Our Furry Children

Free At Last!

2011-09-28T09:22:00.003-04:00

Pictures from our recent camping trip near Lake MI, aka Dog Heaven.

Telling secrets.

"Can I have some attention?"

Getting the water out of their ears...

Neglected

2011-05-16T22:18:00.001-04:00

That's what they'd tell you anyway...

Hmmmm

2011-04-05T21:00:00.000-04:00

Not sure how Charlie feels about his hug.

Allie-Bear

2011-01-23T11:14:00.002-05:00

While Brian, Heather & Rowan went gallivanting off to Panama, we got to enjoy the company of Allie-bear.

She didn't leak even once!

Cute Animal + Baby Photos

2011-01-22T15:59:00.002-05:00

Wooby and Wy-Wy

2011-01-10T22:18:00.005-05:00

Wooby and Wy-Wy (Ruby and Wyatt for those of you that don't speak Abby) are visiting while their parents are off gallivanting on the west coast. They are excellent additions to the family. Ruby is a wonderful foot-warmer at night and Wyatt, who is apparently always too exhausted to defend himself, provides endless entertainment for Rambo and Abby.

What?

2011-01-09T12:54:00.004-05:00

You think there's something strange about a kitty that begs for treats with all the other dogs? If so, you're clearly a species-ist.

Enzo's Got Some Competition

2010-12-03T19:06:00.000-05:00

for the best baby dog ever.

Oh, Just Some Cute Dogs

2010-11-24T11:46:00.003-05:00

The Leo Scarf

2010-11-18T09:59:00.003-05:00

Sale negotiable.
Just kidding.

The Charlie Pillow

2010-11-18T09:56:00.001-05:00

Not for sale.

Ball Time

2010-11-14T09:55:00.002-05:00

Beggar

2010-06-15T22:06:00.002-04:00

Playkitty Calendar: June, 2010

2010-06-14T10:32:00.002-04:00

Ella is The Best

2010-06-01T09:39:00.004-04:00

I'm pretty sure no one looks at this blog anymore. I had a bit of a hiatus from this blog when Abby was first born and I think it was fatal. But now I'm back to posting adorable pet pictures! And to entice you to occasionally look here, I'm posting some adorable pet photos WITH Abby in them.

On to the topic of this post: Ella. Surprisingly, she has turned out to be the best baby dog ever (besides Enzo). I say surprisingly because initially, she was really jumpy around Abby and didn't seem to want her within a foot. I guess she got over that, although I'm not entirely sure when. These days, Abby can climb all over Ella without Ella even twitching. Abby can feed Ella table scraps, and then reclaim them from her mouth when she changes her mind. Abby can clutch Ella's scruff fur so hard that she comes away with clumps (don't worry, Ella is shedding, I'm sure Abby isn't doing that much damage) and Ella won't even look her direction. Here are some recent photos of the two of them.

Ella gets a hug.

Yikes!

2010-04-23T11:38:00.002-04:00

Lift Off!

2010-04-23T10:44:00.001-04:00

Ah, Spring Days

2010-04-23T10:41:00.001-04:00

Portraits

2010-02-14T18:28:00.001-05:00

My (mostly) sweet animals.

Hidey Hole

2010-01-19T10:49:00.001-05:00

Rambo discovered this awesome hidey hole, between the water heater and the furnace.

Room for one more?

2010-01-19T10:48:00.001-05:00

I bet Leo could squeeze in there somewhere.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

2009-12-14T11:58:00.002-05:00

...and that means ornaments and strings and other fun things for Rambo to play with.

Ella And Her Best Friend

2009-11-19T11:06:00.002-05:00

Up Close and Personal

2009-11-07T16:29:00.001-05:00

Fall Dogs

2009-11-07T16:06:00.002-05:00

They're so cute.

I Wish

2009-11-05T09:32:00.003-05:00

I wish this is all I had to do every day. In the second one it looks like Rambo is whispering secrets to Leo.

Ella's New Bed

2009-10-28T11:16:00.002-04:00

I know, I didn't think she'd fit either.

Why my clothes are covered in cat hair.

