Newest Addition to the Johnson Family!

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you are probably aware of the new addition to our family. No, not the baby...That is still a good 5 months away. 

Meet Buddha!

This furry little creature came into our lives by chance. A silver-sabled German Shepherd came into our life after someone abandoned her out by our shop. This beautiful dog we adopted as our "shop dog" and she has become very loyal to us and ferociously protects our shop from anyone who isn't welcome. 

Early in January we came to find out she was pregnant! 

She delivered a beautiful litter of puppies that were all very different. A lab/heeler looking puppy, a mini version of the mom, a boy German Shepherd looking pup, and of course, Buddha herself.

I teamed up and started volunteering with a local shelter in the next town over. They helped get the pups their first round of shots and this previous weekend we had our first adoption together at Petsmart.

We all thought for sure little Buddha would be the first to go! She received her name for obvious reasons. Her pudgy belly and ultra mellow calm nature. Her siblings were hyper balls of energy that you could barely contain, but Buddha wanted to simply be where you were, lay by your feet, or be held in whichever position you chose to mold her little body into. My husband was immediately attached to her.

Smitten husband: Evidence A

To our surprise her siblings went first. Everyone who was interested in Buddha wanted to throw her in the backyard to be an outside dog by herself. Knowing her personality, that wouldn't have done well. *Read statements in paragraph before*

"Oh we have 10 acres, we are going to build her a pen and she will be an outside dog." Um sorry, no thank you. Next? 

Most people were definitely turned off by the potential of her size. We came to the conclusion her daddy was a "Wolf Hound" The tallest dog in the world, known to stand 7 FEET high on it's hind legs. 

German Shepherd + Wolf Hound =  ONE BEASTLY DOG!

Once we researched the breeds Henry and I decided she would actually be the perfect dog for our growing family. We have always wanted a German Shepherd, and here was a mixed one thrown at our feet for free! 

 

Although the Wolf Hound is a large breed, the temperament only further made up our minds. Known for their size, they are actually very sweet gentle dogs and GREAT with kids. They are known for being tolerant of little kids pulling on their ears and tails, and love being inside dogs. Although more likely to run up to burglar than chase one off, if the owner was threatened they are known to use their size to their advantage. That mixed with the very loyal, family friendly German Shepherd sounded like our dream dog with a baby on the way. After the adoption was over, Buddha still lingering around, Henry caved and decided to keep her for himself. That night he laid on the couch watching TV cuddling with her as much as she would allow before bed. He laid there with her rested up against him, and his hand rested on my growing baby bump. It was an amazing night! Buddha won our hearts over even more when she slept the WHOLE night through until 8:15 am when her sweet little puppy howls told us it was time to wake up. *She is definitely part hound dog*

Smitten Husband: Evidence B

Cuddling with Preggo sick me. :-)

Buddha and her new pink collar.

Isn't she the sweetest and cutest!?

Merry Christmas From The Johnsons {2012}

I hope you and your loved ones had a fabulous Christmas holiday this year! I know my Hubby and I did.

We were quiet busy since I have family 5 hours away.  We had to drive to Houston Sunday morning for my dad's side of the family, followed by my moms on Monday for Christmas Eve. We then continued on home after the family gathering to make it home by 2 am so we could enjoy our first Christmas as a married couple in our own home. 

Since we don't have kids we have the pleasure of splurging on other people. Not to mention, Henry gets plenty of credit card rewards thanks to his business, so gift cards are usually handed out in lieu of an actual gift so people can spend on themselves how they choose. Henry absolutely hates gift cards and their insensitive meaning, or at least that is what he thinks, I on the other hand love gift cards! I would much rather enjoy a gift card to spend on myself however I choose than to get a gift, fake a smile, and go exchange it later on. Luckily,  my family members know me pretty well so exchanges have never had to happen, but that is my opnion on the whole gift card topic.

