Our NeoVictorian Life

Santorini, Greece

2009-11-05T08:30:00.002-05:00

Oh, to be back in this paradise! This place was amazing!

Little details

2009-10-23T07:52:00.002-04:00

Chickens, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Before I got chickens I had never held a chicken, or even touched a chicken. And I certainly had never gotten close enough to see their face. I am still fascinated with the anatomy of chickens. They are so different from primates, which may seem obvious, but they just have parts that make no sense to me. I can't relate their comb and waddle to anything that we have, and therefore it fascinates me. Even those little tufts of hair on their "cheekbones" are interesting.

Cassie is the most mature of the three Wyandottes, even though they are all the same age. Her comb is the largest, her waddles the longest, and her skin the reddest. Akira (front left) is getting ready to start laying any day now, which is evidenced by the color of her waddle and comb. Darla (far right) is a year and a half old, and has been laying for a long time (she's on sabbatical currently), but Easter Eggers never grow waddles, and their comb is called a Pea Comb, versus the Rose Comb that the Wyandottes have. Enough chicken anatomy yet?

Mountains Trip

2009-09-24T06:46:00.002-04:00

IMG_0401, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

The new and transformed Victorian!

2009-09-11T14:19:00.003-04:00

Painting is finally complete on the big beast! I love the warm colors, and the way it looks in the afternoon sun. Now if only we can get Cornell's house painted, I will be happy! I think I will paint the front storm door red and Eli is going to re-shingle the porch roof, and then the whole exterior will be finished!

Magic Wings

2009-08-17T13:46:00.001-04:00

IMG_0043, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Eli & I visited a butterfly conservatory this weekend. It really was magical, the butterflies were just so beautiful. I must move too much, because they didn't want to land on me, but a few landed on Eli.

Duck, Duck, Goose!

2009-08-11T18:20:00.008-04:00

Duck, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

So, the benefit to working less hours is that you have time to spend in the park under the guise of "volunteering." Brandi would have loved to spend a little time chasing these beauties!

Fresh Pasta Sauce

2009-08-10T17:36:00.006-04:00

We had pasta tonight with eggplant, zucchini and basil from our garden. The lettuce, carrots, scallions and nasturtium were from our garden as well. I love summer colors!

Eggs, Eggs and More Eggs!

2009-07-27T12:07:00.003-04:00

Eggs!, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Darla is in full egg-laying swing, and little Cassie just started laying. Hers are the little brown eggs, and are much smaller than Darla's blue/green eggs. Her first egg is the brown one near the center. It was small and oblong. The other two more more regularly shaped, but still small. She lays in the same egg box that Darla does, so its cute to open the box and see two eggs in there, blue and brown!

July Harvest

2009-07-08T21:00:00.000-04:00

This was our dinner and dessert last night. It's so exciting to pick such colorful food from the garden. The beautiful purple beans are planted in the front and back flowerbeds and flower pots. They turn green when cooked, but are so fresh and good! The raspberries aren't producing much since this is their first year, but the fruit is so sweet.

We have lettuce planted in the flowerbeds too, and it is beautiful and sooo good! It is producing out of control, and we can barely keep up with eating it and giving it away to neighbors! The purple kale is another vegetable I'm using in the landscape, and it goes well in salads. We'll make soup out of it soon, now that it's getting bigger and will be more tough.

Other food that we have harvested is spinach, peas and soon zucchini, swiss chard and potatos. Oh, and the pretty light green eggs from Darla:

Fourth of July 2009

2009-07-05T14:00:00.001-04:00

Springfield Fireworks Downtown, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

This year my parents came up to spend Fourth of July with us in Springfield. We went to a party at Luis' house during the day, and then a Jazz Festival and Fireworks at night downtown. We also had some quality chicken time in there. Isn't that patriotic pup adorible??

At the Beach in DE

2009-06-28T21:07:00.005-04:00

Our first trip to the beach this summer was a little chilly. It rained a lot, but we did get some nice weather to go to the beach. We found a great restaurant in Rehobeth and spent some time walking the boardwalk.

It was beautiful there, a perfect place for a wedding ;)

The guys got to take the boat out for a little in between the rain.

