this craziness was going on? First, I supervised from afar.

Then I came in closer for a better look at the progress.

When it looked like Josh was trying to avoid his duties I chased him into the back yard to check on that hose.

Lastly, I snuggled up to Erin and Josh for a quick family picture!

Aren't weekends wonderful!??!

xoxo
Hunter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA JANET

2010-11-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a very special lady!!!

xoxo
Erin, Hunter & Josh

Navy & Green = Warmth

2010-11-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

Winter is coming pretty soon and so I have been making sure I am ready! I already pulled out my winter sweaters and jackets and started trying them on and getting them cleaned by Erin. But, so many of my things do not fit because she bought them a while back and I have lost some weight. So, this past weekend we went down to one of my favorite stores (www.scalawagsonline.com) in Kennebunkport to visit my dear friend Mary Beth and pick out a new sweater.

But, Erin couldn't just get the sweater - oh no - she had to get the matching scarf! What do you think?

Your right - it just doesn't look good without the sweater! Bring on the snow, I'm ready for it!

xoxo
Hunter

It's Hunting Season - Don't Hunt for Hunter!

2010-11-07T06:49:00.000-08:00

When the crisp air moves in and the leaves began to change color and cover our lawn we know that hunting season has arrived. The other big clue to the arrival of hunting season is the line of TRUCKS up and down our street by the trail. Soon after seeing these trucks, we start hearing the sounds of guns going off in the distance.

Keeping yourself safe and your pets safe is an absolute MUST!! We no longer get to walk the trail and we do not spend much time in our backyard (despite living here for 5 years being in the backyard during hunting season still makes me nervous, the guns simply sound SOOOO close!). Those walking or bike riding up and down the road wear orange and safety vests and very rarely do you see a truck drive by where someone isn't wearing a bright orange hat or vest.

Since Hunter can look like a little white rabbit as he bounds up and down the road and through our yard, he has his own safety orange jacket. Its two seasons old now and so the orange has faded a bit but it still clearly marks him as NOT being avaliable for anyone else's taking.

Next year he might need a new one or we might need to make some modifications to this one as its far too big for him now (he's 9 pounds but was 12 when we bought it) but it will have to do for this season.

So, here's our little Hunter sporting his safety Hunter Orange this Hunting Season!

xoxo
Erin & Josh

Halloween Weekend

2010-11-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! This year we simply weren't sure what we wanted to do for Halloween. Erin was supposed to go to the dentist on Friday but that changed so we decided VERY last minute to go with Grandma Janet and Dennis to Salem, Ma on Saturday night. It was so last minute that neither Erin nor Josh had a chance to get any type of costume together. But, I am always prepared - I had bought my costume last year for 75 cents at Target! This year, I was a bumble bee (but I did not wear the headband with the anteanna things).

The drive to Salem did not take too long and we were able to find parking (bonus!). It was crazy busy there and there was so much to see and do. Erin wasn't sure how I was going to get around (it was so crowded) but then we remembered that my stroller was in the trunk. Thank goodness for that! So, for Halloween I as really a dog dressed as a bumble bee in a stroller! Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment!

This is Grandma Janet and Dennis with a HUGE statue of a CREEPY witch! But guess what - she wasn't a statue - she is REAL!!! She moved and changed poses every once in a while to scare people and when Grandpa Dennis put a tip in her bucket she yelled at him to "get away from there". I think she thought he would steal her money!

These aren't great pictures of me in my costume but its the best that we have right now. Erin is going to take more this weekend I think. But, riding in my stroller was great - I was super safe from all those feet and we visited the park a few times for me to run and water the trees!

Erin and Grandma Janet - a GREAT picture!

Then, on Sunday Erin had to drive to Grandma Mary's so she could do to the dentist on Monday. She didn't think she would make it for Trick or Treating but guess who she saw as she drove down the road?!?! Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss! (But really - it was Aunt Sarah (w/out the glasses) and her friend A). Aren't their costumes GREAT?!?! Grandma Mary put them together!

I didn't go with Erin to the dentist but I did see her new tooth when she got home. She got a crown put on her back molar - it had turned gross after a filing got chipped and fod got stuck making the tooth very sick. But, its all healed now and looks sparkly clean! Now she has to work EXTRA hard to pay the bill! :) I'm so glad that I'm not her!!!