2009-06-30T13:27:00.002-04:00

Dog Days

2009-06-27T09:27:00.003-04:00

Aren't they just the cutest?

Rambo and The Little Ugly

2009-06-26T22:30:00.003-04:00

So for our baby shower one of Beth's friends bought Abby a stuffed animal called a Little Ugly. It truly is an ugly stuffed animal, but for some strange reason, Rambo LOVES it. He carries it around with him. He cuddles with it. He plays with it. It's so strange. Tonight I saw him walking into the kitchen with it firmly in his mouth. I followed with the camera and caught the following gems on film.

Best Buddies

2009-06-14T18:11:00.002-04:00

Charles in Charge?

2009-05-28T14:07:00.001-04:00

I don't think so...

Awwwww....

2009-05-11T09:33:00.002-04:00

Uncooperative dogs.

2009-05-06T15:05:00.003-04:00

This morning my goal was to get a cute picture of Abby and the dogs sitting together, maybe cuddling, maybe kissing, but at least just plain looking cute together. Alas, it turns out the dogs don't like touching (or even thinking about touching) the chair in which Abby was posed. I tried and tried to get them to sit up close on either side of her but the more I pushed them toward the chair the farther they inched away from it. So, this is what I got--two indifferent/peeved looking dogs sitting *near* an indifferent looking baby. Not what I had in mind.

Charlie fur

2009-05-06T09:36:00.002-04:00

This morning I saw two Chipping Sparrows outside the back door gathering up nesting material. When I looked closely, I noticed they were focusing their activity in very particular areas--the spots where Charlie lounges during the day--and on one particular material--Charlie fur. They're going to have a nice warm nest this year!

Kitties got a new toy

2009-05-05T09:37:00.005-04:00

And they love it.

King Leo

2009-03-21T12:59:00.002-04:00

The king surveys his domain from his throne...

My how my girl has grown...

2009-03-14T19:36:00.001-04:00

Fur Ball

2009-03-14T19:25:00.001-04:00

This picture demonstrates quite nicely why cats are sometimes called fur balls.

Cat Boppy?

2009-03-07T09:40:00.004-05:00

Apparently Rambo appreciates the boppy as much as Abigail does. The other morning this is where I found him...

Bath time

2009-03-07T08:38:00.002-05:00

Since the weather has been warming our backyard has once again transformed into a giant mud hole. As a result we were forced to bathe the dogs. This is what the bath tub looked like after said baths.

The Crib

2009-02-02T09:57:00.003-05:00

What is it about cats? They seem to have a sixth sense for finding the places that you absolutely DO NOT want them to be and then consistently being there. For example, they like to sit on the computer keyboard while I'm typing. Or when I'm knitting, they insist on laying between my face and my knitting project. At night, of all the warm places on the bed, Leo insists on laying on my pillow with his face buried in my hair. Their latest discovery is that I don't want them laying in the baby's crib. Rambo has been obsessed with the thing ever since it came into the house. We finally shut him out of the bedroom so he would break the habit. Then I bought some netting to put over the crib, thinking it would prevent them from laying in the crib. Apparently the netting by itself is not enough. Sigh.

Marnie

2009-01-19T09:11:00.002-05:00

Marnie loves Alex. So much so that she will follow him up a fallen tree just to give him a kiss.

Snow Dogs

2009-01-19T09:06:00.002-05:00

This is what Charlie and Ella do in the snow:

This is what they look like after they do that:

Fun with Packaging

2009-01-18T19:25:00.006-05:00

Rambo is obsessed with boxes. The second we get a package in the mail, he starts trying to figure out how to get inside it. He's pretty successful too. Last week we got a monstrous package in the mail and as a bonus, it was filled with packing paper. We can't bear to throw it out now that Rambo has established it as his own personal fortress.

A Cat after My Own Heart

2009-01-18T10:18:00.003-05:00

Every morning when I get up, I head straight for the heater vent where I sit for the next 15 minutes, letting the hot air blow down my back. It's a wonderful way to transition from the bed to the real world. Rambo has caught on to my routine and figured out that it is indeed a wonderful idea. So he joins me every morning on the heater vent (he's actually quite greedy and I often end up periodically pushing him back so that at least some of the heat gets to my back). Usually I have to get going before he does--apparently chasing invisible butterflies is not as pressing as getting to school in the mornings. Here he is, after I have vacated, taking in the glorious heat.