The New Girl

2009-06-18T14:46:00.001-04:00

Darla, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Darla is the newest addition to our homestead. She's a 1 year old Easter Egger chicken, and she lays light green/blue eggs. She's very sweet, too, except when she's fighting with the other chickens... then she's a little bloody. :-/

Congratulations, Kylie and Jeremy!!

2009-06-11T15:24:00.005-04:00

Eli's sister, Kylie VanSteenvoort and her new husband Jeremy Barker were married on June 6, 2009 in Pennsylvania. The ceremony was beautiful, just like the couple!

Lauren & Eli

2009-06-11T14:32:00.000-04:00

Maple Street Historic House Tours

2009-06-01T22:17:00.001-04:00

IMG_0017, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

This house wasn't on the tour, but talk about gorgeous!! I would kill to have this house! Needs some work though. :\

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-06-01T22:15:00.001-04:00

IMG_0036, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Fixing Pawpaw's tractor.

Irises

2009-06-01T22:14:00.001-04:00

IMG_0041, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

They are finally blooming. After 3 years!!

Barbeque at Luis'

2009-06-01T22:13:00.002-04:00

IMG_0056, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

"Hey, Lauren's taking pictures!"

After party

2009-06-01T22:12:00.001-04:00

IMG_0058, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Lunch at Luis & Eli's after the boys finished the fence.

The Painted Coop

2009-05-12T21:18:00.003-04:00

Hiking in Robinson Park

2009-05-10T09:54:00.004-04:00

Eli and I took Shelby, Brandi and Max, the neighbor dog, to Robinson State Park this weekend. It was very humid and a little overcast, but very beautiful. We had a hard time figuring out which trail we were on, so we ended up on all the dirtbike trails, but it was fun anyway!

Chickie update

2009-05-10T09:44:00.003-04:00

First of all, here are our new raised beds for our veggies. Only salad greens planted so far... The girls love their veggies. They've already gotten into the garden and ate some of the salad greens :( We learned to give them their own...

Pretty Bria:

Cassie and Akira like yogurt:

They are all doing well, and it's so much fun to have them! They are entertaining, and don't take much work. They pretty much entertain themselves, and eat my seedlings when I'm not watching.

The new coop

2009-04-27T09:11:00.001-04:00

IMG_0166, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

This is the coop, it will be painted soon. The girls seem to be liking it!

Chickens are Here!

2009-04-26T16:09:00.002-04:00

IMG_0161, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Here are my three pretty little girls! We just picked them up today (early this morning!). They are settling in, and they are just soooo cute! They are going to be beautiful Wyandotte hens. Their names are Akira (gold laced), Bria (blue laced red), and Cassie (silver laced). We just finished the coop yesterday. It was a lot harder than we thought, but it will work well. Okay, back out to the chickies!

Dog Easter Hunt

2009-04-16T09:12:00.001-04:00

Dog Easter Hunt, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

After the adult easter egg hunt, we had a dog treat hunt. They had a blast, and seemed to know exactly what they were suppoed to do! After all the treats were found, Shelby went around and checked all the spots twice to make sure she got them all.

Spring again!

2009-04-16T09:11:00.001-04:00

Mini Irises, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Flowers are blooming, garden is planted. I love spring! Can't wait for the chicks!

Victorian Chair... Complete!

2009-01-24T10:37:00.004-05:00

IMG_2185, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

I finished my chair, and it was definately a learning experience trying to upholster it, but it was fun. Not too expensive either, the fabric was only $13/yd. We did have a few mishaps, like when Shelby found a piece of wood that fell off the chair in the process, and decided it was her new chew toy... oh well, it gives it character ;) The old chair:

Eli on El Castillo at Xunantunich

2008-12-07T19:38:00.001-05:00

Eli on El Castillo at Xunantunich, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

We returned from the cruise this weekend, and we had such a wonderful time! It was more incredible than we expected, but I also didn't expect to be this tired! Lot of catching up to do!

Cape Cod

2008-10-27T18:41:00.003-04:00

Eli's find, originally uploaded by lelisabeth. We took the girls to Cape Cod for the day last weekend. You'd think it was warm, looking at Eli's lack of footwear, but it was more like 40 degrees. The girls wouldn't even go in the water... Until Brandi saw a seagull. And then Shelby, not to be outdone, had to follow her in. She wasn't very happy about it either!