We have a few more pictures to post but Erin has to get back to work - dentists are expensive!

xoxo
Hunter

A Weekend in Review

2010-10-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend was COLD!!!! We had to really turn up the heat. There was frost on the cars each morning and I did not want to get out of bed! Saturday I helped Erin do lots of laundry and I also had to go to the groomers. That was a BIG mistake! The groomer they gave to me was a BOY! I do not like boys very much. Erin and Josh think he was afraid of me and so my haircut wasn't great. I had a huge amount of hair left behind my ears and around my neck and collar. Erin thinks he also made a mistake with his clippers because one of my ears was shorter than the other.

So, today Erin ordered her own grooming clippers and some scissors but she did a little trim on my herself with what she had here at the house because she really wanted to fix me up. It's not perfect but its a good first try!

Before the big haircut today we went for a ride into New Hampshire to a Christmas Store. It was so cold out (like I said before) that both Erin and Josh were in the Christmas mood so away we went. The store is huge and there is so much to see. We didn't buy anything but it sure was nice to get out and look around!

Next weekend is Halloween, I'm not sure what we are going to do but I have my costume all ready to go!

xoxo
Hunter

Soccer Star Sarah

2010-10-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to my Grandma's house to spend time with my Aunts while Grandma Mary went to a concert. While I was there Aunt Sarah had a soccer game. Since I had never been to one I decided to go and cheer her on. It was VERY cold and windy outside and that meant I had to wear a winter coat. Even with my coat on it was still COLD and the field was sooo windy! I don't know how the girls on the field could stand it. Everyone was drinking hot chocolate and a lot of the brothers and sisters of the players were eating snacks. I also got some snacks because they offered me some!

Here's me in my coat and blanket - and I was still SO COLD!!! But I cheered for Sarah the whole time!

Sarah did a great job playing. She plays on the Defense which means she doesn't get to run up and down the field too much but has to help the goalie keep the ball out of the net. She did a great job and the game ended in a tie.

Sarah and her Team getting in position to block a corner kick.

Sarah running to kick the ball out of her zone.

Sarah's cheering her team on!

Getting ready for a head butt!

Hope you liked the pictures. I can't wait to go to another game but maybe next time I should go when it's a little warmer out!

xoxo
Hunter

What a weekend!

2010-10-18T09:59:00.001-07:00

Lots of pictures to come from an exciting weekend of movies and Soccer with my Aunt Sarah and Danielle. Stay Tuned....Erin has to get her work done before she can play with the pictures.

xoxo
hunter

The Cold has Won!

2010-10-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

Today is October 12, 2010 and our heat has officially been on for 2 nights. Saturday night it was freezing here (we had actual frost warnings) and our house was a chilly 57 degrees at midnight. There was no telling how low it was going to go and so.....the heat went on!

I have been wearing sweaters every day now and Erin cleaned out her closet and packed away all her summer clothes. Josh has been doing the same thing and you should see the piles of clothes that Erin has been taking to the donation center of things neither of them wear anymore. I also cleaned out my drawer and moved all my summer clothes to the closet and pulled out my sweaters and winter coats!

Erin also put up the new curtains in the living room to help keep it warmer and the airconditioner was removed too. We are battending down the hatches for a long winter's nap (well, I wil probably nap a lot this winter - Erin and Josh will have to work)!!

There is such a sense of winter in the air in the mornings and at night - fall seems to only exist during the daytime. This weekend was Columbus Day Weekend and we only were able to spend a few hours outside each day because of the cold. We went up to Freeport and walked around the shops and had a great time but when it started getting cold we left.

Now, I spend my mornings snuggled in a blanket in my bed in Erin's office - its a GREAT way to beat the cold! This picture was taken with Erin's cell phone so the quality is bad but don't I look all warm and comfy!

Stay warm everyone as fall slowly turns to winter!

xoxo
Hunter

Today is Your Birthday!

2010-10-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Erin and I are very excited to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! We both love you very much and while she promises to get home from work as soon as she can, I promise to be a good boy all day!

Happy Birthday Josh!!

xoxo
Hunter (and Erin too)

Fall Fun Weekend Activity

2010-09-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday we went Apple Picking at the nearby Brackett's Orchard. While Shaker Hill Orchard is right own the street they were having some HUGE child-oriented festival and art exhibit/sale and it just wasn't the relaxing atmosphere I was looking for. We also didn't go to Snell's Orchard because even though they told me there was PYO (pick-your-own) they fibbed - orchards closed to general public. So we ended up at Bracketts.

