And Celebrating His First Wright Christmas...

Our Little Reufus.. to our knowledge... has never properly celebrated Christmas. He doesn't know much about the holiday, the tree, ornaments, FEDEX deliveries, wrapped gifts, holiday bags with tissue paper... much less the actions that put these all in motion!

I tried to keep things normal for him... in all the ways I could.

He insisted on following me every where... just like always.

I share with you now... a Wheu-What moment.
Reuf almost looks like Golden Retriever here (inside joke).

A Very Most Main Part of TheWright Christmas
was when Santa delivered our Antlers
Christmas Eve Eve!!!

I'm just throwing this picture in because last time we talked, Little Reufus didn't have it in him to chill for more than two seconds at a time. We snapped this as he chilled for about five minutes!

He's even learned to pose!

Pictured here is Little Reufus, with his gift from The Herd!

HOOT OWL!!!!!

HOOT OWL HOOT OWL...

HOOT OWL!!!

And now posing with his gift from Aunt Dav...

Recognition for proper behavior...!

OMD OMD... FROGGY!!!

OMD OMD... FROGGY!!!

OMD OMD... FROGGY!!!

Mmmmmm... Apple Treats, too???!!!

One last pose to prove...
Reuf is a big boy now!!!

As you know, Our Aunt Karen came by Christmas Eve...
helping Santa deliver sack loads of toys...
to certain Special Boys...

Hee hee hee...

Santa really DOES know ALL!!!

Check out the monogram!!!

Is it just me... or do you see a hint of contrition?

I'm a really good naughty boy! Truly, I am!

I have hit the Mother-Load!!! If this is what I get for being naughty, I can't imagine being nice!!! But who am I kidding... I can't imagine being nice, anyway!

Snatch-and-Run!

Back for the Monkey.

Sniff. Sniff. Sniff.

Monkey down.

:-)

Picture The Naughty Reuf smiling!

The fact that I'm smiling here...
is no admission of guilt!
To the contrary, I'm a very Good Boy!!!

Our first Christmas with Reuf was great fun!!!

Each day is a Treasure!!!
We're grateful for Your Prayers and Well Wishes.
Your Support means The World.

The Power of The Paw Rules...
Go Team Bleu!!!

Tis the Season...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Christmas is a fun time for a Sweet Boy who has been good all year and is never, no never ever naughty! *There is a difference, though it may be subtle..., between ornery and naughty. Just saying!

The explosion of boxes and containers and figures that come out of "The Christmas Closet" leave me a little unsettled... but I do enjoy checking out the ornaments as they are unpacked. And I like to watch them placed on the tree. [Pardon the messiness of the process!]

We normally decorate two trees...

The Eclectic and Collectible Tree. Located in our formal dining room, we decorate this tree with the Mom's collection of ornaments that go back to when she was a young pup, living with her the mama and daddy.

These ornaments include gifts from her friends through the years, as well as many given to the Mom's Mom by her friends and students. Some are expensive, and some are even more valuable... hand made! Each has a story, a memory. Each is a treasure.

This tree also displays the Mom's extensive collection of Krinkle Ornaments by artist, Patience Brewster. This passion began with Reindeer Dog (photo below does not do it justice), and has grown to be quite a large and whimsical collection.

Other fun ornaments on this tree reflect things the Mom loves, like farm animals and kitsch.

The Golden Tree. This is a tree that we decorate in our family room. Due to space limitations, it has to be small, but it's loaded! This tree is inspired by the Mom's first Golden... Comet [Check out her blog... Goldens Rule!]... but it is all about the Mom's love for ALL all of her fur children!

There are many Comet-the-Reindeer ornaments and many stars. There are many Golden ornaments, including a great many that honor The Luke, The Me, The Wright Brothers... And I'm guessing that Reuf might be honored on there, too!

