Reconnecting part 2

In October, we worked really, really hard to be ready for our 1st craft show.  Making glasses, tea lights, sanding, wrapping and boxing more glassware than you can imagine.  Much of our October was spent working on things like this:

This is a champagne bottle glass 1/2 done.  Next stop: hand-sanding!

Meanwhile, we couldn't let the month get past us without at least some Halloween fun.  T likes to dress up Fenway in his many, many outfits.  His most recent addition is his Batdog costume, which she bought just for him.  This was the culmination to the Batdog ensemble of a handmade collar with a handmade Batman symbol she made many months ago - you guessed it, just for him.  He wears this on a fairly regular basis.  You never know who's going to show up around here...

T calls this "Casual Sunday" - no cape and suit required

Then there are business formal days - crime never takes a vacation!

Part 3 tomorrow...

Reconnecting part 1

Holy cow.
It's been over 3 months since I last posted!
Do you still remember us?

I'm happy to tell you nothing horrible has happened.  We've been humming along quietly, steadily and without catastrophic incident for the past 3 months.  Phew!  With that said, we have been insanely busy, so this will be a 3 part post:  

Our little online recycled bottle-crafting shop, Conversation Glass, has been growing and we've been working our little fingers to the bone.  My full time job has been understaffed lately and work has continued busy there, although I'm on vacation right now (1 more day left).  Our 14 year old daughter has been sharing her 9th grade growing pains with more fervor than a Tea Party conservative.  While nothing catastrophic has happened, we haven't had many spare seconds.  All except for the dogs, who are constantly snoopervising.

Notice Arwen ignoring the overflowing toy box and trying instead to fit into her brother's tiny bed.

So what have we been up to?

In September, T started at special math/engineering high school that she actually loves.  Yes, folks - our kid loves her school.  If you've been paying attention, this is a first for her.  She's also started JROTC and loves this, too.
**climbs back into chair after passing out**
I can't even type this without being in shock.  We've had some ups and downs, and have learned that 9th grade sucks.  Again.

T actually DOES have a face, but she is under covert assignment at present.

Stay tuned for Part 2

P.S.  Congrats to President Obama - now let's get to work!

No More Stink Eyes

These hot, summer days mean shorter walks, less outdoor snooping and more laying about waiting.  Just woefully waiting, for fun.  I know this because here are the "stink eyes" I've been getting:  

Do something to amuse us! We're bored and it's all your fault!

I was in big trouble, folks.  Too many more stink eyes like this and I would turn into a permissive, ice-dispensing, treat pinata.  So it was time for a trip to the dog toy store.  Please note that anywhere you look in the house, there's at least one dog toy gathering dust.  The Nylabones of a few months ago have been chewed down to nubs:

See that little nub of a bone?  Used to be about 9 inches long...Nyxie has thrown herself onto the ground in protest!

We came home with 3 shiny, new Nylabones, and this is what we saw:  

No more dirty looks!!  So in honor of good times and playing doggies, we made these:  

Play, Dog!  Number 2 in the Stick Dog Collection for Conversation Glass

Thanks for stopping by Arwen's Pack and our shop, Conversation Glass.  We've had some questions about shipping to Canada - we've actually sent quite a few bundles up north to Canada and all the glasses and vases have made it there just fine!  Also, the paw prints and "Play Dog" collection stick dogs can be etched on any glassware in the shop (it just needs to be a clear surface).  We can also etch letters for personalization!  

The Dog Days of Summer

I've been on vacation!
Which means... fun, sun and I've actually worked really hard on our online store, Conversation Glass.  I guess you could say I'm a bit of a workaholic, but you do what you have to so everything keeps humming along.  This vacation was spent preparing for (gasp!) the holiday rush when shoppers will need presents for everyone on their lists.

You know, when I was a kid I thought the adults around me were crazy to even be thinking about the holidays before December 15th.
Damn.  Now I'm a crazy adult.

Regardless, the 3 Puparoos have been spending their days enjoying time with Mom, time chewing on bones and learning to get along.  I'm always stunned at how tough dogs play with one another.  This is a rough and rowdy crew, see for yourself:

Yes, she ALWAYS wins

We brought home a new memory foam bed for Arwen.  You might remember that my oldest has spinal arthritis (although at playtime you'd never know it) and I've been trying to find her a nice, supportive bed for some time.  I brought it home, tossed her old bed out into the living room, put the huge new one on our bed so I could vacuum the bedroom, turned to pull it down to her spot, and...

"Watcha doin, Mom?"  

The 2 youngsters were giving the new bed a try.  Is it me, or is one of Nyxie's devil wings showing?  (They're awfully small - think Heimlich in A Bug's Life)   Arwen did eventually get to enjoy her bed, but I had to run a couple of Nosy McNosertons off of it first.

Synchronized bone-chewing with help from Dad

Then there are some perfect, vacation days like this one.  Happy Dog Days of summer!