But, we didn't apple-pick alone! We had some wonderful guests - Ana & Gordon! They drove up from Boston for the afternoon to share in the Fall Fun! When we got to Brackett's we were told we could either pick at the mini-field or head on down the road about a mile and pick apples where there was a "panoramic view". Being geeks - we had to head that way! The orchard did have a lovely view but I do not have pictures. Why? Because I forgot to install my memorycard into my camera before leaving. I am usually so good at that but just overlooked it this time.

I did manange to get some pictures of the apple-picking fun. I guess next year I will remember to double check my camera!

Ana & Gordon (almost one year of marriage for them)!

Erin & Ana - spending time together in an Apple Bin.

I just had to climb one of the trees - they have so many branches, climbing is easy! Next time though, I really need to wear sneakers and not ballet flats!

Josh & I

We also bought pumpkins and apple cider! It was a really fun afternoon - can't wait for apple season again next year!

xoxo
Erin

HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY!!!

2010-09-26T16:56:00.001-07:00

"HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY" to Sean & Lindsay!

It was one year ago today when you became Husband and Wife and both Josh and Erin took part in your wedding celebration (while I stayed behind in the hotel with Grandma Janet). It was a beautiful wedding and it has been a very busy first year but we all wish you many more years of happiness.

xoxo
Hunter, Erin & Josh.

Early Fall Clean-Up!

2010-09-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday Erin and I worked really hard outside! First we trimmed out all the gardens, then we mowed the lawn. We had to mow it twice because some parts didn't mow well the first time - that was a lot of work - so much that my feet turned green!

After mowing the lawn we used the leafblower and cleaned up the driveway. Of course, we are going to have to do it again in a few weeks because the pineneedles are falling like crazy but that's fall for you.

After cleaning up the driveway we washed the X and Erin applied her stickers. Then, we gathered up some sticks for our firepit. We couldn't have a fire because it rained the night before and the wood was wet but that's ok because we will have a fire soon; fall is all about fires at night :)

xoxo
Hunter

Josh & I

2010-09-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

Even though I spend nearly every day with Josh we often don't bring a camera with us so we don't have a lot of pictures. And, I get embarrased giving Josh a lot of love in front of our family - I have a reputation of a vicious killer to uphold :).

BUT . . . this weekend Erin, Josh, and I were just having fun in the yard and Erin pulled out her camera (she always has it with her) and snapped a great photo of Josh and I. Josh and I are great friends and here's a picture to prove it!

Enjoying the last days of Summer

2010-09-24T16:07:00.000-07:00

Two days ago it was officially the last day of summer. But ever since then the weather has been CRAZY!!! It was 70 then 80 and today it was in the mid-70s! What's a guy to do?!?! Well, for one, get my last dose of Frontline for the season! That was exciting - I hate the greasy feeling of Frontline so I'm glad its all over. Then I had to play in the yard because it was sooo nice out!!! So, here I am in all my "just after the last official day of summer but still really warm outside glory" :)

xoxo
Hunter

Fruits of Labor (or Love?)

2010-09-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

The second batch of peppers were picked from our garden today. The first batch Erin didn't get a picture of because I forgot to remind her. But, she cooked them up and shared them on BBQ night. I didn't get to eat them because Erin tells me that peppers are not good for little white dogs. But, I did remind her this time so I have pictures to share!

Look - even after picking 8 peppers from the plants there are still more growing!!!!

Its too bad that our cucumbers were drowned on the vine when we were on vacation in the HUGE rainstorms that came to our home because I could eat those BUT I am going to ensure that they are planted again next year.

Erin said she hopes to get one more batch of peppers but we will have to wait and see what the weather brings - its getting REALLY cold out at night!!!

xoxo
Hunter

I love BBQ!!!!

2010-09-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Erin had some of her friends over and made them all a BBQ dinner. That means that I got some BBQ too!!!

First Step: Veggies go into the foil so it can all become a steam packet for the grill.

I am not allowed to have actual BBQ sauce so my chicken goes on the grill raw - just a little salt and pepper.

Then, when it all cooks up and gets chopped into pieces it all goes into my bowl and looks like this:

I just LOVE BBQ nights in my house because I get to eat such good food. Hope you all had good food this weekend :)

xoxo
Hunter

Strut Your Mutt 2010

2010-09-12T19:56:00.001-07:00

Today was the day and what a great day it was! I woke up to a hearty breakfast and then spent some time outside doing my business. Then, Erin and I did some laundry and rested my belly - you have to rest your belly before exercising!

