Bryer's Favorite

Last Thursday Craig went back to Minnesota for the weekend to visit all of his friends.  That meant that Bryer was stuck with boring ole me for a whole weekend.  I was lucky enough to talk Mom and Gogga into coming to stay with me Friday - Sunday so I was only alone one night.  On Thursday, after I got home from work, you would have thought that Bryer had lost his best friend.  I cleaned the entire house to get it ready for its visitors.  The entire time I was cleaning I couldn't have paid Bryer to stay with me, he had to lay by the door and pout.  Then, when it was time to go to bed and I shut the door to our bedroom, you would have thought I locked him in jail.  Usually he sleeps right under my feet, in our bed for the majority of the night.  Thursday night he slept in front of the bedroom door and wouldn't move!  He got a little better while Mom and Gogga were here, he still hated being locked in our bedroom though.  Then, when they left early Sunday morning, he goes straight into his crate and pouted for the remainder of the day.  Let me tell ya, when Craig came home on Sunday, Bryer was stuck to his side like glue!  Bryer is generally not a snuggly dog, I was working on my scrapbook for a few hours yesterday and when I came downstairs I see Bryer laying on Craig's legs.  Last night, Bryer slept in the bed with us - all night.  He started out laying right on top of Craig.  I clearly see who the favorite is here.

Washer and Dryer Saga

While we were negotiating for the house, it was an option that we could keep the washer and dryer.  Well, we said we wanted it but the sellers wanted an extra $1,000 added to the cost of the house.  We said we would just buy our own!  ha!

After we get moved in we make a trip to Lowe's on Saturday and pick out a washer and dryer that I absolutely LOVE!  Lowe's was having a sale and Craig gets an employee discount on top of that so it was a great deal!  They were out of stock in the store but said that we could have our washer and dryer delivered by Thursday (today).  Tuesday we get a call saying that our washer and dryer would not be delivered Thursday, it wouldn't be here until October.  WHAT!??  So, back out to Lowe's we go.  We pick out another set that I like pretty well and they told us that this set would definitely be delivered Thursday (today).  We also got a penny back - whoopie!  The washer and dryer got delivered this morning and I get a text from Craig saying "Call me - bad news".  GREAT!  Apparently our dryer cannot be hooked up and therefore used right now because the dryer hose isn't attached to anything and it's a fire hazard.  I have a brand new washer and dryer sitting upstairs in my new laundry room and all I can do is look at them.  I have laundry coming out of the wazoo!  Hopefully Craig can pull out some craftiness and fix this for me this weekend!  Cross your fingers!

Here is the beloved washer and dryer:

The Big Move

First of all, I just wrote this entire blog, went to publish it, and then an error occurred.  UGH!  So here is the story, take two!

Craig and I started the next big chapter in our life on Wednesday, August 31st when we closed on our first house!  Then fun really didn't start until Thursday though because we couldn't get into the house until then.  After work on Thursday our friend Travas came over and helped us move in a few things.  We moved our entire closet, stocked the fridge and moved a few other odds and ends.  We also took Bryer over here for his first visit into his new home!  The real moving didn't begin until Friday though.  Craig had the day off, unfortunately I had to work, so with the help of Travas, Rose, Randy, Mom, Dad and Brett they had everything in the house before lunch time!  By the time I got home from work they were ready to start unpacking and putting things away!  The first thing we tackled was the kitchen!  I cannot tell you how happy I am to actually have my kitchen back - it feels so good!  As of now, we have our kitchen, bedroom, bathrooms and office exactly the way we want it (minus hanging the pictures on the walls).  We are definitely getting there - slowly but surely!  We had to purchase a new washer and dryer and I also wanted a screen door to go on our front door.  We made those two big purchases and now are broke!  So, our house will not be completely finished for a while.  Our next big purchase is a fence for the B-Man, then we need to buy a sofa bed for our bonus room/extra bed room and finish Baby Jarrell's room!  I would have had Baby Jarrell's room done three days ago, but Craig assures me that we have plenty of time so we can take care of other things first!  I'm just too excited!  I cannot wait!  Craig is going to Minnesota in two weeks and may come home to Baby Jarrell's room finished!  ;)  Our washer and dryer is not being delivered until Thursdayish - which is also killing me because I have found about a month's worth of laundry to do - yes, go ahead, call me little Mary Beth!  Of course our move had a few highlights, here are the pictures to go along with some of them!  Enjoy:

Before we could begin the great move, we had to pack up what little we had un-packed from Minnesota.  Bryer really liked to help.

