dogs ruin everything

July 13, 2014 Kristen Carr

Ah...summertime in AZ. It's akin to winter in Wisconsin, I presume. Time outdoors is very limited. In Wisconsin, mortals might venture out for a bit of ice skating during the harsh season. Here, when the temps reach 110º, the only acceptable outdoor activity is swimming.

Our family does a lot of swimming.

Our dog, N.A.S.H.A., hates swimming, but she absolutely loves to be splashed by the water. Somehow she has learned the difference between street clothes and a bathing suit, so anytime any of us suit up, she gets super excited at the prospect of running around the pool bat shit crazy while we splash her and she starts jumping up on us in anticipation.

Don't worry...no one is in a birthday suit. Even N.A.S.H.A. has a collar on.

My five-year-old daughter, Campbell, loves so swim sans bathing suit, so her stripping down is another cue to the dog that a good time is about to be had.

The other day, N.A.S.H.A. was especially excited because we all got into our suits for a family swim. She started jumping up on me, and I feared her nails would snag my bathing suit. "N.A.S.H.A., stop! You're going to ruin my bathing suit!" I commanded.

So she moved onto Campbell, who was just as ticked. "N.A.S.H.A., stop! You're going to ruin my birthday suit!"

Dogs ruin everything.

we're volunteering as a family to help homeless pets

June 29, 2014 Kristen Carr

The littles and I worked our first volunteer shift this week for Lost Our Home Pet Foundation. We've taken on a weekly shift caring for the cats available for adoption in our local PetSmart. We scoop litter boxes, provide fresh food and water, do whatever cleaning is needed, and, of course, play with the cats and give them lots of love. Mostly I do all the "dirty work" while the littles cuddle and play with the cats.

Here are some of the friends we hung out with this week:

The littles playing with Seven while I scoop litter boxes.

Porter gives Mango the safe greeting he learned in volunteer orientation.

Hanging with Daisy in her enclosure. Wonder what the adoption fee would be for these two characters.

We had a great time, and we all felt like we'd done a good deed, indeed. We'll miss these guys if they get adopted this week, but we sure hope they do!

If you're interested in adopting one of these cats or browsing Lost Our Home Pet Foundation's complete list of adoptable animals, you can visit all adoptable dogs and cats HERE.

More information about Lost Our Home Pet Foundation:

grand opening! lost our home pet foundation's new facility

blog the change for animals: lost our home pet foundation

10 dogs who should not attend a pet expo

May 18, 2014 Kristen Carr

The littles and I had a fantastic time at the Phoenix Pet Expo yesterday. I spoke to several companies I was really excited about. Overall, I'm so happy to see the pet industry taking a more natural route. I learned more about products I'd seen before and got to speak to knowledgeable entrepreneurs about brand-new concepts. And, of course, we got to "dog watch," which is one of the best parts of going to the expo. There were majestic horse-like creatures (one we saw even had a saddle), scroungy little rat-like cuties, and everything in between. Some exhibited how well-trained they could be in such a chaotic environment. And some others...not so much.

I know you can bring your dog to the pet expo, but that doesn't necessarily mean you should. I left N.A.S.H.A. home because it would have been selfish to bring her. She's gets pretty nervous in crowds, so she seems to attract dominant dogs, which only makes her more nervous. Sure, it would have been a blast to bring her and let her sample the new natural treats and try on tu-tus, but that would have been for us, not for her. She was much happier taking her siesta at home on the couch. I hate to dwell on the negative, but here are ten other dogs I saw at the expo that should have stayed home.