Then I drove down to the beach for my Strut Your Mutt walk. There were so many dogs there and lots of people too! First stop was to register and then do some stretches to get my legs limber. Then, it was time to start walking . . . and walking . . . and walking (and pose for pictures)!!!

But, I did take time to take a picture with Benny the Savings Bank Bear!

It was so much fun walking with all the other dogs but I have to be honest with you - it was a little crazy with all those dogs there. I think some of the other dogs there thought so as well because they were riding in a stroller!

When I got almost to the end of my walk guess who was there? Grandma Janet & Grandpa Dennis. They came to cheer me on which was super nice of them and made it much easier for me to keep going all the way to the end!

At the end of our walk we had a lot of fun playing with the cut-outs. Do you think the pictures came out nice enough to be my Christmas card!??!!?

Thank you to everyone who donated money to my fundraising efforts! I really appreciate and was so proud to be able to tell AWS that I surpassed my goal! The grand total was $905!!! Thank you everyone!

xoxo
Hunter

Accessories for the X

2010-09-07T20:53:00.001-07:00

Erin finally got her new whale sticker for her X (Grandma - that's the name of her new truck) and its got her thinking of ways to make her X stand out from the crowd. Erin used to not like to put stickers on her car but then, with the silver car, she broke out of the habit and added a few in various places and liked the look.

Now, with a sportier truck that just screams "put stickers on me!" Erin is looking for stickers that will make the grade. Here are some that she likes so far:

Maybe the image of the Cape could be pink or navy?

Not sure if this would stay pink or not.

Gotta support the Sox and show some Irish Pride

Life is GOOD!

Gotta have the trademark whale & flip flops.

Erin is also thinking about a cool trailer hitch insert because she can! So far she is thinking Navy with a Hot Pink E or the Pink/White dots with a Navy E.

That's all she has so far - I'm not sure where on her X she is going to put these or even if she would put all of them but I know its what she's been thinking of!

xoxo
Hunter

Dinning Room Done

2010-09-07T04:51:00.000-07:00

During the last few weeks Erin has been working on the Dinning Room. It all started with finding a hornet's nest in the curtains back in late June and then finding another hornet in the room behind a picture frame in July. After reading online about hornets in the home Erin learned that you can help to get rid of the hornets by painting the area in which they were found after you remove the nest and hornets and wash down the walls. Well, Erin had already been thinking about repainting the room so this was the final push she needed.

The walls were first painted Antique White when she and Josh moved in because neither were aware of what their decorating style would be for that room but they were certain that the crazy stencil border of apples had to go. This time around, Erin decided that since she loved the beige color of her office she would use it in the dinning room as well. The dinning room gets so much more light than the office that it truly looks like a different color!

After the beige was put on the walls, it was time to repaint the one shared wall with the living room (this one had to stay Antique White), replace the wall hangings (they didn't change - they just needed to be put back on the walls) and hang the new curtains and curtain rods. Erin still has to steam the wrinkles out of the new curtains but she couldn't resist taking and posting these pictures.

The picture wall with it's new beige background! So much nicer than before!

A close-up of the color contrast in the far left corner.

A view from the entry way - what a difference! I'll see if I can find a 'Before' picture to post this week.

I think the room turned out GREAT - don't you?!?!?

xoxo
Hunter

PS. I also like how Erin has arranged the chairs - it leaves so much more room for me to play on the rug!

MAYDAY Mini Golf

2010-09-01T06:29:00.001-07:00

Erin's camera was acting up during the great game of mini-golf so not all these pictures are top quality BUT I think they are good enough to convey how much fun everyone had!

A picture of my grandparents just outside the mini-golf place.

A picture of the funny sign.

Josh, acting goofy.

Danielle getting ready to make her putt.

Grandma Mary and Sarah pose for a picture

Sarah just after getting a hole in one on Hole 4 (which won her a free game)

Erin posing with the full moon

Grandma Mary after getting her hole-in-one!

There's still more pictures to be posted! Vacation sure gave me stuff to blog about!

xoxo
Hunter

Baby Names?!?!?

2010-08-31T08:39:00.000-07:00

Of the many things we talked about during our vacation the oddest one was during our last dinner at the Boundary House. For some reason the topic of our conversation turned to baby names (of all things right!?!?)