It's a little hard to see, but Craig is using a power tool to hang up our TV!  Go babe!

Then he got tired, and went and got some ice cream while his Dad continued to work!

While Rose was hard at work, she put a hole in our new wall!  Craig patched it up and painted it with the tiniest paint roller I've ever seen!  I thought it was hilarious!

Moving wears a pup out!

If you look closely, you will see a chocolate lab standing on his back porch.  He barks constantly when he is outside and can see anyone else!

Craig mowed the grass while Bryer and I relaxed on the back porch and watched!

We've met our neighbors!  Raciana - 3rd Grade, Ariana - 1st Grade, and Amariana - PreK (I'm 100% sure I have not spelled their names right) have come to visit us several times.  The first time they brought me a gold necklace and the next time they brought the items pictured above.  They said they like to make home made gifts!  I'm waiting on their Mom to knock on our door and demand she have her gold necklace back!

The last event, we thankfully do not have a picture of.  While we were moving boxes in, Bryer manages to sneak out of the house and run off!  Craig, Randy, Dad and Brett all go chasing after him yelling his name.  Does Bryer listen at all?  Not a chance!  All of a sudden we hear these screeching screams coming from the neighbor's garage - and out trots Bryer.  Craap.  Bryer had ran in the garage and scared the little girls that were in there playing.  Craig went to talk to the Dad and luckily he was very understanding, they own the chocolate lab that barks all the time.  Way to go, Bryer!  We already have a reputation in the neighborhood!  There is never a dull moment with that pup around!

Bryer Graduates :)

Today was the big day!  My little boy graduated from Beginner Obedience School!  Bryer was extra excited today because I went back to work yesterday which means the little guy has to stay in his crate while Craig and I are at work - which does nothing but lets his energy build for 8 hours!  Of course he is going crazy as we are walking in because he just LOVES obedience school.  We had to give him a toy to keep him focused so the instructor could get through everything she needed to.  At the beginning of class we had a "test".  We had to show her that he could sit, lay down and shake on command.  Luckily, he did all of those things!  Then she just kind of talked to all of us and asked us how they were doing.  She then gave them all their "diplomas" and they each got a goodie bag! Bryer guy a ball that squeaked, we gave it to him, within 2 seconds he had ripped it to shreds!  Then we did the picture with the graduation cap!  Bryer LOVED the hat!  He wore it around for a good 5 minutes and could have cared less that it was on his head!  The other two dogs hated the hat being on their head!  The only issue that we had was that it was hard to get him to sit still for a picture - but - WE GOT ONE!  We are proud of our little man for graduating, honestly he has improved quite a bit since we started school.  If we could only teach him how to control his excitement then we would be good to go - I think part of that is being a puppy and a lab all at the same time!  He's just a happy boy!

Here are the pictures that I got:

The toy we had to distract Bryer with at the beginning of class.

Bryer showing off his shaking skills!

Trying to get a picture of our graduate!

The gift that Bryer got and shredded within 2 minutes.

Family portrait!

Bryer and his teacher.

The diploma!

On a bit of a side note, I did start working at the school today!  I am in third grade.  There are 5 other third grade teachers that I will be assisting.  They are currently working on a schedule for me so that my time is split up between each of them evenly!  The kids come on Thursday.  I'm pretty excited to meet them and see how things are going to go for the year!

Obedience School. Class #5.

