German Sheps and Kids

Growing up I had a neighbor that had a big white German Shepherd named Beowulf. I never got to close to him because he was just too big for me to handle. I loved my neighbor and their kids, but just steered clear of the big white beast. Sadly, a few years later my rural little neighborhood just on the outside of the city limits had a rude awakening. Beowulf chased a woman on her bike and nipped at her heels. From that point on we all were under strict leash laws.

Now let's be honest...I still see a lot of violators around my parents neighborhood who ignore the leash laws. I remember as a kid trying to ride my bike around, some of the dogs would chase you...and it could be kind of scary. In the back of my head I remembered what happened with Beowulf. I remember my neighbor being angry and sad over the situation. The dog didn't hurt the biker, but they made a huge deal over it. Beowulf was certainly NOT the only dog in the neighborhood to chase bikers or be loose...but he was the only one who got the police called on him.

This is many people's image of a German Shep, and mine too when I was a kid.

So fast forward many years later and Andrew tells me the best dog he ever had was a German Shepherd. That the only dog he wants would be another German Shep because they are such great dogs. Here I'm thinking NO WAY! They are scary, and could be dangerous. They would scare our children and probably knock them over. My mind was made up, the Corbins would not have a German Shepherd.

Well we all know how that ended up. Archer is my baby, and I couldn't imagine our lives without him. But, I still wasn't sure how he would be with kids. My parent's dog, a cocker spaniel, can be quite aggressive toward my nieces and nephews. Something about them being on her level and getting near her bed or food. I didn't really think that would be much of a problem considering how much Archer loves people, but you never know...

This weekend I had some coworkers and their families over to our house for dinner. My good friend Kerissa brought her not quite 2 year old daughter with her. I made sure on the invite that I let people know about Archer. I wanted to make sure that people understood a big dog would be there.

As the day approached I was more nervous about Archer and his behavior than the food or cleaning. This was our first real get together at our house, and Archer wasn't used to company coming over. The few times I've had my cousin or friends stay with us...he's usually so hyper the first few days, and often in his excitement he jumps on people. (Yeah, I know that's our bad...we're working on it!) I kept imagining Archer jumping on our guests and hurting them with his long nails. (Yes, another problem, but I swore the first time I hit blood would be my last...)

My game plan was simple, Andrew would get home early and run Archer outside so that he would be tired by the time our guests arrived. Great plan, right? Not so much. Andrew got home late, and Archer was still in his crate when I got home 30 min before our guests were arriving. Talk about stress...but whenever I'm working with Archer I know that I can't let my feelings project or Archer will pick up on it, and it will be that much worse.

It turns out all of my fears were for nothing. Archer was excited yes, but he was a perfect gentleman with all of our guests. He even made a new BFF. So it turns out Archer is wonderful with kids! Kind of makes me excited to have some of our own....kind of. :)

Archer has a new BFF

Why I love YA Books

I've been thinking about this a lot. You may remember that my BA is in Literature. Ever since I finished my first big book as a kid (Ann of Green Gables) I've gotten a thrill out of reading. I enjoy it in the same way that I like music. I don't just want to hear a story, I want to search for symbolism and deeper meaning. With music I don't just like to listen to the melody. I like to piece out the words and understand the point of the song.

Anyway, my undergraduate career had me picking a part classic literature. (British is my favorite.) And I like to think that I utilize those skills now whenever I read anything. I always thought that reason I love YA is because for school I had to read heavy classic literature, and while that may be partially true...I think there are some other reasons that have me coming back to it time and time again.

1. YA isn't just teenage romance.

Ok, I will admit I do love the teenage romance. There's something endearing about first love, and considering I married my high school sweetheart I probably give it more credibility than most adult readers. But the point is...that no matter if the book centers around fantasy, mystery, or action....there is always a love interest. Alight, I'm sure you can prove me wrong on this...but in all of the books I love there is always a love story. But it doesn't have to be the center plot!! I love a cute love story....but I don't always enjoy the Romance genre. YA allows me to indulge without committing to that being the only story line.

Some of my favorite Love Quotes come from YA Books.

2. They are generally shorter.

Yes Harry Potter was long...but fantasy series aside, generally YA books are shorter. I am the type of reader who gets lost in books. When I read books, I see them like movies. I want to get the whole picture in one setting. So YA is a great option for me. Usually I can read an entire book (sometimes a couple of books) in one weekend. I have closure. I don't enjoy stretching books out over weeks....and in my new adult work schedule this is valuable to me.

3. Growth is usually key.

You learn so much growing up, and this is a key element to most YA books. You witness experiences that you have probably been through on your own path to adulthood. This generally makes for more dynamic characters...and allows the author to impart life lessons to the reader. When reading "adult books" you don't always get to witness that kind of growth. Usually the characters are already jaded by their experiences and so you dig into their background. Sure there's development there, but I love walking through experiences with the characters.