Oh, yeah, and Don't Drink the water, Shelby!

AHHH, Here it comes again!

CHILLIN'...

Happy Halloween! (Pumpkin Carving for Amateurs)

2008-10-27T18:29:00.002-04:00

We carved four sugar pumpkins this weekend, and since I have never carved a pumpkin (that I remember) I wasn't up for the scary faces and creative images. Instead we pulled out the drill and made polka dot pumpkins. They were extremely easy, if not so inspired. Hope you all have a great halloween!

New Haircut

2008-10-17T08:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I went for a bold cut this time. Never had it nearly this short, and the hairdresser didn't really tell me she was going this short in the back until it was done, but what do you think? Eli said it looks better this morning than it did in the picture.

Dry River Bed

2008-10-17T08:25:00.002-04:00

Pictures of the new Rain Garden/Rock Garden/Dry Riverbed. I'll let you know how it works out once it actually rains!

Big-E

2008-09-29T13:34:00.003-04:00

The Big-E was this weekend, and we went with Eli's parents. We saw all sorts of animals, endured all sorts of infomercial stands, and ate some good food. These cute little piggies fell asleep eating...

All except for the little runt on the far left. He seems to have picked the wrong nipple, because he was going to town and not getting anything! I wanted to take him home with me!

The Girls in their New Sweatshirts

2008-09-29T13:26:00.002-04:00

We bought matching sweatshirts for the girls this weekend. For some reason, they didn't seem to like them... and they have an uncanny resemblance to Gnomes... But they were cute anyway!

"Quiet, we are watching TV"

2008-09-15T15:46:00.002-04:00

"Mom, you're interrupting us!"

Brandiwyne swimming

2008-09-10T10:01:00.001-04:00

IMG_0955 copy, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

On our trip to the mountains over Labor Day, Brandi got to swim in the Creek for the first time. She is a natural swimmer! She definately took the lead, swimming up and down stream until Shelby got jealous and began to follow her into the deeper waters. Just look at those big paws!

MSPCA Dog Walk

2008-09-08T09:47:00.003-04:00

IMG_1039, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

The MSPCA Dog Walk was this weekend, and it was a lot of fun. All of our dogs are exhausted now, but they got to meet a lot of dogs and their people. We saw police dog demonstrations, obedience demonstrations and flyball demonstrations. There were also dog and cat contests. The MSPCA raised at least $53,000, which is a record for them. Thank you to everyone who supported us, and our furry friends at the MSPCA. They can't tell you, but they are very grateful for your donations! For more pictures from the event, click on the above photo. Thanks again, Lauren

**UPDATE**

The total raised by all 5 MSPCA branches was over $320,000!

Our new Pot Belly Stove

2008-09-07T21:58:00.002-04:00

IMG_1056, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Eli and I picked this stove up at Brimfield for only $35. It is made by Burden-Bryant Co. of Springfield, Mass. Eli fixed it all up, and spray painted it and it looks like new (or as new as a 100 year old stove can look)!

Garden Bounty

2008-08-04T11:52:00.003-04:00

I have been reveling in the garden this summer. It is so much fun to work out in the sun on the weekends, and even peek into the garden during the week to pick fresh veggies. My only complaint is that there is never enough to do, so I end up digging up and replanting random vegetables. I have repurposed one of my hanging pots as a flower vase for fresh flowers (below). This is our harvest from Friday, including purple and white bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, red and yellow tomatos (the green ones fell off in the storm) and carrots. All of these veggies went into our grilled fajitas for dinner.

Kim & Matt's Wedding

2008-07-30T11:25:00.002-04:00

Kim and Matt were married on July 26, 2008, and it was an absolutely gorgeous wedding! I will post some pictures to start, and then I will post more later. First the girls had a toast... Then here comes Matt and his Mom...

Then the Best Woman, Kelly, and the Maid of Honor, Laura...

At the reception...

And then DANCING!!!!

It was a lot of fun, and CONGRATULATIONS KIM & MATT!

