Vacationing With The Pups

Check out my food blog for a detailed account of our trip to Napa last Christmas! We piled the pups in the car and had a gay old time together. We only went to one winery that let us take the dogs into their tasting room (Alpha Omega), but they had lots of fun wandering the quiet neighborhoods and doing their part to water the grapes between trips.

Rex, well accustomed to the back seat, was as calm and mellow as ever, but Theo is used to ruling the car. He somehow would manage to worm his way over the seat and into Chris' mom's lap, where he would get a very nice head rub while he napped, ever-triumphant over Rex.

What a trouble maker

Our next vacation is already planned and I can't wait. We'll be in Monterey over Easter, and we wouldn't dream of leaving our furkid at home. Hopefully more fun adventures will be had!

It's High Time

We were in Reno this week visiting my parents. In a plan only my mother could come up with, we drove up to Reno last Friday. Saturday morning Husband and I flew from Reno up to Seattle to spend the weekend with Husband's parents and some extended family for the Labor Day weekend. Monday we flew back to Reno and spent the rest of the week with my parents. We're leaving tomorrow morning after the balloon festival. My mom came up with it when I was trying to work out visiting them and Husband's parents in the same time period without boarding Theo a lot.

So my parents dog-sat for us while we were in Seattle. I was worried because Theo is my baby! But I wasn't worried because while my parents have never had a dog while I was alive, they have both been dog owners in the past. They knew what they were doing. And Theo was definitely a happy dog while I was gone. He loves my dad. My mom said, while I was gone, when she would let Theo out of his crate, and he would go lay down in front of their bedroom door and wait for my dad to get up. So funny.

This area has coyotes, so we had to be very careful while walking him at night. It was uneventful for the most part, but there were a few incidents. One night we heard 4 or 5 coyotes all howling and having a gay old time. I didn't stick around to find out what they were so excited about, just in case Theo was what they had their eyes on. He does look like a super-sized bunny, their main staple, after all! And last night Theo almost walked right over a scorpion. My parents said they've never seen a scorpion here, so of course, I found one. Heh.

I think Theo is going to be sad to leave tomorrow, especially since there's a very long car ride involved!

Happy September everyone!

PS: I know I've been blogging a lot about agility. I believe last I updated, I said that we were taking a break from agility. I meant for it to just be one session...but I found out last week that I'm getting laid off from my job. Boo! I know. D: So we'll be cutting back on things like agility classes starting now, and doggy daycare if I don't find another job before my 60 days is up. Wish me luck because I know Theo will definitely miss his doggy daycare buddies!

Arriving In Style

Has anyone heard of PetAirways?  Apparently they are a pet-only airline, where your pet rides in the main cabin of the plane, rather than the cargo area.  It's definitely an interesting concept, but I wonder what the main differences between the main cabin and the cargo area would be on a plane that is just for pets.  Obviously the cabin is not going to be equiped with reclining seats and a convenient reading light for Theo's leisure.  But temperature sound control would be a definite plus.

Would I do it?  Probably not.  But I think it's a really neat idea, and a decidedly better option that cargo shipping your pup.  Plus, I think it's neat that you can track your puppy's progress.

Flights start in July.  Would anybody consider PetAirways for their pet traveling needs?

You Left Me!

A bit delayed, but how was everyone's Easter/Passover?  Husband and I went to Reno for the weekend.  Since we were only there two days, we decided to forgo the 20 hours of driving and just fly, meaning we had to board Theo.  It ended up being 4 days of boarding for him because we dropped him off Friday morning (for doggy daycare and boarding in the evening), and weren't able to pick him up until Monday because they were closed for Easter (but yes, still taking care of the animals).  And since we were working Monday, we just did the usual doggy daycare and picking him up after work.  

When I finally got him back Monday evening, he was pretty pissed at me.  He had a "you left me!" look on his face the whole way home.  He didn't want to be touched, he didn't want to even be around me.  He pretty much just curled up and went to sleep in another room after we got home.  Husband had to go out of town for work Monday morning, so it was just the two of us.  Thankfully, he got over it by morning.  He was his usual peppy self, and when Husband came home Tuesday night, he was happy again.  Pehw!  Ok, maybe boarding isn't as painless as we thought.  Heh.

