Ending 2008

As you can see by Harley's face here... we've been exhausting the pugs and boring them at the same time.

We've spent LOTS of time with family celebrating Christmas and our engagement! Barely any of it involved pugs though, poor things.

Laura and Kevin came over with Salinger last night! We've been talking about doing this all year, and we are glad we finally all got together. Look what they made us:

This cake was in addition to the wonderful champagne, lasagna and caesar salad. What great pug friends!

Since Sophie and Salinger are "in love" (aka Sophie is Salinger's "beard") we had them exchange gifts. The pugs got Salinger a turtle-tennis-ball without knowing that Laura is deathly afraid of turtles! Whoops! We decided he is now an armadillo.

Salinger also received a shirt to help beef up his manliness... "SUP DAWG?"

It was QUITE difficult to get our pugs to act civilized when presented with gifts. Harles went from being a fine gentleman to an unruly ingrate!

Check out the bitey-face going on with Harles and Dixie. It wasn't pretty. How embarrassing.

Dixie really wanted to be involved in the human parts of the dinner.

We attempted to get some pictures of Salinger and Sophie.

After tons of running around, the pugs did get some down time. I told Kevin to enjoy what I experience every day- the PUG PILE!

Then we took some cheesy pictures of us cutting our engagement cake! Good practice for our wedding! We are thinking of a destination wedding to Mexico in early 2010. If anyone has any tips or experience, shoot ideas to our puggy e-mail (listed on the right).

And I can't not throw in a photo of handsome Salinger when it also features a classic Dixie noseguard!

Thanks Laura, Kevin, and Salinger for the Christmas/engagement celebration! Hope you are all having fun winding down 2008, and thanks for all the congratulations!

Best Christmas Ever!!!!!

Hi it's Sophie!!!!! We had such a great Christmas. Santa Paws brought us tons of toys and goodies. Dixie got some sushi-shaped toys.

I really like them too.

Dixie wouldn't let go of the big one!!!!

This one is for me- what is it?

DOGGIE BEER! Beefy Brown Ale, yum!

Mommy opened the next one from her mom! Cool jacket Mommy!!!! She also got a PUG NECKLACE from PugNotes' Melissa- Daddy was sneaky and got it for her!!!!

Harley was next- what's in the bag???

Dog biscuit mix!!!! Cheesy!

Daddy had to go on a scavenger hunt to find out what his main gift was... looks like we'll be hiding from the noise in the near future.

We also each got a toy in our stocking... I got a bouncey/scrunchy frog, Dixie got a soccer ball, and Harles got a football player loofah dog.

Dixie liked all of them.

I went on Mommy's camera to get these pics and found out that when Dixie went missing for a while- she was at Grandma's (Dad's mom) with Mommy and Daddy! WHAT THE HECK!!! Aunt Nina just got a kitten whose name is Aria. Dixie got to meet her. Whatever.

She also got to play with Uncle Webster. I asked Dixie and she says she didn't even have an accident in the house... I am so proud of her if it is true!!! I was feeling pretty icky so I wouldn't have been as good.

Dixie was pooped when she got home, so I'm not surprised she was relaxing while there too.

When she got home with Mommy and Daddy we had some beefy brown ale.

It was good! Me and Harles went at it first.

Then Dixie drank some. We all stopped though, because we realized it wasn't people beer.

When will they learn!?!?!?!

Pee-S: Mommy and Daddy say thanks for all the "congrats" since they are engaged now and we won't be illegitimate doggie children for much longer. WOOHOOOOOO!

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!

This morning Brian came in the living room and said, "Look at this great picture I took of the pugs!" So I looked at my camera and saw this:

I started to put two and two together- he was proposing! And I bet you guessed it- I SAID YES!!!!!!!!!

My new bling!

Sophie Sophie is VERY jealous. She's been sitting on Brian all day!

Dixie found the ring to be delicious. And Harles, like most men, is oblivious! HAHA!

I'm glad I get to share my good news with you all!!!!!!!!!!

OMD TORTURE TORTUREEEEESON!

OMD my mom sucks like so much she totally has not let us blog, we go on and on signing and sending cards for her and she's like "la de dah I guess I'll blog!" So when I got a package I was hopeful it was something like what Dixie got, something awesome, to make up for the lack of niceness and prezzies. Well guess what it was?

