Christmas 2014

Yet another Christmas has come and gone.   This year we had the full family together which was great. Matthew and Ethan both seemed to love the spirit of the holiday.

Our tree on Christmas eve.  Looks like Matthew and Ethan were on the "good list". Santa brought them a dollar coaster!!!

After Grandma and Grandpa arrived our living room looked like it was overflowing with gifts.    There were 8 of us exchanging gifts but still.... that's a lot of presents!

I think I was suppose to make it look like Santa snacked on the cookies not actually eat all of the cookies.  Ops. 

The Roller coaster was a HUGE hit!!!!

Winter storm is moving in as we woke up... yeah a white Christmas!

So sweet!!!

"What is all this craziness about?"

"What is wrong with Grandma? She seems to think that candy is going to come out of that Santa's neck"

Yeah!!!  He got the "Batman" bot!

"you see Uncle Chad... this is cookie Monster.  He puts cookies in here and eats them.".

"WooHoo!! My collection is complete now that I have Big Bird!"  

Peace returns to the Kaplun household the day after the festivities. 

The boys have fun playing with Bells that grandma and Grandpa Kaplun Sent for Christmas. 

They also enjoyed the fun Hats that they got too. 

"I'm not sure what I did wrong to deserve this... but there appears to be a  strange creature on my head."

Ethan.... I am not certain that that is how the train table is intended to be played with.

Having fun playing with Uncle Chad and Keahi's gift... Play dough!

Santa's Visit

Last week at Mattew's day care, they had a special visitor.  SANTA!  below is the picture I got from his school....
1) what is he wearing???   Who dressed this child for school that day?
2) Why does he have only one glove on?  
3)  Wait, one glove..... why does he have a glove on at all?
4) Is it just me or does his expression seem to suggest that he is just giving poor santa a huge speech on what to bring him for christmas.

Bye Bye Phannie

After his consumption of a box of tampons and the subsequent consumption of a bowl of halloween toys that resulted in a $4,000 surgery, it was clear to me that Phantom, as much as I love him, was not a good fit for our family.  So after he was career changed, I made the tough decision to find him a good home.

What a sweet puppy, how am I going to give him away?

"I am so snuggly warm up here!!!  And now that I've been career changed, I can sleep on the cough right?"

"please don't give me away.... look how cute I look all drugged up after my surgery!"

Taking Pahtom to the vet to get his sutures out...   He kept getting up on the bench and trying to look so cute.

He thinks he can just do what ever he wants now that he is not a guide dog puppy. 

"What's back there?  I think I smell chicken... Since I'm not a guide dog any more can I eat it?"

"What!?!  You are giving me away???"

Kit comes over to snuggle with Phantom one last time before he goes to his new home

The morning that Phantom goes to his new home.  

What an awesome Christmas present!!!

"I still can't believe you are giving me away!!!!"  

Phantom's new boys!  They are both so ecstatic about having a dog!

Headed out for their first walk together. 

Two happy boys after their first day together!  May they have many wonderful years of joy together. 

Oh Phantom!  You are going to be so loved!

He is has for sure found his forever home and he is so incredibly loved!

New floors!!!!

Our carpets had finally reached a point of grossness that I could not take them any more.   After much discussing I finally convinced my wonderful husband to let us put in wood.  This past week we got our new floors put in.    I am super happy with the final result but man, when they said there would be a lot of dust, they weren't kidding!

The fun begins

Yeah!  One room down, one to go. 

Puppy pee soaked carpet be gone!!

Wow our room looks os big with nothing in it!

Guide Dog Holiday Party

Every year I host our local GDB club's holiday party. We have a lot of fun dressing up the puppies and eating yummy food.  I didn't take a ton of pictures but here are a few.

Our youngest member of the club... Nitzana.

Irene, career change

Look at the tongue

Silly Girl!

Not a happy looking puppy!

Hate the FLU!

Our entire family got the Flu and I didn't want to impose on my parents again so I took a very sick Matthew with me to work.  luckily I had just meetings all morning and was off in the afternoon so it worked out well.

Matthew and Phantom both being very good boys during my meeting.

Oh sweet sleepy boys!

Meeting number two.  They are both still being so quiet and well behaved.

I felt really lucky that I had such a good boy and puppy.

The next day poor sweet sick matthew complained of a terrible  headache.  I really hope he hasn't inherited my migraines.  The poor kid had a high fever for over 6 days.

Breaks my heart watching him put an ice pack on his head.

My poor boy!