We had some friends over for dinner on Saturday night.  Theo was in heaven.  Not one, but three people willing to play fetch with him!  Oh my goodness!  My friend Mouth was there, and he is Theo's shining star.  He just adores him.  During dinner I found out why.  Mouth kept feeding him!  No wonder!  Hehe.  Stop trying to buy my puppy's love!  It totally works, you know.  

Summer is officially here.  It seems we're skipping straight past Spring this year.  That means it's already too hot to go outside in the middle of the day.  It was in the 90s yesterday!  I'm a little bummed because I don't think we got out enough while the weather was good.  Hopefully we'll get a couple more weekends of cool days before Summer totally sets in. *fingers crossed*

Still Here, Mostly Sleeping

Phew!  It feels weird to have gone so long without posting!  We're still here.  I had a 2 week vacation from work and everything just kind of hit me...the stress of the year.  I ended up basically catatonic during that time.  Ok, not really, but I'm sure I wasn't great company (sorry mom!).  I collapsed on the couch under my favorite blanket and a book and just read or slept the day away.  Every day.  For 2 weeks.  Basically.

Ok, we did go up to Reno for 5 days to visit my parents, but we still didn't do much.  My poor mom.  She was visibly frustrated by my and Husband's complete lack of motivation to do much of anything.   It was partially brought on by the fact that I couldn't really stomach food for the first week.  Don't know why, I just never felt hungry, and felt sick every time I tried to eat.  After we got home I vegged some more.  Now that I'm back at work, I'm wishing I was still at home vegging.  I may be addicted.  

Anyway, that's why I've been MIA for 2 weeks.  But enough about me.  The little booger was a total trouble maker the first week, and a total angel the second week for the most part.  

Let's start with Reno.  Theo loved it.  He was so excited, the first thing he did when we got into my parents' house was poop in their bedroom.  Awesome.  It snowed all of Christmas day. Theo loved playing in the snow.  He liked running around plowing it with his chest and then flinging himself over it with his bunny legs.  It was adorable to watch.  The neighbor's golden lab kept coming over to play.  At one point Theo wandered over to their backyard and wouldn't come back, even after calling him for 10 minutes straight.  He would look right at me, and then wander away.  Ugh.  He got in trouble BIG TIME for that.  The neighbors ended up seeing him in their backyard and letting him in their house.  I ended up having to trudge through the snow and icy road over to their house to go and get him ("Excuse me, may I please have my horribly rude dog back?"  Hehe.  They obviously loved him and didn't want to give him back.).  Booger indeed.  Husband and I tried to take him snow shoeing with us, but he wouldn't come with us.  He just sat by the back door and cried.  I think he was afraid of the big scary shoes.  He was great in the car, no incidents.

The next week, while I was even more catatonic than I was in Reno, Theo was pretty much glued to me.  Husband got food poisoning or the stomach flu or something so he was stuck in bed for most of the week, so it was just Theo and me.  I was perfectly willing to play endless fetch with him while permanently glued to the couch, but he wasn't interested for the most part.  He seemed to pick up perfectly on my apathetic mood and just chilled on the couch with me most of the time.  Not only did he sleep all week on the couch with me, he slept on me!  The 2 foot rule was temporarily suspended and I was even allowed to pet him at times while he slept.  It was crazy.  In that time of close quarters, I also learned the difference between Theo's 3 major whines: Mommy I need to pee, Mommy I want you to get off the couch and come over here and play with me, and Mommy I need you to come and get my toy that rolled under the couch.  The latter of the 3 is a ridiculously adorable quiet whine that is possibly the most pathetic sound you've ever heard.  Of course, it would have to be in order to get me up and in the other room every 3 minutes to get his ball he couldn't seem to keep from rolling under the couch.  Of course, now that we're back to our normal schedule, the 2 foot rule suspension has been lifted and we're back to our normal interactions.  It was nice while it lasted.

Well it's a new year.  2008 was year zero, the puppy year.  I think I'll call year 1 and maybe beyond "adolescence" because, really, he's just not a puppy anymore.  He's a troublesome little teenager.  My wonderful troublesome littler teenager.  I loved year zero, and I'm sure I'll love year one as well.

Happy New Year everyone!

Leaving My Baby Boy

We're off to Seattle for the weekend minus a big member of our family: Theo! He's being boarded at the facility we take him for doggy daycare. They're all very nice and Theo loves it there, so hopefully he won't miss us too much. I know I'll miss him! We're going to a memorial service, so this is not a vacation (I'm not even bringing the camera!). Hopefully it'll go by quickly so I can get back home and try and have a little fun with Theo for the holiday.