Let me just begin by saying that I am very grumpy.  Yes, I am in a mood.  Stress induced grumpiness.  I'm sure that would come out in my blog today so I just figured I would warn you all.  Poor Craig.

So, I think Bryer could have skipped today's class and been just fine.  I really think he felt the same way as well because someone was not listening AT ALL today!  He starts acting like a hammer head from the very beginning.  Apparently he even forgot how to walk into the store nicely today - he was all over the place!

First task at hand was "doggy push-ups".  This is where you ask him to "sit", then "lay down", then "sit" repeatedly and only give him a treat every now and then.  This is to start phasing out the treats so he is not expecting them all the time (which he already does).  Bryer thought this activity sucked - he did it - but he didn't want to.

Then, the next task was to come when called and then sit when they got to you.  You might as well have said "go fly a kite" because Bryer was not listening to us AT ALL which didn't go well with me seeing as I was already in a mood!  He was just flat out ignoring us.  Then the teacher walks over to observe and the little fart does everything he was supposed to do just like he had been a perfect angel the entire time.  I could've killed him!

Next, we were learning to shake.  Which Bryer already knows and does perfectly.  So she says "Why don't we teach him to wave?"  All you do for this brilliant trick is ask him to shake, but then at the last minute you pull your hand away and say "Say Hi!!" and wave.  Craig and I really find this pointless, but we do it just to have something to do.  Then her next idea is to have Bryer crawl,which is kind of neat but there is no traction since the floors are tile so this trick really does not work.

That about sums up our class today - nothing funny, almost all pointless, and completely grumpy.

Next week he is supposed to graduate and he is supposed to wear a cap.  I said "Good luck getting that on him" and she said "Well if he won't do it we can always just hold the diploma in-front of him."  OH, NO WE WON'T!!!  I signed him up for obedience school so he could graduate and wear a graduation cap so if I have to lay on top of him to get that hat on him he will wear it and he will enjoy it and there will be a picture.

Look for the picture next week!

Obedience School. Class #4.

Before I start rambling on about our class tonight, I'm going to back up a few days first.

There is a pizza joint here in Cornelius that is having 'Customer Appreciation Month' so they have several days out of the month they give away free pizza, free cheese-bread and free wings.  The point of that story - Craig and I have been eating a TON of pizza, therefore we have a TON of pizza boxes that need to go to the trash can.  Craig and I have had a big helper lately.

Bryer really seemed interested in the pizza box one day so I let him have it.  Usually he will carry things (his toys) just a few steps and then drop them and forget about them.  Not the pizza box, he trots down the sidewalk so proud of himself and carries that box all the way to the trashcan!  It's the cutest darn thing I've ever seen!

Now, onto our obedience class.

I've now decided that Craig and I need a great dane.  I mean why not?  New home, crazy dog, baby on the way, why not throw a gargantuan dog in the mix too?

The goals of today's class are as follows: dog socialization, loose leash walking with leave it and come when called.  We know that we have dog socialization in the bag, Bryer is great with other dogs.  The other two things we were a little skeptical about. 

For dog socialization the instructor brought her great dane named Hazard.  He's nine months old.

He and Bryer were total BFF's!  It was great for Bryer, someone who was actually bigger than him!  They met each other and sniffed for a bit.  Then Bryer mounts up and starts humping.  Great!  He's going after the teacher's dog - which is a male.  Oh goodness.  Then, my favorite part is the fact that Hazard jumps up and wraps his Godzilla size paws around Bryer's neck and jumps on him!  FINALLY, Bryer gets a taste of his own medicine!  Do you think Bryer cared?  Not even one iota!  Bryer just jumped right back on top of him!  They played for the longest time.  They were biting and jumping all over each other, Bryer's head ended up covered in Hazard spit!  Eventually Hazard's owner pulls him away so she can begin class. As she is talking Bryer and Hazard keep inching closer and closer together.  Bryer eventually gets close enough to Hazard and our goofy dog starts licking this dog in the mouth.  What does Hazard do?  He opens his mouth and lets Bryer go for it!  Have you ever?  They are two peas in a pod!

