Hi friends! Just hanging out with my peeps after an amazing weekend of fun. I hope you all had a great time celebrating the joy of Easter with your family and friends, sharing everything that this special day means and enjoying the day with laughter, food and a sense of renewal. We certainly celebrated all weekend long.
We started out the weekend by enjoying all the pretty flowers that are growing in our yard. It was such a pretty day with a blue sky and sunshine all around! I just had to stop and smell the flowers!
The pear trees are in full bloom too, and looked gorgeous with the sun kissing each bloom. I wished I was a little bird so I could fly up in the tree and sit among the blossoms!
On Sunday morning my sisters and I were surprised with a basket full of Easter toys and goodies. So many new little friends to play with! It was such a fun time that we all had! I can't believe the number if little peeps and cute little squeakie fuzzy friends that showed up at our house. I guess they'll be hanging out with the duckies now.
Dixie, Sassy, Bella, Peanut and I played and played until we were exhausted. It was almost like Christmas!
And speaking of duckies, inside the big basket of toys was a special little friend for me, a round little duckie I'd never seen before. I knew he had to be for me so I gently picked it up immediately. He is very sweet and we became instant friends! He squeaks just like all my other duckies and rides on my back really well too. He is very special because he is made by the company who made all my other favorite duckies. Unfortunately they no longer make that model of duckie. I've been heartbroken for months over this sad, sad news, and Mommy has searched far and wide to find me a similar duckie friend. Well, this little guy is a direct relative of those duckies!! So I am a happy Pixel again. I still have my favorite duckies, they are just getting injured more and more each time I play with them, so I have to be extra careful. Now...I just have to come up with a good name for my new round duckie friend.
Do you have any ideas for a good name for him?
So, how was your Easter friends? Tell me something special about it in a comment.
My sisters and I spend countless hours practicing and mastering our "puppy dog eyes" so that we are always prepared at meal time with the family. Our family has grown in the last year to now include my Grammy's new little girl Bella, a brown Dachshund/MinPin mix rescue. What a full house we have now! Our intense "Ask" faces are a lot to deal with according to our human family members. Although our tummies might be full and distended from a wonderful meal we were just given, we still like to give the "pitiful sad" look to Grampy or to Auntie in hopes of getting a tiny morsel of food. Here's an example of some of our best work:
Bella Boo, our newest family member
Dixie Mae Doxie
Peanut Pumpkin Pie
Sassy Marshmallow Muffin
Me, Pixel Blue Eyes
Notice how Peanut and I still have a bit of food on our faces/chins from a recent meal. But with our master puppy dog eyes, Mommy asks, "is it any wonder now why it's so hard to deny us a tiny nibble of something?"
There is nothing quite like a good story about a true hero overcoming adversity through the power of love, friendship and determination. If that story has a dog as the main character? Well, I'm hooked! Max the Movie is a very special movie coming out on June 26th that tells a story quite unlike any other dog story you've seen. It's incredibly moving, adventurous and gripping, and beautifully portrayed. Let me tell you more about it...
Max the Movie follows the journey of Max, a precision-trained military working dog (MWD), who serves on the frontlines in Afghanistan alongside his handler, U.S. Marine Kyle Wincott. They have a very special bond. But when things go terribly wrong on maneuvers, Kyle is mortally wounded and Max, traumatized by the loss of his best friend, is unable to remain in service. Over 3,000 Dogs have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Max was so bonded to Kyle, that he won't work with anyone else. Traumatized by the loss of his best friend and suffering from PTSD, Max is unable to remain in service.
I can only imagine how horrible it must have been for Max to suddenly be alone without his beloved human by his side anymore. Military working dogs and their handlers literally spend every waking and sleeping moment together in Afghanistan.
Shipped stateside, the only human he seems willing to connect with is Kyle’s teenage brother, Justin, so Max is adopted by Kyle’s family, essentially saving his life. But Justin has issues of his own, such as living up to his father’s expectations for him; he isn't interested in taking responsibility for his brother’s troubled dog. However, Max may be Justin’s only chance to discover what really happened to his brother that day on the front, and with the help of a tough-talking young teen named Carmen, who has a special way with dogs, Justin begins to appreciate his canine companion. There are so many incredible scenes in this movie that will make you smile, make you cry and warm your heart like nothing else. This is a chance to really understand what it's like for our brave military working dogs, their brave military soldier handlers and their families.
