Best Christmas ever!

Ok, so I know I've only had one other Christmas to compare to, and truth be known, my memory isn't that good that I even remember what I did yesterday. But it has been snowing TONS this year, and every time it does, we go for another walk to the big park by the baseball stadium. The other day, it was soooo deep, that I had to jump up just to get moving in it.

On Christmas Eve (like I have any idea what day that is, but so they tell me), Richie and Christine went away for what we thought was the evening. But it turns out they had gone over to Richie's brother's house, but they couldn't cook their dinner because they had no power there! So an unspecified amount of time later, the whole Chin family arrived back at my house with all sorts of yummy smelling food! They ate and ate and ate, and we didn't get any of it! Paisley didn't like having so many people around, so she went down to her room by herself.

On Christmas Day, we both got toys to play with! Here we are just as they were when we received them, and...

a short time later, we had performed our ritual gutting and shredding of the new arrivals.

But after a long day of Christmas-ing, I found a new place to hang out. I can't wait for next Christmas!

Mischa

Snow!

Well, it has been nothing but excitement here lately... Richie's brother has arrived at our house, and so has the snow! We've been spending a lot of time over at Hillcrest Park, running around and chasing each other. Then we really got a lot of snow, and Richie's other brother Mike came over with his little human, Justin. We all went to the park in over a foot of snow!

Here I am giving chase to Richie as he makes for 1st base... he's pretty fast with those long legs, but I caught him!

The snow was so deep that I have to jump like the bunny next door to get moving - of course my ears flop around like the bunny too!

Paisley was having a gas too - she likes to run along in the snow and then stick her nose down and snuffle up the snow and stuff! I'm not sure what she's looking for, but when she comes up for air, there's always a bunch of snow sticking to her face, which makes her look kinda funny. She's pretty good at getting around in the snow too, and we would chase each other around, "joust", or wrestle in the snow.

Here you see me with my classic, "go for the jugular" attack on Paisley, while she attempts to get away.

Here is just one of our many wind sprints that we did that day - somehow Paisley managed to get a head start on me, but I am in hot pursuit! But I tell you, it is hard work running around in snow that deep - I'd have to stop and lie down and catch my breath once in a while. Christine also decided to lie down and try and make a "snow angel", but Paisley and I wanted to see what she was up to, and messed it all up.

Anyhow, I hope you are all having fun in the snow - I hear there is more to come!

Mischa

Catching up with the Berners

So sorry it has taken so long to post some new stuff here, but Ritchie and Christine went away for what seemed like forever to some place called Maui. We on the other hand, went to stay with Richie's sister Deb, Connor, Sarah and Lupin! We had a grand old time, and got into all sorts of trouble. Like the time that Mischa got up on the counter and pulled the cookie jar down onto the floor. Lupin and I didn't have anything to do with it (I swear!), but we weren't just going to stand around while Mischa feasted - no way! When we are not getting in trouble, I follow Deb around like her shadow - something my namesake used to do as well, I hear.

Anyhow, we were thrilled to have Richie and Christine home again, as you can see by my lap-dog impression above. Mischa has decided that it's great fun to stand on the big brown box (called an ottoman), and frequently uses it as a method to try and get across to a warm lap. When that happens, I snuggle right in there, and the next thing you know, there's 185 lbs. of Berner fun in your lap!

I think they really missed us too, and so Christine gave us two little bears to play with. You can see Mischa and I playing a little tug-o-war with one of them, on top of Richie's head! I actually didn't really know what to make of the little bears, and I was treating them like my own little bear cubs. Sure, I had them in my mouth - what are we dogs supposed to pick up things with? But when I was put in my room for the night, I yelped, because I wanted to be with my little bear! My nickname is "Big Bear" (Mischa's is "Little Bear") - why wouldn't I have a thing for bears?
Anyhow, after a few days of tussling with them however, the little stuffed bears got pulled apart, and I've pretty much gotten over it now.

Now we are getting ready for Christmas, which has been great fun! Richie put up this tree in the living room, except that it isn't real - you can't fool our noses. Then Richie sits back with a big glass of wine, and Christine hangs all sorts of enticing, shiny toys from the tree... we aren't allowed to have any of them, but they are still fun to look at and sniff. There are also lots of other things in the living room that she has put out for us to smell - the best one is this little stuffed "Santa" (whatever that is) but it has fur that smells like the rabbit next door all over it! I know Mischa is going to grab it one day, and then there will be hell to pay.

I think the best part about this Christmas season however, is the fact that Christine and Richie spend a lot of time in the living room, with that fire thingy going, and we get to lie on the floor by their feet - something we Berners are very good at.