Baby Skunk comes to Springfield

2008-07-23T20:36:00.001-04:00

Garden Video

2008-07-19T18:25:00.008-04:00

Brandi learns to knit

2008-07-17T06:35:00.002-04:00

Sorry this post got a little messed up, the first 10 seconds repeats itself, but be patient please, I was hurrying when I uploaded it! Such a silly pup!

Garden Progress

2008-06-28T20:16:00.003-04:00

Garden, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

The garden is really progressing, but it is already overgrowing the small space! I just found out that intensive gardening is really not an accepted technique anymore because of it's inefficiencies. It takes too much water, is harder to weed, and does not produce as much. But what are you to do when you just don't have the space? Tear up more of your yard!

Kitchen colors

2008-06-28T20:13:00.002-04:00

Kitchen colors, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

We finished painting our kitchen. The first color choice for the top didn't work out, but luckily it was so close to the final choice that we didn't need extra coats. It looks a lot better in real life, and matches the countertops perfectly. Now we just have to learn how to tile the backsplash.

Before the Garden

2008-06-20T14:46:00.003-04:00

Before the garden, there was asphalt.

Our efforts have come a long way from where we were. Looking back, I don't remember what we even saw in this yard! It was just so awful, but it has really come far. We plan to take out the rest of the asphalt sometime, but for now I feel a little more comfortable in our yard with some landscaping and our garden.

Sittin' Pretty

2008-06-17T13:48:00.007-04:00

Brandi is sitting like a person beside her dad. She sat like this for a good couple minutes before slowly sliding down to a normal dog position. Wait, are you allowed on the couch, Brandi? Didn't think so... Thank you, everyone who prayed for our little pup when she was in the animal hospital. She had rat poisoning, and we still cannot figure out where she got it! She was bleeding into all her organs by the time the doctors diagnosed it, and only had 50% chance of recovering. They said she would have to stay there for 4-7 days and would need a plasma and/or blood transfusion. She ended up recovering quicker than the doctors expected, with only the plasma transfusion, and only needed to spend two days in there (two VERY LONG days!). We actually waited for several hours to take her home the second day, until about 10:30 at night, because we weren't leaving her there another day! She was so scared I could hardly recognize her as my pup! So, after over 14 hours spent in the hospital with her, she is all better, and she just had a clean bill of health at her follow-up visit. Her sister Shelby is very happy to have her home!!

Velma Bag for Kim!

2008-06-02T09:32:00.001-04:00

Velma Bag for Kim!, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

I finished Kim's shower gift, and it didn't take the several months the first one took, but it still took considerably longer than it should have. I love Amy Butler's fabrics! They are so versatile! The inside is a pink and green stripe to match the outside. Too bad I forgot to photograph it before I gave it away!

Brandi's First Trip to the Mountains

2008-05-27T14:06:00.001-04:00

IMG_0632, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Brandi loved the mountains! It brought her back to her basic instincts, and she enjoyed sniffing and hunting down rabbits and squirrels. She did really great outside by herself, and only tried to sneak out the lane once while we were inside. It helps that the other dogs know to stay in the yard when they are out on their own. This may be her new favorite place to be! She didn't get to swim in the creek, which is probably good because it was pretty high and fast. But she did get to explore the woods an awful lot! She is currently catching up on some much needed rest!

Eli on his White Horse

2008-05-27T14:01:00.001-04:00

IMG_0590, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Eli, my mom and I all went horseback riding this weekend at the mountains, which was a lot of fun! It was a beautiful day for it, and it was really cool on the trails in the mountains. The horses were so well mannered and responded really well to us newbies.

Sewing Chair project

2008-05-17T19:48:00.001-04:00

Sewing Chair project, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

This is my new project, a victorian chair for the sewing room. Its perfect for sewing because it doesn't have arms, and it has wheels on the front legs. My job is to reupholster it, and I think I will do it with a modern bright brocade. A little victorian inspiration in a modern fabric. I'm not sure if it will be a light teal, purple, or what. Something fresh. Unfortunately, the chair had been sitting in the rain a half an hour when we bought it, so I'm sure it stinks, I don't even want to sit in it (and I haven't yet!). But I'm excited to start fixing it up. It's got potential! And we got it for only $30 because the guy was packing up to leave Brimfield and didn't want to take it with him! Great deal.