10 dogs who should not attend a pet expo. slogan source: Phoenix Pet Expo

the darter on a long leash–I didn't come here to get clotheslined. Rein it in.

the guy who was pissing on everything–And I mean everything. I've manned booths at pet-friendly events, and I always wonder why you allow your dog to lift his leg on the table cloth upon which I am displaying my information. Or worse, yet, on someone's leg. Yes, that happened yesterday.

the one who attacked another dog–The mobile veterinarian told me about this one. She attended the event to provide information and show off her complete office-on-wheels. She didn't bargain for severe wound care, but thank goodness she was there.

the one taking all the samples–It's simple sample etiquette. One sample per person. Not all dogs get that. Shame on the pet parent who thought it was cute to allow your pooch to devour the entire bowl of samples.

the one splashing all of the water out of the bowls–It was 104º yesterday. Sure, we were indoors enjoying the AC, but some of those pooches needed a drink. Don't let your dog be an a-hole and knock over all of the beverages.

the two in the stroller who would. not. stop. barking.–I don't like to stereotype based on breed, but you know the type. Little Napoleons brave within the confines of their screened-in box on wheels. I mean, seriously. I'm trying to have a conversation with someone, and there they are...yap, yip, yap, yip, yap, yip, yap, yip, and so on. I don't even know how they kept up their oxygen levels. And the owner did nothing. Perhaps he was deaf.

the one who was jumping on all the kids–To be fair, he was probably jumping on everyone, but I noticed the kids because I saw two of them go down.

the one who was cowering–It's just cruel. Why don't you leave the poor dear home where she's comfortable?

the one who was aggressively lunging at every other dog–There were a couple of these, actually. I realize that not all dogs get along, and a couple of squabbles are to be expected in such an intense environment, but when there's one that's not getting along with anyone at all...well...perhaps there should be a bouncer at the pet expo.

the one with diarrhea–Sure, maybe it caught you by surprise upon arrival, but maybe it's time to go. Like, now.

I blame the pet parent in each and every case. If you're going to bring your dog into this type of situation, you need to be able to control him, and he should be comfortable. Not all dogs are meant to be placed in a large crowd with lots of other dogs, people, noises, and temptations. It's a shame that so many people are too selfish to recognize that in their own animal.

At any rate, there were still plenty of well-behaved animals to interact with. And I swear I saw a few of them roll their eyes at the dogs that should not have attended the pet expo.

think YOU have a cool cat? check out "my name is bob" book review and #giveaway

April 24, 2014 Kristen Carr

Since the day my children were born, we've read bedtime stories every night. A few we just read once, but most we read over and over. It can get a bit tedious on my end, reading the same story over and over. My children are unrightfully impressed when I have a book memorized and can recite it for them. Needless to say, I'm always happy to fold a new favorite book into our lineup of regulars. I'm even more happy when the book is entertaining to someone over the age of eight (me). And when it features an animal? I'm sold.

This week our family was introduced to "a street cat named Bob" of children's book, My Name is Bob due out in early May.

My Name is Bob was written by the author team of James Bowen and Garry Jenkins, writers of the original A Street Cat Named Bob. They did a fantastic job of adapting the story for children. My littles, Porter (7) and Campbell (5) were touched by the tale of sweet, funny Bob, so–yes–we've read the book several times, now. I'm not sick of it, yet, nor do I expect to be any time soon.

I'll try not to spoil things for you, but, as you might expect, Bob's life isn't worry-free. He meets some tough times, and these issues Bob faces are thought-provoking for my kids. They ask questions about his situation while we're reading and even days after, which I love. It lets me know that we're reading a book that is getting them thinking. The story is told in such a way that my littles can empathize with Bob's plight and root him on to better times.

Gerald Kelley's charming illustrations bring Bob's world to life.

The best part? My Name is Bob is based on a true story. That always seems to make things more interesting for our family. There's even a whole spread in the back of the book that shares actual photos of Bob and his real-life person, James.

The publisher, Barron's Educational Series, summarizes the book:

Bowen inspires young minds by retelling his tale from a new perspective, Bob's. My Name is Bob explores what life was like for Bob before he met James. After his world is suddenly turned upside down, Bob finds himself living alone on the street. However, Bob's luck seems to change when he meets a street meow-sician named James. Along the way Bob learns that what started off as quite a cat-astrophe all worked out in the end. This uplifting tale of true friendship and second chances will be adored by both children and adults for years to come.

Check out the book trailer featuring James Bowen and Bob:

Did I mention that the real-life Bob loves to wear scarves, as pictured? What more do you need to know?

