Dogs in Snow**Remembering Trouble Elizabeth

I thought these photos were worth sharing. It was a balmy 30 degress, with a fresh snowfall. Nothing like the -20 out there today. We all had a great time that day!

Wordful Wednesday: Destined to Lead

I am participating in Wordful Wednesday, sponsored by Angie at Seven Clown Circus.

Founded by three Detroit area Lions Clubs members in 1939, Leader Dogs for the Blind provides dog guides to people who are blind and visually impaired to enhance their mobility, independence and quality of life.

Leader dogs are raised by volunteer puppy raisers. Leader Dogs could not be provided without the assistance of volunteer puppy raisers.

There are nearly 400 puppy raisers in 22 states and Canada. Puppy raisers travel to Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan, to pick up and return their puppies.

Seventy percent of puppy raisers raise more than one puppy in their lifetime.
Puppy raisers receive their puppies at 7 to 8 weeks of age and return them to Leader Dogs for the Blind between 12 and 15 months of age.

Puppy raisers teach puppies basic obedience, house manners and good etiquette while exposing the puppies to all types of environments, such as:

• Churches, stores, amusement parks, sporting events
• Different types of people
• Different types of floors and stairs
• Different sorts of animals, including squirrels, cats, birds, dogs and farm animals
• Loud sirens
• Busy sidewalks and bicycles.

Some puppy raisers are able to take their puppy to work with them . Puppy raisers are responsible for meeting at least monthly with their puppy counselor. Volunteer puppy counselors are regionally placed. Counselors organize obedience lessons and exposure opportunities for the puppies.

Puppies who see and experience a large variety of environments during the first year of their lives will be more confident when exposed to future experiences .
Raisers provide health care, food and necessary supplies for the puppies.

Raisers have the privilege of naming the puppies.

Puppy raisers follow very specific guidelines, such as:

• When puppies are in public wearing their “Future Leader Dog” bandannas or jackets, they are expected to be clean and well mannered.
• Puppies will be taught to stay off furniture .
• Puppies are expected to lay quietly at meal time and not beg.

Each month, approximately 30, 1-year-old puppies are returned to Leader Dogs for the Blind to begin formal training .

My friend, Kristi, has raised 9 puppies to date. They have all been Yellow Labs up to this point.

Moses, the love of our lives, was her first. He went everywhere with her, restaurants, church, the grocery store. No place is off limits to Future Leader Dogs. Anywhere a blind person would be welcome, these puppies are welcome.

After a year with Kristi, Moses was returned to start training, and Kristi took another puppy home. Not long after, she got a call. One hip was not perfect, and did she want him back? That was easy! So I picked him up part way home, and drove him the rest of the way to her house. Two of my boys rode along, and fell in love. How could you not? But Kristi had plans for him. We bid a tearful goodbye, and I whispered "If your plans fall through, call us." And that's what happened.

Kristi is devoted to raising these wonderful dogs, and giving them a terrific head start for the life they are going to lead. This German Shepherd/Lab mix will be her tenth! Moses was a "Career Change", one is undergoing training now, and 7 have been placed as Leader Dogs.

Which brings us to the puppy at hand.

Your task, privilege, is to come up with a name for this puppy. She will be picked up in Rochester, Michigan on October 3. The name will be decided before then, so that it can be put on the formal documents. (Once she has the puppy home, I'll be able to publish a photo of the actual puppy you have named. The one that has appeared so far is a photo furnished by Leader Dog of a former Shepherd pup).

Tomorrow, check back for names Kristi used for previous puppies. And I'll have info on the prize for this new Great Poprs Giveaway, too!

Happy Birthday to Our Best Friend

Don't forget...my New POPrs Giveaway ends Thursday night!

Moses is 10 today. And that is a big deal at our house.

He is a "career change" Leader Dog. He was born and raised to be a guide dog for the blind. But one hip is not quite perfect, so Moses ended up with us. We have adored him from the beginning.

His nickname is "Mellow Yellow." He had been with us a full year before anyone heard him bark! And he barks about once a year. Usually at a deer.

Moses is the most serene animal God has ever made. When you step out of the shower, he's there. When you drive into the driveway, he comes running. He sleeps on the beds. He lays on the couch. He knows all our secrets. He's the dog every kid should have. And as much as we love him, we have to thank our vets for him every day. Because we almost lost him.

FOUR TIMES!