Tan Torkelson sent me that stupid bowl. Me and Dixie were REALLY upset. Now I can't eat fast, and now she can't eat my vom. Look how shocked and depressed she looks in the above picture.

It wasn't all that bad though, we got this book, which I don't even have to open because I know what kind of dog I am.

We kept coming back to the horror of the bowl. Tanner I will now call you Torture Tortureson.

The one like really redeeming good thing was this can that Tanner farted in!!!!!!!!!! Look at how his manly musk brought me and Dixie runnin' and sniffin'. Sorry Murphy and S-Dog, we just can't resist.

The farts were fantastic.

So Tanner Torturerson, thanks for the "prezzies." I will forgive you only because you sent your farts.

Bugg's Day and Kick@$$ Cookies

Today Bugg got to go to the nursing home to see Grandma!!! It was a fun but short visit. Buggie caught sight of one of the house cats there and went from tired like this:

...to all riled up! Anyway, she had fun seeing Grandma and hanging out alone with Mommy, Daddy, and Aunt Pam.

In the Christmas spirit I am sharing a DELICIOUS recipe!!!! It's called "brownie cookies" but I'm calling them "kick@$$ cookies" right now because they are quick, easy, and you can pick and choose your mix-ins. I chose toffee pieces and Reese's peanut butter chips. PB chips are the classic mix-in for this recipe, so I will list the recipe with it.

-1 Box Brownie Mix (for a 13x9 pan, usually labeled "family size")

-2 eggs

- 1/2 cup oil

-1 cup PB chips

Preheat oven to 325. Grease the pans very well with either shortening or cooking spray (these cookies can stick!) Mix all ingredients together, it just takes a spoon (not a mixer) but does take some elbow grease. It will look like this (but with more of it):

Scoop out onto the trays in small lumps. They need to be small because they spread out. I use a portioned scooper that I believe is 2 tsp. Cook for 8-9 minutes. When you take them out the center will be soft. Cool on the tray for a few minutes then on a cooling rack until firm. They're delicious and chewy!

Now, as for mix-ins... like I said, PB is classic. I've also done chocolate chips for those chocoholics, or white chocolate for a more mature taste. In the winter sometimes I see pretty green and red white chocolate chips, and these look great in the cookies. Mint chips taste FANTASTIC in these. This is the first time I added toffee bits (I did a little less than a cup of PB chips and about 3/4 cup toffee bits) and it's delicious.

Enjoy the cookies and the cute bugg picture. It's almost Christmas!

LOTS of stuff to show you all!

It's the pugs' mom again- you all must be sick of me by now!!!! The pugs are too busy opening all their Christmas cards and sniffing their stockings.

Here are all of their Christmas cards! Can you believe it??? Thank goodness for them that they rarely let us cut their nails, as they can use them as letter openers.

Here's a close-up off the top part...

...and the bottom part. They are certainly a popular bunch!

These are our cards, as in for humans. They're from my mom, my friend Marissa (whose dog Rosie signed too!), our friend Brian, a family I babysit for, and my friend Sara.

The lucky pugs got even luckier because Dixie's hot-doggie boyfriend, Murphy, sent a package!!!!!!

Sophie and Dixie really sniffed out the first package. Turns out...

It was for me! BOOYAH!!! Eat it, pugs. Actually, don't eat it. It's figurative. You'd probably die if you ate those fantastic smelling bath salts and soap! Thanks Murphy and family!

They also sent a bag of doggie treats... Banana Carob Chip!!! Harles and Bugg were ALL over that bag when I opened it. I've never seen them so fired up about treats!

Then Dixie noticed the last little package for her. I can't think of a way to say this that doesn't sound inappropriate, but... Dixie LOVES balls. (I'll give you a moment to laugh... pretty appropriate since I KNOW that Murphy gets it.) Look at this green bouncy frog ball!!!! They are all over it!

Speaking of crazy-popular toys... you may notice we have a new title photo on our blog, and that there are four creatures in it. That stuffie is Gorilla.

Gorilla is VERY popular with the puggies. Here is Dixie making out with him- I mean, playing with the toy! Yikes, don't look Murphy! Anyway, it's nice to have the Gorilla in the main picture with them. We also were inspired by Miss Suki Sumo's comment on a recent blog and changed our "tagline." Check it out- Sass & Class!!!!