Aren't you excited to check it out for yourself?

Well, you're in luck. We're giving away two copies of My Name is Bob to two lucky winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connect with Barron's Educational Series, Inc., on Facebook and Twitter and connect with James and Bob on Facebook and Twitter.

I was provided with a preview copy of My Name is Bob in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

an unconventional family bonded by a dog: childsplay's "super cowgirl and mighty miracle"

March 24, 2014 Kristen Carr

I figured that the littles and I would enjoy any play where one of the main characters is a dog (played by a human), but I didn't realize how touching and thought-provoking a seemingly simple tale could be. We knew going in that Childsplay's Super Cowgirl and Mighty Miracle would likely be fantastic. When we saw The Velveteen Rabbit a few months ago, we were blown away. What surprised me about this production was how playwright José Cruz González took serious current social issues and made them approachable for young audiences and how Childsplay's actors communicated the story in such a way that these beginning theater-goers could "feel."

Childsplay summarized the play:

When a stray dog appears on the doorstep, it's love at first sight for six-year-old Cory, and the last straw for Grandma Autumn. Life hasn't been easy lately for either of these two, facing absent parents and lost homes. But in a delightfully surprising story filled with humor and heart, Super Cowgirl and Mighty Miracle reminds us love makes almost anything possible, even in hard times.

The subject matter couldn't be more timely.

We had the honor of listening to González speak about the play before it began. He explained how he wanted to tackle current issues that are facing so many in our country. He wanted to illustrate an unconventional family both in terms of multiple generations and in terms of race and culture.

My children (ages five and seven) were quite entertained throughout the performance. There were no untimely bathroom requests or declarations of starvation. They were riveted. They laughed a lot, and felt the tension that some parts of the story required. I enjoyed watching their faces as much as I enjoyed watching the performance. With such complex, sensitive issues being raised I wondered how much my children absorbed. I asked them what the play was about (possible spoilers):

Quotes from my seven-year-old:

• "The girl had to live with her grandma because her mom was dead and her papa had to go to another country to work. They didn't have a lot of money, so that must have been hard."

• "I thought it was cool how they went to all the different places and just switched a couple of things on the stage so you could tell where they were."

• "The girl helped the dog, and the dog helped the girl and her grandma, too, so they became a real family. They all loved each other."

Quotes from my five-year-old:

• "Love...and family."

• "The play was about the dog saving the girl's life just like she saved his life."

• "The girl and the grandma didn't get along so well at the beginning, but then they loved each other."

• "My favorite part was when the grandma stepped in the dog poop!"

I must say, the poop part was pretty funny. There were several points during the show that had the whole audience roaring. Despite–and perhaps partly because of–the hilarious antics, the kids were able to understand that the story was about love and family.

Aside from the fabulous performance that Childsplay put on, I love the fact that they make theater approachable for kids. After the performance, the actors took their traditional bows, but then remained on the stage. They first asked the children in the audience specific questions about the play that made them think how they, as individuals, could relate to the story. Some of the questions required detailed comprehension of the story, and some didn't, so there were questions for all ages. Everyone had the opportunity to participate. The children then had the chance to ask questions of the actors. The actors were approachable and said "ask us anything!"

My favorite question came from a young man: "How old are you?"

It was clear that Osiris Cuen, who played "Cory," a six-year-old girl, was no where near that age. Yet during the performance, she made us believe she was. "I'm twenty-two," Cuen told the young man. Carlos A. Lara, who played the dog, reported his age as "twenty-four." Perhaps we can figure that out in dog years. And Chanel Bragg, who played "Grandma Autumn" was a mere thirty-one! Now I really feel old. It was wonderful to see the children in the audience asking questions that adults would typically take for granted. Not only are the children learning at an early age how to think thoroughly about a production, but adults get to view a live production through the eyes of inquisitive children. How rewarding for all!

Disclaimer: I am a Childsplay Mom2Mom Blogger. My family and I were provided tickets to this performance in exchange for my honest opinion. This review was also posted on Childsplay's Mom2Mom Blog.