Christmas 2017

I can't even express how much fun the holiday season is for me.  The girls enthusiasm and happiness is so contagious.  It was a wonderful Christmas full of fun and family time!

 Treats for Santa!

 Daddy and the girls reading The Night Before Christmas and tracking Santa's location!!!

 Santa found us!

Puppy Molly fit right in with the celebration.  Only with us for a few days and it feels like she was meant to be!

 I may or may not be obsessed with stocking stuffers.  I justify my obsession because most of the items are practical! Some are just plain fun too!

Meet Molly Joy

Never in a million years would I have ever planned on making a decision to get another puppy in a matter of a few hours! Jim and I have always been a two dog family- before we had kids and after we had the girls.  Lately I've been saying I want (but not really at this moment) a Vizsla puppy.  The girls and Jim kept saying lets get another puppy and I kept saying no way.  Mia is too perfect for us. She is the best lake dog, boat dog and hiking dog.  I always fear that we would not get an easy puppy or a dog that wouldn't like the life we live at the lake.  Well, Jim decided to look at the website of our local shelter.  Wouldn't you know it, there was a 3.5 month old puppy ready for adoption.  The foster family that planned to adopt her found out that they got a job in Chicago and would be moving.  After Jim sent me the link, I couldn't get her out of my mind.  Told Jim to see if she was still available.  He went 5 steps further and filled out an application! Then he went to the shelter to hand in the application and schedule a visit.  It just so happened that she was there visiting the shelter that evening.  He met her and fell in love.  He came home and said we had to take the girls there to visit.  We didn't tell the girls what was going on.  We got there and were put into a visiting room with the sweetest, most adorable red coated, pointy eared puppy and we were DONE! She was ours.  As soon as we told the girls that we were waiting for the application to be approved to take her home, they freaked out! They love her. 

The shelter named her Molly.  Another reason this all felt meant to be as that is my mom's name and Sawyer's middle name.  Mom didn't care that we kept her name.  I thought Joy made the perfect middle name for her since she brought us the most amazing Christmas Joy!

Mia took a few days to get used to the new pup.  Mia has been the one and only for a few years since Izzy passed away.  For a short time, we feared Mia wouldn't adjust and that we might have to give Molly back to the shelter.  The very next morning the two dogs started playing and romping around together!!! They haven't stopped since.  Mia is so happy to have a tug of war and chasing around the yard playmate! They even share the same doggy bed every evening.  Napping and all curled up together on one bed (even though we have two beds for them).  Too sweet.

Fingers crossed that Molly loves the lake life as much as we do! I think she is already showing signs of being an easy going pup!

Molly Joy 3.5 months old  (looks like a Pitbull / Vizsla mixed breed).  She's got the body and coloring of a Vizsla and the cute pointy ears of a pit.  She beautiful and so sweet.  Very well behaved in the house and in the yard.  I think she will train amazingly well with the underground fence.  I see many long hikes with she and Mia running together in the woods!