Adventures, celebrations, and snuggles

It's been pretty quiet, uneventful, and low-key for us over the last couple of weeks as we have been getting out a little less and staying home a little more.   We have taken some short adventures, but most of our walks have been around the neighborhood.   While the weather has stayed mild, we have still been able to get out for some short walks and a few geocaching adventures, but none of those have been far from home and most of them have been limited by what Maddie has been able to do with us.  They have also been limited because of the outrageous tick population in Michigan currently.  I have honestly never seen as many ticks as I have this year and I am doing my best to avoid them as much as I can.  I hate those creepy little things!

The girls have spent a lot more time snuggling lately too.  Maddie has always been a snuggler, but it has not been typical in the past for Peaches to want to snuggle with another dog often.  Maddie has always loved having fosters because so many of them also loved to snuggle, so it's been nice to see Peaches step up to snuggle with her now.  It certainly makes Maddie a happy girl.  I sometimes wonder if Peaches understands that Maddie isn't going to be with us forever and is making the most of the time she has left with her furry older sis.

Even though most of our adventures have been within 10 miles of home, that doesn't mean we haven't had some scenic walks.  We have some lovely wooded areas near us and as long as we stay on the trail and avoid tall grassy areas, I've found we can avoid the ticks as well.  This isn't always easy with Peaches as she loves to explore off the trail and roll around in grass, but it's also given me an opportunity to work with Peaches on her leash skills.

We are quickly moving through Spring and heading toward Summer, and I don't want to miss out on the chance to continue to enjoy all of the beauty that Spring brings.  The Spring flowering trees always lose their flowers far too quickly so we need to get out and enjoy them.

The most exciting thing that has happened over the last two weeks was Maddie's birthday celebration.  While her birthday is still a couple of weeks away,  I decided to celebrate her birthday early with a Cinco de Mayo Quinceanera.  

We really enjoyed gathering a small group of our friends on a beautiful Spring evening for an outdoor celebration with some good Mexican food.  Maddie was a good sport, as always, when I put on her pretty dress, and she and Peaches were thrilled to see all of their friends.  Maddie was especially happy when Nicol let her lick her plate clean.  It was a nice little celebration for my sweet, old girl.  

We've also made several trips to the MSU campus for our walks.  It is one of the prettiest places for a nice walk in the area and I think it is prettiest in the Spring.  

There are so many gardens, arboretums, and wooded areas to enjoy, not to mention the beauty in the main campus.  There is just so much to see.  We enjoy the variety around the horticultural gardens and the Children's garden.  Even in Spring before the annual and and rose gardens are in bloom, we can find plenty to enjoy in the perennial garden.  

And Peaches enjoys all of the stuff that she can climb on!

The main campus along the Red Cedar River is also beautiful this time of year.  There is lots of history in the area, lots of lovely old trees, beautiful old buildings, and lovely scenery all around.  The walk along the river is one of my favorites and the girls love all of the ducks and squirrels that they get to see along the way.  The beauty in the area also lends itself to lots of cute pictures of the girls!  

On Mother's Day, we spent the day at my parent's.  The girls love going to my parent's house because they have a big open yard to explore off leash with lots of new smells and lots of birds and other critters.  Peaches spent most of the day terrorizing a poor little baby squirrel.  The squirrel was perfectly safe and just out of Peaches reach, but close enough to keep her interested.  It was the perfect way to keep her safely occupied for hours.  Maddie's area of exploration was smaller, but she still enjoyed sniffing and walking around the yard.  At the end of the day, I went home with two very tired, very happy girls.

After her change in eating habits early in the month gave me a good scare, we have made adjustments to change Maddie's diet to make her more willing to eat.  With those changes, Maddie continues to eat well and is thoroughly enjoying her new food.  Over the last week, she wakes up ready for breakfast and excitedly reminds me when it is time for her mid-day meal and dinner.  While she had gotten picky for a short while, her eating habits have gotten more normal again.  I've even gotten to the point where I am able to hide her medications in her food and she'll eat it right down, just like she used to do.  And yesterday we put some peanut butter and yogurt on her licky mat...and she ate them right down.  It has been a big relief to me because being able to get her to eat well and continue to take all of her meds and supplements is the key to keeping her here with us longer.  She's even gotten away with a little begging lately...something she used to know wasn't allowed.  How can you deny this face?

After a good meal, a little begging, a short walk, and a nice ride in her stroller, she's always ready to settle in for the night.  

While we haven't had any big adventures, I have been making a point of finding new parks and short pathways to explore.  These new areas are an adventure for the girls with new things to smell and lots of stimulation, so even if we don't walk far, they both get the enjoyment of exploring somewhere new.  This is especially important for their mental stimulation and I find even 10-15 minutes in a new spot can really make a difference in their days.  Plus many of these quick stops allow me to do a little geocaching which makes it more fun for all of us.  It is amazing what a short car ride and a quick visit to a new place combined with a walk around the neighborhood can do in keeping both girls happy.  

As we move through Spring and the temperatures begin to get warmer, our adventures will continue to need to be modified to meet Maddie's needs, but as long as she's with us, I'll do whatever I can to include her in our fun and make adjustments as necessary.  One thing I can tell you for sure, she is still up for car rides and adventures, so I will continue to bring her along with me.   

And when we aren't adventuring, I'm going to soak up all the snuggles and love I can from both girls!