Pee-S... Murphy, Dixie says she will FINALLY send you something in the new year... she's quite forgetful like that. She gets distracted easily since her eyes point in different directions- please forgive her!

Dog Disobedience Award

First of all, I have to say how very lucky I am to have all of you dog bloggers out there who understand what I was talking about on Wednesday. And let me say first and foremost that none of you bloggers have ever offended me. I said to Salinger's mom in an e-mail that us bloggers and dog-lovers still think poop eating is gross, still say "ew" when a dog eats puke, or get mad when a dog destroys their socks. However- we do it with a laugh and sigh, and see the humor in it. And also, we can see past it. It's people out there in the world who can't see past "flaws" like these that make comments to me which annoy, frustrate, and sometimes, infuriate me. None of you. You all commiserate with me and support me, and I can't thank you enough for that.

Stacy, Brutus' mom and Harles' foster mom way back when, made an award that I am so happy to be given and to share! It's called the Dog Disobedience Award!

This is awarded to any dog that's eaten his/her own poop, another cats poop, vomit, won't sit, stay, lay down or come when called. Rejoice in your disobedience and be happy you have humans who in spite, or maybe because of your disobedience love you!

Thanks so much Brutus & Stacy!!!!! We couldn't have said it better ourselves. This fantastic graph was also featured... I couldn't help but post....

We are going to give this pawsome award to a ton of dog-bloggers. I have twenty-four comments on my last post as of press time. 24!!! That's insane! So I have tons of supportive friends who also will laugh at this award. Here are a few:

Winston & Clemmie
Murphy Dogg
The whole Pug Posse
The Three Pugsketeers
Harry Pugalicious
Joe Stains & Tanner
Clover
Napoleon and Rukia

Thanks everyone and enjoy your award!!!!! Post it proudly!

Venting and Awards

I am absolutely fuming and have a pet peeve to discuss: pet owners who judge me because my pugs are a little… different. Sure, the pug crew cannot sit & stay (with the exception of Harley), or do any special tricks, or listen not to beg, or ride in a car in a crate, or just be content in a crate altogether, or sleep anywhere but in bed with us. I think these things make my pugs unique. I truly know that Brian and I saved them. Specialized rescues like Pug rescue, BT rescue, Airedale rescue-you all know what I’m talking about- they find homes for dogs that need not just a home but special attentions to their specific needs.

Brian and I have made some MAJOR adjustments in our lives for our dogs. Now, I think that despite their “shortcomings” (as listed above), I am a very good dog owner. I’m responsible and above all LOVE THEM more than anything. However, if I have to hear ONE MORE PERSON say “wow” with disgust when hearing some of the stories like the ones I share here, or saying “well MY dog doesn’t do blah blah blah” or “wow, that makes me grateful for my dog,” I will go postal on whoever that lucky person is. At one point recently, someone was saying what their dog could and couldn’t do, and I chimed in- of course a lot more “couldn’t do’s” for my puggies. They responded, “well, that’s why you have to train your pug.” REALLY? What do they think I’m going to say? “Training!?!? I had not thought of that!!! I thought they were born knowing how to sit, stay, and shake on command. Crazy!!! Thanks so much for the fantastic advice, I’m forever grateful.”

It takes a special person to rescue a dog with special, sometimes neurotic needs. Sophie is so Velcro-pug, insecure, neurotic, and broken from her past that she HAS to be on a lap or licking another pug. Dixie eats her own poop, but only because where she came from, she didn’t know where her next meal was coming from, if at all- for more than three years. And Harles was given away, probably because of his slight knee problems, that if anyone researched pugs before getting one, they’d know about. I would give someone one freaking thousand dollars if they could come into my house and teach Sophie and Dixie to sit or stay on command. It’s not like we haven’t tried. Duh! They just are stuck in their ways. And I am absolutely done with hearing that sort of thing. I understand that it’s gross that Dixie ate Sophie’s vomit. But ask me more about them and you’ll understand why. Or, be like one of my nicer co-workers, who acted interested and gave some suggestions. (She said that giving them pineapple as a treat makes their poop taste bad. Which is much more effective in the conversation than “eww.”) I may not be able to get them to run an obstacle course, or sleep in a crate, but I am able to keep them happy and healthy. Shouldn’t that count more than anything? Ugh. Any advice as how to handle this? Or similar experiences? I’m just sort of blunt and rude now since I’m so sick of it. When will people learn to respect others!?