One day, Soccer Boy found a small lump on Moses' back leg, above the knee (dogs have knees, I think). We took him in, and very apologeticaly pointed out the lump that we were sure was nothing. The next morning, he had it removed. And the test came back--cancer. Surgery was the only treatment needed, and soon we were taking morning walks again.

About a year later, another lump. Same place. Same diagnosis. More surgery. Another recovery. Wow. Our vet got flowers.

Last summer, a friend walked Moses on a warm sunny day. They were gone a long time, and it was noon. He was panting heavily when he got home and would not drink. He was unsteady on his feet, and soon fell over. Uncle Lynn lifted all 95 pounds of him into the car, and I called the clinic to tell them we were on our way! He was placed on a cool water mattress, had a fan gently blowing on him, had an IV drip and subcutaneous fluids, among other things. His temp was 107! He spent the day in the hospital. Another recovery. More flowers.

Just a month ago, Moses had surgery in Madison at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. He was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis, which, if left untreated, ultimately results in death from suffocation. The nerves to the throat don't work, and so he could not breathe normally. That was not going to happen, so more surgery. And another remarkable recovery.

So enjoy the photos of Moses The Wonder Dog, and one more thing...

KISS A VET!

Weekly Winners: It's a Dog's Life, Right?

Time for another edition of Weekly Winners, brought to you by Sarcastic Mom.

During my latest Road Trip to see my peeps, Aunt Julie and I took the doggies to the Kaukauna, WI, Dog Park .

The thing about Moses and Rowdy is they like to go in the water, no matter how cold it is. Here's Moses shaking off. That's Rowdy's butt on the right...got his nose in something, for sure!

Although this shot doesn't show it, Rowdy went pretty far out. There was a family of ducks across the pond, and we were hoping he didn't notice...




Moses got tired of the cold water after a while and decided that being dry on land was preferable...


...while Rowdy found a friend to play with. I really like the colors and the composition of this one.

Once again, I snapped these shots using a Nikon CoolPix 4600, 4.0 Megapixels, 3x Zoom. Next week, I'll try to showcase some shots by my daughter, "The Artiste."

Meet the Beatles!?!

Well, really, I want ya to meet Aunt Julie's side of The Pop'rs Family from a few years back. Auntie J. always does Creative Christmas Cards, and this was no exception. But somehow this little gem got stuck up on the fridge with a Beatles magnet...and you do see the resemblance, don'tcha?

In the phun photo on the left, clockwise (from left): Big Bear, Shark Boy, College Boy, Trouble Elizabeth, Moses and Soccer Boy. In the other phun photo, clockwise (from left-Geez Louise, I feel like this is a yearbook!): Ringo, John, George and Paul, sans dogs.

I don't know. Did the Beatles have dogs? Playing along with Candid Carrie today and her Phriday Photo Phinish Phiesta!

Baby Boxing Match

Aunt Julie possesses a "Dog Family." Veggie Mom presides over a "Cat Family." You've met some of our critters, right here. Remember Trouble Elizabeth and Moses in the garden? What about Patch, the Fat Cat? Or Rowdy, the puppy whose name implies everything? And then, of course, Moses and Rowdy as Beach Bums.

Whatever your persuasion~and I know many of you out there feel pretty strongly about the subject of Family Pets~you'll be taken by this Pas de Deux between a Baby and his Boxer...of the doggie variety. The clip comes from The Bonnie Hunt Show.

After viewing this, I beg to differ with anyone who still believes that All God's Critters have no "soul."

The Beach Trilogy, a Pop'rs Giveaway and the Winner Is...

Some of you were pulling for the puppy. He got pretty close last week. Candid Carrie , who's hosting her Friday Foto Finish Fiesta today, even thought the mystery of this trilogy involved another dog coming in and stealing the stick away from the two of them!

Well, you're all wrong. Moses won the stick in the end. But you can't blame Rowdy for trying! Aunt Julie really has a way of capturing emotion, doesn't she?

And, speaking of Winners, the winner of this week's Impromptu Pop'rs Bloggy Giveaway Carnival Giveaway is...Ryan Ashley Scott, of Optimistic Cynicism! Ms. Scott was selected by the Random Generator. E-mail me, RAS, at veggiemom@poprs.com, to claim your Pop'rs Prize!

Oh, and please don't forget Veggie Mom's Interview over at Katydid and Kid today! That Veggie sure gets around, doesn't she?

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta: Beach Trilogy

Last week you caught a glimpse of Moses and Rowdy racing on the beach in Florida. If you'll recall, Moses had the stick. Rowdy wanted the stick. Who was going to win?