Snoopervising

A weekend off from the vet hospital means 2 days of Conversation Glass work time!  We're taking bottle labels off of new bottles, then cutting and sanding them, all to restock the store.  And making room for the new, means saying goodbye to the old.  Yup, there's a sale on.  What a flurry of activity!  At least from the 2-legged members of the pack.  

These were a large order of tea light hurricane lamps we sent last week

Our coffee machine is getting nervous..."they're making a army!"

Here is what the other 3 are up to: snoopervising between siestas...

Zzzzzzz

Always sleeping with one eye open

"Keep that racket down!  I'm recharging!"

If you aren't too tuckered out, come see our SALE in progress at Conversation Glass.  You just might find something special.  Happy weekend, Snoopervisors and Snoopervisees!

Fenway gets Tutored. "Please, No Pictures"

Fenway's big day came last week.  Yes, he was neutered.  There was much talk of him going under the knife in the days leading up to his surgery day.  Even though I assist with this surgery almost every day, it feels so  different when it's your own kiddo.  That morning, he bounced about happily as I clasped his collar around his well-muscled neck in preparation for "school".  Little did he know what lay ahead.

"YEAH!  We're going to school!!"

His day took a curious turn when breakfast never came.  Then there were the premedication injections to prep him for surgery.  He looked so worried, even for Fenway with his perpetual furrowed brow.  I know he wondered why I was allowing all this to happen.  I had to be stoic and strong.  The last thing he needed was to pick up on my own anxiety.  I think I pulled it off like a ninja.  I bet my coworkers would disagree...

Prepping for surgery

His surgery went well, thanks to his brilliant Doctor!  It's a strange feeling to put something you value so much in someone else's hands.  I guess that's why they call it "trust".  My coworkers were great, laying out a special rest and recovery area for my Fenny-Fenny-Foo-Foo (just one of his many aliases).

Try as I might to keep him warm, he wanted to turn onto his back  - his favorite position!

He was a bit "lowdog' for the rest of the evening, but eventually ended up finding his place by the window, my Happy Sundog.  Most likely trying to find his lost huevos and dignity.

"Please.  No pictures"

The Missing Pack

The last time Arwen's Pack published a blog post was April 12th.

That was over a month and a half ago!  Do you all still remember us?  Let me give you some reminders of who we are in case some of you forgot.  First we have Arwen, our Iron Fist Curtain Diva, who is still very much in charge of her pack.

Spring picture, "cheese?"

 Then we have Nyxie, our resident Chicken-Heart Guardian, loyal minion of Arwen:

"CHEESE!!!"

And finally, we have Fenway, the Little Brother of the pack and resident snuggler, paper towel & sock connoisseur, and sister tormentor.  (other aliases include:  FennyFennyFooFoo, Runtabull, and T's favorite, Butt-holio):

"Cheese?  WHERE!!??"

So where have we been?  Where should I start...

After much practice, sore knees and sweaty hours on the treadmill and trails, I ran a 5K!!  I ran the 2012 Fort Worth Zoo Run with T, and 3 other friends at the end of April.  It was exciting, fulfilling, and a huge fitness milestone for me.  This was a hard-fought battle but I did it!  I was so very proud of T for running with me - she beat my time with only a few practice runs under her belt.  Ahh, the glory of youth!

May ushered in several evening events for the final days of T as a middle schooler.  I can hardly believe she's headed to high school.  Neither can she, really, so there were many hours of convincing, cajoling and promising that high school will not be a living horror show.  Not a word, folks.  Not one word!

We had a busy several weekends.  We attended the Texas Frightmare convention, where cast members of one of our favorite TV shows, The Walking Dead were in attendance to answer questions and be drooled over. (I did mention that Norman Reedus was there, right?) 

I like to imagine that in this pic he was reaching past the security lady to give me a big hug...

Matt and I opened a second online store, Conversation Glass on Etsy.  We take glass bottles destined for landfills and create hand-cut, hand-sanded & polished glassware.  Sustainable goods, repurposed to make something beautiful.  It's a win-win situation.  And it's pretty fun to do, actually.  I hope you'll have a look at our glassware - we're pretty proud of it!!  Please follow us on Facebook (Conversation Glass) or Twitter (@ConvoGlass) and Pinterest (Conversation Glass).  There will be giveaways coming soon :)  Here are some samples:
Tall Wine Bottle Tumblers:

Blue Beer Bottle Juice Glasses:

Green Perrier Bottle Tumblers:

Finally, this past week brought us the last official week of school for T.  And her summer visit to her grandparents' house.  It's been quiet at home today.  And now that I can put up the stepmom hat for a short while, I can get back to blogging!  

All of this has absolutely nothing to do with dogs, but they've been a part of everything we do and I just didn't feel right jumping back in to Blogville without letting you know why I've had no time to blog.  I've missed you all and can't wait to catch up!