We were lucky enough to be given an award by our good friends The Churchills aka Winston and Clemmie!!! Thanks guys!

This award is passed to bloggers for showing great Attitude and/or Gratitude. We are passing it on to Pearl, aka Sophie’s bff (best friend forever!), Murphy, Dixie’s bad@SS boyfriend, and Salinger, Sophie’s metro-sexual man. Thanks for being our friends! If you guys got them already, sorry! We just like you!

Wonderful/Horrible Prize

The puggies here won a PRIZE!!!! That's right, they won the Dog Pause bowl from Joe Stains and Tanner! That's because of what happens when Sophie eats... she pukes. This bowl will help slow her down, thus helping her not puke. My reaction- overjoyed. No more cleaning up puke! Or Dixie puke breath! However, the pugs have different reactions.

Sophie: "WHAT? I will have to eat slower? Why are you torturing me?"

Dixie: "WUT?? I iz not eetz dah pukz? Whyeeee!??"

Harles: "Finally, some civility and manners in this place."

Thanks so much Joe Stains and Tanner!!! We can't wait to use it- well, Harles and I can't!

Ornament. Singular.

Sophie here. Everyone has been posting photos of their ornaments on their blogs. Our mom is so lame. Guess how many non-generic ornaments she has??

Have you guessed?

Unless you guessed ONE- you are wrong. This is it.

It's cool, I guess, since it's a pug. Mom wrote in Oliver for her first pug who died a little over a year ago. I wish she had more pug ornaments. Stupid lady is obsessed with matching though so who knows if she will ever get another one. Someone save us from this boring, generic tree!!!!

Pee-S, thanks for the kind words about our slave labor. Besides some crazy writer's cramp in our paws, we are doing okay for now!

Mom's A Slave Driver.

Hi doggers, it's Sophie Sophie. You're right- Mommy isn't boring. In fact she's the opposite. We did the Dogs With Blogs card exchange this Christmas, and she made us sign ALL THE CARDS!! Yep all the doggers who are getting mail versions from us have our signature. That's slave labor, right?

We just want to go to bed! We're ready, see?!?

I'm just, you know, checking Dixie's butt for safety.

Harles take a little longer to get up onto the bed, since he uses the stairs.

The moral of the story is that our Mom is a slave driver, and us pugs are tired.

Apparently, Mommy's Boring.

I think I bore the pugs. Brian really needs to get home ASAP.

Decorations

Here's what's decorating our house right now...

The "get well" flowers Brian got me last Thursday... still going strong and smelling fantastic!

Our first Christmas tree!

The humans' stockings (no fireplace? IMPROVISE!)

What's that, pugs? Are we forgetting something?

Ah yes... PUG STOCKINGS!

That's about all the energy I have for posting... Brian is on YET ANOTHER work trip... so we'll be trucking along missing him until Friday!

Sophie- Therapy Pug?

This entry is about Sophie Sophie's day in the sun!

Yesterday, I was volunteering for KPR at PETCO and brought Sophie. Both other pugs had gone solo, so it was her turn. I was worried she'd be too clingy or whiny, but she did great!

I had to miss a lunch with Brian and our fantastic aunt Pam (remember her?) so they stopped by PETCO to say hi! It was right about time for me to pack up, so they invited me to go with them to visit Brian's grandma in her nursing home. I was worried about leaving Sophie in the car, but it turns out, they allow dogs in there. Of COURSE I jumped at the opportunity to take Sophie!

She was fantastic. I have never seen Brian's grandma so alert and happy. She was very excited to pet Sophie and kept saying that she loved her. Many other residents came up to us and wanted to pet her. She really lit everyone up with smiles. Granted, Sophie is NO therapy dog. I wouldn't trust her on anyone's lap, and I had to watch her paws because she refuses to get her nails trimmed (we have to take her somewhere to get it done, and have someone hold her down... traumatic.) However it was great to see how calm she was with everyone petting her, it seemed like she really enjoyed the attention!