Everyone have a good weekend! What fun activities do you have planned with you pup over the long weekend?

Part 3 - Mendocino Trip, Botanical Gardens

The best part of our trip to Mendocino was the afternoon we spent at the Mendocino Botanical Gardens, which is located about 7 miles north of town up the 1. We actually almost didn't go. It was the last day of the trip and I was feeling lazy and tempted to hang around all day, but thanks to my mom and Husband (and my sister and her husband for buying the tickets!), we ended up going.

It started off pretty ho hum with some ordinary plants I had no interest in identifying. Then all of a sudden it got awesome. There were these cool scraggly trees. There's nothing I love more than scraggly trees on an overcast day. Sure, it's gloomy, but for some reason it makes me happy and pensive.

After the scraggly trees were some bluffs. Who doesn't like a nice ocean view in between garden viewing?









The real treat came when we got to the dahlia garden. There were Dahlia's everywhere, with a grassy lawn in the middle of them and a artistic wooden gazebo-like structure at the end of the row. Could you imagine getting married there? You wouldn't need a florist, that's for sure. Seriously, the Dahlia garden was so gorgeous I would have gone just to see it. There were all different kinds (who knew there were different kinds?) and the colors ranged everywhere from white to orange to purple. Plus, tt was a great opportunity to use the macro setting on my new camera!








And guess what else was cool about the gardens...it was dog friendly! You can take your dog into the gardens as long as you stay on the path and keep them on a 6' leash. No extra charge. Theo had a blast. He was always looking back and giving us a "hurry up!" look when we dawdled. He wanted to see what the gardens had to offer!

The happy look on Theo's face here is because he's have a roaring good laugh over the fact that mommy and daddy had to wipe some stray poop off his booty. Yuck! Lots of walking seems to make Theo have to poop when he doesn't really need to. The rest of my family gave us a "and that's why I don't have a dog" look. Lovely.






Another cool thing at the gardens that most of my family ended up skipping over was the vegetable garden. It was a ways off the main path, but when I saw the sign my mom and I decided we'd check it out. I wouldn't recommend bringing your dog into this area. It's, well, a vegetable garden! Lettuce, zucchini, and lots of other veggies (as well as fruits) grow in planter boxes only a few inches off the ground. Very easy access to a food-obsessed pup. But they do allow people tastings, so my mom and I had fun picking a blueberry and currant here and there. Man did they taste great right off the bush! I just love the way this picture came out.

Well that's the end of my Mendocino vacation. It was lots of fun but way too short. This was my first real vacation with Theo and I think it went really well! He was really well behaved for the most part (minus the incessant pulling on his leash!), and he really helped keep me out and about (something I don't do enough!).

Part 2 - Mendocino Trip, Mendocino Proper

Theo had a blast in Mendocino. He was actually pretty psychotic from his bubbling over excitement. He was either full speed hyper or full speed sleeping most of the time, but in some rare instances of mellowness I managed to get a picture or two.

In the morning my mom and I would get breakfast together at the bakery. Here's Theo waiting patiently for me to drop a goody. This was a Mendocino first for my mom and I. I've never been awake early enough to go and get breakfast with her, but thanks to Theo, I'm now an early bird!







After breakfast I would take Theo for a walk on the bluffs, just the two of us. Theo just loved the bluffs. I think he would have been happy standing there all day just sniffing the ocean air. It was adorable seeing his nose in overdrive with the same look on his face that dogs get when they stick their head out of a moving car.










After breakfast he was usually pooped and nap while Husband and I got ready. He thought the shams and top comforter we threw off the bed was for his own personal use. It was pretty adorable.

He loved sleeping in the same room as Husband and I. In the morning he would try his darnedest to jump up on the bed, and at one point he actually did it...when the bed was empty. Husband said it was hysterical watching his facial expression go from triumph to disappointment.







After lunch Husband and I took Theo for another walk. We walked around town and did our town shopping, which included Mendocino jam and mustard, Mendocino fudge, and looking around Out of This World and the Gallery Bookshop). And then it was back out to the bluffs.

This is Theo's pirate face. Arggg!













And in between all the walking there was of course more eating of delicious food, drinking of Navarro wine, and hanging out. But Theo mostly just slept during those parts, or played fetch with my sister and her husband. Theo never gets tired of playing fetch with his tribbles.