Happy Kitties

2009-01-18T10:11:00.002-05:00

Happy Dog

2009-01-18T10:10:00.002-05:00

I think he clearly doesn't like it...

2008-12-08T13:43:00.004-05:00

To convince you of my opinion that Leo likes it.

I think he likes it...

2008-12-08T09:35:00.002-05:00

Seriously?

2008-12-01T14:02:00.001-05:00

What do you think, is Rambo more of a pink passion or electric blue?

Kitty Wigs

To be fair...

2008-11-22T10:40:00.003-05:00

...she's big, but she's also really good at condensing herself.

Big

2008-11-21T09:43:00.002-05:00

You know you have a big dog when...

...she can't fit on the human sized couch anymore.

Eating Peanut Butter

2008-11-16T10:11:00.004-05:00

Whenever we empty a peanut butter jar, we save it for the dogs. And when we get two, well, it's like doggie heaven. Charlie and Ella have very different peanut-butter-jar-cleaning techniques. As you can see, Ella uses her giant paws to hold the jar while Charlie utilizes the butt in the air technique (it's not clear to me how this helps, but it must).

Awwwwww....

2008-10-29T15:04:00.003-04:00

Every night when Alex goes in to work on his computer, Leo dutifully follows him. Why? Because it's his opportunity to give Alex a hug. He never misses it.

The Menagerie

2008-10-19T11:18:00.004-04:00

We're watching Enzo for the week while Rachel and Dave are in Europe. Yesterday, we also took Ruby for the afternoon while Mike was at work. What a bunch of cute dogs.

Ruby

2008-09-29T12:16:00.009-04:00

This weekend Rachel, Heather and I accompanied Tory and Mike to the Detroit Zoo which was hosting a Pet Adoption Event. Basically, all the rescues in Michigan gathered together their animals and set up camp outside the entrance to the zoo. There were so many adorable animals up for adoption. I managed to come away without adopting anything and only got tears in my eyes once (pretty good for an emotional pregnant lady), but probably only because Mike and Tory didn't. It was actually quite nerve wracking--they found the perfect puppy almost right away but when they went to fill out the adoption paperwork they found that the rescue wanted to actually speak with their landlord to be sure puppies were allowed on the premises. Tory couldn't get her landlord on the phone so we had to leave the puppy there! We were sure someone else would swoop in and take her away. To pass the time until the landlord called we went to the zoo. By 5 O'clock we hadn't heard from the landlord but by some miracle the sweet puppy was still available! Later that night the landlord finally called and Tory was able to make all appropriate arrangements so she could go pick the puppy up the next morning. She's sooo cute!

Tory posted some pictures on facebook (here), but for those of you who don't have facebook profiles or aren't "friends" with Tory here are a few cute ones.

Cats and Sheets

2008-09-29T08:55:00.007-04:00

Every time I try to make a bed in this house the cats come running. They're just certain that the only reason I would be throwing sheets in the air is to entertain them. When Olivia was here earlier this month they were in an especially playful mood. We took a few video clips of the two of them.

Wet, Happy Dogs

2008-09-25T10:45:00.001-04:00

Need I say more? (photos courtesy of Olivia during her Ann Arbor visit)

What Are Those Things?

2008-08-22T10:28:00.004-04:00

The other morning Alex went out early in the morning to collect wasp nests for the Tibbet's lab where he worked over the summer. He brought the wasp nests plus the wasps back in clear Tupperware containers and stacked them on the table while he got ready to go up to school. Leo must have heard the occasional thud when a wasp flew into the side of the container. Ever the curious one, he began a thorough investigation. He's not allowed on the table, so he had to conduct said investigation from the floor. Fortunately, he's just tall enough to peek over the top of the table when he stands on his back legs.

