Mr. Chewy

Happy Tuesday to you! The song "Baby It's Cold Outside" is going through my mind this morning, due to the snow that is covering our ground and continuing to fall. Last week, we got a package from our friends at Mr. Chewy and somehow I didn't get a photo of Hunter opening it up. It is always such a wonderful surprise when a package comes for our Hunter. I had seen these treats last month, but didn't choose them; I'm glad for a second chance. I was surprised to see that I had gotten the treats that was designed for large dogs, 25 lbs and over, since Hunter weighs about 11/12 lbs.

Here is some of the information on these treats: "TropiClean Fresh Breath + Plus Hip & Joint Dental Dog Treats, Small Breed, 20-count Supporting joint health keeps our adult dogs playing like puppies. Glucosamine supports healthy joint and cartilage function. This unique supplement also works as an anti-inflammatory, reducing pain and increasing mobility. Other ingredients like Blueberry fight plaque-forming bacteria and support the immune system. Wholesome ingredients help your dog to live a healthy and playful life! Tropiclean's dental treats are proudly Made in the USA. Sizes Small: For Dogs 15-25 lbs. Not suitable for dogs less than 5 lbs. or dogs less than 6 months of age. Regular: For Dogs 25 lbs. and above. Not suitable for dogs less than 5 lbs. or dogs less than 6 months of age."
I'm not sure whether Mr. Chewy's assistants accidentally put in the wrong size treat or if they were out of them. No worries though, I carefully watched as Hunter chewed on it and took it away before he was even half done. I will say that he loved it and wasn't too happy about my putting the rest of it up for another day. Because they are intended for large dogs, I decided to share them with our daughter's 11 year old Newfie mix who has bad joints and arthritis. Here he is happily taking it from me. Isn't he just the biggest fluff you've ever seen. Notice the white stuff falling-it is quite light compared to today.

Sampson loved this treat too and I know it will be beneficial for his legs. In fact, he might just get more of them in his stocking this Christmas. I'm off to bible study, our final one til the New Year, today. I'm ready for the break, but will miss seeing friends every Tuesday morning. I hope you are staying warm!
Noreen & Hunter

Miscellaneous Monday

Happy Monday to you. I hope you had such a good weekend; I certainly did. On Friday I mentioned we were heading to Estes to register hubby's new car; although it takes about an hour to get up there(we were heading up anyway), it only took us five minutes in the DMV to register it. It was wonderful to be in and out so quickly. We had a nice lunch, hit my favorite quilt store-Cottage Bliss, got our youngest grandson pj's and slippers for Christmas at another store and drove through the park. I will say, if we lived up there I would work/volunteer at Cottage Bliss; the owner is a gal name Sheri and she was the cover on Country Woman about 8 yrs ago. This store has become as much of a gift store(with some of my favorite goodies)as it is a quilt store. So when we left DMV, we drove by a home that had this railing on it's deck. We loved it and would love to find one for our deck.

Another beautiful sunset; if I had to choose between getting beautiful sunrises or sunsets, I'd definitely choose the sunsets.

Last night we had such wind and have it today as well. I bailed on walking; I just don't enjoy it when I'm being tosses all around and Hunter really doesn't like it. Our snow didn't arrive yet but the warmest temp was this morning around 6:00 a.m. and it was 55 degrees. Right now it has dropped to 46. By this afternoon it is supposes to drop to freezing; it is raining as I type. So this was one view out of our deck this morning; notice how very dark the clouds are-storm rolling in.

This was looking in the other direction; sunny and blue, but sure to disappear shortly. 

On Saturday, I attended a Women's Jubilee Celebration at church and the speaker was wonderful.  She is an author, counselor, mom, grandmother and a Woman of Faith.  Her life has been marked by so much grief, but she shared lessons learned.
Yesterday, I heard a 90 something lady who was a nurse in WW2.  What a story she shared in honor of Veterans Day.  A perfect weekend.
Today, hubby and I will head to Costco for a few things and see if we can start finding gifts for family and friends.
I hope your weather is pleasant and that you have a fantastic day!
Noreen

Happy Friday

Morning Friends~It is the end of the week and I hope yours has been good!  Ours has been very nice-yesterday I made a Posole soup for dinner, but we decided to go out for Chinese instead. We will have our soup tonight, after I get some sour cream as it is a little spicy for us.  Today we are going up to Estes Park to the DMV; we have one closer but you wouldn't believe the lines, you have to make an appt.  Anyway, hubby thought that since Estes is a small community and part of our county that the wait would be less.  When we got his registration info, it listed Estes as one location.  We will run up there, see what it looks like, get it done, have lunch and even get one Christmas gift for our youngest "Little Man".  He has the cutest one piece thermal sleeper, which has a flap on the bum that says Moose Caboose. He's outgrown it and we all love it, especially him, so thought we'd get a larger size or maybe this one and another design. 
Tomorrow, I have a ladies conference to go to that should be inspirational.  I will go early to help with any last minutes tasks and with registration; it will last until 2:30.
Sunday is another Broncos game-I hope our real team shows up this week. 
Snow is in the forecast for Monday and I'm just not ready; I'd like it to wait until December. 
What are your plans for the weekend?
Blessings on your day and weekend.
Noreen