In the evening my family played a new game called Time's Up. It is frakking awesome, and absolutely hilarious to play with your family.

It was a great vacation, with the only downside being how quickly it was over. For most pictures see my flickr album.

Part 1 - Mendocino Vacation, Navarro

I decided that there's so much awesomeness from my vacation I want to post about, I had better split it up into a few so it doesn't end up a novel (and I don't end up blogging all night, hehe). So I'll start off with our wine tasting at Navarro winery. Navarro is located on highway 128 (off 101) in Philo, which is a little ways past Boonville (seriously). The road has lots of ups and downs and all arounds, so if you get car sickness (I do!) roll down your window and take it slow. No one likes to drink wine on a queasy stomach.

The area surrounding the winery is very picturesque. They have picnic tables right outside their tasting room so you can sit and enjoy the view. Or there are other tables around the property in other pretty settings. There are flowers pretty much everywhere. We actually stopped in Healdsburg for lunch (a cute town I had never been to before...very Sonoma), and we were in a hurry to get to Mendocino, so we didn't sit and enjoy like I would have liked.



The tasting room is a friendly and relaxed setting, and unexpectedly booming considering it's surrounded by nothing but small towns. I guess they got some street cred. There is no tasting fee and they had I think about 15 wines to taste with no limit on the number of wines you could taste.

Even though Navarro is one of my favorite wineries I'm going to go ahead and say that their reds aren't that great. It makes me sad because I love red wine. A good red wine is just the best thing ever. Their reds are definitely drinkable, but I wouldn't say they're worth driving to Philo for. Their whites, however, definitely are! The winery is most known for its Gewürztraminer, I would say. It is delicious. And if you want a real treat try the Gewürztraminer Late Harvest. It's a sweet wine, but not too sweet. I don't really like most dessert wines, but this stuff is guud. It's a bit pricey though, so I just got a half bottle (sorry friends, that means we're not sharing!). Also, it may sound pricey, and it may sound silly, but try some of their grape juice. It is so frakking good. I hate juice you buy at the grocery store because they’re so sweet! I don’t taste fruit, I just taste artificial flavoring and sugar. Blech! Navarro’s grape juice tastes like it actually came from grapes, and it’s sweetened just the right amount.


And last thing I'll say about the winery is that it is surprisingly extremely dog friendly! Dog-friendly wineries is definitely not something I kept an eye out for before getting Theo. Who knew tasting rooms allow dogs? We found out by accident. We assumed Theo couldn't come in so Husband was sitting with him outside, but somehow Theo got inside and once the people working the tasting room spotted him they immediately told us that he was welcome and they'd love to have him roam around. How nice! They let him wander wherever he wanted (you can see his curious george booty in the picture to the left, they really let him go wherever he wanted!). They fawned over him. They fed him treats. At one point they even gave him some grape juice out of a wine glass!

Apparently the owner of the winery is a big dog lover. He has a daschund who goes out on the tractor with him and helps with the process or something (I'm a good listener). There's a picture of him and his dogs (one has since passed on) hanging on the wall. So it's like company policy to be dog friendly. :p Whatever the reason, any dog is welcome in the tasting room, which makes for a much more enjoyable experience, in my opinion.

I like stopping off at Navarro before heading to Mendocino because it just starts the vacation off right. That way we're all stocked up on wine!

PS: I uploaded all the pictures from my trip to flickr. There's a lot of 'em!

We're Back And Relaxed

Ok, actually I'm not as relaxed as I would have hoped, but it was still a lovely vacation. I've pulled the pictures off my camera, but I haven't had a chance to upload them, so I'll have to wait until the weekend to upload you all on our fun time in Mendocino. I took a lot of pictures. I can tell you that we drank lots of good wine, ate lots of good food, went on lots of beautiful walks, and Theo was a spastic little spitfire the whole time. Check back soon!

We're (Almost) Off!

We leave tomorrow for Mendocino! If you saw the post on my non-dog blog, Mendocino is the awesomest place in the whole world. I'm super excited that we're taking Theo. It's one of those towns where everyone has a dog (supposedly very dog friendly...we'll see). Basically all you do there is walk, rest, and eat, just what all three of us love doing!