Watch the official movie preview for Max the Movie to see the exciting adventure that awaits you...
26 Dogs and 25 Handlers have given their lives
in service to our country since 2003.
Justin’s growing trust in Max helps the four-legged veteran revert back to his heroic self, and as the pair race against time to unravel the mystery, they find more excitement—and danger—than they bargained for. But they each might also find an unlikely new best friend…in each other. “Max” stars Josh Wiggins (“Hellion”) as Justin Wincott, Lauren Graham (“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” TV’s “Parenthood”) as his mom, Pamela, and Oscar nominee Thomas Haden Church (“Sideways”) as his dad, Ray.
Yakin directed the film from a screenplay he wrote with Sheldon Lettich (“Legionnaire”). Karen Rosenfelt (“Marley & Me,” the “Twilight” series) and Ken Blancato (“The Book Thief”) served as producers, with Ben Ormand and Yakin executive producing.
Yakin’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Stefan Czapsky (“Safe”), production designer Kalina Ivanov (“The Vow,” “Little Miss Sunshine”), editor Bill Pankow (“The Untouchables,” “Let’s Be Cops”) and costume designer Ellen Lutter (“Grown Ups,” “50 First Dates). The music is by Trevor Rabin (“Grudge Match,” “Remember the Titans”).
This is a wonderful featurette about the movie and how they made it, and how important the soldier dogs are in the military. Dogs just like Max are heroes and they do heroic things for our military every day! You've got to see this!
Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present, a Sunswept Entertainment production, a Boaz Yakin movie, “Max.” The film opens nationwide on June 26, 2015, and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. PARENTS: “Max” has been RATED PG by the MPAA for action violence, peril, brief language and some thematic elements.
I can't wait to see this movie friends. It has special significance to me because my doggie sister Dixie Mae is a PTSD service dog to my Grammy who is a veteran. My Grampy is a retired veteran too, so we are very proud of our military, and understand the effects that PTSD can have on people and animals. Dixie Mae also suffers from PTSD of her own from being shot and abused as a mill dog, so we help her through those difficult times as well. That's what you do for family, just like in this movie.
Here is the official music video of the movie's song "Forever Young" by Blake Shelton. It is SO beautiful and will definitely make you cry. So grab some tissues, hug your dog and watch this moving #MaxtheMovie video:
Is your pet your hero? Share your photos and stories using the hashtags #HeroPet and #MaxMovie on social for a chance to be featured on the official MAX pages!
Follow MAX on Facebook at #/MaxMovie and on Instagram @MaxMovie. #MaxMovie http://max-themovie.com #/MaxMovie https://www.instagram.com/MaxMovie
Don't miss an opportunity to see this amazing movie friends!
It will warm your heart and be a joy for the entire family.
As you know, I adore my duckies with a passion that is beyond compare. We have lots of fun and adventures, but nothing could have prepared me for the adventure I'm about to share....
About a month ago one of my favorite duckies, Purple Patrick Duckie had been missing for a while. I'd looked and looked, but he was nowhere to be found. Then one day I was minding my own business tearing up an empty kleenex box (I love doing it & Mommy takes out the plastic liner first) when my missing purple Duckie Patrick shows up out of nowhere. He jumped into the box and told me to "just act normal" but let him "lay low" for a while in there. It turned out he was part of a covert operation called "Operation Red Wagon" and I was recruited to help out. He couldn't tell me anything further but I was now unwittingly up to my neck in it too. I looked around cautiously as I thought to myself, "Goodness knows what he's got himself into...and now I'm involved too!"
Purple Patrick Duckie and I hung out together acting as "normal" as possible, but then he suddenly "disappeared" again one afternoon. I had started wearing my purple spotted hoodie, that matches him perfectly, as a show of solidarity and support of his covert "Operation Red Wagon" that he had recruited me into. Details were still sketchy, but he was teaching me some things. On the very day he again disappeared, we had been practicing his now famous "duck and cover" technique, but he was acting a bit odd during practice...standing a little too close, commenting on how "comfy" my hoodie looked and saying that being invisible was a "state of mind". I had no idea what kind of existential mood he was in, and was too tired to try and keep up with what he might be inferring. I lay down for a nap after our covert "duck and cover" training, but when I awoke, Patrick Duckie was gone. I was upset that he didn't say goodbye, but just figured, "that's how it is when you're a covert duckie operative..."