Of course, Rowdy is just a puppy, and all. Plus, Moses has a few more pounds on him. And then, there's the experience to consider.

This is the second in a series of three Aunt Julie shots that I'm posting for Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. We in The Pop'rs Family proudly refer to these FLA Shots as The Beach Trilogy. Next week, we reveal the victor!

It's Friday...and that means?

Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!

Aunt Julie, of course, snapped this awesome photo on the beach a couple of weeks ago in Florida's Panhandle.

Moses, The Pop'rs Family's Lab, has the stick...Rowdy, the family's new puppy, wants the stick. So badly. Who do you think is gonna win this showdown?

Rowdy, of course, was the one who misbehaved on the trip down. Somewhere in Indiana. In an ice storm. In the middle of the night. Kids!

Fx4: Please Welcome Rowdy to the Pop'rs Family!

Many of you long-time Eat Your Veggies! readers will remember that The Pop'rs Family lost their long-time buddy, Trouble Elizabeth, last month. He was a good old doggie, and had recently turned 16, which is how many in dog years?

Well, they couldn't remain spaniel-ess for long, could they? After all, Moses needed a companion, too. So, welcome Rowdy to the Family!

This cute little guy was born August 1st, and is a Tricolor Springer Spaniel. Almost looks like a dog version of a Calico Kitty, doesn't he? But we all know that Calicos only come in the Female Variety, so Mother Nature must not work the same with dogs!

Aunt Julie is just itchin' to tell ya about Rowdy's acquisition. "I had visited two litters of Labradors and one of Springers, and didn't feel anything," she says. "We were planning to wait 'til spring to get another dog, so that was fine. "

"We ran into a nice Springer puppy at the dog park, for the second time, and his owner had me put their phone number into my cell phone, so I could call them later in the day to get info on his breeder," Julie explains, detailing her search for the Perfect Puppy. "When I went to call, the number wasn't there!"

But Auntie J., as you know, is undaunted in the face of frustration. "I was scanning a site called Gun Dog Breeders, and found a place in Minnesota that had puppies," Julie recalls. "I clicked on 'Puppies Available,' and it was all over! I called them at 8 p.m. Saturday Night, and at 7 a.m. the next morning, Uncle Lynn and Soccer Boy were on their way to pick up Rowdy."

"Luckily, the breeder met them halfway, which was about a five-hour drive for each of them, one way!" Julie says. "He had to drive through a snowstorm. They met in Minneapolis. What a good looking dog! Rowdy sleeps through the night, on Soccer Boy's bed with our Yellow Lab, Moses, who had hardly eaten since Trouble died October 11. But he's eating again, and playing ball with the puppy. Depression in dogs is very real!"

Please note that the above pic is my contribution to this week's Friday Foto Fiesta Finish, hosted by the Ever-Charming Candid Carrie. Welcome to the family, Rowdy! Have you tried Pop'rs on your Puppy Chow yet?

A Bloggy Celebration and a Great New Pop'rs Giveaway!

Happy First Day of Fall! Aunt Julie and The Pop'rs Boys--Big Bear, College Boy, Shark Boy and Soccer Boy, pictured above with Trouble Elizabeth and Moses--love the changing of the leaves, the dropping of the temperatures and, of course, the playing of the football games every Sunday. Fall also means the advent of Halloween, which is Soccer Boy's favorite holiday, since it comes so close to his birthday!

We have an extra special reason to celebrate this season. Saturday will be Veggie Mom's 100th Post! And what better way to commemorate This Life-Altering Event than with a little ol' Bloggy Giveaway?

This Great New Pop'rs Giveaway is a contest With. A. Twist. It features two phases. Here are the rules, plain and simple:

• Giveaway Dates: Today through Saturday, October 4. In Phase One, contestants may enter as many times as they like, but all entries must be recieved by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, September 26. Phase Two of the Giveaway takes place September 29 through October 4!
• Giveaway prizes: Five Bloggy Friends will each win their choice of two flavors of Pop’rs, the good-for-you seasonings that make eating veggies fun! One Bloggy Friend will win the Grand Prize—a complete set of Pop’rs! Pop’rs are that tasty and fun seasoning that really encourages kids to Eat Their Veggies! Pop’rs, which come in eight flavors, add great flavor, and fun, to just about any kind of food, from applesauce to broccoli--all the way through the alphabet, to yogurt and beyond. Pop’rs, which are only available from Uncle Lynn at http://www.poprs.com/, have an added kick--as the name implies, they go POP! when you eat them.
• Giveaway Rules: Veggie Mom is celebrating her 100th Blog Post and the changing of the seasons, by offering a Great New Pop’rs Giveaway in two phases.