So much growth happens in your teen years

I love reading YA. I get to jump around to various genres, but I can rely on there being some kind of romance, it will be a short and interesting read, and I will witness some kind of growth in the characters. It's not just that it's modern, or that other critics haven't really ripped it apart yet...it's getting to experience that time when everything was simple and hopeful. It's enjoying the journey.

What's On My Kindle - February

It's that time again! Time to see what I've been reading, and this winter weather has definitely been encouraging for cuddling up with a good book. This month I continued to indulge in YA fiction by reading a trilogy that is claimed to be for fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games, and one that I bought because I like the author. Here are my reviews:

1. The Siren by Kiera Cass

I chose this book because I am a big fan of Kiera Cass' series The Selected. This book however, is very different. From Greek mythology I was aware of what a siren is, a woman of the sea whose singing can bring men to their deaths, but its never been something I've explored or been intrigued by in literature.

This book is from the point of view of Kahlen, a siren in the modern world, and her relationship with the Ocean (a god-like being) and her desire for a romantic relationship with a man (which is of course, strictly forbidden...never mind that her voice would cause him to commit suicide in seconds.)

The book took a long time to dive into the action, and even then it wasn't necessarily suspense filled or exciting. I give this book three stars, but I don't think I can recommend it. It was an OK read. I think if they had jumped into her relationship with the man sooner and spent more time developing that relationship it would have been better.

2. Legend by Marie Lu

Book 1 in the series follows Day, the number one rebel against the Utopian society called The Republic. He has a history of non-violence, but loves to create trouble. When his pattern is broken and he kills an officer, the officer's sister June, a prodigy in the Republic graduates from school early to track him down and avenge her brother's death.

June is successful in finding and delivering Day to the Republic...but something doesn't quite add up about the Republic's autopsy and Day's version of the story.

I have to say I was hooked from the beginning. I was a bit weary of reading another distopian novel after the disappointing conclusion of Divergent. But I decided to give it a chance, and I'm so glad I did! What I love about the books in this series is that they include mystery, action, romance, and political intrigue.

3. Prodigy by Marie Lu

So if you haven't figured it out by now, Day is the Legend Book 1 refers to. Book 2 is all about the Republic's prodigy June. ******SPOILER FOR BOOK 1*****

After June helps Day escape his execution, she struggles to trust the Colonies. She still feels loyalty to the Republic and must work to view both sides objectively. However the Republic has big plans for her and in exchange they will give Day the surgery he needs and help him find his brother. June gets swept up in a plot to kill the new Republic leader in order to save Day...but something's not quite right. June must decide how to proceed while separated from Day.

This book continues to develop the characters of Day and June and their complicated relationship. I love that Marie Lu really looks at the dynamic between the two characters and how their history has a detrimental impact on their future.

4. Champion by Marie Lu

The conclusion to this series leaves The Republic's people looking for a champion. And who better to pull them all together than the man of the people Day. June is working closely with the new Republic leader while Day cares for his brother. Day must decide how to lead the people whether it is in favor of the rebels and the Colonies, or of sticking with the Republic and their new leader who promises change. It all may be for nothing as the the Republic and Colonies head toward war.

Ok, enough recap. Let me tell you why I liked this book. It does a great job of resolving the series in a way that is agreeable to the reader. Well, I guess I should say agreeable to this reader. It's not a happily ever after and it's not a disappointing mess like the Divergent series. I give Marie Lu major props for her ending. The conclusion to the last book in a series can make or break the whole thing...and she does a good job. Honestly it was a brilliant move on her part, she found a way to bring closure to the characters while still leaving it hopeful.

Ok so go read the Legend Series! 

If you want to know more about what I'm reading, friend me on Goodreads! 

President's Day Weekend

Reader, I hope you enjoyed the long weekend! President's day weekend Andrew and I usually try to take advantage of the extra day off and discover more of Utah. Last year we hit Bear Lake and enjoyed a wonderland of snow. This year we were hoping to do the same, and spend some more time snowshoeing, but alas Utah has been having some unseasonably warm weather lately. That, and I insisted that Archer just had to come along! This greatly limited our options because a lot of the colder places were shut down for the winter, and most of the other options wouldn't take dogs.

You may remember, that I'm not exactly an experienced camper. A nice compromise that Andrew and I have found are the KOA Kabins. Ok, ok I know it's not really camping....but like I said it's a nice compromise. I don't have to sleep on the ground, and Andrew can get out in nature. Best of all, most of them take dogs...even those super aggressive German Sheps! (haha - how anyone could think of my Archie as being aggressive is beyond me. Thank you KOA for not having breed restrictions!!)

