When you wish upon a stamp....

So my dad works for Uncle Sam in the post office as an executive. He's been there forever. He's got some great perks and if you ask me this is always the best. The Disney Stamp unveiling was at Disneyland this year and we've been to previous stamp unveiling before there. This one, just as the previous, was not a disappointment. Even those who hate Disney have to admit that they put a pretty damn good show on. I am always surprised how far they go for this event.

This wristbands means I've a VIP and the people behind me aren't!

(I was excited about this)

My copy of the first day issuance. Being a postal kid, I've got a lot of these.

(P.S. check out those lovely natural nails...still going strong!)

Stage before the show began. The seating was for those only with wristbands but there was plenty of standing room otherwise. However, those sitting down were served drinks. ::Giddy::

Stage after the unveiling. Each of the stamps "came to life" which was cute, but my favorite part was when Pongo came to life. IT'S A PUPPY! It was adorable because the dogs had no clue there was a script. They were sort of uncontrollable but still stole the crowds' hearts.

That is the Post Master General (high up dude) and the VP of Imagineering for Disney stamping the cancellation of the stamps for a photo op. They brought the pup up there and it was hilarious. He was eating the stamps by the sheets and just causing havoc. Everyone was in good humor about it though. At least he didn't pee on the table like Tess would have.

We had a great time that day. While my dad had to make his rounds and do some mandatory mingling, he took the rest of the day off (annual leave) to hang out with us in the park. We brought clothes to change into of course, no way was I going to wear heels at Disneyland.

Seeing that pup though made me miss my girl all day long.

50 wha?

If you met my MIL you would have no idea she's 50. I still don't know if I entirely believe it. What is even more is my FIL is 9 years older than her (he robbed the cradle and took the pillow too). It was ever so scandalous, he was her gymnast instructor and years later they met up again and romantically on cue fell in love. She is so in shape, so active, and still so full of life to live. I love it! FIL, being the romantic he won't ever admit too, threw her a great bash. She'll admit she planned a lot though, that's just her thing. There would have been more photos but it was an open bar and ..... yeah .....

P.S. Sad/Good news: Bumblebee SIL leaves for Bloody London for 5 months. She studied there for a semester in school and now that she is graduated, she's going back for some more traveling. Lucky duck. Can't wait to have her back soon!!

Where Have I Been?

So where have I been you ask? Well, Bumblebee MIL turned 50 on 08/08/08 and Bumblebee FIL threw her a huge bash. I was in charge of cupcakes so I made Bakerella's miniature cupcakes. Sorry there isn't better light in this picture. They were a huge hit but the 200 cupcakes took me the ENTIRE week to finish. It was definitely a labor or love. It took Mr. Bumblebee's and my relationship to a whole new level. Our blood, sweat, tears, and marriage went into these cupcakes (metaphorically of course). We never went to be before 2am this past week. My legs still ache from standing all night. So what do you get the women who has everything she needs or wants for her 50th birthday. You overwhelm yourself by taking on 200 cupcakes and making a quilt for her (oh and p.s. this is my first quilt). I didn't get it done in time for her big bash, I'm having the date and message embroidered on it for me so until that finishes up, I can't put the borders on it. But damn, not bad if I do say so myself for my first quilt.

So overall it was an intense week. More details on the party and other fun happenings coming soon. Maybe even tonight if I can keep my eyes open.

Calling All Photographer Recs!

So Mr. Bumblebee and I were talking about Christmas cards recently and we definitely want to do professional pictures. We weren't "thrilled" about how our wedding pics turned out so we thought we'd spend the money to have some more done this year. However, since they are such a big part of our lives, we want the puppies in them too. Now I know not all photographers are willing to work with animals and I believe that it takes some sort of skill to take decent photos of dogs (esp. my dogs). So....

Recommend a photographer to fit my needs!!

Nail Biting Update

Not a single nibble during the whole quake-evacuate-preschool-adventure.

Yipeee!

I Neeeeeeeeeeeed This

Absolutely Need.

Tess Update

She's recovering nicely and starting to act like her old self again. I hope she learned her lesson. We had to rearrange the furniture so she has farther than a 3 foot leap onto the kitchen counter now. Do the Olympics accept dog applicants? Pole vaulting anyone?

She's starting to get regular food but because she got hand made food for a few days, she lifts her nose to her regular kibble now. I have to put cottage cheese on it for her to take interest...brat.

Because she had to have so much blood work and fluids, they had to shave both her arms. She looks silly and screws up my plan of having pictures done of us for Christmas cards. We should probably wait a few months till at least they aren't "naked".

I'm just glad to have her healthy.

Confession

So, since I was 4 years old, I have had a horrible habit. I've bitten my nails. My big cousin Justin showed me how one day and have been doing since. It has been my New Year's Resolution every year since I was 8. I have never been able to kick the habit. This year I decided not to make that resolution. I was just going to take a year off. Well, guess what....

2 weeks and 3 days since I've had a nibble. And when you consider that is including what happened in my previous post, I'm doing damn good!

This is the longest I've gone and easiest it's ever been.

