A thought on Fathers

Why do we celebrate fathers day? 

Is it an excuse to eat steak and play baseball in the yard? 

Is it an excuse to buy gifts and write cards? 

I think we celebrate fathers day to say thanks to the parent who sometimes gets the raw end of the stick.

Mom's get thanked in obvious ways (regular hugs, phone calls, shared pictures). 

Mom's get called when something great happens at work, you have a new crush, you just got a raise. 

Mom's get called when there are relationships to talk about, when the grandkids want to skype, and when you've had a great day. 

Dad's get called when the car breaks down, the sink leaks, or there is a weird smell coming from the vents. 

Dad's get called when the bank account is empty, the check engine light comes on, or the computer freezes up. 

But Dad keeps plugging on, never complaining and continually giving advice. No doubt asking mom to fill him in on the good stuff.

Dad - sorry for the times that I forget to call you when something great happens, or forget to include you when I send a great picture. 

Sorry for the times I call to ask how to fix something and then ask for mom to talk about my day!

When I think about all the times I call you for advice I realize that there is one very simple reason that you are my first call. 

I trust you,

probably more than anyone else in my life. 

I trust that you know what you are talking about (except when you cheat at boggle). 

I trust that you can fix whatever is going wrong in my life. 

I trust that you won't think I'm stupid or get frustrated by my naivety. 

I trust that my lack of banking skills will not have any effect on the amount of love you feel towards me. 

I trust you dad! 

So in the future, I will try to call you more with the good stuff. But if it is ok with you, I will continue to call you whenever I need some help. 

Thanks for being the Worlds GREATEST Dad!!

P.S. The front seat of my car broke this week so you can expect my call soon :)

Adventures with Kayak

When I got a Newfie I knew that puppies had a tendency to get into just about anything. I didn't take into consideration however that a 5 month, 65 pound puppy has greater opportunity for mischief. Currently, Kayak can lick clean the dishes in the sink with ease, taste test boiling food from pots and pans on the very back of the stove, retrieve butter from the far reaches of the counters and take a quick swipe of the top of the trashcan as he races into the kitchen. I have wrangled many a food item from his mouth and been too late on far too many occasions. The cat has been no help as she has decided it is her sole duty to bring him a mole each morning as a special breakfast delight. I secretly think she is hoping to give me a nervous breakdown so that she can have the house to herself.  Despite my best efforts, mole meat has become an essential part of his daily diet. The cat changes the exact location of the mole on a regular basis so I am usually playing catch up by the time Kayak gets it in his mouth and we begin our game of "spit out that mole or I will sell you on Ebay".  

Most people I've talked to have one or two horror stories regarding their puppy's random item consumption... I am beginning to rack them in. I did talk to a guy at the dog park the other day who found that his puppy had consumed 5 socks in one day. How that is possible I do not know, thankfully he threw them all back up. It was very encouraging to hear that his puppy is as mischievous as mine, but it also made me wonder;  if a boxer puppy can eat 5 socks in a day, how many socks can a newfie eat? And is this the reason that I can no longer seem to find a single matching pair of socks? 

My top horror stories right now include rotting birds, half decomposed squirels, three sticks of butter, a bag of grapes, a roll of paper towels,  my monthly bills and a bottle of Aleve gel capsules. I fear it is only going to get worse.

Did you know that grapes can be toxic to dogs? I surely didn't!!! I also didn't expect Kayak to get the bag of them from the far reaches of the kitchen table last night and eat half of them. I was hoping to avoid the massive amounts of diarrhea that followed, but I was not so blessed. After realizing just how bad grapes are for Kayak and the renal failure looming in his near future, I researched the best methods for making your puppy throw up. A tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide was the most frequent recommendation so I set to it. The process included:  a very embarrassing moment at the grocery store in which the late night cashier and the sketchy guy in line behind me began believing that I was a mental case with animal cruelty tendencies, three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, three very intense wrestling matches with the 65 pound beast, 3 walks, two unbelievably large piles of vomit in the neighbors yard (each needing special cleanup), and a huge sigh of relief as approximately 30 grapes exited the direct path to renal failure. 

Somehow... after all that turmoil...I felt more endeared to Kayak than ever!

Mom's Big Day

I love you Madre dearest! You're my all time favorite mom

I'm glad I'm your favorite daughter, it's clear you made me the bomb

Thanks for always loving me, despite all of my crazy

Through all the ups and downs of life, your love has never been hazy

In first grade I remember, I cried almost every day

I missed my wonderful mommy and didn't know what to say   

Middle school wasn't much better, I refused to spend a night away

With my mom I felt so safe, so home was where I'd stay

In high school I branched out more, and got involved in sport

I don't think my mom missed a single game, she was always there to support

In college I had crazy roommates and called home with all of the drama

I've always had someone to talk to, my friend, my confidant, my mama. 

Thanks for never pushing me harder than you knew that I could take, 

but knowing that a gentle nudge from you was all you needed to make 

All those days I stayed home sick, I think most of them were a scam

but you knew I needed a day off and some quality time with the fam

I was an accident prone child and you healed my many ails 

barbed wire, rock climbing, and all my other fails

Thanks for all the bandaids, the iodine and the tape

the trips to the hospital for tetanus following my more severe scrapes. 

Those admits for malaria, appendicitis and what not, 

the time I threw up and lost control all over the parking lot

Through all my mishaps you were there

You were my rock and my nurse, it showed me that you cared

Thanks for all the adventures too, all the trips to the beach and camping as well

You sacrificed a lot for us, slept in a wet tent and pulled sea urchins when we fell

You protected me from a lot back then and always for my good

You made a big deal of holidays, birthdays and always had good food. 

Senior year was a favorite for me, and all the time we got together

It was kind of fun being an only child and building a bond none could sever. 

Having you as a mom has been a wonderful fling,

Especially when friendship became our thing. 

I'm thankful for you always mom, I couldn't have asked for more

thanks for loving me so much and showing me for sure

I know you live far away and I'm too late to take you out, 

Here is a picture of your present though and where its' hanging about. 

I think the roses will die before you come, the chocolate is all but gone

But know that I love you dearly and I'm so thankful you're my mom!! 

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!!!