Archer on the porch of our Kabin

So with limited options we decided to spend our long weekend in Cedar City, UT. It's in Southern Utah which is home to more of that gorgeous red rock, but is close enough to Bryan Head ski resort so we could enjoy some snow as well. Unfortunately this trip sort of snuck up on us, and we failed to plan for it. We arrived late Saturday night, and on Sunday no snowshoe rental places were open. We did have a nice scenic drive into the mountains...but had to settle for a nice hike in the red rock.

As always here are my highlights:

1. The Road Trip

Cedar City is about 4 hours from where we live, and Southern Utah is a really beautiful place to do a road trip. The speed limit is often 80 mph and the view is breath taking. You'll see red rock, and snow capped mountains all in the space of an hour. I of course really enjoyed just having a chance to chat with Andrew, snack, and read!

2. Spending time with the pup

Hiking with Archer

A typical day in the life of Archer is to wake up, eat, use the restroom, then go back to his crate until Andrew comes home around 5pm. Then he gets to play outside until the sun goes down, then lounge around the house with us...until it's time to go back to his crate. I hate that. I hate that he doesn't get to run and play more. Of course he doesn't seem to mind...he's a lazy thing. But oh to see that German Shepherd run! Any way, I really loved being able to include him in our adventures last weekend. And hiking with him was by far the most enjoyable for all of us!

Resting after a hike!

The problem is...that Archer is not really a good traveler. I can't tell you how many different methods we have tried. This dog just doesn't understand that standing up does not help you on turns, or when stopping, and he can't come sit in the driver's lap...even if that is the best view in the car. So I tried something new. A plastic barrier to keep him in the back end of the SUV. And guess what?! It worked. Never have I enjoyed a 4 hour car ride with my dog more.

Doggie Barrier

That was of course, until he realized that his head could push through on the sides. Then if he uses his paws he can shift the plastic. Are you seeing my mistake here? PLASTIC. I went for the cheap option, and he figured it out. The ride home wasn't nearly so pleasant. It involved a lot of frustration, and frantic yells trying to get him to stop tearing apart the barrier. Oh, and then he decided that moving cars must be enemies and began barking at them nonstop. Yup, there went my pleasant car ride.

Despite the frustration of the drive home, I do love having my pup along. He's my BFF and it's just not a family vacation without him. 

4. The Scenery

Cactus

The red rock is always stunning, and I always tell people that I moved here for the mountains. I have a lot of trouble enjoying the scenery while I'm hiking....something about all the exertion I'm using just to keep up. But truly, the scenery was breath taking. I'm not a fan of the Texas desert, but I do love the Utah desert. 

At the time I hated what the sun was doing to my photos...now I kind of like it.

5. Family Time

Best of all, was the family time. This trip was for Andrew. He has been working so hard this semester! Between Grad school applications, Organic Chemistry II, and work he's a pretty busy dude. I don't get as much time with him as I would like...but with the 8 hours in the car, and no tv or phone service, I got to spend some wonderful quality time with him. That was the best part. 

He's a pretty fun guy.

Family photo

The De-Vamping of Fang

When we got Fang, one of the first things we did was take her to vet. We wanted to make sure that we understood what was involved with having an older cat. That was when we learned first that she was much older than what the adoption place told us. And second that her cute Fangs would probably have to come out.

We made sure to take lots of pictures the night before her surgery.

It turns out that the reason Fang's teeth hang so low are because they are abscessed. Her mouth was full of black teeth, and the vet was surprised to find out that she could even eat hard food. He warned us that those teeth might be affecting her sinuses, and were probably giving her a lot of pain. Oh yeah, and that the price to get all of this done would be around $400.

Well at the time, that just wasn't an option. We had just gone through a month of living in a new state without having any jobs. And while I had just landed a pretty great gig, we were trying to pay down all of the credit card debt that had accompanied our move. I knew that Fang certainly didn't seem in pain. She was happy as could be, and had no problems eating hard food. I resolved that we would wait until we had a little more money to spare, and would just keep an eye on her eating.

Well three years later, we figured it was about time to get it done. February is pet dental health month, in case you didn't know...and our vet had a 10% off dental work promotion. Not to mention the tax return had just come in. So this Tuesday, Fang went in to get her teeth cleaned/pulled.

I was pretty nervous about it all day. She got dropped off early in the morning, and of course they make you sign paperwork that warns you it is possible for death to occur. (gulp!) But our vet is wonderful and he kept assuring me that this was necessary and should greatly improve her quality of life.

