We arrived home about 2:30pm today California time and all of us are glad to be out of the car. We had a great time with all the kids at Christmas and wish we all lived closer to each other... maybe one day. It's always fun and interesting to see the fine adults they have grown into - hard to believe the baby, Ben, will be 25 in six months... he turns a quarter of a century old while his old ma turns a half a century old... where has the time gone? We are so proud of all 4 of the kids!
The kids in Maryland have a beautiful new home and have done some wonderful things to it. They are on their way to becoming very successful young professionals (not sure where she got that ambition from but we are glad she did!). They are both working hard but seem to be able to find a little time to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
We are so glad to have Ben home safe and sound. The recent events in Iraq make us even more thankful that he isn't there right now. We really enjoyed our whirlwind tour of DC with Ben and Jeongah and they took some great pictures, both are very good photographers! The one on the right is my favorite place in DC - the World War II Memorial at night. John and I sat there while Ben and Jeongah went to the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial. It was quite beautiful, peaceful and touching. The other picture is the Washington Monument of course. We were lucky enough to get tickets to go up to the top - it was awesome!
Ben gets out of the Army in March and we are looking forward to having both of them here with us for a little while. His plan is to go back to the Middle East as a contractor... but I'm not going to think about that right now... I'll think about it tomorrow.
Hamlet and Mouse will have one more installment in the next few days but I just wanted to let everyone know we are home safe and sound and looking forward to a Bright and Shiny 2007!
Happy New Year to you all!
Hugs,
Rox
AnimalLog - December 28, 2006 -- We are headed to Texas. The weather is going to be bad the way we had planned to go, through northern New Mexico and Arizona, so we decided to go down through Oklahoma and Texas - the southern route. Mommy and Daddy are not happy about it. This rental car (a Jeep Liberty) slid several times in the rain in Maryland so they don't want to chance it in the snow. We all really wanted to see some snow but it doesn't look like that will happen this trip. Hamlet and I are really bored and wish we were home already. I guess I will try and take a nap although it may be difficult because Hamlet is standing in the middle of the back seat right now watching cows. He is fascinated by them and there a lots of them on the road we are on now. Maybe he thinks they are big dogs. -- Mouse
I miss the dog park. I am so tired of being in the car. At least there are lots of cows to look at today. They are really lucky because they have a huge cow park to play in but I don't see them play very much -- they just stand around and lay around.
Mommy has found two ticks on me - yuck! One was on my forehead and the other one on the side of my face. I have never had ticks before - it's too hot for them were we live. It really hurt when Mom pulled them off. She said they are probably from the very first walk I went on in Maryland becasue they were so fat. I hope I don't have anymore. Mommy and Daddy said they are going to give me a flea and tick bath when I get home just to make sure. I don't think I want to live where ticks live. -- Hamlet
I saw a horse and it scared me! After that I kept my eyes open on the lookout for horses that might be following us. Thank goodness I didn't see anymore! I did see and oil well... they kind of look like horses moving in one place - it was pretty scary too. There are lots of scary things on this route. We have stopped for the night in a place called Van Horn, Texas. It was raining and getting dark so we decided to stop about 100 miles shy of where we had planned. It may be Saturday before we get home - oh well. -- Mouse
PS: Mom says it has been a bad day for cell phone reception so if you called today she will call you tomorrow when we go through bigger towns.
AnimalLog - December 26, 2006 -- We are on our way back to California and we are all very tired. We had a great time in Maryland with everyone and Christmas was great! I got a stuffed buffalo from Baby and a squeaky reindeer from Ben and Jeongah that squeaks really loud, Mommy and Daddy gave me a chew toy and Mouse gave me a... stuffed mouse! I had alot of fun playing with everything yesterday! I am sad that we had to leave today but Daddy has a big meeting for work next week that he has to get ready for so we need to get home. Mommy said that everyone was probably getting tired of me too. Daddy says I have too much energy -- I can't help it I just love to play! I guess Baby doesn't like to play as much as I do - I think she was ready for me to go home - I will miss her! I had alot of fun and I already miss everyone but it will be good to get home and see all my friends at the dog park. Ben and Jeongah will be coming to stay with us in March so I will be looking forward to that! I had a White Castle burger for lunch - boy was it good! I think I will take a nap now - more later! -- Hamlet
I miss Roya already. Hamlet and I have been asleep in the car most of the day today. We played alot with our new toys and family yesterday. I got a new feather from Ben and Jeongah and some kitty treat mix that Mommy and I are going to bake when we get home. I also got some mice and balls in my stocking. We are in Indiana now and it is sleeting and about 33 degrees. Brrrrr. Mommy said she will put my jacket on me tomorrow. We are going to stop in about two hours - I'm glad cause I'm really hungry! Have a good evening -- Mouse.
AnimalLog December 21, 2006 -- So, what do you think of Ben's new look? He has to shave it all off when he goes back to work for the Army in January but he can have fun with it for awhile.