Among our Treasures is the M.D. Anderson bone ornament (above) was designed by a child with cancer and given to the Luke and the me by our Aunt Dav, just days before his diagnosis last year.

 We.

This year... We decided to celebrate and decorate The Golden Tree only. And by 'We', I mean... the Mom and I! 

The Reuf has no knowledge of the customs, traditions or manners of Christmas... tree or otherwise. He watched the decoration and lighting of the tree from his 'room'. He was allowed to sniff and walk to the back of it once... and then we quickly blocked his access. 

For several days, We left some low value ornaments on the coffee table as a test... and he passed. Clearly, our little Reufus is growing up! We don't think We need the gate, but our motto is "Never intentionally set the Reufus up to fail."!

The Stocking.

When he and I had our first sleep-over on December 26, 2008, The Luke had the most beautiful stocking ever! And in 2009, the Mom happened on the same stocking design and bought it for me. This is mine!

This is Reuf's first Christmas... in our family. And the Mom searched high and low for a stocking, befitting his ALL BOY personality, and she finally found it!

Check out the custom made stocking for Lil Reuf... by PIXELCHIC Designs on Etsy!!!

The Mom is thrilled with it! The Reuf is curious about it. And I am not surprised that it faces a different direction from mine! If the stocking fits.. Haha.

The Golden Tree, tonight... room lights off.

[This year, the tree is located in the NW corner of this room. We normally put it up in the SW corner, but since Reuf's arrival here on April 16th... the SW corner has been his, for his room! We decided it would be best to relocate the tree and move display shelves, rather than disrupt the security of Reuf's 'bedroom'!

The Golden Tree, tonight... room lights on.

We are going to finish up our decorations this weekend! Reufus is enjoying the season and has reallyl surprised us with his recent good behavior! The Mom thinks that the all of the training is working... I think it's because he just remembered that Santa has made and is checking his list, not just once... but twice!

Christmas is a Special Time.

It is Joy and Generosity and Fun...
It is Innocence,
a Time to Reunite with Your Inner Pup.

And it's a Time to Remember...
The Reason for The Season!

The emotions of loss seem to mount this time of year... but our the Mom does her best to overshadow her sadnesses with Songs and Specialness and Joy in our home.

Last Christmas, we quietly embraced what we knew were the last days of Our The Luke. I think you can imagine how she feels this year, but...

I'm feeling great, and that gives her great reason to raise her hands to the sky...

Time is the Greatest Gift!

Friday Night Wrights: Golden Friday Edition

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Golden Friday!!!

It's Antler Night here at the Wrights', but I'd like to take a break to tell you a little bit about Our Thanksgiving Day.

It was nice and quiet and frankly... mostly pretty lazy. We snuggled and cuddled in the big bed in the morning, watched the Thanksgiving Parade [Houston version], ate a nice family lunch, shuffled around [even outside] in our jammies and slippers... and took a nice long family nap in the afternoon!!!

At around 4pm, Reuf and I were served an early dinner.
For me: Wysong, White Rice, Green Beans and A Scoop of Pumpkin

For Reufus: Innova, Green Beans and A Scoop of Pumpkin

Reufus is thankful for foods!
He LOVES to eat!!!

And he also loves to GO OUTSIDE!
NOW, PLEASE!

Of course, Reufus doesn't know how to tell time yet, so he had no clue, but... I knew we were about to board the trolley! And we did!!!

Yep. No Thanksgiving Day is complete without wearing my Aggie bandanna! Because of the Mom's prior career (as a student, gathering degrees but not so much $), we have allegiance to both The University of Texas and Texas A&M. We pull for them both, but when they play each other...

Gig Em, Ags! 

Now back to the trolley...
Here's my view to the front

The View from Reuf's seat...

And here's a view from the driver's seat!

Where O Where did we go???
Casa De Whitson!!!
Thanksgiving with Family...
My Cousins... The Herd from Whence I came!!!

