Do you have a go-to pic?

This is mine. I look at it throughout the day while I'm at work and it instantly, magically, makes me happy. Love our little Bean!

Happy birthday, Ari!

Kenzie's golden retriever boyfriend Ari had a birthday last weekend and his family was kind enough to invite us all to the dog beach. It could not have been a more beautiful day!
When we first arrived, Kenzie made sure to provoke other dogs to chase her! She was never far away from her beach-towel base, and hid behind mom and dad a few times when the big dogs came running. :)

Our friends went straight to the water ... birthday boy's orders!

What's going on out there? As it turns out, however much Kenzie doesn't mind taking baths, she's pretty scared of the ocean. Even treats couldn't coax her in on her own! But some help from Daddy did the trick...

And what a relief ... she CAN swim.

Ready to get out!

You'd better believe Ari didn't lose track of that ball, his most-prized possession.

Three puggles and a pug! We were surprised to see how many puggles (there were others) were enjoying a beautiful day at the dog beach, too.

Ari thrilled that his mom is throwing the ball out to sea over and over and over again...

Showing off his seashell find. :)

I guess things can sag even when you're a toddler!

Happy birthday, Ari, and thanks for letting us share the day with you!

Benefits of a Stay-at-Home Mommy

During the last two weeks, Kenzie's life has changed dramatically. Thanks to my career status change, she has become increasingly spoiled and accustomed to the following:

- Sitting or sleeping in mommy's lap when she's at the computer, instead of locked up in the crate
- Getting the occasional extra bone or treat to occupy her so that mommy can get some job-searching done
- Going for walks or jogs in the park on a daily basis ... hooray!
- Taking naps on the couch, on her favorite ottoman, in mommy's lap ... anywhere but the crate
- Getting to watch mommy try new recipes, or sew, or become other sorts of domesticated
- Taking more naps

This last one, to me, seems like such an optical illusion! Is Kenzie really that long??

Why can't I sleep with them?

Weekend visitors! Kenzie was so excited that Aunt Ashley and Uncle Scott came to visit. In fact, she was so thrilled to have their attention that it took her over an hour to settle down and go to sleep in our room last night. She was whining at the end of the bed, or sat staring at the door, desperate to go find them in the other room! Silly dog... here's their parting pic. She was impressively alert. Thanks for coming, Scott and Ashley!

Kenzie's New Friend

Kenzie loves company, and knows other dogs are lots of fun. But babies - that's a whole other story! Our friends came over tonight with their PRECIOUS nearly 1-year-old daughter and Kenzie thought they all came just for her. She loves being chased. So having a laughing baby crawling after her made her night. Kenzie's new friend did pull on her tail some, play with her paws, and occasionally body-slam her (unintentionally, of course -- learning to stand and walk is not easy!), but Kenzie didn't seem to mind (and gave her fair share of sniffs and playful pursuits). But mostly, she enjoyed the extra attention... Thanks, Lana, for coming to play!

Saturday Morning Snooze

Kenzie loves to sleep on Mommy's side of the bed ... sometimes pillow and all!

This was a couple of weeks ago. Kenzie on her favorite ottoman, all bundled up and sleeping peacefully.

Kenzie's Life in 2010

Kenzie Bean woke me up at 5:50 this morning, no doubt because she wanted me to finally update her blog, which hasn't been touched since November! Kenzie is a very privileged puppy and gets to sleep in our bed, usually right in the middle or under the covers somewhere, or snuggled up against one of us. This is what she does when it's bedtime, so we'll lift her up onto the bed.Our bed's not that high, but she wouldn't dream of jumping up there. She did, however, miraculously develop some jumping skills right after the Christmas break! Took her almost two years, but now she jumps right up on the couch like it's nothing. Or the ottoman, one of her favorite spots when we're watching TV.This is right after I got back from Christmas and picked her up at the kennel - what a happy reunion! She was glad to get all her Christmas gifts. :)As much as Kenzie loves lounging around, she couldn't be more excited to hear the words "walk" or "park." She just knows something good is coming up. We tried out Lake Balboa recently and she tried to make friends with a duck. Too bad she was on her leash!

When I went to New York for work back in February, I got to see Kenzie's Golden Retriever friend, Ari, and he sent her back some delicious hot dog treats! Things were a little light in the friend department since our move, until some of our neighbors got the most adorable long-haired black and white chihuahua named Patches. Kenzie and Patches bonded instantly. Kenzie cries when she sees him and they run toward each other like there's nothing else in the world.

Ice, Ice, Baby...

This is Kenzie enjoying one of her favorite treats: an ice cube.

"Where's Daddy?"

And...that cuddly nature that we love so much!

Super Puggle!

Kenzie Bean was a spider web for Halloween, but that doesn't sound very exciting. Maybe we should say she was a version of Spider-Man. She wore her Halloween jammies half the day that day, but the funniest part is that they glow, too. So we laughed with the lights out in our bedroom, watching this neon green form scamper around the bed and then settle into a ball to go to sleep. I don't think Kenzie has any idea how entertaining she can be just by being herself.

Wanna play?

Kenzie the Puggle likes Football Season :)

Kenzie Makes a Move

A couple of weeks ago, we moved to a new apartment. It was quite the traumatic experience for Kenzie, who squealed from confinement in the bedroom as we carted our stuff out to the UHaul, trip after trip after trip. She just didn't understand what was going on! Before the big day, she helped with packing as she could, of course. But most exciting was the discovery of long-forgotten balls and rawhide bones and other goodies underneath our couches and dresser, where she just couldn't reach...a whole slew of "new" toys!

I must say, she has settled into her new home quite comfortably, ecstatic to have carpet instead of slippery hardwood floors — perfect for lying down for a rest at any given time, and for getting good traction when she runs around the apartment in a frenzy.

Father - Daughter Time : )

Most parents get kiddie pools for their kids ...

And we got one for Kenzie today, so she could cool off after long walks in the summer sun. She loved it, especially with her longtime favorite "Mr. Fish" toy in the water and Daddy there to entertain.

I was thinking it was a terrific idea and successful execution until dinnertime, when Ryan yelled at me from the patio where he was grilling: "Kenzie's peeing in the pool!"

JUST like a kid.