A new garden

2008-05-10T21:20:00.012-04:00

Eli started our garden last weekend... It was a VERY dusty job, with an antique contraption, but it did the trick! WHOA, NELLY!! This weekend, I planted all of my seeds and baby plants. I'm not too sure how this will work out, because I didn't quite have enough room... Okay, I didn't have NEAR enough room. Those plants will be packed in there! I even gave a bunch of seeds and plants to my neighbor. I really overestimated the size of my garden!

Our new fence really defines the space. It lends to that Victorian garden feeling, too. Unfortunately, since we don't have a gate, and no good way to attach the fence sections, there is no way to keep the dogs out. That's the task the ugly chicken wire is doing right now. It works for now, and hopefully once the plants are bigger the pups will stay out. If not, we may need a more permanent solution. That white strip of stones to the left of the garden is my drainage system. I had to dig it in the rain yesterday (what a muddy job!!) because I hadn't accounted for the downspout emptying into my garden. The trench did the trick to drain the large puddle that had gathered right on top of my new seeds. The white marble chips aren't too ugly, and they keep my garden drained.

This is where we are so far. Everything is leafing out, and we have a nice little retreat. The new grass is coming in, but not very fast.

High five!

2008-04-28T09:25:00.001-04:00

IMG_0472, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Yay~ Jada gave Sally a high-five, while Uncle Eli picked his nose. Uncle Eli, when we say "picture" you're supposed to smile!!

Llama, Llama, Llama

2008-04-28T09:22:00.002-04:00

IMG_0438, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Jada is feeding the Llama "animal crackers". All of the animals ate the same food, but she got to feed a lot of different animals. We got to pet a baby kangaroo, rabbits, goats, cows, llamas, alpacas, horses, and we even fed monkeys!

Pondering Seuss

2008-04-28T09:19:00.001-04:00

IMG_0468, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Jada got to pose with many Seuss characters.

Sitting under the Elephant butt!

2008-04-28T09:17:00.001-04:00

IMG_0479, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Jada got to visit Seuss Land this weekend in Springfield. Uncle Eli and Jada sat under the Elephant butt.

Spring has sprung!

2008-04-14T09:33:00.001-04:00

IMG_0355, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

My irises are blooming! I was getting worried when everyone else's had bloomed 2 weeks ago, but now all of mine are blooming too! These are such cute early bloomers, I love mini irises!

Mmmm, bird poop...

2008-04-14T09:30:00.003-04:00

IMG_0373, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

This is so convenient, someone left water for me in this little bowl that is right at my eye level! Yum, it's even flavored... Giardia anyone?

What, mom?

2008-04-14T09:29:00.001-04:00

IMG_0379, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Why do you keep calling us? Did we do something wrong? Picture? What's that?

Brandiwyne

2008-04-14T09:28:00.002-04:00

IMG_0407, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Brandi is a beauty queen, lounging in the sun!

Shelby & Brandi in the sun

2008-04-14T09:27:00.001-04:00

IMG_0401, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

It was a beautiful weekend for the dogs to get out and run around the back yard. They kept me company while I cleaned up a little bit, and they got to enjoy the yard a little before we laid grass seed and fertilizer.

Playing in the woods

2008-04-08T08:19:00.003-04:00

We took the girls for a long walk this weekend. They are doing so well together! They absolutely love each other! Eli wanted to run a little with Shelby so he took her a longer route and Brandi and I were going to meet up with them farther down the trail, but Shelby refused to walk once she couldn't see Brandi and I. She just sat in the path and wouldn't move. Brandi is quite the hunter. She likes to chase the ducks in the park and she is always on the look out for a squirrel. We are a little hesitant to let her off-leash right now because of that, but in more remote areas of the park we are practicing! The good thing is she will follow Shelby's every move, so as soon as the squirrel runs up the tree she is right back beside Shelby.

Messenger Bag and Portfolio

2008-04-05T20:40:00.001-04:00

Messenger Bag and Portfolio, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

I finished my Amy Butler Messenger Bag and Large Portfolio (finally), and they actually didn't come out too bad~! I love her fabrics, the colors are great!

Dining room Finished!

2008-04-02T07:49:00.003-04:00

Yay, the stencil is done! I love how it makes it look so formal!