This is me, the adorable Cousin Dakota (who has always looked SO much like Our The Luke) and My Awesome Uncle Tom!!! You may recognize him as Mister T, of Day Spa fame! He's our rock, and the rock of many! That's just who he is!

My the mom photographer was a bit on the fritz. It was late in the afternoon, just a little too early for the flash and too late not to use it. All of the photos turned out blurry... I apologize!

Here is me scooting across the deck!

My Cousin The Buddy!!!

Cousin Dylan!!!

The Me... And Cousin Cane sitting to the right!

Little Reufus rarely slowed his speed below 50mph, so he's mostly a blurrrrrrrrr!

Golden Fun! Clockwise: Uncle Tom, The Me, Cousin Dakota, Cousin Cane (back turned), Cousin Dylan (back turned, tail high) and Little Reufus!

It was SO wonderful to spend time and share the loving with My Aunt Madison! I will never forget that when I was surrendered to GRRH, she slept on the floor of the bathroom with me several nights, until I finally stopped trembling. Just when love failed me, she showered me with hers. My eyes light up when I see My Aunt Madison... and I wish the photographer could capture that excitement!

Cousin Becca, Master Chef.... with Uncle Tom assisting... and Aunt Madison taste testing... prepared an exquisite meal!!! There was tasty turkey, dressing, stuffing, fresh mashed sweet potatos, Becca's famous spinach casserole (the Mom's request and favorite!), fresh cranberry sauce... and the lazy mom's restaurant bought pies (pumpkin and chocolate which weren't so good).

It was a wonderful evening. All was quiet in the trolley on the way home, because we were full and happy and tired!!! And though the Mom and I got up at 345am to do small businesses, we returned to bed and WE ALL slept in until 8am!!!

The Mom did a little Black Friday stuff today... nothing too dramatic, and mostly she just spent time with My The Aunt Dav and her the Mom.

Meanwhile, Reuf and I had a restful Golden Friday... taking a short nap and resting up for tonight! We also slipped outside for some traditional FrEYEday photos!

FrEYEday SkEYEday!

These are late afternoon photos, and our weather is in transition. A cold front is due in around 6am in the morning. We're due for thunderstorms and then some weather to follow that's supposed to feel like late fall / winter!!!

And from Me and Mine: Bring On the Cooler Temperatures!!! 

Earlier I mentioned Reufus and his green beans. The Mom put him on a little of a diet. He protested on grounds of not liking vegetables... but every time he's outside, he chows down on the mixed (unknown, unidentifiable and perhaps dangerous) veggies.

Once all of that was pointed out to him, Reuf began to acquire an appreciation for the green beans. He's still a bit CHUB, but his waistline is narrowing a bit. Just saying.

My issue is the opposite!
The Mom is trying to put the poundage on me!!!

I hate the reason for it!
But I love the challenge of adding on weight!!!

Hello, Fattening Foods!

If you're not dairy or so rich you'll make me sick...
YUMMMMM!!!

Antlers, I'm sure, have very few calories..
but still... I crave them!!!

Here I am begging for one.

 I know where they are!

I know you know I know where they are!!!

Please to just dole them out!

I admit it. I'm an Antler Addict.

I'm pacified slightly by a whole antler,
but I dream of having another split one!!!
Life is so wonderful for me right now, that I hate to be gluttonous...
but I drool over the thought of another split antler!!!

Little Reuf is an avid chewer, so the whole ones are perfect for him. It IS a little difficult to keep him from stealing a split antler from me. Given the choice, he will always pick MINE!

Life is Great! And this has been a Wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. I've been making a list of things I'm grateful for... and while it's too long to post today, I want to share it soon! For now, I must tell you...
I'm thankful for Yeu, My Friends. Thank Yeu for allowing me to share my life here in this blog. Thank Yeu for your Support... your care, concern and comments!!!

Thank Yeu for bolstering The Love Protocol! Thank Yeu for being a part of Team Bleu!!!