Hopefully I won't ever need acrylics again.

worst.night.ever.

My beautiful, sweet, adoring, baby girl gave me the worst scare ever.

After having a leisure filled day of shopping and movie watching we came back home to find a few m&m's on the floor.

Weird.

I had a bag full of them on the counter since I was planning on using them for something I was baking...

Then I see the worst thing ever. 14oz of baking chocolate in a bag. All I found was the bag. No chocolate anywhere. I look around closer and I start seeing piles of puke everywhere. Frantic Mr. Bumblebee and I are looking at Tucker. He is the smaller of the two, and would be a lot worse if he got any chocolate than Tess. He seems fine. I run upstairs to check the lethal dosage of chocolate for a dog. Mr. Bumblebee calls upstairs to me that it's Tess and she's not doing well at all. She was drinking water but throwing it up as soon as it hit her stomach. She was full, she felt pregnant. Not good.

I jump into action mode and without a second going by I pull out my blackberry and call the E-Vet. Tell them I'm bringing her in and how much she ate. I get directions within moments and we are out the door.

I figured that Tucker must have not gotten any, since I'm sure Tess wouldn't let him eat any of it. She's just a piggy like that.

We grab her and run out the door. Fly into the car and scream down the street. The whole time she is throwing up all over me. I don't even care. I call my mom to tell her what is going on. She used to work in a Vet office and she lets me know that it's good that she is throwing it all up.

We get into the office and they are waiting for her, they rush her to the back and then I'm left to fill in details. I had them the wrapper and they ask to induce more vomiting. Go for it!

I tell Mr. Bumblebee to go back and grab Tuck in case he's gotten any. He leaves me alone at the office to grab my other baby.

I ask when I will talk to a doctor and she tells me

"As soon as they have her stabilized, they will come talk to you, but right now they still need to work on her."
Stabilize?

Really, it's this bad? I knew it was bad, I know what can happen but it was so surreal. Was this happening?

Surprisingly I hold it together. Mr. Bumblebee and Tucker show up. Tuck is just fine acting like a paranoid freak as he HATES the vet.

Finally a doctor comes in. She tells us Tess has had 2x the lethal dosage for a dog her size. The doctor says they've gotten her to throw up a lot so that is a good sign but that we aren't out of the woods. She could still slip into a coma, have a seizure or worse die.

Her heart rate is at 150bpm which is extremely high.

Mine is, at this point, right up there with her.

After waiting some more they say they are going to keep her overnight and do blood work to monitor her organs. They are also going to administer the charcoal and will know more tomorrow.

Send me home. Few tears were shed but again, not nearly as many as I thought I would.

I call my mom and give her an update and come spend time with Tucker.

I go into a cleaning frenzy and figure out how to keep her from ever getting onto the kitchen counter again. We have wonder dog on our hands and this is going to be no easy task.

I call again at midnight and they say she is resting and I can come again in the morning at 7am to see if we transfer her to another vet or she can come home.

We wake up and throw on clothes to get over there.

She's doing well! Took charcoal like a champ. Ready to go home but needs to be watched 24/7 for any signs of organ failure or coma. Feed her bland diet and keep in contact with regular vet.

Whew.

NOT!

Never did the doctor mention "Oh, P.S. she'll have running charcoal/tar poop pouring out of her uncontrollably for the next few hours so keep her off carpet."

Good Heavens almighty! What a joyous surprise that was.

So, after a full day of cleaning carpets and watching my baby like a hawk, she is acting a lot more like herself. The doctor said that she can experience the effects of a chocolate OD for up to four days after the incident.

Through this whole ordeal I was surprised with how Mr. Bumblebee stepped up to the plate. I knew just walking into the door of an E-Vet was going to be pricey but when talking to the vet about estimates and such, I began to get nervous. Right when I was going to say "How much?" Mr. Bumblebee stepped in and said "Whatever it costs, doesn't matter."

We have two dogs and live in an apartment. You may not understand it but we are a family, and I love it.

Tess and Tucker Published?

Every time I get to work with the Kindergarten class at the preschool I work at I have to find new ways of keeping the "older" kids occupied. I've gotten to telling the kids stories about Tess and Tucker. I tell them how loud Tucker snores, how sweet Tess is, and how naughty they can be sometimes. The kids ask me everyday to tell them stories about Tess and Tucker. A few days ago, I noticed the kids playing "Tess and Tucker". Half of them were Tess and the other half was Tucker. The "grownups" would walk them around the school and feed them. I thought it was really interesting and funny. It was flattering that my puppies have had so much influence on them. I was talking to a parent the other day who told me she had heard about the infamous pets and mentioned, "You should start a book series about them for children". I am not a writer. I don't know if I could even do it, but it got my wheels turning. The kids all know my love for dogs and so whenever they bring a book to school, they make sure it's a dog book and always ask me to read it. The parents come to me for dog advice and the whole school gets worried when I called in late one day because Tess was sick in the morning. Maybe I should go somewhere with this? At least see what it could be all about...

What do you think? Do "The Adventures of Tess and Tucker", have potential?