1. To enter the Giveaway, readers must post questions that they want to ask Veggie Mom, Aunt Julie, Uncle Lynn, or anyone else over at Eat Your Veggies! This is Phase One of the Giveaway. Readers get one Giveaway Entry for every question they post. There is no limit to the questions you may ask! Veggie Mom will collect questions from today through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, September 26, so make sure to get your questions in! I will answer all readers’ questions on Saturday, September 27—which happens to be my 100th Blog Post—and Sunday, September 28.
2. Starting Monday, September 29, Phase Two of the Giveaway begins! Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, will award Giveaway Prizes to one Giveaway Finalist each day, through Friday, October 3. He will announce the Grand Prize Winner in a post right here on Saturday, October 4. Finalists will each receive two Pop'rs flavors of their choice. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a complete set of Pop'rs--all eight flavors!

The changing of the leaves, the crisp Fall air, the NFL and a Great New Pop'rs Giveaway. You ask, we'll answer, and we'll both have Something to Celebrate!

More Than a Patchwork of Memories

With the beautiful photos of Trouble Elizabeth and his best bud, Moses, and the pelican cruising so far from the beach, we've already established that Aunt Julie is the artistic sort. Her amazing creative portfolio also includes quilting.

Aunt Julie, aka The Pop'r Queen, has done several quilts over the years, including a pink and white baby quilt for my youngest, and a beautiful blue and white creation for my oldest, when she went off to college. She stitched the gorgeous work of art featured above (the photo is one of Aunt Julie's, too!) when Son Number 3 left the nest for the university life.

Let's let Aunt Julie tell you about this quilt, which is all wrapped up in a couple of great family memories: "This particular pattern is called 'Texas Hold 'Em,' from a book titled Dealer’s Choice, by Atkinson Designs, copyright 2004. I chose it because the boys [remember: she's the proud Mama of Four!] are big poker fans, after attending a trade show in Las Vegas a few years ago. Not long after, my then 10-year-old was working on a speech in which he had to teach something. He was having a hard time choosing a topic, and my advice was to teach something he was familiar with and good at. The light went on, and he said, 'I know! I’ll show 'em how to play poker!' Maybe not such a good idea for4th grade. But that’s what comes from having brothers who are 18, 21 & 24, and who adore you!"

You heard it here first, folks. Straight from The Pop'r Queen! BTW, Aunt Julie also wants to remind everyone to enter this week's Great Pop'rs Giveaway. The contest runs until July 14; you, too, could be a winner!

About Best Friends and Families

The old saying, "Man's Best Friend" should be expanded to women and kids as well. Trouble and Moses, pictured above, are the beloved dogs of The Pop'r Family. They are the doggie sons of Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn, the Pop'r King and Queen.

A funny story--"Elizabeth" has been a given name in Aunt Julie's family for generations. Most recently, Grandma Vera, Aunt Julie, and my oldest all have been christened with the middle name Elizabeth. Since Aunt Julie is the proud mama of four boys, she couldn't partake in this family tradition. She's taken to calling Trouble, her beloved 16-year-old Springer Spaniel (that's 112 in "dog years"), "Trouble Elizabeth" in his old age. Has a certain ring to it, doesn't it?

The Boys are nesting in Aunt Julie's fabulous flower garden. Auntie J. inherited her green thumb from Grandma Vera (we've already established that I have no green thumb, although my geraniums are doing so much better--thanks for asking!). As you recall, Julie also has a knack for baking pies--most recently, Blueberry and Strawberry Rhubarb. One more thing Aunt Julie learned from her mother--how to make quilts! But more on that later this week.

A PS From Veggie Mom: The newest edition of The Carnival of Family Life is posted now on All Rileyed Up. Today's Carnival features posts on everything a SAHM could possibly be interested in, from Education, to Cooking, to Crafts, to Travel, and beyond. Of course, Yours Truly's post on Aunt Julie's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is part of the Carnival. And, if you wish to take part in next week's Carnival, to be hosted by Suzanne over at Adventures in Daily Living, use this handy-dandy submission form.

A PS From Uncle Lynn: We're running our Second Pop'rs Giveaway ever, starting tomorrow! Stay tuned for details. Remember--the more the merrier. You, too, can be a winner!