Sunday at my Uncle Mark's house I enjoyed eating my Grandpas amazing oatmeal cookies, watching old family videos my grandparents had managed to turn into DVDs and chatting with cousins and aunts. One cousin in particular was latched on to Henry like a leach. But the cutest leach ever I must admit. 

My baby cousin Aimee seems to have grown a little kid crush on my husband. Which Henry eats up because he adores children. He had absolutely no problem entertaining her.

Monday was my aunt's party. We always do a themed Christmas with them since in our family by Christmas you have just about finished left over Thanksgiving foods and would prefer anything other than more turkey and dressing. This year was Asian food. Nom Nom Nom!! Delicious Shrimp and Pork Spring rolls, Coconut Curry Chicken, Egg Rolls, Wontons, brown rice....Side note, if you notice me capitalizing nouns, such as Egg Rolls, please forgive me. I speak German, in German all nouns are capitalized, it has been a difficult habit to break because I rarely notice until someone asks me.
Needless to say I think I stuffed my mouth more than I did on Thanksgiving and felt like I was going to pop!

Christmas gifts rolled around and we really enjoyed getting to see all the kids open their gifts. I am sure everyone knows what we get them because it typically involves us brainwashing my little cousins with Aggie Gear. My heart fluttered in delight when my sister asked my 6 year old cousin where she wanted to go for college and without hesitation, grinning ear-to-ear my cousin blurts out, "Texas A&M College Station!" That's my girl!!!! So proud of her.

Quoted above is Shaye, the cousin on the left. Right is Henry's niece, Ariana.

After my aunt's we hurried on over to my parent's house where we finished up a few family gifts so we could get on the road before too late (it was already 8:30 pm). We had given my parent's their gifts at my aunt's house, however my mom wanted us to open her gifts at her house. Unfortunately, my sister was still at her boyfriend's mom's house and my dad was being a vain toddler who can't think of anyone else other than himself at times, so the gift opening consisted of my mom, Henry, the two Harbor girls visiting and myself. My mom had thoughtfully bought me some wonderful scrapbooking additions, and an amazing wine bottle chandelier!! I had been eyeing one at Pottery Barn, so when I opened the box I was ecstatic to see she had purchased it! They also got my Hubby some more beer brewing supplies to go along with the ones my Aunt Robin and Uncle Warren had earlier given him as a gift. Lot's of home-made beer in our future. Yummy! (I say that in all seriousness too, it's awesome!)

Finally at 9:12 pm, yes 9:12 pm, my mom refused to let us drive off at 9:11 pm, we were on the road to Fort Worth again. We made it home safely around 2 am and crashed. The next morning when we finally rolled out of bed we kept our dogs back so we could scatter their new toys on the floor. We adore watching them scramble out of the bedroom and frantically trying to decide which toy to take for the day. Dunk, the fatty of our two dogs, tried unsuccessfully to cram two new turkey leg shaped rawhides into his mouth and instead settled on plopping down between the two as if to guard them. Tux, my baby baby, has an infatuation with green toys. People say dogs can't see colors but I gaurantee Tux can see green. I take him to PetSmart, throw down a few toys and say, "Get your toy." Tux goes back and forth between toys before settling on one, typically green, and setting it at my feet to let me know that is the one he chooses. I then grab an assortment of colors of the toy of choice, being sure to not use the same original he chose, to see if he again picks the green and he always goes for the green one. So, on Christmas day he had the choice between the first green toy he ever had as a puppy that a lawn mower destroyed, a green rope with green plush squeaky, a blue treat dispensing toy, and a green squeaky snake. Tux proceeded to grab the green squeaky rope and settled on the front door rug. After contemplating for some time, he shoves the rope in his mouth, walks back to the pile and successfully crams the other turkey leg rawhide into his mouth, and goes back to the rug with both. I love our Fuzzy-butt babies!