Three days later, right after finding out about my scary ear lump and upcoming surgery (at the time it was the end if January), there was a faint knock at the door. Mommy insisted I be the one to answer it. There sat Purple Patrick Duckie with Minkie Duckie (Pinkie Tuskadero Duckie's sister) by his side. I was so happy to see them both I didn't initially see what was behind them. We greeted each other with love and then Patrick said, "Pixel, I have a surprise for you. Operation Red Wagon has one last critical stage that needs your help. Will you be a part of it's final success?" "Of course!" I exclaimed with excitement. I'm always there to help my friends, and I knew it had to be something of utter importance for him to be gone for so long. I told him I missed him and hated that he just up and disappeared on me. He promised never to do that again but that it was important that he do this operation in secret.
"Look behind me Pixel..." Patrick Duckie said. That is when I heard the low murmuring of little quacks here and there. Then I saw the most amazing sight my little duckie loving eyes had ever seen. A red wagon filled with a bunch of little rubber duckies that needed a home! "This is 'Operation Red Wagon' Pixel," Patrick Duckie said with delight.
I kissed Minkie Duckie and thanked her for helping greet them. They were all relatives of course. Can't you see the family resemblance? They'd been looking for a loving forever family home together and they found mine! I adopted every single one right on the spot.
I greeted each one and told them how much fun we'd have, what a nice place they were at now and what a great life they ALL would have with me and my family. They all seemed very excited, just like me. Mommy was kind enough to document the whole thing.
I checked around to make sure they were safe and then we all went inside for a nice dinner together.
This was truly one of the best surprises ever! I think I'm going to like these covert operations!!
I hope you enjoyed my "Operation Red Wagon" Tail of Adventure! Please leave a comment below and tell me what you think...
Happy Wordless Wednesday friends!! This blog hop is hosted by my friends at BlogPaws, and today's theme was "spoiling your pets" since February is "Spoil Your Pet month. I do believe I've found my favorite month...
My Family just recently took a long, much needed vacation to the beautiful shores of Florida. It was such an incredible experience for me, as I've never even seen the beach before. I'm six and a half years old now, so it was always something I wanted to experience with Mommy. See, I was born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. I love the mountains and beautiful seasons that I experience here, but I've always wanted to see the ocean. Mommy grew up on the eastern shore, and she often told me stories about the beautiful beaches; describing the ocean, the waves, the wildlife and the wonderful experiences she had there. It has made me long to go for years.
Once we set a plan into motion and started preparing for our 10 day excursion, Mommy and I were so excited we could hardly contain ourselves. I've only long distance traveled once in my life, and that was to the 2013 BlogPaws convention last year. That was 4 days and 3 nights, but this beach trip was going to be 10 days, which might as well have meant we were moving there. At least when it came to my travel needs. I double and triple checked Mommy's packing skills when it came to my stuff, and we both packed WAY more than we ever needed. But our philosophy is simple: better to pack too much and not need it than not pack enough and be left without what you need. Thus, Mommy and I packed at least 2-5 times as much outfits and toys than we ended up using. Anyone else pack like that?
After making enough food to feed a large iditerod team of dogs and people, and after packing 3/4 of the house into Grampy's van, we were off. It was a long drive so we split it up into two days. We stayed at a FANTASTIC Pet Friendly hotel in South Carolina that really made us feel welcome and comfortable. I will be doing a full review of the Residence Inn Marriott in a later post. Once on the road, me and my sisters informed the family that we would be doing spot checks of every single rest stop and gas station from Virginia to the beaches of Florida. Thus, we only had to stop about 35 times times per day, meaning that our 5 hour first day's travel turned into 8+ hours. We found nice rest stops all along the way that had real nice pet walking areas that even included supplies for picking up any 'messes' you made. In our defense, traveling with three little girl dogs, and a van full of people with differing "break" schedules, requires frequent stops...especially when you're doing surprise inspections.We didn't mind all the stops though. We were together and that was all that mattered.