I don't know what my internet situation will be, so the blog may be silent for a week, but I'll be sure to bring back lots of pictures (and videos maybe?) of an adorable puppy. The plan is for lots of wine drinking (mmm...Navarro...), so hopefully I'll be able to get a few shots that aren't blurry and off center.

I'll leave you with a picture from Theo way back when he was a teeny tiny puppy.

Weekend Shenanigans

Well the last few days were eventful indeed!

First off, I already mentioned the snow, but I've got to make another mention to how cute Theo was when he first hit that batch of snow. It was the cutest thing ever! I can't wait to post the video when I get my laptop back.

Next, my parents and their house. Theo pretty much made himself at home right away. Though instead of using his bed as "his place", he used the entire rug that sits in their great room. It was hilarious. All of his toys ended up under the coffee table at one point or another. It was hard to give him a treat (doggie matzo balls, courtesy of a family friend), but coax him away from trying to go eat it on the rug! Hehe. He loved their backyard so much that it was hard to get him to come back inside! They have an acre of land, and it's chalk full of quail, nightingales, frogs (thanks to the next door neighbor's son), and delicious bunny poop! It was so great to watch him have the space to really run around and having the time of his life.

When we first arrived a neighborhood dog (not sure whose) came over to welcome Theo to the neighborhood. I instantly liked this dog when I saw that he was willing to "puppy play" with Theo, rather than just trying to sniff his junk or growl/snap at him like a grumpy old man. The backyard would have been even better if it were a little warmer. It's no fun standing out in the cold, even if your dog is having a ball. Plus, there was one time he took off after a quail and I had to go chasing after him and bring him back because he wouldn't come when I called. Bad dog! I can also attest that the best way to get your dog to come (when s/he's decided to forget what the command "come" means) is to look your dog directly in the eyes, give a playful nod of the head, and then run the other way. Works every time!

Then, Theo met the family. He was such a charmer! My Uncle especially was enamored with him and wanted to arrange a meeting between their dachshund, Brownie, and Theo. More on that later. My two youngest cousins had a lot of fun giving him his toys. One of them was very brave and liked it when Theo jumped on his head to say hello, the other was scared of him unless she was up on a chair where he couldn't get her, and then she liked him a lot. My cousin's baby daughter was totally terrified of him. She was the only person who didn't say hello to him, so of course, he spent the better part of the evening trying to greet her, which she viewed as a hostile threat, usually proceeding to cry at the top of her lungs. And of course, kids being kids, at the very end of the evening she, deciding he looked more like the Easter Bunny and less like Cerberus, came over and gave him a few nice pats on the back before walking away. There, drama averted.

The next day we took Theo over to my Aunt and Uncle's cabin in Tahoe to meet Brownie. Brownie is an ill-tempered mini-dachshund whom I fully expected to want nothing to do with Theo, and I was right. First thing after Theo walked in the front door was greet Brownie. It started off well, there was lots of sniffing, until Theo playfully jumped on her head (he does this with everyone he's playing with, dogs and people alike, I've noticed). Big no no. She growled and snapped and Theo ran for my ankles squealing like a dying pig. I separated them, and took Theo outside to eat some snow while Brownie mellowed. My Aunt suggested we take them both for a walk together, and it ended up being a great idea. They got to sniff eat other on mutual territory, and Brownie was able to get a sense of Theo's playfulness without being so surprised by it. When they got back in the house I made sure they stayed separated. Theo stuck by me and Brownie stuck by the sunny window, and even made sure to take the long way around me when she went to the kitchen to beg for leftover turkey.

We also took Theo to the Sparks Marina. It is so beautiful there! The wind ended up cutting our walk (and enjoyment! boo!) short, but I would definitely love to go back there when the weather is better. Theo enjoyed all the people and dogs, but his favorite part was when we stopped in the doggie bakery. He got to meet a very nice and patient dog, smell delicious smells, and eat some yummy venison and chicken treats!

Overall I would say that Reno is a very dog-friendly city when the weather permits (this weekend it didn't really). I would love to go back with him in the summer or fall when it tends to be sunnier. I'm glad that my parents welcomed him into their home. It was a really fun time. I can't wait until our next traveling adventure! Right now it's looking like Mendocino in August (*squeal!*), Husband's schedule permitting (it may not permit! boo!).