Henry and I finally began to open each other's presents. I had been so upset because we always do one "big" gift for each other each year. This year my big gift was a pair of Ostrich skin Lucchese's that Henry had been eyeing before we got married. Now I love Cavendar's, however I do not love that the week before Christmas they deliver the Lucchese boots in a opaque Cavender's bag! I did not like getting a text from my hubby with a photo of them on the doorstep. I had literally just got of the phone with them the night before when they called to say they were shipping, and I had specifically told them they were a Christmas gift. Thank youuuu Cavendar's, you dumbass.
So, as to not ruin his gift I had to be creative. I had to pretend I did not get him boots.

We began opening gifts, Henry received a few nice lumberjack shirts, long sleeve, and sweater from Banana Republic. I got two amazing skinny Miss Me jeans and VSX yoga outfits (all matching! He is so good!). We each bought each other 3 new colognes and perfumes. I got a new blingy belt and Vogt sterling silver cuff bracelet and he received a few Nike basketball shorts. Then he hands me a box that had not been under the tree with cowhide wrapping paper from a store called "The Maverick". I had never heard of this store. I anxiously unwrapped the gift wondering what he had bought! I was flabbergasted when I opened the box to see a stunning pair of Old Gringos!!! I had been dying for a pair of Old Gringos, and hadn't even told him this was a pair I adored. It is so nice having a Hubby who knows my style and taste so well. After drooling over my new boots, I decided it was time to hand Henry his boots. He ripped the wrapping paper off the box saying, "I wonder what these could be", with a huge smile on his face. The look on his face was priceless when he revealed the levi's and boot wedge and NOT a pair of Lucchese's. I couldn't resist bursting into laughter. He was SO disappointed they were boots. He looked under the tree to not see anymore gifts and made the most pitiful face. After pulling myself together I told him to hold on, walked into the guest bedroom, and grabbed the gift bag for Henry to open. Sure enough, there in the bag was his brand new boots. He was in love and we couldn't wait to flaunt our new boots.

However, there was one gift Henry had not let me open yet. He gave me a hint saying it was about the size of an iPad mini. I knew it wouldn't be an iPad because he bought me one last year, I was racking my brain trying to figure out what it was. Finally I gave up on guessing and opened the box to reveal a black box with the letters "LOCK" on the outside. Did he seriously get me my own toolbox? What in the world!?
I opened the box to see my very own Glock .40! YEA BUDDY!!! I would have never guessed!

Looking at all the gifts he got me it definitely was different from the years before I knew him. I went from getting wedges and pumps to cowgirl boots, from dresses to jeans, from jewelry to guns. However it is different for him too, he still gets his boots, but instead of camo and ammo, he gets sweaters and button ups. We have really rubbed off on each other, in a good way. It was an amazing Christmas together as Husband and Wife, and I wouldn't have changed one thing.

Country Goodness {No 2.}

     This past weekend was New Years Eve!! Whoop! We did have plans to go to Houston - my hometown - to a wine bar called "The Corkscrew" with some friends we went to college with and who are now some of our best friends! Unfortunately, I got extremely sick at work on Thursday. I mean I was literally doing a semen analysis and throwing up in a trash can pulled up next to me at the same time. Luckily, my later analysis cancelled so I was able to clock out, lay down, and wait for my fiance's secretary to pick me up from work. Yes his secretary picked me up from work. Being in Cleburne I have no family, no reliable friends, nothing. So yes his secretary. Feel sorry for me. :-)
     To make things worse my "holiday" to work was New Years Eve - so we were going to drive down after work, party, family sunday, drive home Monday. THEN Henry finds out he has to leave town for work, AGAIN, on Monday. So, a 5-hour drive to Houston would be pointless. PLAN B - HICO!
     My soon to be sister-in-law Audrey was in town with her fiance, Aaron, so she drove the hour and a half from Hico, where Henry's parents currently have a ranch, to pick me up Thursday and bring me back to Hico so I wouldn't be home alone all sick. This is also where we ended up spending our New Years Eve. :-) Which was amazing! I absolutely adore Henrys family - minus the old bully thief & Mickey Mouse character.
     First fun adventure: waking up to a deer being "processed" by Aaron and his son, Jake - and my dog gnawing on one of its chopped off legs! I mean I buy bones at Petco or PetSmart - but this one had fresh blood and fur still on the leg - and did I mention MY CITY-RAISED, CUDDLY, FUZZY-BUTT, BABY BOY was happily gnawing on it?? I mean I could hear the crunching and squishing! Then, Tux was running around after me with it in his mouth, grinning, like it was another one of his tennis balls or frisbees, saying "Play with me! Play with me!". Yuck! haha