Hope everyone is looking forward to a fun holiday - we are! Everyone sends their love! -- Mouse
AnimalLog December 20, 2007 -- I got some new toys this week when we went shopping for pet food. Baby likes my toys and takes them away sometimes - I don't mind too much because she gets tired of them pretty fast and I get them back. Sometimes she will growl and try to take my treats and I don't like that too much. I don't let go of those so easily.
Today Mommy and Daddy took me for a long walk around the lake and I saw ducks and geese and a deer. It was nice being with just Mom and Dad for awhile. Baby went for a walk on her trail with her Mom and Dad too so we got a break from each other. We were both really hungry when we got home and ate alot and then we slept. Now I am bored. I think I'll go and find something to play with. -- Hamlet
Ben and Jeongah got here last night and I hid in the basement. I had the best hiding place ever. Miki and Mom and Dad all looked right at me and didn't see me. Mom found me when she came back and looked again! Ben still scares me a little but I'm getting better at being around him. Baby barks alot at him because he makes her angry so that scares me too - Baby barks really loud!
Ben surprised everyone with a new haircut and hair color yesterday. I think it makes him scarier. Last night it was spiked with green on the tip of the spikes for Christmas. I will try and post a picture tomrrow -- Mouse
AnimalLog December 18, 2006 -- I asked Roya what it meant for Baby to put Hamlet in his place and he said that she was telling him who the boss was around here! Whew! I'm really glad that it doesn't mean he has to stay here. He can be annoying but I would really miss him if he didn't come home with us. Cleo is beginning to tolerate me and Roya and I have fun playing. I would play all day but he likes to take alot of naps. I enjoy naps too but sometimes I get really bored. Oh well, I'm just glad he still likes to play with me - he's fun! -- Mouse
I haven't been allowed on the internet because I was bad the first couple of days we were in Maryland. I have been on my best behavior (almost) yesterday and today. It's really hard sometimes because I love Baby and I love to play but she doesn't like to play as much as I do so she get angry with me sometimes. She also doesn't like it when I play with her toys AND she takes my toys too. I don't mind too much - I just try and find something else to play with. We went on a walk together today around a big lake. The first day I was here we went to Baby's trail and they convinced Mom to let me off the leash. WOW! I had a blast and ran and ran and ran but Mommy kept telling me goodbye if I got to far away and they would start to leave me and I would have to run to catch up with them. It really scared me and I thought they were going to really leave me. Mommy had tears in her eyes a few times so I don't think she would have REALLY left me but I didn't want to find out. It was fun off the leash but Mommy and Daddy decided I wasn't quite ready for that. I'm glad they decided that because it was pretty scary!
Ben and Jeongah will be here sometime tomorrow and we have a big fenced back yard here to play in with Ben - we will have lots of fun!
I hope all of you are looking forward to a good holiday season! They decorated a tree last night in the living room and there are some presents under it. It looks like fun but Mommy says I have to stay away from it. I hope there are presents for me! -- Hamlet
AnimalLog December 17, 2007 -- It's a really good thing Mommy and Daddy and I (not to mention Mikisha and Sina) love Hamlet. He was really bad the first two days we were here. He peed in the basement, he peed on one of Baby's dog beds, and he peed in a plant! What an embarrassment he is! Cleo says she's glad he's not HER brother! Of course she doesn't like me much either because Roya likes me! Roya says that Hamlet is just a puppy and that he remembers Baby being alot like Hamlet when she was a puppy except maybe for the peeing thing.
Today has been better. He didn't pee in the house today or yesterday and he hasn't chewed anything up here so I guess maybe he is settling in. Baby gets mad at him alot. Sometimes she wants to play with him and it seems like they are having a good time and then she gets mad at him and growls and barks and snaps and won't let him play with her toys. She can get really mad if he goes near her mommy and sometimes she gets upset if he goes our mommy. She scares me when she barks so I just hide! I guess it's hard when you are the only dog and then you have this crazy puppy show up and try to take over.
Daddy said that Baby is putting Hamlet "in his place." I'm not sure what that means. He says it like it's a good thing. Does that mean his place is here and he isn't going home with us? I don't think that's what it means but Hamlet isn't sure. I will ask Roya tomorrow because he knows everything.
I'm tired. Hamlet is already asleep on the bed and I can barely hold my eyes open. More tomorrow. -- Mouse
AnimalLog December 14, 2006 - I had a fun time at Ben and Jeongah's house! Ben and I played alot. Mommy says I have to get a job so I can pay for all the things we tore up. The first thing we messed up were some placemats when Ben and I were wrestling and he pushed me against the table where Mommy and Daddy had their coffee one morning - Oops! Then Ben thought it would be fun for me to play with Jeongah's big excercise ball. He asked her if it was OK and she said yes. But, mommy warned them that I have really sharp teeth and can tear up a soccer ball in about 5 minutes. I had fun playing with for a few minutes (it was the size of about 5 or 6 soccer balls!) until bu teeth put a hold in it. I still had fun after that to but then we had to put it away.
The next day while all the humans were having breakfast I got bored and started to chew on the bottom of Jeongah's slipper - I only chewed it a little before she caught me and took them away.
