Floppy to Funny, Fleshy to Furry...

Well he is back and we are so happy to have our little man home! I think we love him now even more than we did before. He is such a sweetheart and he was so happy to see us when we were there to pick him up at the Vet, it made us feel so loved!
Little Echo is taking everything like a total champ. He is not even really acting like he is in pain, he trys to scratch at his ears every once in a while but he is really being better than we thought he would with the cone on his head holding his ears up. The Vet even made it sound like it would be somewhat of a process to get him from ripping it off but our little Echo is being such a good boy. THANK GOODNESS!!! I have decided that he is a tough little bugger. He is not acting like his tail is hurting him even a little bit which is also so nice to see.
Kip and I are totally happy with the procedure so far and it looks like the doctor cut his ears the length that we really wanted, his tail looks SO SO SO much better than before and we are so happy with that as well. The reason we had to get his tail fixed was because we think that the breeder that we got him from docked his tail by themselves. It never healed right because it was cut too long and when little Echo sat if he wagged his tail the end would scrape on the ground and would keep the end from healing. There ended up being a build up of scar tissue at the end of his little tail that would never ever grow hair back. I think it looked like a burnt cigar at the end. The doctor was totally willing to fix it while he was out so that his tail would no longer bother him or us and so it would be cut to the right length for a Doberman. We are so happy with the results. We think that Echo already looks so much more like a Traditional Doberman and we just keep looking at him saying to ourselves "Boy is he going to be a GOOD LOOKING DOG".
Well I hope that none of you that see this post think we are evil. We have really done a ton of research on all of these procedures and we want you to know that he was knocked out the entire time all of this was going on. He is not acting like he is in much pain at all right now and he also has medication that we are giving him every 8 and 12 hours. He is in good hands and with a family that loves him very much and wants the best for him. We want him to be true to his heritage and look like his ancestors. It is in his best interest we believe, or so we tell ourselves.
Echo will be getting his stitches out in 2 weeks and then on to the next step in the process of training the ears to stand up, LOTS OF TAPE!!! I will keep you updated with pictures.
Here are a few more pictures of our little guy that I took right when we got home from the Vet.

Our little guy is going to look funny for quite a while from here on out so please be prepared to giggle a little if you stop by and see him.
This is a good shot of what the ears look like now.

We got him this bone that we gave him right when we got home from the Vet and he has been LOVING it, he has been chewing on it non stop since Saturday morning and is still at it. I'm happy because it is a good distraction.
Yeah for designer dogs!

It's o' so quiet.......

Ok so I suppose the saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" really is true!
Kip and I have had our little puppy Echo for about a month now and I never realized how much he has changed our every day lives and the feel of our home until today. Boy has he become a true family member!
Since Echo is a Doberman Pinscher we decided to get his ears cropped so that he looks like the traditional Doberman. We had the appointment this morning to get the procedure done. I went in thinking I would pick him up a few hours from then, but when I went to leave him and asked when to come back to pick him up they told me "not till tomorrow morning". I was so sad leaving him there over night, he is just so little and he does not do well at all locked in a little crate all night by himself. All day long I have been so sad for my little boy who is in pain right now without me there to comfort him. Is that totally retarded of me????
Well Kip and I did our best to go on with our day the way we normally did before little Echo came into our lives, and boy does it just feel so quiet in our home and kind of uneventful. I really realized how much Kip and I love our little guy. We can't wait to pick him up tomorrow morning! We are going to be there the earliest we can to get him because we miss him that much!
I have realized that I am so grateful for my little family! What this puppy has done to make this house feel more like a home and Kip and I's life together feel more like a little family is absolutly amazing! Dog's truly are a man's best friend. I LOVE MY LITTLE FAMILY!!!!
(I will post pictures of little Echo after his surgery when we get him tomorrow)

100% BOY

Kipper had the chance this past weekend to go on a much needed Boys Trip! His brother Rick is going to be going back up to school in a few weeks and Kipper wanted to be sure to take Rick out to these mines that he had found while Rick was on his mission. Kip's dad Kip Sr. and one of Kipper's old young men from his Teachers Quarm he was over, Jeff came along as well. They came back with some fun story's and some really cool pictures that I thought I would share with you all! Enjoy!!!

They camped out Friday and Saturday night and Kip said that the weather was perfect!!

The boys testing their courage before going into the mines!!


Two different days all clean before they enter the mine!

Down they go, deep into the earth!


Quite a bit of bravery required here! Yikes!


Look at the cool stuff they found down in there!

Getting ready to go out after hours of searching deep into the earth!

Up, up, up they go. Kip said that there were about 500 feet of these ladders going straight up, #1 what a workout and #2 holy molly that is HIGH!!!

Kip and Rick celebrate making it out! Let there be light!

Now let's shoot some clay pigeons to really boost that testosterone!
Looks and sounds like they had a total blast, I hope you think these boys are as cool as I do! What brave men!

