Chicago Cubs!!!

Ok...I have always since I can remember been a Chicago Cubs fan. My cousin played for them for 6 years and my summers were spent following the team around...free tickets will do that to my father. We usually spent about 2 wks in Chicago when they had a couple series in a row. (My aunt lives there) Hence we would probably go to about 8 games or more in those two weeks. This love of the Cubs developed as did my intense love for Wrigley Field("old style, beer here, old style"). In all I've been a fan for over 15 yrs. Yes, they are getting better but I have always been loyal. I have never rooted for any team that was playing against them...even when they are losing I still root for them. I dabbled in the San Francisco Giants Fan base but it couldn't' stick and I just didn't feel right about it. I am not a fan of Barry Bonds...yes, he is a great player but who doesn't know he's taking steroids. Even if his "trainer" gave it to him...I would make sure what I'm being given before I take it. It is his body. Ok...old subject. I do attend many a Devil Ray's games but that is just because it's the local team. I root for them but only due to geography...and they don't play the Cubs. :)

Anyway, I am dating Special K (he's in previous posts) and he happens to be a CUBS fan!! Which is a GREAT thing. I was shocked and excited when I found out. BUT!!!!! He recently has said that I would not be as big of a fan if I wasn't dating him. I take offense to this because I have probably been a fan longer than him...due to the fact that I'm older as well as wiser. :) Ok...Yes, he may keep better track of stats and probably watches more games than I do....BUT i have a pretty bad memory and I like to be outside. I like to watch baseball games...but I love to GO to baseball games. :) I think this may be a battle that is yet settled!! GO CUBS!!!!!!!!

Another Dog Post!!! GO JACKJACK

Ok...for starters...here's some more info on the pet food recall. This stuff really scary because I'm obsessed with my dogs. Itchmo I don't feed my dogs anything I can get at a grocery store yet I'm still worried that they aren't eating the right food.

Ok...what I really wanted to post about was my amazing moment with my dog Jackjack. Now...for background info Jackjack, my black lab likes to run off. He's even gotten hit by a car and his elbow shattered. He's got two pins in it. Ok...besides the point. So...I've been workign really hard on his recall, ability to come when called, and his general attention to me since he's been injured. My golden Abigail is much better at generally staying close to me. The last couple weeks I've trusted her enough to go to the grassy area by my house and play chuck-it with her and I tether jackjack to the picnic table and train him. Well, yesterday we were out there and a girl and her sister who I had just met a couple weeks ago was walking and stopped to talk to me....hence mom is distracted. I wasn't paying attention when Jackjack spotted a chihuahua and decided to get it. He ran and when he hit the end of the leash...it just snapped. I saw my escape artist running away. Abby and I quickly headed after him..me yelling his name. The poor unsuspecting owner quickly snatched up her pup. Jackjack of course as soon as he got there veared away. At this point abby was close enough to tackle him. I yelled again and they both looked at me...and this is the big part...which to others isnt' big but to me is HUGE. Jackjack looked at me and started running towards me. As soon as he got to me I threw a party for him and gave him tons of treats. :) It was awesome. Abby of course was right there with us. We stayed for a bit longer than the three of us headed home with smiles on our faces and to the pet store to replace his leash. :)

Looks like my time with two dogs who can be off leash and stick around are closely approaching. I'm excited to test him out at the dog beach...

Dogs...

There probably will be quite a few post about my dogs. For those of you who don't know. I have two dogs. A big black lab named Jackjack and a golden retriever Abigail Grace. They are the joys of my life and I try to spend as much time with them as I can. Lately...since I discovered that Abby really doesn't try to run off as long as I have a ball around...we've been going to this grassy area by my house and playing chuck-it. Jackjack gets tied to the picnic table and I train him. He will run off with any type of freedom he gets. Give him an inch and he'll run a mile as fast as he can.... :) Well...it's been nice. I used to take them to the dog park almost every day and let me tell you....some other owners are nutts and I'm not always in the mood for stupid dog talk. Yes...here I am having a stupid dog blog and yet I dont' want to hear someone elses dog talk. :)

My other favorite things to do with my pups is take them to the dog beach. This is probably my favorite because Abby is so darn cute when she's there. It's also nice to be at the beach. She wil swim and swim all she can. Jackjack is getting better at wanting to swim but he does not like big waves....what a shame.

"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dogs already thinks I am." This is my favorite quote and trust me...my dogs think I'm pretty great.

Recent Travels...

In the last couple weeks I've been traveling more than I've been at home. It all started with a trip to Washington DC with the 8th graders that I teach. This was a Sunday to Friday adventure with Twenty-two...count them again 22... 8th graders. Most of them are great and some are naughty but they are all good kids. ;) It was my first trip to DC and I had a blast. We were on the go from 6:30am to around 11pm. We pretty much saw it all. We didn't get to tour of the White House...which was the only thing that we really missed...the guy at the Senator's office messed up. We were informed that he was no longer working there so he probably messed up way more than just us. :) We did get to tour the Capitol Bldg, which was beautiful. We got to go into the Library of Congress which I thought was an amazing bldg as well. We saw all the monuments and memorials. I think my favorite was the Iwo Jima...It had Panama on it, but that's not the only reason.

Well...after a week of traveling DC with 8th graders I got back on a Friday night and the following morning...later than we had planned but still early at 8:30...Special K, Abigail and I headed out on our Road Trip 07. :)

We drove 10 hrs to NC to Fisher's fiance's house. We spent til Monday there and had a great time. Abby and Turkish, a large German Shepard mix didn't get along and Abbs almost lost an ear but she was fine. It was great to see Fisher and finally meet her fiance.

Monday we headed off to VA. We were early so we stopped at Prince William National Park and went for a hike. Abigail got to go into Quantico Creek. I think she had a great time.....she's a true water dog. :) We got to Roro's house late afternoon and Abigail due to almost getting her ear ripped off was a bit skittish with Apollo, Roro's doberman. We took them to the dog park and they romped around and had a grand ole time. When we got back we had dinner and played a little Quiddler, only the best card game EVER!!!

The next day Special K and I got up a little later than earlier and headed to DC for the day. We had breakfast at... oh yeah... Cracker Barrel. It took us a couple U turns to get there but after we gave in a put it in the GPS we got there fine. :) Our first stop in DC..well..VA was Arlington National Park. We watched the changing of the guards and saw Kennedy's gravestone. Then we headed into the city where I quickly found out the Special K doesn't like driving in cities and when I try to point places out while he's driving in the city he gets a little frustrated. :) So...I took over the wheel and we found some parking and headed to the Holocaust Museum, which we proceeded to spend 3 hrs touring. It is an amazing place but very, very emotional. Even if you have seen movies or read things. Some of the real footage they have is more graphic than I can take. After we closed the place down we walked over to the Washington Monument, WWII memorial, Korean Mem, Lincoln Monument, and Vietnam Memorial. We then drove back to Roro's and were exhausted. Abby and Apollo at this point had become buddies and would not stop playing...it was great.

On Wednesday morning at around 6:30 am, Special K and I started our 14hr drive home. We had a great time and managed to survive spending 5 days together and not killing each other. :) I'm happy to be back in our home and not really happy to be back at work but it's nice to be back in a routine after 2 weeks. I missed my Jackjack so much and am glad to get to cuddle with him. Thanks for reading...it's kind of long and all about me. :) go figure.

Introductions...

This blogging thing is harder than it looks. I've always loved to journal but what craziness that I write do I really want others to read. :) I don't always make sense to others but when you keep reading it might in the end. I plan to post videos, pictures and what I can share of me. Hope you enjoy. :)