Foyer Painting

2008-03-27T08:22:00.001-04:00

This is the new color in the foyer. Now onto the hallway.... the painting is never done!

Parkwood Street History

2008-03-10T17:06:00.002-04:00

I started a new website to track the history and changes on Parkwood Street and Forest Park in Springfield. As I find more information on our house and street, I will put it on this website. It can be found at Parkwood Street History. Anyone can edit and add to this site with my permission.

Dining Room Details

2008-03-07T08:10:00.002-05:00

So, here is a taste of the design I am painting in the dining room. This part will be mostly behind the china cabinet, but the whole room will have this border going around it. Let me know what you think! The design itself came out of a catalog from 1910 that sold stencils. So, it is an original historic design. The catalog was reprinted by the Philadelphia Atheneum.

1939 WPA Photos

2008-02-27T08:01:00.002-05:00

I just got a great tip from a Springfield historian to go to the building department to look up an old photo of my house from 1939. They were taken by the WPA of every house and garage in Springfield. Above are the pictures (they are very small pictures, and I could only get a photocopy from the bldg dept).

Isn't it amazing to look back at old photos and see what has changed? I love the garage doors, and all the porch railings on the house have changed. The balcony railing is no longer open in the front. And there are no shutters! I just love to look back at these pictures. But when this was taken, the house was already 37 years old, so some things may have changed already. I would love to find an older picture...

Living room color

2008-02-25T07:57:00.002-05:00

Two (bad) pictures of our new living room color. If you click on them they will get bigger to see more closely. Let me know what you think. The crazy thing is that we inadvertently picked two colors that were already in our living room rug. They match exactly. The living room color is called "burlap", but it is a yellow green. Kind of like a straw/khaki green.

Beauty Queen

2008-02-18T21:10:00.000-05:00

Look at those beautiful amber eyes!

The two sleepy pups

2008-02-18T21:06:00.003-05:00

Sleeping in the car, these two like to cuddle. Whether Brandi is laying on Shelby or Shelby is laying on Brandi, they have to be touching! They are cuties. Brandi doesn't always listen when we call her, but since Shel always does, we just call her and Brandi always comes running after!

Tug o' War

2008-01-27T16:05:00.000-05:00

Playing in the Snow

2008-01-27T15:51:00.001-05:00

IMG_0096[1], originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Brandi loves the snow now! It was snowing today, her first time seeing it actually coming down.

Catching Snowballs

2008-01-27T15:48:00.001-05:00

IMG_0117[1], originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Shelby loves to catch snowballs.

Cutie Patootie

2008-01-25T13:54:00.000-05:00

Play Time!

2008-01-23T20:42:00.000-05:00

Brandi and Shelby are getting along so well! They play exactly alike, and love every minute of it! Phoebee, this is how Shelby wanted you to play, just so you know. And now you better watch your back, because you will surely have two puppies ganging up on you now!

How's that for a smile?

2008-01-21T18:00:00.000-05:00

Mom, you said you wanted a smile, and she was pretty happy here! Her and Shelby have fun playing together!

Brandi's First Day

2008-01-20T16:49:00.000-05:00

This video is of Brandi's first day here. It got better as the day went on, and you can definately tell she is more comfortable. She is still very tired, and I don't think she will be totally comfortable for a few days. She likes going outside in the snow, but doesn't want to come in yet. Sometimes she doesn't like to come out of her crate, she acts scared. But Shelby stays with her when she is in the crate, whenever we aren't home. They are becoming good friends!

Eating dinner together

2008-01-19T20:39:00.001-05:00

IMG_0040[1], originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Brandi and Shelby are getting along pretty well. Shel doesn't want to play with her yet, but Brandi will follow her around anywhere. They will be good friends soon!

Yup, she's a long one!

2008-01-19T20:37:00.001-05:00

IMG_0042[1], originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

We just love her little body, she is so long! And her little legs are so short. It's adorible to watch her jumping through the snow!

It's a girl!