And hopefully you have enjoyed these random photos of our beer-loving pug!

Also, Coco tagged us in the Sixth Folder meme. Believe it or not, that's my Oliver folder, filled with (mostly scanned) pictures of Oliver, my first pug. Here is the picture:

This is at my grandma's shore house in Spring Lake, NJ. We were there for a while with my aunt while my mom moved- we had to move suddenly after my dad died. My aunt surprised us by bringing Oliver down too! He had a great time, and since Mom wasn't there, he got to sit at the dinner table with us. I have great memories of the shore and am glad that Oliver got to share it with us once!

For anyone who wants to do this- you're tagged! Here are the directions:

- Go to your Picture Folder on your computer or wherever you store your pictures.

- Go to the 6th Folder and then pick the 6th Picture.
- Post it on your bloggy and tell the story that goes with the picture.
- Tag 5 other glorious peoples to do the same thing and leave a comment on their bloggy tellin' them 'bout it.

The Snowiest Pug Meetup Yet!

Hi it's Sophie! Went went to a meetup today, it was small, just Lilo and her family and Pippin, Jasmine, Eli, Bernice and Ernie and their family. It was soo cold because it was snowing! And because it was snowing, Mommy put on these bootie things that Annie from 4weebeasties sent us.

Dixie went first. Mommy and Daddy were laughing so so so hard! So were Harley and I until we found out we were getting them too.

Sam, Pug Posse's older brother, helped Mommy put on the footies. Harley didn't seem to mind!

I was hard to convince until my last foot or two. It was actually nice, it kept our paws dry! And a little warmer since they weren't wet!

We all had a blast running around!

Dixie and I saw a little bit of something on the outdoor grill, I think Dixie thought it was poop, BOL! Mommy said it was COAL.

Harley even got to be on the table with Lilo. Poor Lilo swallowed a rock after the last meetup, and had to get surgery to remove it! She has a scary scar on her tummy.

Look at those happy paws!

I think that we are a good lookin' family of puggies.

Many of the pugs wore sweaters too. It kept us toasty warm.

Here is Jasmine with her brother Sam! She looks happy to get her paws out of that snow!

Uh oh, S-Dog, don't look! I did a lot of... sniffing... with Pippin.

I don't know what it was about Pippin but he drew me in! Please still love me, Salinger!

We knew it was time to go after a half hour because we were all shivering. Dixie got to go in Daddy's jacket to warm up, lucky! We are now having a busy day of napping on blankies on the couch!

Survivor- now with PUG LOVE!

Does anyone out there watch Survivor? I adore that show- I watched the first few seasons, lost track for a few years and just picked it up again about a year and a half ago, since Brian is really into it. What a great show! I usually never pick a favorite, but I always have people I dislike. If you watch, and didn't see December 4th episode- spoiler alert!

Out of the final six, this time, I actually do have a favorite. His name is Matty.

Looks a little like Leonardo DiCaprio, right? Weird! Well I pick Matty to win because on the Thanksgiving episode where they aired all their entry videos, they showed him with his girlfriend and their pug, Dink. Yes that's right- he featured his PUG in his audition video!

Last night they got video messages from home and when it was his turn I was saying "please feature the pug please feature the pug" over and over... and they did! His video was his girlfriend holding their pug. Then, their loved ones surprised them all by showing up at camp. I hoped Dink would make an appearance, but alas, no Dink. I told Brian that if I was on Survivor, I would pick Dixie to come visit me when the loved ones visit. Brian said she would be promptly eaten by an alligator or other animal. Probably right, but if she wasn't, she would make for great TV!

The Hot Spot

Our pugs consistently have had varied ailments. I have hoped and hoped that each vet-visit would at least help us in the future, that we could say "we know what to do!" and save ourselves a vet bill. For a while there they were all about being individual in their sickness and injuries. At last, Sophie has had our first recurrence!

Here I am pointing to it. It's a little hard to see from far away- this one isn't at bad as the one she had before. Sophie's first hot spot happened pre-blog, on her shoulder. We are lucky that we caught this one early, and still had leftover medication left. Hot spots aren't a huge deal- our own neighbor treats his dog's hot spots with just plain alcohol to dry them up. Knowing what we're dealing with = no vet bill!