After about 20 minutes of this, Alex and I took pity on him and put one of the containers on the floor for easier access. Once it was on the floor, Rambo took notice and together the two of them puzzled over the curiousity for another half an hour. Mind you, I kept a close eye on them--you never know when a cat will be struck with genius and figure out how to open Tupperware.

Rambo and Ella

2008-08-14T21:08:00.002-04:00

You wouldn't know it from everyday activities, but apparently Ella and Rambo are secretly best friends. After I went to bed the other night, Alex caught them cuddling on film.

Ella's Bed

2008-08-11T10:57:00.003-04:00

A little background for this post. When Alex and I got Charlie we made a big deal out of not letting him on the couch unless he was invited. Then Ella came along and for some reason we didn't make as big a deal out of it (the younger sibling always gets off easy, or so Olivia tells me). If she's on the couch and you want it, she'll immediately get down, but if there's room on the couch she doesn't need an invitation to fill it up. She sort of thinks of it as her bed. I know for a fact that she sleeps there every night because of the hair and dust she leaves behind. It's not a big deal because we have covered the couch with sheets, so she's not getting the actual couch dirty. Charlie is a little more reserved about it--he only does it during the day when we're gone and will only join us on the couch if we really convince him. Anyway, the dogs aren't allowed on the bed without invitation either. Unlike the couch, this rule actually still gets enforced. BUT, Ella and I also have this little routine we do every night around bedtime. Since I usually hit the sack before Alex, I invite Ella onto the bed for 5 minutes before Alex kicks her out. She loves it and feels very special.

So last night, I was laying on the couch watching the Olympics. Eventually I started to fall asleep I decided to go to bed. When I went in the bedroom, who should be all curled up on the bed but Ella. She had obviously wanted to lie on the couch but found it otherwise occupied by me. So, instead of laying on the cold, hard floor she just skipped ahead to the part of the evening where I go to bed and she gets invited to come with me. She was very cute and as I'm sure you all know, it's really hard to discipline dogs when they're being adorable. So I let her stay. I thought she might move when I started to make the bed but she didn't. She just let me make the bed over her and then went right back to sleep. What a spoiled dog we have. I'm very curious to see what she decides to do tonight...

The Shoebox is Alive

2008-08-11T09:10:00.002-04:00

I was startled the other day when a shoebox in the kitchen reached out and bit me. Then I looked a little closer.

Rambo Cools Down

2008-08-10T09:42:00.002-04:00

I got the cooler out yesterday in preparation for a day at the beach. I left it open and when I came back into the room I found it magically full--of cat. I should've known.

Naptime

2008-07-31T08:51:00.001-04:00

For everyone.

Ella Is Still Cute

2008-07-27T18:33:00.002-04:00

Just in case you were wondering...

Leo Hates Me

2008-07-27T18:03:00.002-04:00

I guess I can't blame him! If only he knew it was for his own good...

They All Have Fleas!

2008-07-22T21:00:00.001-04:00

Aaargh!

2008-07-03T14:47:00.003-04:00

This is what happens when I try to work at home. Note that I took this photo using the built in camera on my laptop. Obviously I am having trouble getting any work done on it (and yes, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm sitting in an easy chair).

Swimming

2008-05-27T09:38:00.003-04:00

Ella's a natural. See for yourself...

Pure Joy

2008-05-27T09:32:00.002-04:00

Bark

2008-05-03T10:37:00.005-04:00

Our friends Mike and Kate who live in Washington DC are the proud parents of a Boston Bulldog named Bark. She is the most adorable dog. And what a personality. Kate likes to get her riled up by talking to her through an empty toilet paper tube. She makes the funniest growling noises (Bark, not Kate). I know Ella and Charlie would love to play with her.

The Butter Incident

2008-04-16T10:08:00.007-04:00

Last weekend mom came out for a visit. There was a butter incident.

I should preface this story by saying that the cats are on a "diet." To clarify, for a cat, a diet is any amount of food that doesn't distend their stomach to the point that they can't walk. Anyway, since we started their "diets" the cats have been restless in the kitchen. If any food is left out on the counter, they help themselves. For example, the other day I was eating some pecan sandies and I left the package on the counter while I sat at the table reading a magazine. When I turned around I found Leo digging in. I yelled at him and he looked up, quickly reached down and grabbed an ENTIRE cookie, and booked it out of the room. I dove to catch him and had to pry the cookie from his mouth.

