Workin' Hard or Hardly Workin'...

I take a dog with me every day to work...They rotate everyday who gets to go, and who stays home... Both dogs are exceptional at work. In my classrooms I tie the puppy down to one of my tables, generally while I am working with students I have the door open, so I just want to make sure the puppy isn't going to escape or wander off while I'm teaching.

This is Monet...I think she's working HARD!

Joaquin...Workin' hard!

More of Joaquin, Workin' Hard (in another teachers classroom)

And well...you can decide...Workin' hard or Hardly workin'

The rule with my students is that after they have worked hard for our class period...THEN they can pet the puppy. It works pretty good for the puppy and the student to have a little time at the end of class where they can be kids and dogs :) The kids know the rules and are very good to follow them...in fact, one of my stu

dents wrote me a few little notes thanking me for raising puppies...here's a note...

In translation it says (I'm keeping the original spelling cause it's cute):

Thank You miss lindzey for training money(Monet) friso(Frisco) wacene (Joaquin) and eatey (Edie) your gettel(gentle) and teach them life values and they learn to resst(resist) food and be loyal to the person they will be with there more then just puppys there guide dogs in training you teach them good values but you do remind them they are just dogs but you also take care of them you keep them heaty(healthy) with their clams and rice (I have NO Idea where she got the idea that they eat clams and rice) and their milk bones and other stuff I bet its hard for you when they have to go to guide dog scool(school) but you do alot of good for Blind people like me.

Obviously my student tried her hardest to write me a nice note. I contains no periods except for at the very end and well...it's a good think I figured out what all her words were cause some of her spelling is not so great...but it's cute nevertheless...

decorating my room...

So after living here for 15 months, I finally decided I was sick of the pictures being hung on the nails that were already in the wall...and the CRAPY paint job that was in my bedroom... So I went and bought 2 colors of paint and after a hard days work (and Mickelle's help) I got my room painted. Then after a few more weeks, I finally got my pictures hung up on my walls...So here are some pictures for anybody who cares.

Before...

After...

This is the same wall as my door. I did not want the first thing you see when you come into my room to be the dog stuff...so this is what you see when you turn to go out of the room. I have an amazing clock on the wall that has dogs on every hour and different barks for the hour...of course the sound part doesn't work, because it was annoying so I took the batteries out. Around the clock is most of my graduation pictures of my pups. I would like to put one good picture of each of my cc pups up too...but haven't got that far yet... Also, I have a collection of leashes hanging on this wall as well...Perhaps I have a leash fetish?

Before...

After...

This is what you see as you walk into my room. I realize that the blue and white checkered blanket does not match, however, Brogan (the black lab laying on the bed) is visiting and I didn't want him to get his hair all over my bedding...which is why the blanket is there... to the far left are the books I'm reading, then there are pictures of Christ, the temple, The Family a Proclaimation to the World and a picture of the old first presidency of my church. Then on the other wall to the far right are pictures of my family. I LOVE my new room!!!

Quick Trip and Frog Dogs...

Yesterday afternoon, I flew to Oakland, CA so that I could rent a car and drive to GDB to see Edie and her new partner before they left GDB. It was a very quick trip and I was home at 4:30 today...less than 24 hours--(yes, I am that crazy...)

There is an LDS Temple in Oakland and I stopped by the Temple this morning on my way back to the airport. It is BEAUTIFUL! It looks way more amazing in person than it does in pictures...I can't wait to go back to Oakland and actually get to go inside!

It was so good to see Edie again! She went crazy when she realized it was me (about 10 seconds after walking into the room...it was when I said "hi Edie") anyway the party lasted for a good 5 minutes or so that I was being mauled by Edie in all her "girls just want to have fun" glory. When I decided that maybe she should settle down...she was a good girl and decided to take a nap. There was nobody besides me and Edie and her new partner in the room and there was not a professional photographer there to take our picture...so Edie's partner took this picture of us together! Isn't she adorable? She is so grown up now!

Edie grew up, she used to look away from the camera every single time I tried to take a picture of her, but now that she is a working girl, she was much more compliant in the picture taking department. She is the second guide for her partner who lives in MI. He is a very nice, retired man and he said Edie was exactly what he needed in a new guide! I could tell that they were bonded already. He kept assuring me that Edie is a wonderful and careful worker. I am so happy for them...I think they will have many happy years together as a wonderful team!

And of course...we can't leave out the puppies at home! :) Both Joaquin and Monet do what I call "frog legs" where they will lay in such a way that their legs stick out and look like the back legs of a frog. Joaquin does it more often than Monet, but I think it is SO cute!