All in all the old girl had four teeth removed. 2 of course, were her signature fangs. I suppose now her name is more of an ironic name. Like when people name Great Danes Tiny. But she truly does seem to be happy. The vet gave us pain killers, but said she might not need them at all. Just having the teeth removed should be making her feel better. He also said that clearly her teeth and mouth disorders were genetic and somewhere along the line may be linked to being a carrier of feline herpes. To be honest I wasn't really paying attention, I was just so happy to have my kitty safe and sound.

Her eyes are still pretty dilated in this picture, and she kept poking that tongue out.

So that was the De-Vamping of Fang. I feel pretty guilty for waiting so long to get it done. There were definitely some selfish elements to my waiting....I never did get that picture of her in a vampire cape. But I have to say, even without the fangs...she's just as cute. 

Pet Profile - Juliet

Well I hope you enjoyed Fang's Story, but long before she joined the Corbin clan there was my long haired calico Juliet.

I should probably back up a bit, Andrew and I were married in 2008. I'm sure many of you can relate, but one of the first things we wanted to do was get a pet. So...we did! 2 sugar gliders. And guess what, they lasted about 8 months and it was a HUGE mistake! Gross creepy crawly rodents were not such a great idea. So I consulted my favorite life guru, my mom, about what I should do. I knew Andrew really wanted a pet -- and he has a strong fondness for cats. Well life guru surprised me and told me that she knew someone who had free kittens in our hometown...and she thought that calico one might be a good candidate. 

Mom was sold on Juliet, but I honestly was leaning toward the gray one in the back.

Andrew was of course thrilled by the proposition, and it just so happened that we would be back in our hometown for my best friend's wedding the coming weekend. I will always remember that we got Juliet on my friend's wedding day. Andrew's parents pulled out all the stops for our new addition haha.

My in laws found the sign from when Andrew's sister was born.

Juliet was our first real pet, and she is very special to us. That being said she is very different from Fang and Archer. Where those two only ever want to be with us or be given attention, Julie loves her independence. She will not be cuddled if she doesn't want to be. And don't even think about picking her up. She is afraid of everything, doesn't adapt well to change (poor girl has been through 3 moves and 2 new additions to the family), she can't purr, doesn't know how to cover her litter (she just scrapes at the plastic on the box) and she is quick to retaliate.  She's my ornery old girl, but that only makes it all the more special when she jumps up into your lap and seeks out your attention.

I know a lot of people are not fans of cats. Juliet is that stereotypical grumpy and independent cat, but I couldn't imagine our family without her.

Enjoy some of the quirks that make our Juliet who she is. 

If you want to slow Juliet down, just add water. She start moving in slow motion.

You will frequently find Juliet in this position to block the light when trying to sleep. 

She hates getting her nails trimmed, but tolerates it pretty well.

When she gets excited she does this cute prairie dog move.

If you are a fan of Jaxon Galaxy you will understand that she is tree dweller.

Winterfest 2014

This weekend was another fun one enjoying Winter in Utah. The Department of Natural Resources held an event called Winterfest, where they let people pay a small fee to get into East Canyon State Park and provided them with all the gear to do a number of winter activities. You could snow mobile, ice fish, cross country ski, snowshoe, and/or go sledding.

The group heading down the Winterfest

Andrew is the president of the Zoology Club at Weber State, and they decided to attend as a group. Since I have an in with the pres, I tagged along. We started the day with snowshoeing, and I was a little nervous. I usually can't keep up when doing a hike, and these are people who love doing field work. But it turned out to be a great time! It is like hiking, but adding the snow element actually makes it a lot more fun. You can go off the trails, or really anywhere! We hiked up part of the mountain, and these Zoology kids were fun to hang out with. They kept naming the phylum and species of everything they saw, and identifying the plants along the trail. I wasn't exactly interested in the conversation, but it gave me a chance to catch up so I was never left too far behind.

It started to snow while we were snowshoeing

That being said it was eye opening to hike with them. They pointed out different tracks up the mountain, even found a dead deer...ok that was kind of gross, but still these are things I never would have seen if they hadn't pointed it out. They saw an imprint in the snow of where a bird had swooped down to catch something. You could see the bird's feathers imprinted on the snow. Then while driving back we saw countless deer (I guess I'm just oblivious because I never see any by myself, but they literally pointed out like 20 deer), and even three golden eagles. Usually when I'm hiking I'm just trying to catch up, and you know, not pass out. But this was pretty fun, and walking all around the mountain really warms you up!

After the snowshoeing they did some sledding, which I bowed out of. Speeding down hills isn't exactly my cup of tea. After one or two nasty tumbles, they gave that one up. Some people did the snowmobiles, other chatted with the DNR employees. Then we all headed home. Afterward some of us grabbed Thai food and later coffee. It was a really fun day getting to meet some of Andrew's friends.

Lining Up to Sled