What names seemed to come out on top you ask? Well, thats putting the cart before the horse as some would say but it was a lot of fun hearing what everyone thought of the names offered by others. Danielle and I often thought of people we knew with that name or how many kids had that name already. Mom thought Mary was a great name and Adam of course, liked anything he picked :)

I think we found a few potentials in the slew of names . . . . but again, cart before the horse :-P

xoxo

Erin

It's a Bird . . It's a Plane . .

2010-08-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

Its NOT superman!!! It's Erin, Josh & Sarah parasailing while on vacation!

Here's the before picture - everyone looks very relaxed!

Getting strapped in - both Sarah and Josh were a little nervous here.

And away we go - their feet are leaving the boat!

Further and Further away from the boat they go......

Just gliding across the water

Getting realed back in....

Erin said that parasailing was a lot of fun and that she was really glad that she went. Sarah also said she had a lot of fun - she was worried that she would be really scared but decided that it wasn't scary at all. Josh said he was glad he did it but that it did make his stomach drop once or twice - but he would go again another time. It seems like everyone that went had a great time and the pictures look amazing...wish I could have gone too but I don't think they make harnesses for dogs.

xoxo
Hunter

Food Allergies are Miserable.

2010-08-30T18:41:00.000-07:00

As a kid I have a few food allergies - looking back they don't seem like your average children's allergies (raisins, strawberry jello, latex) but nonetheless, my mom made sure that I learned to stay away from these things. Then in college, an aversion to yeast and wheat developed. The doctor encouraged me to stay away from gluten (harder than you think when your on a college meal plan and Whole Foods doesn't exist yet) but after 4 years of college it seemed that allergy was slowly subsiding.

Well, it seems my body has moved onto a new allergy or should I say allergies: fruits. I cannot eat peaches, plums, or nectarines without my lips swelling and my face and inside my mouth becoming uncomfortably numb. The more "stone" fruits I try - the longer the sensations last. Today, my lower lip was numb for over 2 hours.

According to my extensive reasearch online it would also follow that I need to be more careful and also stay away from the following foods:

Cherries, Mangos, Apricots,

As a procaution it is also advised that walnuts & birch nuts be avoided. Apparently, it is potentially not the fruit itself but the pollens from the trees and flowers of the plant that reside on the skin that could be causing this reaction and once the fruit is cooked or peeled I should be fine.

Since my mouth is still currently very uncomfortable I don't think I will be trying that at this moment.

As a side note - I have noticed that in the last two years I have had difficult allergy seasons; even Josh has commented on it. Are these two direct correlates of each other as the research suggests? I will have to look into it more.

All I know is that its the best time of year for the best fresh fruits from the trees and I might be reduced to canned and packed in syrup versions - GROSS!!!

--- Erin

Last Night of Vacation

2010-08-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

These posts will be a little out of order because Erin can only edit the pictures so fast but here is a picture of Erin, Grandma Mary, Sarah, and Danielle from the last night we were on vacation. Everyone went to the Boundary House for dinner. From the little piece of Prime Rib that Erin brought home for me I know they all had great meals! Grandpa Adam took this picture and I think it's a great one! the only person missing is Cathlin but she left early to get her classroom ready for the first day of school. Hopefully one day I will be able to visit her classroom!!!

Don't all the ladies look lovely!??

xoxo
Hunter

Driving to North Carolina via Cape Cod

2010-08-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

Our vacation started on Sunday night with a drive to Cape Cod. Erin & I left a few hours before Josh (he suprized us by deciding to come on vacation too). We took the old Sentra down so it was a little more fun for me because my seat is next to the window in the old car but in the middle of the row in the new car).

On Monday Erin went to the dentist and then we dropped the Sentra off with Dar to be looked at while we were away. I saw my old friend Harley who had to stay inside the house while I was outside because even though he's getting older - he may still not really like me (he's never been a fan of other dogs).

Tuesday morning Cathlin arrived and our road trip started! I started my road trip by driving with Josh in our car while the ladies (and Bobo) drove in the Yukon. But, after our first stop for gas I switched to the Yukon too! Then I took some pictures of everyone in the car having a good time.

This is Grandma Mary Driving (and Cathlin being a great co-pilot)

Aunt Danielle singing to the radio and not wanting her picture taken.

My friend Bobo - we spent a lot of time together this vacation!