Tux and his beloved gag deer leg

After I told Tux "drop it" so I could get a better photo of the deer leg

     Fun adventure number 2: Four wheeling in the dark with his family! I can't believe I never grew up with four-wheelers. Well, actually I can. Henry busted his nose open and had to have stitches - his sister Audrey hit her chin on the handles or something and split her chin open. I mean we are talking about having parents who wouldn't let me play soccer because "I would get bruised or brain damage". So of course I wouldn't have anything cool like a four-wheeler, much less any place to ride the dang thing.

With Henry's sister in the kitchen taking shots - Audrey hates this photo but too bad! I don't. :-)

     So, here we are 11 o'clock at night, Henry grabs me out of the kitchen, as I am taking shots with Audrey, to go four-wheeling. I love how well Henry drives a four-wheeler, kind of sexy! We hop on one, Aarons sister and her boyfriend hop on another, Henry's mom - yes his mom! She is a badass! - she hops on a third, then Henry's dad gets the "mule" with Aarons parents in front, and kids Alanna, Ariana, & Peyton in the back. We all take off through the property. Henry's mom is speeding past us! Then Aarons sister and bf are gaining on our butt - Henry whips through a path I didn't even know was there and comes out ahead of everyone! His mom yells, "Hey you cheated!" LOL We finally make it to the cow pasture and start racing full speed ahead - did I mention our four-wheeler only had the left brake BARELY working? - toward a pond I remember Henry shooting a lot of snakes in this past summer! Next thing I know we slide to stop right before the edge of the pond - Henry can be a real punk sometimes! Henry then takes off in the pasture along the line and decides to play his mom in a game of chicken that she wasn't aware of. Then off to the house we go! I am so sore! lol

Laying down with my two baby boys after lots of fun - Tux had to wrap his paws up because he spent so much time chasing four-wheelers on the rocky ground it ripped off a layer of his paw pads :-(

     Fun adventure number 3: Fireworks! Aaron bought a crap ton of fireworks that day so off we all went to a gravel pit to shoot off the fireworks, a safe distance from the house, with this drought we didn't want the house catching fire! The guys continue lighting fireworks, you get your "ooohs" "awwwws" followed by "burn out! burn out!" as the ashes scatter the ground - THEN Aaron whips out these things that he lights, waits a second, then tosses in the air towards us!!!!  Now the first round are fine, you can see where its going, run away, and it "blows up" "bursts" whatever you want to call it. THE SECOND ROUND was the scary round! These were different! Aaron lights them, waits a second, tosses it in the air towards us -same as before - only these don't land where you expect! They light up green in the air, then full speed zip towards the ground in a random direction and burst in a split second!!! We were screaming! I am pretty sure Henry's dad was getting rather angry at some point. One flew right between my legs and burst too! I would've been pissed had it ruined my new Miss Me jeans! But it was a fun adrenaline rush for all involved - especially when Aarons sister snuck up behind them with a hand full of the zipping fireworks and starting tossing them at Aaron to give him the same torture who was submitting us to. LOL Gotta love siblings!

Audrey caught in the sparks of a firework - it was extremely windy!

More firework sparks at the gravel pit or whatever they call it. :-)

    Even though it wasn't the New Years Eve adventure we had planned, it was a ton of fun! It was nice eating dinner with my in-law family, then waking up and having breakfast with everyone as well. It was a great way to end 2011 and to begin 2012 - surrounded by loved ones.
   

