Freebies and Furry Friends

Well, I finally have my Google Reader unread posts down under 900. For a few weeks now, it's been at 1000+ and they don't even give me an exact number. See, I started following a bunch of new blogs at once and it added some of their old posts automatically and it just got crazy real quick!

Beginning to wonder if I need to pare down the number of blogs I follow. It's a lot to keep up with. Anyone else in a little too deep like me?

Some great FREEBIES you might have missed:

Coin Memory Match Game- Rowdy in First Grade (perfect for 2nd grade intervention)

Around the World in a Glass Slipper- Darlin' in First (Cinderella unit!)

Goin' Fishin' for Long O Game- The Second Grade Superkids (so useful)

Generic Standardized Test Parent Letter- Extra Special Teaching (perfect for testing grades)

Letter Writing Paper That Folds Into an Envelope- Tunstall Times (kids would be SO motivated!)

The Rounding Sea- Pitner's Potpourri (SO many freebies on her site)

Suffixes Game- 2nd Grade Rocks (goes along with all the terrific Reading Street games she has!)

Super cute CRAFT and CAFE headers- Ladybug's Teacher Files (will almost definitely be in my room next year)

Okay, so I was squeeing inside when Soaring Through Second started a pets linky party. I am totally an animal person, and I talk about animals probably more than I should.

Here's the thing, though- I don't actually have any pets of my own! But my mom's pets were there when I was in high school (and of course, whenever I visit), so I still consider them 'my' pets, kind of.

So, without further ado- Teddie Jo, Mikey Ben, LutherAnne Grace, Mamacita Maria, and Cash.

This isn't her prettiest picture, but this is Teddie Jo. Teddie was a rescue from people who just let their dogs run around and breed with whomever. She started out as a little fluffball, and she is such a pretty dog. We think she's a Border Collie/ Australian Shepherd mix. She is an amazingly smart dog. One time we left the other dog outside, and she rang the bell- not because she had to go out, but because she knew we'd go and open the door and let Mikey in. Her tail is always high in the air, her ears always perked up... and she follows my mom EVERYWHERE.

Teddie teaches me to be excited about life!

This little bundle is Mikey with my brother, on the first day we got him. I was in college, and my mom saw him on the humane society website. He was listed as a "special needs" puppy because he had entropion, which means his eyelashes faced in towards his eyes. Basically, every time he opened or closed them, his eyelashes brushed against his eyes- so he kept his eyes closed almost all the time. Even though we weren't really looking for another dog, he needed a home and eye surgery, and my mom couldn't resist. He is not the smartest little doggy (...at all) and he doesn't have great eyesight, but he is the sweetest dog you will ever meet. We had to teach him the command "no more kisses" because he loves to lick people in the face too much! He will cuddle with anyone, even if he just met you 5 minutes ago.

Mikey teaches me to love unconditionally.

Now, I have to say- I'm a dog person. But when this little black kitty needed a home (right in the thick of kitten season at the Humane Society), we checked to see if she'd get along with our dog. Lo and behold... she did, because Luckey (part of the reason I'm luckeyfrog) was such an easygoing dog.

We found her at our Lutheran church, so she's LutherAnne Grace, but we call her Annie. She was the first cat our family ever had, so we were tickled every time she did a 'cat' thing that dogs don't do, like jumping into boxes or playing with string. She's a gorgeous black cat, but she is all cat. She's that stereotypical cat who wants your love when she wants it, and otherwise- let her be.

From Annie, I've learned to appreciate when someone shows me love, even if it's not the same way I would do it! With her, you have to appreciate the rare times she will cuddle with you or let you hold her very long :)

 When I was in high school, there was a bad flood in our town. Our dog Teddie was a new puppy, our carpet was ruined, and suddenly, this gray striped cat was hanging around. Soon, she started carrying little kittens to our porch (protected from the rain). We loved it, because we'd always been those responsible pet owners that fixed our pets, so having kittens was so fun. Animal lovers that we are, we put out food, water, and a box for them, and once the kittens were old enough, we found them homes. No one took the mama cat, though, so we kept her ourselves.

Mama is what we call a 'dat,' because while she is a cat, she acts a lot like a dog. She comes when she's called, she begs for food, and she'll even 'sit' for a treat. She is much more friendly and cuddly than Annie, and loves to sit on my lap while I'm on a computer (laptop, desktop- doesn't matter!). She is a cat that lived outside as a stray and was so skinny when we got her, and she now finds every comfy spot in the house, and has been known to break into food. She definitely loves having a home.

Lesson from Mama? Count your blessings and appreciate the comforts of home!

Finally, I want to show you my "sister-in-law" dog, Cash. She doesn't live with me either- she's my mother-in-law's dog- but she is the sweetest, most docile dog I think I've ever known. She does have a couple of bad chewing habits occasionally (she's a puppy!), but overall, she's so well trained that you can drop food on the floor and she won't pick it up.

Cash goes to doggy day care, has been to Bark in the Park with the Cincinnati Reds, has been in a parade, and goes to a dog park called Wiggly Field. (Yeah, I know.)  From her, you could learn to get along well with others and go with the flow- she is awesome at both!


In case you haven't noticed, I probably should have a dog of my own, but my husband and I are trying to be responsible until we can be home more and have a bit more money. Still, I'm always keeping an eye out for a dog that needs a home, so it'll probably happen at some point!

One last lesson we could probably learn from all dogs, found here at Sweet Blessings:

Made by Sweet Blessings. Click on the link to go print it free!

 

 

Go link up with Soaring Through Second so I can live vicariously see your adorable animals!