There's a close up of the hot spot. I noticed it because they sort of swell and ooze, and her leg looked wet.

The other pugs gave Sophie a choo-choo-train of sympathy. Harles has apparently gotten over his sitters' barbaric acts yesterday!

Sweet Potatoes and Some Disgusting Behavior.

Hello dear readers, many greetings and salutations. It is I, Harles Montague. My mother has fallen ill: her medic has diagnosed her with viral bronchitis. The poor dear has been subsisting on soup alone. Considering that her limited taste buds only permit her to enjoy tomato soup, I decided to suggest that I blog for her, and that I help her make a different meal- Sweet Potato Cheese Fries. I would prefer a name that is slightly more proper, but sickness is no time for formality.

One large sweet potato should be enough for two people, however, two small ones will work for two people as well. Mother had a larger sweet potato, but since she needs the nutrients, I decided this would be acceptable for her dinner. (Our father is out to a dinner with our grandmother, but mother's sickness has forced her to dine alone.) The potato should be washed thoroughly and then cut in strips lengthwise (so they are quite long, tall, and skinny.) This is a tough task- but the strips can be thicker, and cut down once individual slices are made. The key to this is making french-fry like shapes, to your preference. Then, toss the potato pieces in a bit of oil to slightly coat. Salt and pepper to taste, and add cumin to taste as well- a delightful spice that adds a savory flavor to the sweet potato. Garlic is also a delicious flavoring on savory sweet potatoes. After the pieces were tossed in their seasoning, I had mother put them on a tray, slightly sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. They cook for 10 minutes on 425 degrees. Remove, then flip the potato pieces, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove and flip again, and cook for 4-6 minutes until done. Then, sprinkle cheese over the fries. We enjoy mozzarella with a few bits of cheddar. To snazz up the recipe, sprinkle on some diced onions. Mother used red onion, but the recipe is best with scallions. They go in the oven for just a minute or less to melt the cheese. Then- you are done! Enjoy your simple, nutritious, and delicious side dish or meal.

Sophie Darling, don't you know that onions are not good for us pugs? However, I applaud your efforts to enjoy sweet potatoes, a healthy alternative to starchy potatoes!

I must admit I felt quite bad for Mother, which influenced my helping her. I felt bad because she witnessed something barbaric and horrible today. While I love my pug sisters... they can be juvenile and disgusting. Case in point- Sophie Sophie tends to eat so fast that she involuntarily purges. She does not get more food after tossing her dinner, causing me to think that she is not as wise as she looks. Today was no exception: she lost her dinner within moments of eating. That is where Dixie Cuddelbugg comes in.

While Mother was fetching paper towels in the kitchen, which took two to three seconds, Sophie and I followed her. Dixie Cuddlebugg did not. In those two to three seconds, Dixie ate the vomit. Gone. There was no trace of the regurgitation except Dixie by herself, licking her lips happily.

I do not understand these two. Their sophistication levels are quite low. I long to speak with Salinger and Murphy to hear their thoughts about their beloveds' mannerisms, and what we can do to improve their ghastly behaviors. Good grief! Thank goodness they don't eat feces and regurgitations all the time. I do love them after all!

Pug Momma here. I'm super sick, in fact, too sick to pick up a camera and take pictures of the pugs! But I've been working on this meme about Christmas that Ladypug Mugs posted. Enjoy!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, it's so much more exciting.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I've never had anything but a real tree. EVER. Until this year. Growing up we had a 12 foot tree in our "big living room" as we called it (the formal, sunken living room.) Now that I live with Brian, and am out of college, etc, we haven't bought our fake one yet, but we're going to have to get a cute little fake one. I don't feel like vacuuming pug hair AND pine needles daily.

3. When do you put up the tree? Right after Thanksgiving, but it has to be in December. Or it feels weird.

4. Wreath on your door? I would like one, but I'm lazy. Growing up we had a huge wreath that was more of a horseshoe and stretched probably 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide, that we put over the entrance to our porch. Very nice.

5. Do you like eggnog? Nope, just SOUNDS gross.

6. Favourite Christmas gift received as a child? HAHA. I remember being excited about getting a beret one year. I also have photos of us being VERY excited for our first color printer.