Later that day Ben was using Jeongah's watch to time her presentations she had to give for college that night and when they were done the watch somehow fell on the floor. I picked it up and I just couldn't resist chewing it! It was a sports watch and it was pretty blue rubber... just like some of my toys! I guess I got mixed up - Oops. Mommy got her another watch.
We are about 30 minutes away from Mikisha's house and I can't wait! I am so excited! I will try and be better this week. I won't be so bored with Baby and Roya and Cleo around! -- Hamlet
Unfortunately I was the first one to break something at Ben's house. I felt so bad. Why do people have to put things on their windowsills. We don't have things in our windows at home and I love to sit in them and look outside. Around midnight the first night we were there I went into the kitchen and pulled the window shade back and hopped into the window and CRASH! A flower pot fell off the window sill! I ran really fast into the living room where Mommy and Daddy were hoping Hamlet would get blamed. They could see that he was sound asleep when it happened... so they know it was me. It was a pretty pot that Jeongah had painted... I still feel so bad about it. I hope there isn't anything in the girl's windows. I'll have to ask Roya when I get there! I can't wait to see my boyfriend! Mommy says that he has a sister now, Cleo, and she might be jealous. I hope not. -- Mouse
PS - We are at Miki's safe and sound - more later!
Do not adjust your computers... Roxanne's blog has been taken over by Hamlet and Mouse who will report on parts of our "2006 Home for the Holidays Tour" - a Diesel-Harrison-Haeri Production.
AnimalLog December 7, 2006 - It sure is a long way to this dog park we are going to. Several times we have stopped and I got out but there wasn't a dog park in site!
Mouse says we aren't going to a dog park but we are going to see our girls and our boys and Baby and Roya and Cleo. Who are they and why does it take so long to get there? We are stopping at a hotel tonight. I know what those are - we stayed at those when we went to Yellowstone. Mouse got her own bed that time. This time I want my own bed! -- Hamlet
The dog thinks that every time he gets in the car he is going to a dog park. He is so spoiled. He is also a back seat hog! For the first few hours I tried to stay in my space and lay in my little bed. Hey, I only weigh about 8 pounds so I don't take up much room but he kept invading my space, laying on my bed and laying on me! I have figured out that if I lay right in the middle of the back seat he won't lay on me because Mom and Dad can see him and he will get in trouble. So I just stretch out and he has to lay on one side or the other! Ha - I showed him. Hey we are at the hotel! -- Mouse
There is a dog outside that wants to play with me. I wish he would go away. He barks alot and makes me bark and then I get yelled at. -- Hamlet
There is a dog outside our hotel room who won't shut up and he keeps scratching at our door. I hope he stops soon. I need my rest. -- Mouse
AnimalLog December 8, 2006 - Hey it's really early but I think that dog finally went home. Now I can get some sleep! Hey, what's that noise? Why is mom getting up? Why is the shower running? Oh now - that means I have to get up soon. Whhhyyyy? -- Hamlet
We are back in the car and everything is brown and flat. Yesterday we went through one of my favorite spots on the trip -- the beautiful canyons in Arizona between Nevada and Utah. Every time we drive through there I rush from window to window trying to drink it all in. It's just beautiful. Last night we saw hundreds of lighted Christmas trees in the Vail, Co area - they were everywhere and so big! There were white lights and multi-colored lights and then there were some that started out on top with golden lights and as they went down to the base of the tree there were red lights on the end. We all enjoyed that part of the ride. -- Mouse
My ears popped alot yesterday but today they are fine. I went for a long walk and chased a tumbleweed and now I am ready for a nap. Mommy says we will be there soon. I hope so. I like car rides but I'm ready to get out of the car for awhile! -- Hamlet
We have arrived... uh oh. I remember this place - it's where the scary boy lives. I will try and be brave. He scared me when I was only a few months old and I have never forgotten him. Here we go... oh no, HE is getting me and my carrier out of the car to go inside. I can do this... be brave, be brave... -- Mouse.
Wow! I've written nothing since July? Yikes! Life's been busy as usual!
What has happened in those 5 months?
- Hamlet went from 45 pounds to somewhere between 65-70!
- Mouse and Hamlet finally agreed to get along. Now she encourages the chasing - most of the time!
- John went to work for Event 360 - a spin off event company from Pallotta.
- John's sister and her family came for a visit. It was great hanging out with them and finally meeting our neice Stephanie in person and seeing Chris (our nephew) - can't believe he's a teenager!
- Camps went well - we ended up with 555 kids total - we missed Jenny!
- John and I made it through fall classes and our fall murder mystery show. We have some new cast members and they did a great job!
- GV is seeing someone! Hope it works out!
The kids are doing great. We leave for Maryland in a couple of days then head on to Maryland where we will be for Chirstmas. Jeongah and Ben will join us closer to the holiday. It's the first Christmas we have all been together since Ben joined the Army - can't wait!
Hmmm... perhaps I will blog this trip instead of sending everyone emails and photos... gotta think on that.
More later,
Me