2008-01-19T10:30:00.000-05:00

IMG_0049[1], originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

This is our new baby, Brandiwyne Skye. She is a seven month old Beagle Dachshund mix. She may be part Bassett Hound too. Right now she is so scared with us. She just had a very long trip from Arkansas in a van full of barking dogs. She is eating now though, but she is scared. Shelby doesn't want to play with her yet, but Brandi seems to like her. She follows her everywhere. Brandi also likes our cats a lot, and surprisingly they don't mind her at all! Aria already touched noses with her, and Emmie came and smelled her when she was asleep. We love her so much!

She's on her way!

2008-01-18T11:17:00.000-05:00

We're expecting...

2008-01-18T08:32:00.000-05:00

I truely cannot wait until tomorrow! We are so excited for our sweet little baby to arrive! We have everything ready for her, from cage to treats to collar and leash. We even have a sweatshirt so that she isn't cold in our New England weather. We got more snow last night by the way, and there is more expected for tomorrow afternoon and Sunday afternoon. Poor Brandi is going to be so cold! But that's enough for now, I don't want to give it all away!

Shelby in Socks

2008-01-17T13:51:00.001-05:00

Shelby in Socks, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Shelby HATES doing laundry!

All our Children

2008-01-17T12:43:00.001-05:00

Okay, I am putting a picture of our whole family on here because I realized there were no pictures of Aria and Emma. The picture is a little dated, but still cute!

So you think that you would like to breed your dog

2008-01-15T15:52:00.000-05:00

So you think that you would like to breed your dog. Are you prepared to put in lots of time and patience? There are a few things you should consider when thinking about breeding your dog whether it be the first time or not. Current Over-population With over-population of dogs becoming a major problem, first think about whether it is necessary to bring more pups into this world. Currently in the US it is believed that over three and a half million unwanted dogs are put to death each year! Not to mention the millions that die due to neglect, homelessness, starvation, etc. Many breeders don't breed their dogs until they have a cash deposit for at least the average litter size. Research to find out if your breed of dog is desirable to others. Search local classifieds to find out what breeds are being sold or given away. Also check the wanted section. Many people place ads when they are wanting a certain type of dog breed. Do NOT bring more unwanted puppies into this world if you feel that there may be even a slight chance that one dog may end up unwanted! Cost Dog breeding may sound all glamorous and the idea of making money with little to no effort on your part may make you want to breed your dog. You must also consider the cost of breeding your dog. Most often than not there is no profit to be made. I don't know how many people have said to me "You must make a fortune breeding your dogs. You had 8 puppies and you sell them for $500, so that's a $4000 dollar profit!" Well in all actuality the amount of profit is far from that. By the time the pups are ready to go to their new homes, there are many costs that the breeders are responsible for. The cost of breeding should start before your dog is even pregnant. A complete check-up for the mother-to-be should be done by a vet to determine if your dog is able to breed. Once the pups are born, we have a fairly large vet bill with the tail docking and the dewclaw removal of our pups. Health care and shots, possible emergency vet bills, extra food, etc, are very costly that many people don't consider when they think of breeding their dog. In the end, what started out as a $4,000 dollar profit, it is more likely to be less than half that. If you add in the time that I take out of work for the days before the delivery, the delivery, and about a week or more after that, there is such a small profit that one may think that it is not worth it. Then, add in the cost to feed the parents, and you get no profit at all! Complications of Delivery Another thing to consider is the risk of complications your female may experience during the pregnancy or delivery. After two successful litters, our female had to undergo an emergency c-section. If the pups weren't coming out on their own they could die, and if left untreated, kill our mother dog. This operation was extremely expensive and also unexpected. Unfortunately none of the puppies survived, but our mom did! We then opted to have her spayed so that we wouldn't be confronted with this problem again. Another thing that seems to be a common complication during the delivery is a pup becoming stuck in the birth canal. This must be taken care of by a vet immediately! This may happen in the middle of the night, which increases the cost as well. There are many complications that occur that can kill your pet! It is important to know this before breeding your dog. Time There is a considerable amount of time needed from you when your dog has puppies. During the birthing process, which is known as whelping, the female Cannot be left alone at all. This can be more than two to three days of sleeplessness. Even after the delivery, the pups and their mom need to be constantly monitored for at least the first 3 days. The pups are very fragile during this time. The mother needs to be watched as well, as some mothers don't take to being a mom as well as hoped. Some mothers can't or won't look after the pups. If this is the case, you are in for at least 3 weeks of feeding every two hours. In some cases the puppies are sick, and they require more time and money as well. Once the puppies are up and around the time needed increases. Much time and effort is needed to keep the whelping box clean. Expect to spend at least 2-3 hours per day cleaning puppy poop and pee. It is close to a full time job! If you have a job already, be prepared to feel extremely over-worked. These are just a few of the time consuming things you will be confronted with, there are many more that add up. These are a few things to consider before breeding your dog. I hope that you find this helpful. If I were to suggest one more thing to consider it would be RESEARCH! You can never know too much when it comes to the health and well-being of your dog. If you don't have the time to do the research, you definitely don't have the time to have a litter of pups. Please take the time to think everything out before you bring puppies into this world. by Madlyn Tierney from http://www.helium.com/tm/680105/think-would-breed-prepared