 If you look right above Bryer's back you can see Austin laying down.  He was the odd man out at today's class because he wanted nothing to do with either Bryer or Hazard!

Craig and I were so wrapped up in watching these two play that we forget to pay attention to what the instructor is telling us to do - oops.  The last thing we hear is "Okay, lets start walking!"  Crap!  Craig and I both turn to each other and ask the other one if we knew what was going on, we had no idea, we had to ask!  I guess Bryer gets it naturally!  :o)

Bryer did shockingly well with his two tasks today.  He walked well on the leash and left things alone when we asked him to!  They also gave us a 20ft leash and when we called him he came!  I was wondering if they traded out Bryer for some good dog while I wasn't watching!  

While we were practicing this gentleman spots Bryer.  The man and Bryer are at opposite ends of the aisle and the man starts making a big deal about Bryer.  He comes over and meets Bryer and Bryer does surprisingly well.  Then Bryer jumps up on him and starts licking this man right in his mouth.  What does the man do?  Freaking smiles, SO HIS MOUTH IS KIND OF OPEN, and lets Bryer continue to lick.  VOMIT!  Bryer ate a dead mouse the other week but I was almost more repulsed by this than I was the dead mouse!  

Then as we continued walking around the store, I got distracted.  There was the most precious 3 month old Bulldog puppy riding around in a cart.  I had a cow!  Little Mary Beth came out in me and I had to go meet this puppy for a while, I offered to trade the puppy for Bryer but the lady wasn't up for it.  I wouldn't blame her!

Who knows, maybe obedience school is working for Bryer?  That would be so nice!  Next week we are going to learn Shake.  Oh wait!  Bryer already knows it!  Sa-weet!  We are totally going to show off!  :o)

Family Sunday

The ABC Family had a nice Sunday today!

We started out with a nice pancake breakfast (just Craig and I, Bryer had his usual dog food).  Then we got dressed and took our little buddy to the park!  He was so excited and ramped up - he loves the outside!  He cried the entire car ride over there because he was so excited!  He started out his journey at the park by swimming in the lake with Craig!  We like to take him swimming before venturing into the dog park because that helps him lose some of his energy!  After his swim we hike on over to the dog park!

We were there pretty early this morning so as we enter there was only one other dog.  It was a huge german shepherd.  Bryer sprints right over, smells her, then mounts up (this is his new thing lately, I hate it and wish he would stop, BOYS!)  Of course she yells at Bryer, then her owner says "Yea, she doesn't like that because she has bad hips."  Craig distracts Bryer with a ball and the dog walks over to the shade and lays down.  Why bring your dog to the dog park if she's to old to play and is just going to be grouchy?  The longer we stayed the more dogs came.  Bryer had a blast as usual!  We stayed until he was completely exhausted and then we strolled back to the car.

We got to the apartment and decided to give him a quick bath outside before bringing him up! This bath went so well - he just stood there because he was so tired!  It was fabulous!

Craig and I showered and headed out to run a few errands.  We had to go to Babies-R-Us!  We picked out a crib and picked up an outfit and baseball rattle for Jimmy-John!  The outfit is just precious!  It's a short-sleeve white onesie that says "Mommy's Champ" and a long-sleeve brown onesie that says "Daddie's Allstar" and it has brown and white striped pants with a football on the butt!  I LOVE IT!

When we got home, Craig wanted to have "Family Time"!  This is code for:  Craig is tired and wants to lay down for a bit and wants Bryer and I to join him.  Well, this was Bryer's once in a lifetime sweet moments!  Craig lays down on the bed on his back, I lay down next to Craig putting my head on his shoulder.  Our goofball dog walks up and lays down on Craig's other side putting his head on Craig's other shoulder!  It was the sweetest thing ever!  Bryer just laid there for the longest time - he was licking Craig all over which made me want to vomit!

Now we are just going to relax the rest of the day and get ready for the week!  Sounds like a pretty fabulous Sunday to me!