7. Easiest person to buy for? No one!!! I suck at gifts!

8. Least easiest? My sisters. I hate buying stuff that they don't want or need, or have too much of. They live too far away to be a fly on the wall and see what they need.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope, but we used to have one or two sets when I was little, I loved playing with them.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. I'm actually doing some this year!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A patchwork bohemian vest (trust me, not cute) from a crazy aunt.

12. Favourite Christmas Movie? Christmas Vacation, hands down. I love funny movies and this one does it for me!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Ugh, always too late.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can think of. I usually either like and use what I get, or store it away never to be seen.

15. Open presents on Christmas eve or morning? MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!

16. Lights on the tree? HAVE to be white. I think that colored lights are sooo tacky. Not that I don't appreciate them in/on other peoples' houses, but I always have to have everything match nicely, and I think white is a great, simple compliment.

17. Favourite Christmas song? Anything by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. YAY! Or classic choir hymns.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I prefer staying at home, which is why we do Thanksgiving in NJ, and stay in Indy for Christmas.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixin, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, and Rudolph. I think!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We changed it up, usually it was an angel. But our work has a bowl that has ribbons going down, I like that and may try it.

21. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas? Pancakes for breakfast!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? I've seen so much stuff on the news about atheist organizations being mad about the Holidays and putting up their own ads saying "God isn't real" or other stuff to display their freedom of speech... but to me it's like, well, if you don't believe in religion or a God, then you have nothing to celebrate, so don't take it out on us!

23. Favourite Tree ornament, theme or colour? PUGS. Enough said.

24. Favourite for Christmas dinner? I love Yorkshire Pudding, it's disgusting that I like it because I think it's made from like beef drippings in the pan, but its just yummy. We used to eat at our neighbor's house each Christmas and that's what she made that I adored.

25. Brussels Sprouts - love or hate them? Hate.

26. Favourite accompaniment to the Christmas Pud? Not sure what this means at all!

27. Favourite Christmas Carol? Any! I love carols! And I love the use of "deck the halls" in that Dell commercial... FA LA LA FA LA LA LA LA LA!!!!!!!!!

28. Your very Favourite Christmas Thing? Definitely time off to relax and spend with loved ones!

29. A Christmas wish! That lots of lonely doggers will find homes for the Holidays.

30. Tag a Seasonal Six!

I tag anyone who hasn't done this! Feel free to do it whenever you get in the spirit!

Pizza and Pupcakes

The puggie's buddy Pearl asked us what the deal was with pizza from New Jersey being "real pizza." It's so hard to describe, Pearl! So, I took some pictures of the best pie (we call it a slice of pizza pie, not a piece of pizza) that I ate while in New Jersey. Brian and I went to Pete & Elda's in Neptune City, New Jersey on Tuesday last week.

They are known for their thin thin thin pizzas. It is about an hour away from my mom's house (we went there to tour the town I spent every summer in down the shore, Spring Lake) and we got a half plain, half sausage and onion XL pie. YUM!!!

Plain for me please! Their XL is like a small size L, or even a larger M, because it is so paper thin! I was barely full after half of a whole pie!

I also got two slices for dinner on Wednesday (I have an addiction) and they were from my favorite place in town, Michael's.

Look at that glistening grease! Jersey pizza has this great sauce-cheese ratio that almost makes the two become one thin layer over the delectable crust. You all must try it sometime in your life! Michael makes amazing pizza, he actually lets me practice my Italian when I pick up anything! Last year he half-baked us a whole plain pie, and then we drove it back with us to Indy. This year we didn't do it though because after all the traveling, we are trying to eat healthy and avoid crazy temptations... like whole pizza pies!!!!!

Also, I have to share a little about what I bought the pugs in New Jersey... their Christmas prezzies!!! But I won't tell you what they are! But I will tell you that this place that just opened in New Jersey (down the road from where I grew up) is fantastic, it's called  PupCake Dog Bakery & Boutique. They had so much cute stuff!!!!! If anyone is from North Jersey or plans to visit there, you must stop by. We got a pug ornament as well for our tree (that we don't have yet) and the owner gave us a nice free sampling of liver biscotti!! It was a big hit! Stay tuned to find out what the puggies get for Christmas!