We made a few stops along the way for gas and food (and I switched back to Josh's car so Erin could drive the Yukon), we finally arrived at the Condo at 2am in the morning. It was a long ride but it was a fun one and a GREAT way to start our vacation!!!

More posts to follow soon.....stay tuned!

xoxo Hunter

Home Sweet Home

2010-08-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

Our vacation is officially over. Part of me is very sad but the other part of me is very happy to be home in my own house on my own bed! Last night we got back around 11pm and Erin scooped me up and carried me right up to bed. Today, I have spent the majority of the day helping her to unpack from our 14 days away. There were bags to unpack, dishes to do, laundry to sort and start, and of course . . . lots of pictures to go through.

Wait till you see some of the fun things that we all did while on vacation. Well, some fun things that Erin & Josh did while on vacation - the carolina's aren't the most dog-friendly places so I often stayed home in the condo with Bobo during the day. That was fun too because it was nice and cool!

Many posts to follow with lots of pictures!

xoxo
Hunter

Help Hunter Help Others

2010-08-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hunter is once again participating in the annual 'Strut Your Mutt' fundraiser walk for the Animal Welfare Society (the shelter Hunter was adopted from). The money raised by walkers goes into the Sadie Fund. Monies from this fund are used to give the animals at the shelter both basic and extensive medical care and treatment.

Hunter would love for his blog readers to check out his fundraising site and make a donation if possible.

http://www.firstgiving.com/erinoreillyjakan

Last year Hunter raised $675.00 and this year he would like to raise $800.00. Please give what you can, if you can, to help him reach his goal!

A New Blog Design!!!

2010-08-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

Erin spend the better part of too many nights searching for blog designs that she really liked. She couldn't find one and so she was intent on making her own but simply didn't have time this week or next to learn. So, togeter we have chosen to go with this theme until Erin has the time to venture into making a special one of a kind background and extras.

Erin really loves these colors together - what do you think??

xoxox
Hunter

a weekend of FIRSTS!!!!

2010-08-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

It started as a Joke but then became fun....This past weekend I kept track of all the "Firsts" my new Truck had and how many of them included Sarah. Here's the list of all the "Firsts" my Truck did this weekend that included Sarah:

Sarah was the FIRST person to:

1. ride in my Truck when it crossed State lines

2. ride in my Truck for more than 30 minutes without stopping.

3. ride in the backseat of my Truck for more than 10 minutes.

4. ride in my Truck with Hunter buckled in the backseat.

5. have her luggage stored in the back of my Truck.

6. ride in my Truck down a dirt road.

7. ride in my Truck after swimming.

8. have her wet bathingsuit stored in the roof rack.

9. ride in my Truck through a Toll Booth.

10. ride in my Truck as it parked in a parking garage.

11. almost fall asleep in my Truck.

12. ride in my Truck across a Bridge.

That's certainly a lot of FIRSTS for both my Truck and Sarah!!!

Fun in the Dirt & Water

2010-08-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday Aunt Sarah worked hard with Erin to plant the last of the flowers bushes that she and Josh had bought a few weeks ago. First, they took a trip to the store to get dirt and mulch.

Then, they had to spread the dirt.

After that they had to lay the weed carpet down.

Then, slowly each plant went in the ground.

This is me helping!

Until it was all finished!!!!

As a reward for her hard work, Josh and Erin took Sarah swimming in the lake. I didn't get to go because there isn't a lot of beach but I know they had a lot of fun.

The place they went used to be a summer camp for boys (and before that for girls). Here is one of the cabins.

And here is a control burn that took place the night before - the buidlings are slowly being taken down because Josh is going to be listing all the land for sale!

I wish we could buy this land! The lake is beautiful and so is the surrounding area!

xoxo
Hunter

A Special Guest . . . . and a Pottery Adventure.

2010-07-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Sarah came to visit for the weekend and I am very glad that she did. She is fun to play with and she likes to fetch my toys for me. But, yesterday (Friday) she took off with Erin for a few hours and when she came home I found out that they went to paint pottery.

Sarah painted a Turtle and Erin painted a cupcake box. I was very angry that they didn't take me with them. I could have painted pottery too! Or, I could have just sat there nicely but they wanted to have some girl time. Here are some pictures from their pottery painting fun.

First Stage of Painting

Second Stage of Painting

Stage Three

It's Finished!!!

Here are the finished pieces & a picture of them with Aunt Sarah & Erin

I wish I could have gone painting!!!

xoxo
Hunter