just kids and pets

I can't say enough what an awesome dog Maverick has turned out to be.  It might help that he has been mauled by Laci since his introduction to the family, but really, he is the sweetest, most patient dog with my girls.  Just to clear things up, Maverick is my mom's dog, not our dog, although he clearly prefers Laci over my mom if he ever has to choose between the two.

If you're wondering, Maverick is a miniature Australian Shepherd, which generally speaking, is a pretty good breed of dog.  A little hairy, a little high energy, but if you have the time and space, they are also very loyal and family friendly.  Look at me, I sound like I'm some sort of dog expert.  I'm not.  All I know is that getting a good dog is a special mix of breeding, upbringing, and pure luck, and we scored with this one.

Our dogs at home are not as tolerant of Laci's sometimes overbearing affection.  But we do have a blonde kitty, aka Momma Kitty, that will tolerate quite a bit of torture in exchange for food dropped on the ground.  Here she is being force-fed by my children.  At least they were trying to feed her goldfish (crackers).

 

She even got a bath the other night.  I believe her patience comes from having been a mother to several very obnoxious kittens in the past.  Proof that having children will tamper with your sanity.

I just love that my kids are little animal-lovers like my sisters and I were when we were kids.  Okay, we are still animals lovers.  And so is Ryan, always has been.  So, really, it shouldn't be a surprise at all that my kids are obsessed with the furry creatures.