Settled Back In

Well we're back home. We drove back yesterday and this time the trip was only 10.5 hours, which was mostly due to the fact that Theo was amazing. He slept pretty much the entire way. When we stopped for gas or lunch or a snack he would wake up, go out to pee, run around a bit, then fall right back to sleep when we were back in the car. For the last few hours he just slept in my lap. It was the cutest thing ever! I am so happy that this trip worked out so well for us, and I'm glad to know that Theo can handle windy roads better than I can (I get car sick...ugh). But most of all, I'm glad to be back home.

Don't get me wrong, Reno was awesome for both me and Theo. But he's not 100% house trained yet, and while Theo did very well on that front at my parent's house (and I won't say more for fear of incriminating myself (and fear of incriminating others who have sworn me to secrecy)), it was hard to really relax when I had to watch his every move to make sure there were no accidents (there was one at my Aunt's cabin in Tahoe! Oops!). I'm glad to know that in future visits it should be easier. I was ready to go home just because I was ready to be in a place where it's not the end of the world if he pees.

I'll make a separate post for our weekend shenanigans because there's quite a bit to say. Stay tuned!

We Made It!

Well it was a long drive (12 hours with all the stops!), but we made it, and it was actually a nice trip. We drove up through the mountains and it was just a gorgeous drive. Theo was a dream (not even a hint of car sickness!). Thankfully we were able to fit his huge crate in the care with no problem. When he was in the crate and tired, he slept. But when he was awake, he cried and cried and acted like we had locked him up in prison. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I gave in. Amidst Theo's crying, I gave in and let him out of his crate and into my lap. Bad julo! Hehe. But as soon as he was out of his crate, he was back to being his quite, mellow self. His favorite place to sleep was the center console between the two front seats. He would lay down on it, put his head down behind it (at a 90 degree angle from his body) and go to sleep. I don't understand how we sleeps in some of the positions he does. Hehe.

On our travels he saw and experienced lots of new things. He saw ducks, he saw ducks doing it (I'm traumatized, it was very violent), and most notably, he saw snow! I've been feeding him a lot of crushed ice lately to sooth his gums from the teething, so when he saw the snow he thought it just a huge mound of crushed ice. He jumped right in and started chomping away. It was adorable! I have some pictures and video to share later.

So it looks like, for the most part, Theo is a pro at long drives. Yay!

Leaving Tomorrow

Tomorrow we leave for that trip to Reno I mentioned before. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for what a task it will most likely be. I made my list of things I need to make sure to do/bring tomorrow, and checked it twice.

Pack:
toys
treats
food
crate
.
.
.
To Do:
move car seat cover to Prius
make Theo's breakfast and lunch
.
.
.

It's all there. I couldn't believe how long the list ended up being! I hope it all fits into our Prius (they have tiny trunks, ya know)! Puppies really are like babies in the sense that there's just a lot of "stuff" you have to bring everywhere.

Theo's record of enjoying car rides is not great. It usually involves squirming (pictured), crying, panicking, and a whole lot of barking. Deafening barking. I've learned over the last few weeks that it's not being in the car that bothers him per se. At first I thought his problem was with being banished to the back seat, away from his humans and away from their attention. But now I think his main problem is with the restraint. If we don't buckle him into the harness, he's fine in the back seat. Hehe. But safety is first, so he'll just have to get over it. The plan is to shove his crate into the back seat, so he can chill in his crate unrestrained, but he'll still be safe. Of course, since his crate is huge (I'm still bitter they don't make crates for long-backed, short-legged dogs), that will depend entirely on whether it'll fit in the car. Cross your fingers!

This is going to be an all day car ride, so obviously the trip will go better for all parties the shorter it is. In that spirit, I'm going to try and get us all packed and ready to leave by 4am tomorrow morning so we can get past the areas that tend to be more congested during the later morning hours. Also, my mom made mention of possibly making some macaroni salad for dinner tomorrow night (one of my all time favorite *mom* foods, it's delish), so I want to make sure we're there in time for dinner. You know you're leaving too early when Starbucks won't even be open yet. Oiy.

I'm pretty nervous about the trip, just because the longest car ride we've had with Theo so far has been about 30 minutes. I'm *hoping* he'll end up sleeping most of the way, but if he's unhappy and in the mood to bark, it's going to get very hellish, very fast.

Cross your fingers for me, feel free to leave me any tips you might have for the journey, and I hope everyone has a happy passover! I may not blog much (if at all) while I'm gone, but hopefully when I get back my camera will be full of cute pictures of Theo!