So do you want to know what happened next? Stay tuned for more posts detailing my amazing beach trip! Wait until you see all the photos...you're going to love it!
I have a very important topic to talk about friends. It's something we all need to be aware of and prepared for, so please, gather round and listen...because this little girl has a LOT on her mind. This past weekend, I hung out with my wonderful Grampy for a while and we watched a very informative show called "The Walking Fred". While it is supposed to be all pretend, he told me it's really a covert show that teaches people how to survive if there's ever an Army-gettin or cat-astrophic event like a bunch of walking Freds roaming the streets trying to take your food or bite your ankles. Since I am a serious survivalist doggie, I watched very closely, took some notes, and devised my own plan to help my family in case something like that happens.
At first it was a bit daunting to watch, but Grampy promised me it was all pretend and anything red was really just strawberry jam. I got excited about that idea and said, "Well, no wonder those "Fred" people are trying to bite everything. I'd want all that strawberry jam too!"
My eyes stayed glued to that show like a deer caught in a car's headlights at night. I only looked away in snippets, just long enough to jot down some notes. As we watched people trying to find food, hide from walking Freds and struggle to protect their family, their friends and ALL the strawberry jam that was obviously in abundance, it really made me think about some things. For example, I have a continuously growing family. The dragon toys keeps on increasing in numbers (no idea how THAT is happening), I have a serious hankering for new Kong Wubba toys every time I even drive by a pet store, and I've got a whole host of other little animal toys that depend on me to keep them safe, fed and entertained. Plus there's Mommy, Grammy, Grampy, Auntie, Peanut Pumpkin Pie and Dixie Mae Doxie that need caring for. What if "Army-gettin" or a major "cat-astrophy" happened? What if there really were a bunch of walking Freds in my neighborhood and I didn't have any strawberry jam around? I pondered all of these questions, as I thought of my need to care for my family. Later that day, I went outside with Mommy to play a little, sniff everything, and get my mind off things. We came back inside, I happened to see myself in a mirror. My eyes focused in on my chin. I WAS INSPIRED!! "Mommy, quick, take some photos....this is the answer I've been waiting for!"
She took the photos (the ones in this blog post) as quickly as she could. "What is it Pixel?" Mommy asked with great anticipation. So I told her. "Look at my face scruffles, Mommy." "Your face scruffles are just as adorable as ever!" she said. "No, Mommy....really LOOK at them, look at my face scruffles up close."
"See all the seeds in them? I'm a natural at collecting seeds!" I already "put by" a little pumpkin every time I have a meal, as you've all witnessed by my pumpkin colored scruffles on occasion, but in order to prepare for Army-gettin or those pesky walking Freds, I'd need to do a lot more than that.
So, with all the responsibility I have on my paws as part of this family, and since I have so many toys in need of care, AND because you never know when a bunch of walking Freds could invade, I've decided to start collecting wild seeds and putting other food by as well. Plus, I will be honing my skills as a wilderness survivalist. (To read about my first attempts at "survival in the wild", read my 'Pixel tries her paw at being a survivalist' blog post.)
Mommy and I made a special "paw shake" pact to start my training right away. Stay tuned, I will be writing up a follow up blog post/manual on this very important subject once I've survived my training! If I am able to write from the great wilderness which will be my new home for a while, I will share any updates I can. Perhaps there will be a nice little carrier pigeon who won't mind carrying my notebooks back to Mommy. Wish me luck friends!!
Welcome to Thursday’s Barks and Bytes blog hop hosted by Heart Like a Dog and 2 Brown Dawgs. Visit some fellow pet bloggers below to see what others are sharing!
Hi friends! Just hanging out with my peeps after an amazing weekend of fun. I hope you all had a great time celebrating the joy of Easter with your family and friends, sharing everything that this special day means and enjoying the day with laughter, food and a sense of renewal. We certainly celebrated all weekend long.
The pear trees are in full bloom too, and looked gorgeous with the sun kissing each bloom. I wished I was a little bird so I could fly up in the tree and sit among the blossoms!