Sicky-poo!

          Boy am I behind on blogging! I have missed the last two Wedding Inspired Wednesday posts - plus numerous other things I have been anxious to share. Although, my reasons for delay are explainable. My oldest baby, Tux, a blue-merle "mini"-Australian Shepherd had a horrible tooth-ache. I quote mini due to the fact that he is actually on the small side of a full Aussie. The breeder informed us he would be on the big side of minis - not 15 lbs bigger lol It all worked out perfectly though, he is the perfect size for me and the best cuddle buddy ever!

Tux riding in his usual spot - prior to his growth spurt past big mini to small full - by my feet on the floor board (eventually ending up in my lap)

         Back to the tooth-ache - I had noticed Tux had been a little depressed lately. I know my baby like the back of my hand! It's like he talks to me - telepathically of course. Tux reminds me a lot of Scooby-doo. I typically know anytime he needs anything and what that thing is - he also knows my emotions very well. I assumed rather incorrectly this time. I assumed his depression was the heat, which meant play dates and walks around the neighborhood have been rare. Even when I did try to play fetch he would run to the toy, pick it up and immediately drop it - again I assumed the heat. I also noticed him yelping more - which he NEVER yelps. For example - the only time he has EVER cried would be when he had a gaping hole in his chest, and the few times Henry's big self steps on Tux's paws with his work boots. He didn't even cry the time at the ranch when he ran FULL SPEED -and Tux is a fast lil booger - into a trailer hitch while chasing another mini-Aussie. He just kept going like it was nothing! I of course assumed the excessive crying was because Dunk is kind of a cry baby and yelps for EVERYTHING - opposite of Tux - and Tux was picking up on it.

Tux with is favorite toy! With his tooth-ache he couldn't bear to pick it up and bring it to me.

Henry's parent's ranch in Hico, TX - playing fetch in the tank

Tux with his other fun squeaky toy - playing fetch prior to tooth-ache

         Finally, Wednesday evening after his yearly vet check-up I had noticed he had yelped about 6 times, that's getting a little excessive for Tux. So I tell him to sit, lay, roll over - Tux is also very good at being still. As a pup I continually played with his paws, checked his teeth, played with his ears, etc - so he doesn't squirm when I go to check his snout for the cause of crying. I lightly squeeze around, check his teeth, run my finger through his mouth and around his gums for a sore ,when YELP! BINGO! His front tooth! From the front it looks normal, perfectly fine, but on his side, head back you can see the back side is chipped and black! I immediately feel like an awful mom - how did this go unnoticed for soooo long!? Why hadn't I put the obvious clues- laying around, not picking up toys or catching them in the air, the excessive crying - all together!? Needless to say, he had a vet appointment that Friday - antibiotics were given to address the infection prior to the tooth extraction and a pain injection was given to relieve the pain until they could pull the tooth Monday morning.


Tux on the way to the vet - love Tux's split face! (Aussie split face is where half the face is tri colored, then a perfect split where the other half is merled - it can be split horizontally, vertically, or even where it is split 4 ways!)

         It was crazy, it was like Tux was a whole new dog when he went to the vet initially on Friday, like he knew we were there to solve his pain! As my fiance said, it was hard to explain to the vet how much it's bothered Tux and how depressed he's been when he is all smiles and kisses at the vet! haha Monday, tooth was extracted! My wonderful fiance dropped Tux off and picked him up - texting me to keep me posted. Henry knows me so well that he even got the tooth for me to keep! lol That would be the science-nerd in me. Tuesday morning it was like Tux was a puppy again, and unfortunately I woke up with strep throat, another reason for the lack of blogging. He has been running around, grabbing his toys, tackling Dunk, using his snout to knock my hand off what it's doing to give him attention instead, etc. He is all smiles! And yes, Tux smiles! My wonderful, playful, loving, happy kangaroo is back! :-)

Tux after playing fetch with Henry - full of smiles!

Tux playing fetch with Henry - my lil Kangaroo!