Beer Butt thinks Safety First!

Not sure what made me decide to try and cook a Beer Butt Chicken on my own this week. My neighbor made one a few weeks ago-and I think I read some of my friend's post on Facebook talking about how they were giving it a try...so I guess I thought ...what the heck! I can do that!

It was pretty easy- First- Amber pulled out his neck, heart and other gross parts. Then,  I drank 1/2 of the beer, and I rubbed Big Bird down with butter and sprinkled whatever was in the seasoning drawer on him. Next, I cut up an orange and put 1/2 up his butt and 1/2 on his head (what a cute little hard hat).I sprayed the beer can with Pam (for easy removal later) - and balanced him on the grill heated to 200 degrees! I checked him every hour- or when I heard him sizzle (he got a little tipsy and fell over once or twice)  Three hours later I pulled him off the grill and he was PERFECT! Everyone loved it - easy, peasey!

  

Well- Miss June is still hanging around.  Clint caught her swimming in the dog's water bowl outside yesterday morning. Of course, I had to run outside to get a few pictures!

Well- you will never guess what I find this morning....

June was in the water bowl relaxing with another frog! So funny! I screamed and then almost died laughing. 

Miss June squats in the water ( pretty much like she is just sitting)- but the frog dangles his legs out long underneath himself in the water!  I am pretty sure they were on their first date.

The frog is much more skittish than June and hopped out and far away before I could get to my camera! I am going to try and catch them again in the morning!

They reminded me of Mamma June and Sugar Bear from Honey Boo Boo! Stay tuned for more pictures......

Payton and Papa!

Here is a great new picture of Payton and Papa! They are really good buddies!

Payton gave us quite a scare this week. She woke up in the middle of the night on Tuesday with a bad cough. The cough progressively got worse throughout the day on Wednesday and she and I were up ALL night. If she wasn't coughing- she was throwing up. Of course, I googled "dog cough" and discovered that she either had cancer, heart worms (in the late stages), had fluid in her lungs, or possible kennel cough. When you add to the search that she was also vomiting- even more awful and life threatening options appeared.

I made her an appointment with the vet that morning as soon as they opened. Dad was at my house by 6 am- as I had been texting and worrying him all night as well. Together we took her to the vet and left her for observation (and they were squeezing her in for us, so the vet would see her in between appointments)

Turns out she has "Chronic Airway Disease" We have known for over a year now that Payton suffers from horrible allergies. Unfortunately, they are not seasonal. Whatever it is that causes her red itchy skin, runny nose and eyes - is present year round at our house. For over a year now, I have been taking her in once a month for shots. She gets an allergy shot every 30 days and about every 60 days she was getting a steroid shot as well. However, about 2 months ago we started her on a new allergy medicine that comes in pill form. Very expensive, but easier than shots and saves me the trip once a month to the vet. It is called Apoquel and it is AMAZING! Her red splotchy skin cleared within 24 hours and her itching became non-existent! Forget that is is $2 a pill and that she needs 2 a day! YIKES!

Well- anyway, the vet called me around 12 requesting that I allow her to take an x-ray of Payton's lungs. She said that although it sounded a lot like Kennel Cough- there was not really a time that we could pin point that Payton would have been around another infected dog. She wanted to view her lungs to check and see if she saw the typical marks of chronic allergies. I consented to the x-rays and she called me back with the news.  She said that although the Apoquel is really good for the allergies of the skin, she feels like Payton really needs the *extra* steroid in her to take care of the congestion in her head, nose and throat. She feels like because it had been over 60 days without any steroid- this was causing the awful cough.  She also felt like the airway may have become infected over that period of time and wanted to prescribe her some antibiotics and a cough med. 

It has been 3 days since I took her in and she is doing much better. The cough still lingers a bit and often comes back when she gets excited or starts to bark a lot. I got her a bigger pill case and more hot dogs (our pill hiders) and we are on our way to well. For now- she is taking 8 pills a day- but in a few weeks she will be down to just 3 a day. Bless her heart. I love this dog!

Dog sitting again!

The kids got another dog sitting job this summer. Our sweet neighbors are on a trip to Indiana to celebrate 

Ms. Teresa's dad's 90th birthday! WOW! We hope they have a great trip.

I tried to get a picture of BaileyDog and the kids, but she is much too quick! The only way we could get her to slow down was to hold her bone up for her. Even then...she was still moving! LOL

Bailey and Kaci are having a great time keeping an eye out on her~

Meet June

Well, by now everyone knows that we have a Mae in our house.

But- you may not know that we also have a June.

Here she is ...

I think she is a toad. 

(How can you tell the difference between a toad and a frog?)

I think a toad is bumpier and fatter with shorter legs....

I think that makes June a toad. 

Anyway- she appeared about 9 days ago on our back porch. She shows up about 9p.m. and is gone by 5:30 a.m. In between that time- she hangs out on the porch and (hopefully) eats her fill of all the disgusting bugs that are flying around out there. I usually see her at 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. when I am letting Miss Mae out to pee!

I think she must especially like june bugs...because our porch seems to be covered with them at night. 

Now, you might be thinking that is why I named her June...and well.....

 it is not. 

I named her June because she came after Mae (the dog!) LOL! And also - she appeared in the month of June....

but, well maybe also because I think she eats june bugs! 

Anyway...welcome June!

The early bird gets the worm!

I love Miss Mae!

She is a great dog. 

The first word her owner used to describe her was "CHILL"

She is so chill.

On July 4th she will be 3 months. She has been with us for 2 weeks.

She. Is. Chill.

So far she has not chewed anything 

(well, just a tiny corner of Clint's shoe)

She hasn't had any accidents 

(well, just 2 in the living room- but I am sure it was my fault because I didn't take her out in time)

She isn't rough, or loud 

(I think I have only heard her bark twice)

She knows how to sit and stay.

She listens when you ask her to stop.

She still has sweet puppy breath.

I love everything about her!

Well, except the fact that she likes to wake up about

5:30 or 6 every morning!

Um, did she not get the memo that this is SUMMER! You stay up late and sleep LATER!! Bless her heart.

Her sleep routine sort of goes like this:

Wake up at 5:30- go outside, pee (I make my 1st cup of coffee) and she play's with Payton.

6:30- she eats breakfast ( I make my 2nd cup of coffee) plays inside, then back out to poop.

7:30- play some more....play some more, play some more (finally I am wide awake!)

9:00--- she is ready for her first nap of the day...........and the sun is up, I am all jacked up on coffee, I'm ready for breakfast, emptying the dishwasher and folding my 2nd load of laundry. I am exhausted but can't go back to sleep!

Don't worry- none of that will bother Miss Mae. She is getting a much needed nap. You know- she has been up since 5:30! 

Don't let the bedbugs bite!

With a butterfly kiss and

*****

  a ladybug hug, 

 *****

Sleep tight Miss Mae,

 *****

Like a bug in a rug.