A New Quilt in the Making

Good Morning to you! In years past, each November I have focused on Thankful posts every day; somehow I totally missed it this year. I do, purposely, try to be thankful for the blessings each day holds. How about you? One of the things I am thankful for is having been born with a love of textures and crafts that would be considered handiwork. As a young girl, I can vividly remember giving my mom an apron one Christmas that I had done embroidery on. Throughout my high school years, I was always trying my hand at macrame, knitting, crocheting etc. In college I got into weaving and crewel. It it no surprise then that this evolved in quilting. I started this passion when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, 35 yrs ago. It went by the way as I learned needlepoint, cross stitch and pulled thread, when my girls were little. Fourteen years ago, I began quilting in earnest and I can say I've loved it, not very good at it or as prolific as some of my friends, but love it. Here is my latest block-one of many; it is called Birds of the Air.  The pic was taken with my IPhone, so is off center-sorry.

So today I give thanks that we are all endowed with certain gifts. Mine has always enabled me to give quilts to my family that are works of love. I hope that you use the gifts you've been given to bless others and find joy.
Give thanks today!
Noreen

Go Climb A Wall

Happy Wednesday friends, Last night a rock climbing class began and although we have four grands that will be taking the class, three were sick-so just our Miss S was there. It's been at least six months since she took a class at the rec center, but you couldn't tell. She seems to have grown so much, almost as tall as me.

Little Man is such a cutie and loves to pose for photos.

It was such fun to watch her scale up the walls.  Can't wait to see the other three climbing next week.
I also found out that at least three, maybe four, girls will be taking Irish clog dancing in the New Year. If they allow adults in the class, I may just have to take it;  since I was an avid folk dancing while in high school and college and I'm 100% Irish, it would be such fun.  We'll see.
I hope you have a wonderful day today.
Hugs,
Noreen

Here's Handsome

Yesterday Hunter went to the groomer, doesn't he look so handsome!  We knew that snow was in the forecast for Denver, but didn't expect any up our way.  Surprise; not much but at one point the rain turned to snow.  Our Sunday night thunder and yesterday's rain reminded me of our life in Ca.
I spent yesterday sewing and reading; we had a fire going and enjoyed just a quiet day at home.
Today, I'm off to bible study and not sure what the afternoon will hold for us.  Maybe a movie; we go to matinees in the winter, it helps break up the day.
Can you believe there is only 51 days til Christmas; guess hubby and I need to start shopping.
Have a great day!  Smile, you might just make someone else' day!
Joy,
Noreen & an ever faithful Hunter

Happy November

Happy November to you!  It's crazy to realize we are already in the holiday season.  Look at this handsome fellow, I believe he is a Coopers Hawk, that greeted us this morning.  We usually only get Doves on the pergola, but this was such a pleasant surprise. One of our girls gets Bald Eagles in her yard and the other gets an Owl; feel like I'm enjoying nature too. 
I hope you all had a great weekend; we had a fair number of children at our door Friday night and by the end of the evening, both dogs had stopped barking each time the doorbell rang.  Yesterday, we had five friends over to watch the Broncos get creamed. We had pizza, salad, veges and beverages; it was fun to hear us all yelling at the team.  I guess they can't win every game and to be honest, they were outplayed. 
Today, our fluff ball is at the groomers-boy does he hate going there.  Once we get into the car, he begins to shake. I finally realized(o.k. so I'm a bit slow)that the only time he has a leash on without his harness is to go to the groomers, otherwise he doesn't have a leash on.  Hello, let's connect the dots-no wonder he knows where we are going.  I also had a in-depth talk with a manager at the pet store on Saturday about dogs and food.  He told me that dogs don't dislike the taste of certain foods as much as they like manipulating mom to feed them people food-such as boiled chicken etc.  So now we are giving him a mixture of kibble and raw with freeze dried tidbits too. He has 5 minutes to eat it and then it is picked up; he then has to wait until the next meal time.  The man said it could take up to a week to get him to eat right away. This  was something the trainer told me when he was little and we were working together.  It will be interesting to see how long it takes him to get the concept.  We also changed from Wellness Grain Free Core kibble to Blue Buffalo Freedom, because Core was a high protein food and being such a small breed like a Bichon, Hunter wouldn't need it.  Any of you Bichon owners out there, let me know what you use. I used to cook for Hunter's meals and add it to kibble, but it makes it difficult if he is going to our daughter's house while we are away. I'd rather he just ate a mixture of healthy kibble and some sort of raw food. 
It is a dreary Monday here, so I'll be sewing for sure today.
May your day and this month be blessed.
Noreen