Anyway, on sunday mom and I cooked eggs and toast for breakfast. I accidentally left the butter out on the counter when we retired to the living room to enjoy our feast. Of course, it wasn't long before we heard the telltale noises of a cat prowling the counter. Alex ran out to find Rambo licking away at the butter. He quickly shooed him off it and put the butter safely into the microwave (surprisingly, the cats haven't yet figured out how to open the microwave). A few minutes later Alex decided to have more toast and accidentally forgot to put the butter away. Sure enough, a few seconds later we heard the same sneaking sounds emanating from the kitchen. Alex ran into the kitchen to find Leo on the counter having his way with the butter. He saw Alex coming, and in true Leo style, grabbed the stick of butter in his mouth and made a run for it. Alex caught him and tried to get the butter out of his mouth. Well, butter is a little different than a cookie. Let's just say when the encounter was over, both Leo and Alex had butter smeared all over them. I wish I'd gotten a picture of Alex, but he was much faster at cleaning up than Leo. Here are some photos of Leo after the incident. Ella tried really hard to help him clean up, but he wouldn't have it.

Max

2008-04-05T12:22:00.002-04:00

Max comes to Doggie playtime every weekend. He doesn't really care about the other dogs. He wants sticks. He starts collecting them the second he arrives and doesn't stop the whole time. When he finds a new one, he comes galumphing around the crowd of people, wagging his entire body in pride. This weekend he got 6 at once!

Ah, the life of a cat.

2008-04-05T12:20:00.001-04:00

I just got back from Doggie playtime to find Rambo lounging on the couch in the sun. He found the perfect nook to wedge himself into.

Blinds

2008-04-01T09:51:00.002-04:00

I decided I hate blinds. You know, those plastic slat kind that cats just love to ruin? No window is safe. Not only do they bend them as they climb through to sit on the windowsill, but they also chew on them in passing, just 'cuz they're in the way. Undoubtedly, the front blinds get the most wear and tear, but even the bedroom blinds get their fare share of traffic. I have photographic evidence of course.

Best Friends...I think

2008-04-01T09:19:00.003-04:00

Ella and Rambo love to play (or fight). When they really get going it's quite amusing. So far, I've only been able to capture the lazy play on film.

It's a lovely day...

2008-03-24T14:24:00.004-04:00

I just got back from a walk in Bird Hills Park with the dogs. It's a beautiful spring day with blue skies, melting snow, and lots of mud. I took some pretty adorable pictures of the dogs while we were out.

One Ear Ella

2008-03-21T10:39:00.005-04:00

I guess that title makes it sound like Ella lost an ear. She didn't. What I'm trying to describe is how only one of her ears stands up. When she's very intent she can perk her left ear up but not her right one. When she's in the backyard, she always has one up and the other down. What a goofy dog.

It has been a while...

2008-03-18T10:47:00.004-04:00

...but not much has changed.

1) Ella is still cute.

2) Charlie is still the good boy.

3) Rambo still pees on the dog beds.

4) Leo is still too dignified for words.

So. You haven't missed much! Here are a few photos of Ella. Lately she's taken to cuddling with the other animals. It will be a miracle though if she succeeds in cuddling with Leo.

Cute Wet Dogs

2008-02-19T08:54:00.004-05:00

I think the pictures speak for themselves.

New Cat Bed

2008-02-08T09:16:00.000-05:00

Alex and I went out and bought the cats a new bed. I would like to use it sometime, but the cats are always in it.

Playing in the Backyard

2008-02-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

Charlie and Ella love playing together. They go out in the backyard for hours at a time alternating between Tag, Hide and Seek, Capture the Stick, and Let's Dig a Hole to China. Here is a little clip of Tag.

Leo with Less Fur

2008-02-03T10:37:00.001-05:00

Did you ever wonder what Leo would look like without his beautiful mane of fur? Well today's your lucky day...