~Sister to sister we will always be, A couple of nuts off the family tree~

She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child.~ Barbra Alpert

I just wanted to take the time to publicly thank my little sister Amanda for being the wonderful woman that she is! Amanda truly is (other than my husband) my very best friend in the entire world! I look up to and admire her so much, she truly is wise beyond her years. In reality I feel that she is MY big sister, not only because she is taller than me and I literally look up to her, but becuase she seems to be the one that always levels me out by putting life back into perspective. She gets me, deeper than almost anyone I know, I truly feel that when I feel deep happiness she can literally feel it too, and when I hurt she feels my pain. I feel so connected to her and really hope that she knows how much I love and appreciate her and all that she does for me.

A sister shares childhood memories and grown up dreams~ Author Unknown

I admire my sister for the woman she has become! She has been through so much in her life and has overcome her obsticles. She is the mother I dream to one day be, she is the wife that I strive to become, she is the sister to me that I hope I will always be able to be to her.

It was nice growing up with someone like you~someone to lean on, someone to count on...someone to tell on!!~Author Unknown

Thankyou Amanda for all of the wonderful memories we have made and for the many many to come, thanyou for always being honest with me even when it hurts, thankyou for being a pillar of strength to lean on, a sholder to cry on, a friend to count on, a listening ear, thankyou for patting me on the back when I have done something good and for kicking me in the butt when I need to go do something good. Thankyou for being my sister and for the fact that I know without a doubt in my mind that we will have this amazing relationship FOREVER and into Eternity. The lord has truly blessed me with you!

We know one another's faults, virtues, catastrophes, mortifications, triumphs, rivalries, desires, and how long we can each hang by our hands to a bar. We have been banded together under pack codes and tribal laws.~ Rose Macaulay

Every Bunnny Loves Easter....

This year Kip and I were able to spend Easter with Kip's side of the family. Everyone is finally home and in town, it has been so nice to be able to spend the Holidays together again.
Here are a few pictures of the fun day we all had together!



Even as adults Easter egg hunts are the best! They NEVER get old that is for sure! Especially when the Easter Bunny leaves $$$$ in the eggs! Great fun I must say! I hope the Easter bunny does that EVERY YEAR!!!!




After a great dinner and egg hunt we all decided to take a walk to a park and play us a mean game of Woffle or Wiffle Ball (or however you say and spell it) Game! It was so much fun, the weather was totally beautiful, it was nice to burn off all the food we had just eaten and boy was it nice to hit that ball! Kip hit the ball so hard that by the end of the game it was totally lop sided and dented in, which I would have to say does not surprise me at all! I never realized how fun that game is! I wanna play it again soon for sure, any takers???

And this right here is my Kipper being Kipper!! I just love my white boy that CAN jump!!! He is hot!!!! And so much fun!
We had a great Easter weekend and hope you all enjoyed your Easter's as well. We are so grateful for the sacrifices that the Lord made for us so that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven again some day. I am so grateful for a day set aside to celebrate that sacrifice. Happy Late Easter to you all!

The Newest Family Member...

Yes we finally did it, we got a puppy, and the puppy of my husband's dreams I might add. With a ton of research, thought, and persuasion, Kip and I decided to get a Doberman Pinscher Puppy. We got him at 8 weeks old (I know, he is HUGE for 8 weeks)he was the biggest of the litter, and the best looking I might add. We have fallen in love with his sweet little personality. He loves to be close to us, to cuddle, to sleep, play fetch, chase the broom when I sweep, and just loves to love us. He is also really good with the little kids and we have really enjoyed having little ones over to play with him to get him used to being chased, his ears being pulled, and anything else a little kid can do to him. We are really excited to train him well, but before we get too ambitious, we are attempting to tackle potty training!! WHAT WORK I must say!!!! He has been doing well, I really can't complain too much. He is a great doggy. Kip is in love!!!! And I would have to say, that pup sure is in love with is Daddy!



Any of you LOST fan's out there??? WE ARE!!! If you can't tell... we are obsessed!

And She Will Be Known As......

Today our beautiful little niece got blessed in church. Kip felt so happy to be asked to take part in the blessing and it was so fun to be there surrounded by so many friends and family. Kip and I are so happy that little Hailee Sue and her Mommy and Daddy are now living here. We have already grown to love little Hailee so much and look forward to the many more memories we are all going to make together. Kip and I just love being Auntie Ra Ra and Uncle Du! Our nieces are so beautiful and we are totally excited about that!!! Hopefully that means that when it is time for Kip and I to make our very own baby, the odds are now in it's favor that it might be a little bit cute since the genetics on both sides seem to be working out well!

Congrats little Hailee on your blessing and Congrats as well to the new Mommy and Daddy Hardy that were able to celebrate this big event in their lives. We were so happy to be a part of it!

Here are a few pictures that I shot today at the blessing after party:

Little Hailee Sue and Riley Lynn (they are 3 weeks apart and Riley is the daughter of Josh and Jessica Fisher, good friends of ours)


Four Generation Picture (Now that is Good Genetics if I have ever seen it)



Hailee and I (I look really bad here, but it is the only one I have with me in it)

Hailee with her two really good looking Uncles Kipper and Rickey! Lucky girl!