My baby

2008-01-15T14:07:00.001-05:00

Shelby front walk, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Shelby, you're adorible!

Shelby after the Snow Storm

2008-01-15T14:00:00.001-05:00

Shelby playing in the snow, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Our third big snow storm this year, about 8 inches, and Shelby didn't want to come in. She loves jumping through the snow, and that's just what she does! She can't walk in it because her legs are too short, so she just bounces through it. It tires her out, so its ok with us!

Jada learning to play guitar

2008-01-10T08:11:00.001-05:00

IMG_0673, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Eli taught Jada to play guitar this christmas. She played Amazing Grace all by herself!

Is it hidden yet?

2008-01-10T08:06:00.001-05:00

IMG_0754, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Shelby thinks that she is burying her bone in the couch. She didn't realize quite how big the bone really was! Keep pushing that "dirt" over it Shel, maybe it will be covered soon...

Minnie and Me

2008-01-10T08:04:00.003-05:00

IMG_0757, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Minnie was my buddy over christmas because Shelby was a little rowdy for her. She just wanted to cuddle!

Christmas Eve

2008-01-10T08:04:00.001-05:00

IMG_0723, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Zach is showing Jada how to put on her new gloves she got for christmas.

Merry Christmas!

2007-11-25T16:48:00.002-05:00

For cards, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Merry Christmas everyone, from our family (not all pictured here). Aria and Emma say Happy Holidays, but they refused to sit for a silly picture!

Thanksgiving Visit

2007-11-25T16:46:00.001-05:00

Family Christmas Pic, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Our Thanksgiving this year was great, with my dad able to travel up to our new house. We had a full Thanksgiving dinner, although we didn't have an oven. We all had a lot of fun!

La's Family in Forest Park

2007-11-25T16:44:00.001-05:00

Family Christmas Pic2, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

My family was finally able to come visit us in our new home in Forest Park. We spent the weekend shopping, visiting museums and the park, seeing "Bright Nights" in the park, and eating Thanksgiving Dinner.

Mudroom is done!

2007-11-03T17:55:00.001-04:00

IMG_0242, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

This is the completed mud room. Still need a curtain, but it is kind of pretty without one even. If it wasn't for those ugly machines. I got a new rug that matches perfectly!

Shelby's Halloween Costume

2007-11-03T17:52:00.001-04:00

IMG_0241, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Shelby was a hotdog for halloween. She was very cute, but no one got to see her because she barked at all the trick or treaters. She was in her cage a lot of the night. Not a fun night for her!

La and Shel at the Top

2007-10-21T20:01:00.001-04:00

La and Shel at the Top, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

Eli & Shel at the Top

2007-10-21T17:24:00.001-04:00

Eli & Shel at the top, originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

This weekend we climbed Mt. Norwottuck in Mount Holyoke Range State Park. The top is 1106 feet, and we kind of went backwards. We climbed straight up the steepest part and then climbed down the gradual slope. Really sore now, but it was a lot of fun!

Yeah, it's pretty stuck...

2007-10-15T10:46:00.001-04:00

Yeah, it's pretty stuck..., originally uploaded by lelisabeth.

The Yukon was not quite made to be a beach vehicle, as we learned this weekend. And we also learned, when you go over the edge... there's no coming back! The dogs were a little bored, but other than that it wasn't as bad as it could have been!