Life with Ella

2008-01-21T13:36:00.000-05:00

Ella's ears are fantastic--here's what she'd look like if they stood up...

Sometimes Charlie gets a little jealous, so we humor him and pretend he's a little puppy too...

Like most puppies, Ella is an early riser. But we compensate by taking late morning naps together.

Ella is a sloppy eater. She balances out Charlie's sloppy drinking.

Ella

2008-01-19T20:17:00.001-05:00

We changed her name to Ella. She's definitely an Ella. Here are a few videos of her and Charlie playing...

Nala

2008-01-19T11:24:00.000-05:00

We got a new puppy...her temporary name is Nala. Here are some photos of her.

Vicious Dog

2008-01-16T08:06:00.000-05:00

I know Charlie doesn't look it, but he can turn his vicious on when he needs to. Mom bought Charlie a mechanical mouse for Christmas. He loves it. He loves it so much he doesn't want the cat anywhere near it. This is how he warns the kitty that he's serious about the mouse. When I saw him doing this I laughed until I cried!

Rambo

2008-01-05T16:21:00.000-05:00

If you recall from previous posts, Alex and I took Rambo, Leo, and Charlie to the Mettler's house in MN for Christmas. Now the Mettler's house is nearly always chaotic, especially after 8 pm. Not many animals, let alone cats, would be comfortable with that, but Rambo loved it. He spent every evening sitting in the middle of everything just soaking it all up.

Jack Gets His Teeth Brushed

2008-01-05T16:15:00.001-05:00

Jack is Charlie's cousin. We recently saw Jack over the holidays. This is grandma brushing his teeth.

House of Cats

2008-01-01T11:31:00.000-05:00

Alex and I brought our cats to his parents house in Minnesota--his brother brought his two cats to his parents house in Minnesota--his sister brought her cat to his parents house in Minnesota. That's a lot of cats. Fortunately they all got along. Here they all are hanging out on the couch together: (from left to right) Leo, OJ, Butchy, Mauer, Rambo.

The Zoo on Wheels

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

Recently Alex and I drove Charlie, Leo, and Rambo out to Minnesota. That's about an 11 hour drive. We let the cats roam free in the car--it turns out they behave better that way. The first hour was a bit rough while they loudly and continuously protested their circumstances, but they eventually accepted their fate and settled in for the long haul. Leo settled between the seats where he was easily able to give Alex driving advice. Rambo took comfort next to Charlie with his nose pressed against the back window.

On the way back from Minnesota they decided the front seat was the prime location and fought over the passenger seat lap. Eventually they decided they could share.

Condolences

2007-12-10T09:19:00.000-05:00

Every other day, after I give Leo his ear medicine he slinks off to find a quiet place to sulk. I normally don't see him for the next few to 12 hours. This time, however, he chose an easily visible sulking corner and I caught Rambo giving his condolences.

Charlie's New Castle

2007-12-04T10:21:00.001-05:00

I spent last weekend building Charlie a doghouse. As per usual Messinger style, I over-built it. It's way bigger than necessary. Partly it's big to accommodate another dog (coming this spring) but partly it's just big. Here's the almost finished product--I still have to shingle the roof and paint the walls. The painting may be a long time coming since I doubt we are going to have a 24 hour period of 40 degree weather anytime soon.

Ear Mites

2007-11-26T12:11:00.001-05:00

I've discovered that both Charlie and Leo have ear mites. Yuck.

Doggie Play Time Cancelled

2007-11-26T12:02:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it? Doggie Play Time has been cancelled for good. Some higher up in the AA government made a personal visit to doggie play time and warned everyone that the fun times are over. Since they've put in a nice 5 foot by 5 foot fenced-in "official" dog park that costs $50 a year to use (per dog) they've decided to put their foot down. Sigh.

Shadows

2007-11-18T10:59:00.001-05:00

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

2007-11-18T10:53:00.000-05:00

Yep, Rambo is the fairest of them all...

Copy Cats

2007-11-18T10:37:00.000-05:00

Leo and Rambo are like two peas in a pod.

Darn Cute

2007-11-01T08:18:00.001-04:00